thewhimsy: cleaning-housekeeping

Showing posts with label cleaning-housekeeping. Show all posts

Tip: Clean Your Bathroom Mirror & Make it Steam Proof
TIP OF THE WEEK

To clean a bathroom mirror, rub on shave foam. Wipe with a soft, clean cloth. As a bonus, the mirror will be fog-free after your next shower.

Related: Clean Your Venetian Blinds

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08.26.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping

Tip: Clean Your Venetian Blinds
TIP OF THE WEEK

Put dirty venetian blinds in a tub of warm water; add 1/2 cup of baking soda, soak for half an hour, then scrub and rinse.

Related: De-Grease Your Frying Pan

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08.12.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, baking soda

Tip: De-Grease Your Frying Pan
TIP OF THE WEEK

Take care of a really greasy frying pan by simmering 1/4 inch water and 1/2 cup vinegar in it for 10 minutes. The lingering oily smell or residue should disappear. Wash and rinse.

Related: Cleaning a Glass Coffeepot

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08.12.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, vinegar

Tip: Cleaning a Glass Coffeepot
TIP OF THE WEEK

Remove coffee stains and mineral buildup from the glass pot of an automatic coffeemaker by adding 1 cup crushed ice, 1 tablespoon of water, and 4 teaspoons of salt to the pot when it is at room temperature. Gently swirl the mixture, rinse, and wash as usual.

Related: Clean Tarnished Brass

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08.05.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, salt

Tip: Clean Tarnished Brass
TIP OF THE WEEK

A mixture of salt and toothpaste can clean the tarnish off any brass item. You can also use any of the following homemade pastes. The first is a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda (or cream of tartar). The second combines lemon juice, salt, and corn meal. Whichever paste you use, rub it onto the brass using a soft, dry cloth; rinse with cool water and dry.

Related: Remove Grease From Furniture

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07.29.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, salt, toothpaste, baking soda, lemon juice

Tip: Remove Grease From Furniture
TIP OF THE WEEK

To remove spilled grease from upholstery, cover the spot right away with corn starch. Wait until as much of the grease as possible has been absorbed, then vacuum. Repeat if necessary.

Related: Freshen Up Your Garbage Disposal

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07.22.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, salt

Tip: Freshen Up Your Garbage Disposal
TIP OF THE WEEK

To remove odors from a garbage disposal, cut up a lemon, toss it in, and grind it up. Orange and lemon peels work as well.

Related: Get Rid of Burned On Food

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07.15.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, lemon juice

Tip: Get Rid of Burned On Food
TIP OF THE WEEK

Stovetop spills can be cleaned up easily if sprinkled with Morton Salt first. The mildly abrasive quality of salt removes stuck-on food, but it will not mar your stove's surface. Clean burned-on food from a stovetop burner by sprinkling it with a mixture of salt and ground cinnamon, then wiping away immediately. The next time you turn on the burner, the mixture will give off a pleasant smell and cover up any burnt odor.

Related: Getting A Clean Toilet

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07.08.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, salt

Tip: Getting A Clean Toilet
TIP OF THE WEEK

Pour vinegar into toilet and let sit 30 minutes. Next sprinkle baking soda on a toilet bowl brush and scour any remaining stained areas. Flush. To maintain, once a week, pour 2 cups vinegar into toilet and let it sit. Rest the toilet brush inside the bowl with the lid closed to remind yourself and anyone who may need to use the restroom not to use the toilet until it gets brushed. After 8 hours or more, brush toilet well; flush. This regular treatment will keep hard-water stains at bay and clean and freshen your bowl in between major cleanings.

Related: Disinfect Your Washing Machine

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07.01.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, vinegar, baking soda

Tip: Disinfect your washing machine
TIP OF THE WEEK

To kill germs inside a washing machine, add 1/2 cup of antiseptic mouthwash to the wash water while doing laundry.

Related: Maintain Your Wicker

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06.24.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, mouthwash

Tip: Maintain your wicker
TIP OF THE WEEK

To prevent white wicker furniture from yellowing, scrub it with a stiff brush moistened with salt water. Let it dry in full sunlight. Jagged cane on a wicker chair can snag clothing and cause scratches. One solution is to apply clear nail polish to the nasty ends.

Related: Shine up your copper-bottom pot

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06.17.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, salt

Tip: Shine up your copper-bottom pot
TIP OF THE WEEK

Spritz the bottom of the pot or pan with undiluted distilled white vinegar. Let sit until you see the tarnish begin to evaporate. Sprinkle salt on top of the vinegar and scrub the entire surface with a no-scratch sponge. Rinse, repeat if necessary.

Related: Polish dingy piano keys

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06.10.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, vinegar, salt

Tip: Polish dingy piano keys
TIP OF THE WEEK

Whiten the ivory keys of a piano by rubbing them with a little vinegar on a soft white cloth. Do not saturate the keys. You may also squeeze a little toothpaste on a soft toothbrush, scrub the keys gently and then wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Related: Get rid of crayon marks on walls

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06.03.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, vinegar, toothpaste

Tip: Get rid of crayon marks on walls
TIP OF THE WEEK

To remove crayon marks from your walls dampen a sponge and dip it into baking soda. Then scrub away at the marks, dip as many times as needed.

Related: Shine those floors

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05.27.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, baking soda,

Tip: Shine Those Floors
TIP OF THE WEEK

Make ceramic, laminate, and hardwood floors shine by mopping them with a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar with 1 gallon of warm water.

Related: Clean Up a Dropped Egg

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05.20.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, vinegar,

Tip: Cleaning Up a Dropped Egg
TIP OF THE WEEK

To make cleaning up a runny egg much easier sprinkle it was a generous amount of salt and let it stand for 15 minutes. The salt will absorb and solidify the egg making clean up as easy as wiping it away with a paper towel.

Related: Eliminating Mildew

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05.13.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, salt,

Tip: Eliminating Mildew
TIP OF THE WEEK

To get rid of the stench of mildew in your drawers and other surfaces, wipe the area with undiluted antiseptic mouthwash. If the mildew is growing in out-of-the-way spots, place a few cotton balls soaked in bleach on the area. Wait a few hours, then wipe with a clean sponge that has been dampened with warm water. If you have mildew in a rug that your are not willing to part with then make a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water and apply it the affected area. Make sure the rug dries completely, you may use a hairdryer set on a low speed to cut the drying time down.

Related: Deep Cleaning a Dirty Oven

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05.06.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, bleach, mouthwash, vinegar

Tip: Deep cleaning a dirty oven
TIP OF THE WEEK

For a thorough oven cleaning, leave an ovenproof dish containing one cup of ammonia in a cold, closed oven overnight to loosen the dirt and grime. In the morning, wipe away ammonia from the oven's surfaces; sprinkle baking soda and then wipe clean with a damp sponge.

Related: Deodorizing plastic containers

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04.29.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, baking soda,

Tip: Deodorizing plastic containers
TIP OF THE WEEK

Deodorize plastic bottles, cups, containers, and boxes that smell a little funky that have been kept closed or were storing smelling food or other materials. Brush them non-gel toothpaste, wait a few 3-5 minutes and rinse.

Related: Freshening a sour sponge

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04.22.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, toothpaste,

Tip: Freshening a sour sponge
TIP OF THE WEEK

Soak a well-worn, stinky sponge in a shallow dish of vinegar for several hours. Rinse sponge well, then let dry. If you live somewhere with a high amount of humidity store the sponge in the dish of vinegar to keep it souring.

Related: Remove water rings from wood

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04.15.13 12:00PM KAREN B

Categories: cleaning & housekeeping, vinegar,