Cleaning your home can sometimes feel like an endless task, and it can be very frustrating when you don't get the results you were hoping for.
And let's be honest; there are certain jobs that we continuously put off until the next time.
But what if I told you that there is an easier way? A way to make your shower head shine again or remove coffee stains from your cups for good. Do I have your attention now? Yes, it's time to get a grip on cleaning before cleaning gets a grip on you. Read on to discover my 30 tips for easy and efficient cleaning.
And let's be honest; there are certain jobs that we continuously put off until the next time.
But what if I told you that there is an easier way? A way to make your shower head shine again or remove coffee stains from your cups for good. Do I have your attention now? Yes, it's time to get a grip on cleaning before cleaning gets a grip on you. Read on to discover my 30 tips for easy and efficient cleaning.
Removing Carpet Stains With an Iron
Even with the help of expert cleaning products, it can be challenging to remove stains from carpeting. Fortunately, you can quickly and easily eliminate them with just two ingredients and an iron. Instead of scrubbing carpet stains, mix one-fourth white vinegar with three-fourths water and spray the stained area. Then, put a clean cotton towel on top of it and use a lot of steam to iron over the towel. After a moment, carefully remove the iron and cotton towel.
Any stains on the carpet will have broken up due to the heat, allowing for simpler removal. You can think of the iron as a miniature, super-effective steam cleaner.
Keep Your Bathroom Mirror From Fogging Up
After a quick morning shower, nothing is more annoying than mirrors that have fogged up. Getting ready quickly is impossible because we always look for different ways to keep the bathroom mirror clean and clear. Believe it or not, shaving cream is a great way to keep mirrors from fogging up. Just apply a thin layer of shaving cream and wipe it off. It's as simple as that. Your mirror will be fog-free for a few weeks.
This method can also be used to prevent fogging on your shower doors, windows, and even your eyeglasses to achieve the desired effect of an anti-fog screen.
Clean Your Oven While You Sleep
Cleaning the oven is one of those tasks that people keep putting off. But the longer you cook without cleaning, the grimier it gets. Nothing beats ammonia to clean the oven, the racks inside it, and the glass door. A little-known fact is that ovens can be cleaned overnight with ammonia with little effort on your part. Fill an oven-safe container with 1/4 cup ammonia and place it in the oven for a couple of hours.
Do not turn the oven on. Overnight, the ammonia fumes will break down the grime, and in the morning, you can simply wipe everything down with a sponge. Simple!
Put a Bowl of Vinegar in Your Dishwasher
Dishes that appear cloudy or grimy after being washed in a dishwasher are a common source of annoyance for those who live in areas with hard water. Vinegar can be used as a rinse aid by pouring it into the rinse compartment. However, this may weaken the dispenser's gaskets. Fill a bowl with vinegar and place it in the dishwasher along with your dishes and glasses. Then simply start up the dishwasher as normal.
White vinegar reigns supreme when it comes to effective and inexpensive home cleaning solutions. A splash of vinegar can help reduce the effects of the hard water. This easy hack will leave your dishes looking spotless every time.
Remove Coffee Stains From Your Cups for Good
Do the coffee mugs in your home have dark stains that refuse to disappear? Whether you wash your cups by hand or in the dishwasher, if you see any discoloration, you should work swiftly to remove it. Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of the stained cup or mug and add enough water to make a paste. Scrub the stains with the paste and watch them disappear. If your coffee mugs are made of delicate porcelain, be careful not to break them during cleaning.
Stains will be gone in a few minutes after the baking soda gently rubs them away. Then, rinse it off and continue to wash as you normally would.
Cleaning Appliances Made of Stainless Steel
Stainless steel has evolved from its original use in commercial kitchens to become the preferred surface material for many of today's most contemporary domestic kitchens. But in a busy home, fingerprints, food spills, and other blemishes may quickly dull stainless steel's shine. When endless cleaning doesn't make any difference, the answer to your problem is probably hiding it in your cupboard somewhere. Vinegar is a very efficient and inexpensive cleaner for stainless steel items.
White vinegar in a spray bottle makes cleaning stainless steel easy. Just spray, wipe, and dry. Rinse thoroughly with fresh, hot water after cleaning, then admire the results.
Clean Your Sofa With A Clothes Steamer
While steamers are great for getting rid of wrinkles in clothes, they also help you clean your sofa quickly. The right way to do this is to vacuum the couch first and then spray any stains or unclean places on the sofa with detergent. Then set the steam setting on your clothes steamer to maximum heat and steam. Make sure the steam reaches all areas of the fabric by working with long, even strokes.
