Do you ever grow tired of cleaning? You scrub, vacuum, polish, but the dirt always seems to be there? If the answer is yes, you have a choice: either hire some professionals and pay them or use these handy tips and tricks to make your home sparkle and spend saved money on something you actually want!
Pet Problems
Every family that has a pet has some problems, but if you keep hamster or a parrot, most of those issues are kept within the cage. Dogs and cats however, are an entirely different story. They shed throughout the year and leave hair everywhere, on the sofas, carpets, even your clothes. An easy way to remove this hair is by simply using a slightly wet rubber washing glove and drag it over the furniture and other areas.
If you happen to be out of washing gloves, you can use flip-flops. Just make sure that they are clean and rubber, then drag away! It’s very useful if you somehow ended up with an odd slipper.
Technical Things
According to the study conducted by Ruby Cleaners, an average smart phone has more bacteria than a toilet. They found out that the easiest place to get undesired bacteria is to use phone in the toilet. “It’s basically like flushing and not washing hands.” said Marry Hughes. To clean it and keep it that way, you should use an alcoholic wipe and give it a nice and detailed wipe once in a while. But why stop there? Use the same trick for your TVs remote and your computer mouse. For some of the trickier and harder to reach spots, use cotton buds.
Kitchen
Cleaning up kitchen is never easy, those utensils and appliances you use often can become rather dirty. Here are some easy and quick steps for most common issues.
Coffee Maker
Clean your coffee maker by brewing a mixture of half water, half vinegar, letting it rest halfway for about 30 minutes before completing the cycle. Rinse by brewing plain water.
Microwave
You can remove the smell from your microwave if you put in a heat-proof cup of water with a slice of lemon inside for a minute. Then let it rest for 5 minutes or so, the steam will do its job and you can easily wipe down everything. In addition, the lemon will leave your kitchen smelling nice and fresh for a while.
Toaster
Burnt bits and crumbs in the toaster? Unplug your toaster and remove them with a pastry brush. This should increase your toaster’s lifespan by a lot.
Blender
Blenders are especially useful during winter, and can look dirty after use. To wash them, simply run it with mild water and some washing up liquid. And then rinse and repeat.
Refrigerator
Some food can leave your refrigerator with rather unpleasant odor, so to prevent this, you can use a lemon. Cut one in two pieces, place one half on the top shelf and the other one on the bottom.
Dishwasher
Run a hot cycle of your dishwasher with two cups of undiluted vinegar in the safe bowl on the top shelf. It should help clear pipes and make it smell better.
Brushed stained steel pans can be cleaned with some cloth and baby oil. Copperware needs a different ingredient, and its tomato sauce. Not only does it clean, it also polishes, so your kitchen will look brand new. Your silverware though demands patience. You have to use some toothpaste to make it shine brightly. The results shall awe you completely.
Bathroom
One of the most important rooms in every home is of course the bathroom. As most of the water is spent there, you’d expect it to be easiest to clean, but that is definitely not the case! Here are some tricks to help you:
- Unclogging your shower head is a simple but very much needed chore. Best way to do it is to use a plastic bag with water and vinegar and soak the shower head in it for an hour.
- Try using old toothbrushes to clean hard to reach areas around the tap or drain.
- Cleaning your toilet has never been simpler. Pour a can of Cola in it, let it rest for the night, scrub it in the morning and flush for that shining look.
- Remove the smell from your washing machine by running it empty with a cup of white vinegar inside.
- Get rid of water marks with a grapefruit, simply cut one in half, sprinkle some rock salt and scrub away.
General Tips and Tricks
Toothpaste can also be used to polish leather, whether it’s your jacket, pants or sofa. Lint roller can be used as a duster, especially some hard to reach places like lamps or high shelves. Your shoes can shine longer if you use hair spray after polishing. Make a natural moth repellent by bagging some dried herbs like lavender, cloves, bay, rosemary or thyme.
Conclusion
There are many more ideas for you to explore on your own. As you have probably noticed, lemons, toothpaste, baking soda and vinegar are very useful for home-made cleaning. Use them wisely. And remember: “An hour of cleaning a day, keeps the germs away.”
