Cleaning Tips

HOUSEHOLD CLEANING TIPS

Make light work of messy jobs.

Freshen the Disposal: A few ice cubes, some salt and a cut up lemon run through your garbage disposal will eliminate odors and clean away gunk.

Grease-Free Dishes:
Add a dash of vinegar to your dishwater for easy grease removal.

De-Crust the Microwave:
Drop a lemon slice into a bowl filled with water and bring it to a boil in the microwave. Allow steam to form, then open microwave and wipe the inside with a damp cloth.

Crock Pot Residue:
Fill your crock pot with soapy water and cook on high for an hour. Rinse with a tablespoon of vinegar mixed into the final rinse water.

Ice Trays:
Soak trays in vinegar to remove hard water build-up.

Quick and Easy Bowl Toilet Cleaner:
Drop an Alka-Seltzer in your toilet bowl; the fizzing action acts as a scrubber. Swish with toilet brush and flush.

Baked-On Food Grime:
Boil Coca-Cola in the pan to loosen baked-on food in even the messiest pots and pans.

Streak-Free Stemware with Sparkle:
Wash stemware by hand, then dip in a sink full of hot rinse water that has a tablespoon of vinegar added to it. Dry with a clean, soft cloth.

Stained or Cloudy Coffee Pot:
Fill your glass coffee maker pot with Coca-Cola and let sit overnight, then wash. As an alternative, run plain water with a tablespoon of vinegar through the coffee-making cycle, then run another pot of plain water through.

General Carpet Stains:
Blot up as much as possible with paper towels. Then moisten stain with club soda, blot and repeat. Once stain is removed, place several layers of clean white rags or cloth diapers over wet spot, then cover with a plastic bag and heavy books for an hour to allow moisture to wick up out of the carpet.

Wine Stains on Carpet:
Blot as necessary, then cover stain in table salt to soak up remainder of wine.

Easy Brass Tarnish Remover:
Soak brass articles in cherry Kool-Aid for 10 minutes, then rinse and wipe dry.

Clog-Free Drains:
Avoid caustic drain cleaners by pouring boiling water down your drains once a week to keep them running freely.

Clean as You Go:
While preparing meals, keep spills wiped up, put ingredients back after use, and place dirty utensils and dishes in soapy water. Makes for a much easier cleanup after supper, when you least feel like cleaning.

Clutter Control:
Carry a clothes basket through the house and spend two to five minutes in each room picking up anything that doesn’t belong there. Then put those things where they belong. Better yet, get one of your housemates to do it!