20 Cleaning Tips You Wish You Knew Sooner
There's no better time to take cleaning seriously than now. Before, you were only compelled to clean because of the guests that would come knocking on your door soon. But now, it is a different ball game. The new coronavirus continues to threaten the lives of many people all over the world. Giving your home a deep clean every day has become a top priority. However, you don't need to become a cleaning slave to your home the whole day. You can sanitize everything efficiently and effectively without spending so much time and money. If you don’t have enough time to clean you can always hire an affordable cleaning service like SwiftClean.
Now here’s 20 cleaning tips you wish you knew sooner.
Tip #1: Use Potato to Scrub Your Cast Iron Skillet
Some say that soap can ruin the seasoning of your cast iron skillet and make it lose its non-stick property, and some say that it won't. Whatever is the truth behind it, you can be certain that you won't ruin the surface of your cast iron skillet when you use a potato to scrub it.
Put some coarse salt to the surface of the cast iron skillet and use the half of the potato to scrub the surface. Scrub the cast iron skillet with the potato until the gunk loosens up and can be washed off.
Tip #2: Clean Your Microwave Using Steam
You typically use your microwave to heat up your food. But no matter how you tried to keep it clean, there will be someone who will let the heated spaghetti get stuck to the walls of your microwave. Worse, the smell gets stuck too. You will only be wasting time trying to find out who did it.
You can put a bowl of hot water with two tablespoons of baking soda in the microwave and run it for 5 minutes. Soon, steam will build up and loosen the stuck food and grime while removing the funky smell. You only need to wipe it off with a clean piece of cloth.
Tip #3: Clean Your Pans using Dryer Sheets
It is common for frying pans and cookie sheets to acquire gunk and grime. Let the dryer sheets take care of the grime that got stuck on your frying pans and cookie sheets.
Put the items, which need cleaning, in the sink with warm water, soap, and a dryer sheet. Let them sit for one to two hours. Rinse with tap water and see the mess getting washed off.
Tip #4: Use Vinegar and a Brush to Clean Your Keyboard
Like many people, you must be working at home online right now, and your fingers continuously get in contact with the keys of your keyboard that serve as home to bacteria. There's a need for you to disinfect your keyboard to safeguard your health, especially now that the new coronavirus continues to take thousands of lives.
You need to prepare a mixture of one part water and one part vinegar for your cleaning agent. Get a used, clean toothbrush and dip it in the solution. Scrub your keyboard using the toothbrush. Make sure to clean between the keys thoroughly.
Tip #5: Clean the Shower Heads and Remove Water Stains with Vinegar
A spotty shower head looks gross and may make you feel like not having a shower at all. If you feel that way, your body could be sending you a warning. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America published a study in 2009 regarding the presence of Mycobacterium avium in 20 percent of the tested showerheads. Mycobacterium avium can cause grave respiratory disease. Also, water stains can be unsightly.
To remove the spotty build up in the showerhead, you need to fill up a plastic bag with white vinegar and soak the showerhead in it. Tie the plastic bag around your shower head or use a rubber band to secure it in place. Leave it overnight and wipe away the marks in the morning. For the water stains, mix one part water and one part vinegar in a bowl. Apply the solution on the stains and wait for 15 minutes before scrubbing off the scum with a toothbrush. Use a clean cloth to wipe the surface.
Tip #6: Use Baking Soda to Eliminate the Scratches on your Plates
Sometimes, your plate may suffer from scratches left by a knife or fork that can make them look dirty. It is inevitable to happen. Before you know it, you have a collection of scratched plates that you want to hide from your guests. Fortunately, there's a way to restore the beauty of your plates.
Make a paste by mixing water and baking soda. Rub it lightly on the scratches and rinse after some time. Make sure that the amount of your mixture is just enough to cover the affected area that you want to restore.
Tip #7: You can also Use Denture Tablets for Your Coffee Pot
You don't need to replace your grimy coffee pot that can still be salvaged with the help of denture tablets.
Drop two tablets inside the water reservoir of your coffee pot. Allow the machine to finish two cycles to clear the gunk inside. Run another cycle using plain water to rinse off.
