Many people find solace in cleaning, employing various tricks to make the process both efficient and enjoyable. A user asked the forum, “What is the best cleaning tip you’ve ever received?” Here are the top responses.
WINKS RUST REMOVER IS THE BEST PRODUCT
“I’m a professional house cleaner and clean many rural homes. Winks Rust Remover is the best product for rust, hands down.
Also, skip the bottles of spray cleaner. Buy a concentrate (I use Meyer Clean Day), put a cap full in a spray bottle of water, and go. It cleans mirrors, countertops, appliances, etc.
Also, spray it in your microwave, close the door, and return in 10 minutes. It’ll wipe clean with no scrubbing.”
ACCOMMODATE THE CLUTTER
“Someone pointed out that clutter accumulates in the same places just out of laziness. So, instead of changing my habits, I accommodate them: my junk mail always ends up on a particular end table. So, I threw a decorative basket under the table as a recycling bin.
I have a bar in the dining room, but no trash can, so bottle tops were lying around. I bought a cute little bucket on the bar with the bottle openers. Now, the bar top stays clean even during parties because it’s so convenient.”
USE SWEEPING COMPOUND
“If you’ve ever remodeled, you know about drywall dust. You can’t sweep it; it just makes a cloud that settles and has to be swept again. There’s stuff called sweeping compound that is oily sawdust that you pour onto the floor and push around, and all the dust sticks to it. Then, sweep up the sawdust. After our remodel, it was a godsend.”
THE MOLD CLEANER
“Don’t just wipe mold; you must kill it with fire. Just kidding. Use alcohol, vinegar, or mold-killing paint.”
CLEANING POTS AND PANS
“Bar Keepers Friend on a scotch brite pad will work wonders on pots and pans with minor burnt-on stuff. Carbon Off will take care of really burnt-on stuff.”
CLEANING CEILING FAN
“To clean ceiling fans, put a pillowcase over the blades and then slide them off. It’ll pull the dust/debris back inside the case.”
CLEAN WHILE COOKING
“Clean while dinner is on the stove, do the dishes, wipe the countertop, sweep the floor, etc. Most of the time, you only have to occasionally stir stuff, so it can be a big time saver, not to mention no one likes to clean after eating.”
MAGIC ERASERS
“Magic erasers are just melamine sponges. You can get a 12-pack of melamine sponges for as much as one name-brand Magic Eraser. They’re awesome.”
WAXED PAPER
“Rub waxed paper on the faucets. It prevents water spots.”
WASH YOUR PILLOWCASE
“Wash your pillowcases twice as much as you do now.”
SINK STRAINER
“Get a sink strainer and one of those suction-cup holders for your kitchen sponge. It’ll keep your sink from being constantly nasty and backed up, and your sponge will only be present in moldy food water.
Corollary: don’t use the sink disposal as a substitute trash can; that’s not what it’s for. It will break, and your kitchen will smell like rotting food.”
OPEN BOX OF BAKING SODA
“Put an open box of baking soda in your fridge. It’ll absorb any gross smells from old food; just remember to change it out whenever you clean out your fridge.”
BOIL A POT OF WATER WITH SPICES IN IT
“If you last cleaned a while ago, your place probably smells funky. Yes, even if you don’t notice it, that’s just because you’re used to it. While cleaning, open some windows and boil a pot of water with some spices (cinnamon sticks and some citrus fruit is a good one) to get rid of the stank.”
PAPER TOWEL
“Keep a paper towel over your food before you microwave it.”
START AT THE TOP
“When cleaning a room, start at the top. Dust/clean the ceiling first, then the walls, then the furniture, then the floor. Let gravity haul all the loose dirt and dust down to the areas you haven’t cleaned yet.”
KETTLE CLEANING
“Put a half lemon in your kettle and boil it to clean and freshen the kettle.”
OLD TOOTHBRUSHES
“Old toothbrushes. Don’t just throw it away; use a lighter to heat the handle right behind the bristles (careful not to melt too many bristles) and bend the head back.
Small disposable scrubbers are indispensable for cleaning things like seals around plumbing fixtures, grout, and small stuff. I have like three prepped like this around the house.”
WAIT TWO SECONDS BEFORE YOU WIPE SPRAY CLEANERS
“When you spray cleaners, give them more than two seconds to work before you wipe them off.”
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This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.