The steam should eliminate any dust, dirt, or stains stuck in the material. Steam cleaning also helps remove odors and mold embedded deep within the fabric.
DIY Fabric Refresher Spray
Your home is the one place you should feel the most relaxed, so it's important to have a pleasant aroma. Carpets, couches, curtains, and other home fabric items can pick up smells you don't like. And whether you have pets or if you smoke, it seems like odors always seem to find their way back in, no matter how often you clean and tidy up. Shampooing the upholstery is effective, but it's a big job you don't want to do every week.
Add a good amount of fabric softener or fragrance-softening beads and water to a spray bottle and shake it up. This easy-to-make fabric refresher will make your fabrics smell better and stay soft to the touch.
Clean White Sneakers With Toothpaste
Try to resist the urge to clean your white sneakers in the laundry machine. If you do this, you risk ruining your trainers by ripping them or causing the sole to come loose from the upper part. You may be surprised, but toothpaste can quickly and effectively clean white sneakers. For the best results when washing your sneakers, use white, non-gel toothpaste. Start by removing loose dirt from the sneakers, then wipe them as clean as possible with a moist cloth.
With an old toothbrush and some toothpaste, scrub the dirty areas. You will quickly notice the results of this money-saving hack. When you're done, your sneakers will look brand new!
Return the Shine to Your Wedding Rings
No one likes to face facts, but it's true: your lovely wedding or engagement ring may lose its shine over time. Rings can lose their luster from everyday activities such as applying moisturizer or washing dishes, which can make a once sparkling diamond or gemstone appear foggy. First, you should avoid cleaning your rings with products that may contain harmful substances. Using warm water, a small amount of dishwashing soap, and a soft toothbrush is the easiest and safest way to clean a wedding ring or any jewelry with precious metals.
Soak the jewelry for 10 to 20 minutes in a mix of water and soap. Then, remove any leftover dirt or other debris with a soft toothbrush.
Homemade Microwave Cleaner
If you've ever opened your microwave to find it covered in splatters and grime, it's probably time you learned how to clean it. A dirty microwave is not just an eyesore and a possible smell issue; it is also a health risk and a potential fire hazard. White vinegar is one of many options for cleaning a microwave, and it stands out for being quick, cheap, and safe. Steam cleaning a microwave with white vinegar and lemon saves time and labor.
Mix 500 ml of water with two teaspoons of white vinegar and one diced lemon. In a microwave-safe dish, place the mixture in the microwave on full power for ten minutes. Stains or grime will easily be removed afterward.
Used Dryer Sheets Can Clean Up Soap Scum
If soap scum in your bathroom has you down and you've exhausted all other options, try using old dryer sheets. The chemicals in dryer sheets make soap scum and smudges on shower doors easier to remove. Start by running warm water over the dryer sheet and then rubbing it on the dirty areas. The soap scum should loosen and peel off as you work and will continue to loosen and peel off the longer you scrub.
Also, you won't have to use as much force to clean your tub or shower when using dryer sheets to remove soap scum. This quick and easy trick will not only save you money, but it will also make your bathroom smell clean and fresh.
Use a Chopstick to Clean Hard-To-Reach Places
Using chopsticks isn't limited to eating takeout. Even if you'd rather eat with a fork, these simple wood utensils are worth saving. This helpful item can also be used as an effective cleaning tool to remove grime from hard-to-reach places in your kitchen and bathroom. Chopsticks are ideal for getting into those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. Getting a cloth or sponge into those tight spaces around faucets, tiny grout lines, and difficult vents is always a chore.
When you wrap a washcloth around a chopstick, cleaning vents, grout, taps, and other tight spots becomes easy. For heavy dirt, sprinkle cleaning detergent and let it sit before cleaning.
Use Lemon for Garbage Disposals That Smells Bad
When it comes to cleaning your kitchen, the garbage disposal is typically the one that gets the least amount of attention. Anything that goes down the drain, like leftover food, ends up in the grinder. But you can get rid of the bad smell coming from your garbage disposal by using a few common items. Cut up a lemon and run a few small slices through the garbage disposal to make your kitchen smell fresh.
The citrus peel also works well to eliminate any nasty smells. Lime, lemon, orange, tangerine, and grapefruit peels will clean the garbage disposal drains and leave them smelling fruity and fresh.