Tip #8: Disinfect Your Coffee Maker Using Vinegar
It's not enough to clean your coffee maker, you also need to disinfect it. This can guarantee that you will only be drinking a good cup of joe without any icky stuff.
You can disinfect every month by filling the reservoir of your coffee maker with four tablespoons white vinegar diluted with water. Run it once to disinfect. Make sure that the reservoir is completely empty before you pour in plain tap water. Run it once more to get rid of the vinegar smell.
Tip #9: Let Rhubarb Get Rid of the Burnt Food from the Pan
There are times when you forget to buy dish soap from the grocery store and all you have in your fridge is some rhubarb. It's a good thing that it is enough to help you remove the burnt food that got stuck on the pan.
Put some water and a few rhubarb sticks to the pan with burnt food. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for six minutes. Turn off the stove and let it cool down. Scrub the pan using a scrubber sponge to lift the mess away. Rinse and let it dry.
Tip #10: Try Some Lemons to Give Your Garbage Disposal a Fresh Scent
Sooner or later, your garbage disposal will give off an unpleasant, revolting smell. Don't wait for such a smell to permeate in the room and drop slices of lemons down your drain when you turn on your garbage disposal.
Tip #11: Use Salt and Lemon to Scrub Your Shower Door
For your unsightly shower door, get half of a lemon and dip in salt. Use that to scrub away the mineral and scum build-up on your shower door.
Tip #12: Use Lemon to Clean Your Wooden Cutting Boards
If you have a wooden cutting board, you might have noticed that it is more difficult to clean than the plastic boards. You can get rid of the stains and smell of your wooden cutting boards when you rub the surface with some salt and lemon. Wait for a few minutes before rinsing it.
Tip #13: Create a Self-Cleaning Blender
There is an easy way to clean your blender thoroughly. You only need to pour some warm water into the blender. Add in washing-up soap and baking soda. Turn the blender on for a few seconds. Rinse it with tap water to get it clean.
Tip #14: Dab Some Toothpaste to Revive Your Silver
You don't really need a silver cleaner to make your silver pieces sparkle once more. You only need to put some toothpaste on your silver pieces and use a rug to give them a good rub.
Tip #15: Use Salt and Grapefruit on Your Bathtub
Isn't it great to soak in a tub that's squeaky clean, and you are certain that it is? Grapefruit and salt can work wonders for your bathtub in making it practically gleam in cleanliness.
Cut the grapefruit in half and smothered it with salt. Use that to scrub the dirty bathtub, shower surface, or sink. It can help get rid of the unsightly marks around the tub.
Tip #16: Clean Your Toilet Bowl with Kool-Aid
Kool-Aid is refreshing, and it can help clean your toilet bowl too. Just sprinkle a generous scoop of Kool-Aid powder around your toilet. Let it sit before you scrub the sides with a brush. Simply flush to finish the process.
Tip #17: Use Vodka to Eliminate Mildew Spots
If you have a bottle of vodka at home and need to get rid of mildew spots, you can use the vodka to get rid of it. Get a spray bottle and pour in one part water and one part vodka. Mix thoroughly and spray the solution on the affected areas. Let the mixture sit on the affected areas for ten minutes. Get a clean cloth to wipe away the mixture after ten minutes.
Tip #18: Use Shaving Cream to Get Rid of Stains on your Upholstery
You don't need to spend some money to hire a professional to help you get rid of stains from your upholstery. You can use shaving cream. But before you do that, you need to test it first on the inconspicuous area of your upholstery to test if it will not affect the color. Simply rub some shaving cream on the affected area and leave it there for half an hour. Blot to dry afterward.
Tip #19: Use Newspaper When Cleaning Your Glass Windows
A newspaper is the most ideal material to use when cleaning your glass windows. It does not leave lint or streak marks and can make your glass windows practically sparkle. Just spray your favorite brand of glass cleaner and use the newspaper to wipe it.
Tip #20: Eliminate Carpet Stains Using Steam Iron and Vinegar
To save time and money, simply follow a 1:3 ratio of vinegar and water. Mix the solution thoroughly and apply it to the stain. Get a wet, clean cloth and put it over the stain to cover. Run a steam iron over it for 30 seconds. Lift the cover and you're done.
Keep these tips handy, and you will surely benefit from them for a long time.
