Keeping your home clean during the winter can be easier if you have the right tools to help you do the job. In many cases, the right tools do not need to be expensive off-the-shelf products, but something you keep around the house entirely for different purposes. Here are 10 useful cleaning and other hacks around your home that work amazingly well and may hopefully help shorten your busy day.
1) Clean Tile Grout with Toothpaste
You can attack the grout that appears between your bathroom tiles without toxic chemicals and the results may astound you. Squeeze a small amount of toothpaste on an old toothbrush and scour the grout between each of the tiles in your shower.
Let the paste soak into the grout for a couple of minutes. Then, use a wet sponge or cloth to wipe up the toothpaste residue.
Rinse with water and the grout should look almost like new.
2) Clean around Faucets with Cotton Balls and Vinegar
Those hard water stains can make your faucets look really bad and the stains are almost impossible to get rid of. Soak a few cotton balls with vinegar and stretch each one so it wraps around the stained faucets. Allow the vinegar to soak in for about 10 to 15 minutes, but don’t leave them much longer or the acid may damage the faucets.
The vinegar softens up the hard water stains and makes them a lot easier to remove using a damp sponge or cloth. For really tough stains, you may need to sprinkle on an abrasive cleaning agent and possible use a scraping tool to finish up.
3) Cleaning around Kitchen Stove Knobs
Often, It may often be hard to remove your stove knobs to clean the crevices and areas behind and next to them. An easy way to get the job done is by using the same cotton ball and vinegar method you used with your faucets.
Soak a few cotton balls in white vinegar and spread them around the knobs. Leave them there for an hour or so and then pull each one off and discard it. The vinegar should have saturated the areas well enough to be able to take a wet sponge or cloth and wipe away all the grease and grime leaving the areas looking almost like new.
4) Use Cooking Spray to clean Shower Faucets
Cooking spray (Pam or another brand) can often be used to clean around your home. Spray a small amount on the area you want to clean and allow the oil from the spray to break down the lime deposits.
As a bonus the oil can also act as a polish. Use a clean cloth and buff the area to make the chrome shine almost like new.
5) Eliminate Grease Stains with Chalk
When you have a stubborn grease stain on a fabric, a great way to face the challenge and remove it is to use a stick of chalk.
Wet the area with water and rub the end of the chalk onto the stained area. Make the layer as thick as possible but don’t rub too hard or you can damage the fabric. Add a tiny bit of water often so a wet paste develops. Allow the area to soak overnight so the chalk absorbs the grease. The next morning, wash the fabric normally and the grease stain should disappear.
6) Freeze Jeans to Eliminate Odors
Most jean and denim experts recommend you avoid washing your jeans frequently as the process will eventually damage the fabric and color.
You can eliminate odors and freshen up the jeans by occasionally placing them in your freezer. It won’t eliminate all of the bacteria but it will help to freshen up the jeans and keep them from being damaged from washing too often.
Place the jeans in a plastic bag first and then put the bag inside your freezer for a few hours. Then, remove the jeans from the bag and hang them until they are dry.
7) Unstick a Zipper with Window Cleaner
Take the article of clothing with the zipper on top and place it on top of a towel. Spray the bristles of an old toothbrush with window cleaner and scrub the zipper a few times until it’s completely wet.
Wait about 30 seconds and then gently try pulling on the zipper to see if it moves freely. If not, repeat the process and try again. After a couple of attempts, the zipper should move freely again.
If the teeth of the zipper have become misaligned, use a small pair of long-nose pliers and adjust the metal loops until they fall back into place. Use caution that you don’t damage the metal loops or the fabric.
8) Remove Makeup with Baby Powder
If you’ve accidentally gotten some makeup on a shirt, an easy way to remove it is with baby powder. Use a dry paper towel and try lifting as much of the makeup as possible from the fabric.
Next, sprinkle baby or talcum powder onto the area and pat it down over the stain. Let the shirt sit overnight. In the morning, brush the area lightly and the stain should disappear.
9) Use Vinegar to Remove Perspiration Stains
To remove yellow perspiration stains on a shirt or other fabric, soak the area with equal parts of warm water and white vinegar. Next, mix together equal parts of baking soda, salt, and hydrogen peroxide solution until you have a thick paste.
Rub the paste onto the yellow stain and let it set for a few minutes to absorb the stain. Rinse with clear water and the stain should be gone.
10) Remove Rust with Coca Cola
Don’t toss that flat can of left-over Coca Cola out until you try using it as a household cleaning agent. Did you know that your favorite beverage can also be used to help remove rust from your tools and many other household items.
Place the item in a bowl of Coca Cola overnight and the acid in the liquid will help break down the rust that’s been accumulating over the years. In the morning, rinse the tool with water and a coarse cloth and dry. The tool should look and feel a lot better than it did before.
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If you live in the Chicago metro area and are interested in learning more about our home cleaning services, and how we can help you maintain a safe and healthy living environment, please text or give us a call. Our number is 708-599-7000. Or contact us online, and we’ll give you a free house or office cleaning consultation.