Use a Dishwasher Tablet to Clean Your Oven
Scrubbing ashes, burned food, and grease out of the oven might be your least favorite thing to do. Even if your oven is covered in baked-on dirt and grime, one of the easiest ways to clean it might be found in an unexpected place: another kitchen appliance. With a simple dishwashing tablet, you can do more than just clean dishes. Put the tablet face down in your palm and rub it firmly in a circular motion to remove the dirt.
Just like with a sponge, use the tablet to scrape the inside of your oven. The concentrated detergent in the tablet will cut through grease and clean the oven.
Clean Your Silver Items With Baking Soda
Do the pieces of silverware you own require a natural treatment that will protect them from tarnishing? Baking soda and water are the two most eco-friendly cleaning agents that you can use to remove stubborn stains from silver. First, make a paste out of baking soda and water in the appropriate proportions to form a paste. Then, using a clean cloth or sponge, rub the mixture onto the silver until it is completely clean.
Once the silver has been washed and dried, use a soft cloth to give it one last shine. It doesn't take long to make your silver sparkle as though it were brand new.
A Potato Can Clean Rusty Cast Iron
A high-quality cast-iron skillet can quickly rise to the top of your list of must-haves for meal preparation. Yet, like any other item, a cast-iron pan requires maintenance to retain its quality. If the rust on your cast iron is particularly bad, use baking soda with the potato approach for optimum results. How does it work? Firstly, add baking soda to the rusted area of a cast iron pot or pan. Then simply slice a decent-sized potato in half, and rub the rusty spot with the flat sliced part of the potato.
If the end of the potato begins to become soggy, just chop it off and add more soda. Carry on till the rust is gone! This trick can also be used on other rusty items.
Deodorize a Smelly Trash Can
Do you have issues with a stinky garbage can? Even if you empty your trashcans on a consistent basis, after some time, they will still produce odors that are not pleasant. Baking soda is a simple product that can work wonders at minimizing odors in your garbage cans. To eliminate odors, sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of the can and leave it to sit. You can also put down some old newspapers to soak up moisture that can cause mold.
Leave the baking soda in the garbage can for as long as possible to get the best results. Try to leave it for up to 24 hours before vacuuming it.
Keep a Dish Brush Handy
Are you ready for the easiest cleaning trick for the shower ever? The easiest approach to prevent grime buildup in your shower is to clean it soon after each use. When it comes to washing the tile, tub, and grout in your shower, a dish brush with detergent may be an incredible time saver. In order to get the best results, fill the brush's handle with your preferred shower cleaning solution.
Simply keep a dish brush under your shower so you can easily clean it after each use. Take an extra minute or two after each use to clean the walls and floor.
Clean Your Dishwasher With Vinegar
Yes, even your dishwasher needs to be cleaned now and again. After a while, grease, soap scum, and food scraps from using the dishwasher will clog it up. In addition, if you live in a location with hard water, the interior of your dishwasher may also be affected by the water's mineral content. To solve all those issues, pour one cup of white vinegar into a dishwasher-safe bowl and set it at the bottom of the machine.
Run the dishwasher with a hot water wash, and the vinegar will dissolve all grease, soap scum, and other residual filth. This hack will save you time and money in the long run.
Refresh Smelly Sneakers With Baking Soda
If your sneakers are washing machine friendly, add a small amount of detergent and a cup of white vinegar to a warm wash and place your sneakers in. But if your shoes are not machine washable, fill two socks with baking soda, knot them at the top, and put one sock in each shoe. Baking soda will take care of any smelly shoe or sneaker. If you want your shoes to smell even better, put a few drops of your favorite essential oil into the baking soda.
Wait a few hours or, better yet, all night. Baking soda will kill bacteria that cause odors and soak up smells. For shoes that smell really bad, it may take 24 hours.
Grout Is Easy to Clean With a Bleach Pen
Don't waste your time scrubbing the grout with a sponge or toothbrush; use an amazing bleach pen instead. Bleach pens are versatile cleaners that help you clean the grout between your bathroom and kitchen tiles, dirty clothes, and shoes. The pen's formula, based on water, is designed to cover up stained spots where mold and dirt have developed. Just run a bleach pen over the grout lines in your bathroom or kitchen and let it dry overnight.
After that, simply wash your tiles down with a warm, damp sponge. And if you have stains on your clothes or shoes, your bleach pen can also work wonders.
