Free Cleaning Tips
From tackling stains on furniture to cleaning up broken glass, we have simple, natural solutions that work.? We post a few new tips every week but if you have any cleaning tips that work, please let us know and we will post them here.
Try some of these out:
Buff your marble tabletop with car polish. This leaves a thin, invisible film which really helps to reduce the risk of stains.
Try using Eucalyptus oil to remove the gum residue left by shop stickers. Also good for any other types of gummy residue left by various types of stickers.
To remove furniture indentations from pure wool carpet place a tea towel over the area and then press with a warm iron. The heat will lift the fibres gradually.. WARNING! Do not attempt this with synthetic or a wool/synthetic mix carpet.
To get rid of bad smells in the toilet light a match and let it burn a few seconds.
Regularly rub a dry bar of soap over the surface and rub in with a clean cloth to stop bathroom mirrors steaming up.
To keep your car windows ice and frost free overnight in the wintertime, mix three parts vinegar to one part water. Put it in a spray bottle and spray on the windows as it's needed.
To pick up small bits of broken glass, press pieces of bread onto the affected area.
If you have an aquarium, save the water each time you change it and water your house plants with it. It’s full of nutrients and makes a great fertiliser.
To get blood out of fabrics, use hydrogen peroxide. Apply it directly to the stain and then wash it in the washing machine.
To remove body oil stains from collars and cuffs of coloured shirts and blouses, rub hair shampoo directly on the stains. Rinse out the shampoo, then wash the clothes as usual.
Use leftover styrofoam peanuts as great drainage in the bottom of a pot.
Venetian blinds - clean aluminium and plastic Venetian blinds by hanging them up somewhere outside against a flat, vertical surface. Sponge with mild detergent and then gently hose them down. For timber blinds wipe the slats with household cleaner.
To hide scratches on furniture rub a wax crayon of the same colour on the furniture, you'll never see the scratch.
Sticky labels : use eucalyptus oil to help remove stubborn labels and label residue from your glassware. Simply rub on, leave for a short time and should then come off easily.
Cleaning canvas awnings, blinds & umbrellas: For general cleaning, the best solution is salt water. Scrub with a strong solution of salt and water. Spread a mixture of soft soap, starch, salt and lemon juice over the canvas and leave in the sun to dry to remove mildew.
Cleaning glass in picture frames: never use any type of liquid as moisture can seep through. Instead use methylated spirits applied to a rag or piece of paper towel which evaporates quickly and doesn't leave any streaks.
Copper: Rub over with vinegar on a cloth, rinse off, then buff with a clean using only a soft cloth.
Kitty litter odours: by sprinkling baby powder in the litter it will keep the kitty litter smelling fresh.
Cleaning kitchen tiles are easier if you apply furniture polish after cleaning. By giving it a slippery coating it makes it harder from grime to stick.
Carpet stains - try baby wipes, they are miracle workers for anything from motor oil to blood.
Clean all filters in your air-conditioning unit annually for effective household environmental control as it can reduce or eliminate airborne particles.
Clean windows & mirrors easily with a piece of crumpled newspaper. The newspaper does not leave lint and minimises streaks.
Cleaning canvas awnings, blinds & umbrellas. For general cleaning, salt water is excellent, scrub with a strong solution of salt and water. To remove mildew, spread a mixture of soft soap, starch, salt and lemon juice over the canvas and leave in the sun to dry.
Cleaning glass in picture frames - never use liquid as moisture can seep through, instead use methylated spirits applied to a rag or piece of paper towel which evaporates quickly.
Clean gilt frames with a piece of stale bread to remove grime.
Copper: Rub over with vinegar on a cloth, rinse off, then buff with a clean, soft cloth.
Always use a curtain dry cleaner when having your curtains cleaned to avoid shrinkage problems due to over heating.
Burns on carpet: For light burns on woollen carpets, rub over the affected area with a fine sandpaper to remove the brown singe marks. Wash the area with shampoo and warm water and a few drops of vinegar, then rinse away. Before attempting to remove marks from synthetic carpets, contact the manufacturer.
Candle holders - if you have wax stuck to votive candle holders, place them in the freezer the wax will chip right off. To prevent it sticking in the first place by putting a little water in the holder before you put the candle in.
Do not wet mop a timber floor or use water based cleaners as this can change the moisture balance in the wood and cause boards to ridge & warp.
Dogs urine smell in carpet - to remove the smell of dog urine from carpet, sprinkle a 500g packet of bicarb soda over the spot. If a very large area use 2 packets and sprinkle thickly over area. Leave for 24 hrs before vacuuming up.
Eliminate Kitchen Cooking Smells by placing a few drops of your favourite essential oil on the grate of the exhaust fan and on the globes of your overhead lights. If you have a light over your stove place some on that too. The heat from the cooking and the globes will release the scent and reduce the cooking odours. It is safe to use of fluorescent lights also.
Finger Marks: Remove dirty finger marks from walls using a pencil eraser.
Freshen heavy curtains by adding them one at a time to a tumble dryer on delicate mode with a damp towel.
Furniture dents in carpet - to make the carpet stand back up after moving a piece of furniture, place an ice cube on the spot. As it melts, the piles will go back up
Glass kettles come up like new when you boil water and teaspoon of boracic acid.
Grease and Oil: To remove these stains from furnishings, sprinkle talcum powder or cornstarch on the stain. Rub in well until the oil is absorbed. Vacuum off powder.
Last Updated (Friday, 08 April 2011 03:37)