Get Rid of Shower Scum With Vinegar
No one likes spending their day washing the bathroom, but it has to be done. Good news! Simply add equal parts vinegar and dish soap to a small bottle, then give it a good shake to blend the two ingredients. Use the solution by spraying it directly onto the soap scum, then wait around 15 minutes for it to take effect. This will dissolve the soap scum and filth that have developed in the shower.
After a while, scrub the area with a soft-bristle scrub brush and rinse with hot water. This magic method won't take long to take effect right before your eyes.
A Jar of Rice Can Neutralize Odors
Certain pantry essentials can be used for more than just your go-to dish. Believe it or not, rice is an all-natural way to absorb nasty smells and odors. You can make your own natural deodorizer that lasts anywhere from four to six months with nothing more than a jar, rice, and essential oils. Just add 10–20 drops of your preferred essential oil, such as orange or lavender, to 1-2 cups of rice.
Shake the mixture in a mason jar, cover it with a breathable fabric, and seal it with a rubber band. Your jar is ready to soak up smells in your bathroom, closet, or living room.
Get Rid of Pet Hair With Rubber Kitchen Gloves
Our affection for our four-legged family members is undeniable. On the other hand, the never-ending fur trail is less than desirable. If you are concerned about the state of cleanliness in your home, you should give your rubber gloves a try. Rubber gloves have much more use than merely keeping your hands clean in the kitchen. Using them to remove pet hair from furniture and fabric may be the most cost-effective option available.
Simply slip on the gloves and wipe away unwanted pet hair from surfaces like sofas and rugs. It won't be long before you notice that the gum of the gloves will pick up hair surprisingly well.
Can Aspirin Be Used For Cleaning?
Aspirin can be found in the medical cabinet of nearly everyone's home. Yet aspirin is good for so much more than just relieving pain; it may also help you clean around the house and eliminate those annoying stains from the laundry. Aspirin contains salicylic acid, which happens to work great as a disinfectant. To prepare your own cleaning solution, dissolve two aspirin pills in a glass of water and use it to clear soap scum from your sink, tub, or shower.
The mixture will remove soap scum and other household filth like any other cleaner. It's a great solution when you suddenly run out of detergent and want to finish your cleaning quickly.
Shaving Cream Will Get Rid of Makeup Stains
Finding your favorite blouse and discovering that it's been caked with cosmetics is a real downer. Sadly, makeup, especially oil-based makeup, can be difficult to remove. Luckily, just a small amount of shaving cream may do wonders for removing hard makeup stains. Shaving cream breaks up the oil and makes it easy to get a makeup stain out of any fabric. Remember that the longer the stain stays, the more difficult it will be to remove. Thus, pre-treatment is essential!
Simply apply one or two squirts of shaving cream on the stain and leave it for about ten minutes. Remove any remaining stain with a clean cloth and rinse the area with cold water before putting the fabric in the washing machine.
Wrap Your Showerheads in a Plastic Bag Filled With Vinegar
When your shower head develops a crusty appearance, it's not just how it looks that you should be concerned about. If mineral deposits get into the holes of the shower head, the water pressure will go down, and your nice shower will be gone. Do you need a simple, no-mess method for cleaning your shower head and faucets? Wrap a plastic bag full of white vinegar around your showerhead, sink faucet, or any other water fixture, and knot it.
Let it sit overnight to work its magic, and in the morning, simply use a damp cloth to remove any leftover dirt and grime. Rinse off and admire the result.
Use Flour to Polish a Stainless Steel Sink
Kitchen sinks made of stainless steel offer the advantages of being long-lasting, cheap, and low maintenance, but they also have certain drawbacks. Stainless steel sinks are susceptible to tarnishing from water stains and soap scum. Flour is a great stainless steel cleaner that only costs a penny per clean and is probably already in your cupboard. After cleaning the sink as you normally would, sprinkle some flour on it and buff it to shine with a dry cloth.
You won't believe how shiny the metal becomes! Using flour to polish a stainless steel sink will restore the gleaming sheen you may have forgotten you had.
Bathe Your Oven Racks
When it comes to cleaning oven racks, doing it in the sink can be a challenging process, but if you use a bathtub, you can complete most of the work while you are asleep. To begin, lay a towel across the bottom of your bathtub, and then position the oven rack directly on top of the towel. Then add roughly half a cup of liquid dishwasher detergent to the tub and cover with warm water.
Let the oven rack soak for the entire night. When you wake up the next morning, all you need to do is scrub it with a scouring sponge and then rinse it with water.
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