Cleaning Tips

Around the House

Scrubbers

• Pantyhose:
  • Make sure they are clean!
  • Cut off foot/toe section
  • Cover a sponge and use for scrubbing

Vacuum tips

• Use pantyhose over vacuum to catch small items

Dust bunnies, fireplace

1. Dampen a vegetable brush by dipping it in water
2. Shake, then brush onto a wet newspaper before cleaning

Wood

• Clean floors & furniture:
  • Vinegar mixed with warm water
  • Clean scratches on wood with a walnut
• Dents:
  1. Wet the dent
  2. Apply a wet cloth or paper towel
  3. With the iron on high, apply the iron to the wet paper towel or cloth and make a circular motion. Don’t keep it in just one position as this might burn the surface of the towel. Make sure there is a lot of steam being generated.
• Scratches:
  1. ¼–½ cup vinegar
  2. ½–¾ cup olive oil
  3. Rub on with a rag

Windows

1. Coat the glass with a thin paste of Bon Ami
2. Allow to dry
3. Remove with crumpled sheets of newspaper until they shine

• Works great for car windows also

Remove container print

• Pure acetone
• Rage

1. Soak a rag in acetone
2. Wrap the rag around container 3–5 minutes
3. Wipe off writing with a paper towel
4. Resoak and rewrap as needed

Remove sticky

• Masking tape: for mild sticky
  • Wrap around a finger, dab on sticky
• Non-acetone nail polish remover:
  1. Apply with cotton balls
  2. Let sit for a few minutes,
  3. Polish off
• Oil or oil spray: best are olive or canola
• Rubbing alcohol:
  1. Apply rubbing alcohol
  2. Cover with rag after application
• Cut lemon or orange:
  1. Apply citrus
  2. Cover with rag after application
• Citrus cleaner:
  • Follow bottle instructions
  • Apply and let sit for a few minutes, then polish off
• Citrus/lime air freshener:
  • Only on glass
• Vinegar (undiluted)
• Mayonnaise
• Steam:
  1. Boil water until it steams,
  2. Hold sticky residue over steam for no more than 1 min
  3. Scrape off with plastic scraper
• Oxiclean:
  1. Fill sink with warm water
  2. Pour in 1 scoop
  3. Let sticky object soak at least ½ hour
• Dryer sheets: used is fine
  1. Wet with warm water and scrub
• Household kerosene (paraffin):
  1. Moisten cloth with kerosene and polish
• Essential oils (glass, ceramic):
  • May stain or react to surface! Test in inconspicuous area first
  • Tea tree or eucalyptus are best
• WD-40

Mattresses

• 8 fl oz peroxide
• 3 T baking soda
• 2–3 drops dish detergent

1. Swirl to mix but do not shake.
2. Use right away.
3. Spray on dry stain. Let sit at least 10 minutes.
4. Sprinkle baking soda on top of wetness to draw out wetness.
5. Vacuum baking soda when dry.
6. Empty remaining solution as it will leak if stored in bottle.

Whiteboard

• Wash with paper towel/cloth dipped in vinegar
• Mix paste of baking soda and water; wash with paper towel/cloth dipped in paste

Dry insides of decanters

1. Tightly roll a paper towel
2. Stick it in decanter but don’t touch the bottom

Wax

• Hard surfaces:
  1. Heat with a hair dryer
  2. Scrape with a credit card
• Fabric:
  • http://www.marthastewart.com/273093/remove-wax-spots

Carpet ghosts: remove indentations in carpet from furniture

1. Place ice cubes on the divots
2. After the cubes melt and while the carpet is wet, vacuum

Permanent marker

• Clothes
  • Hand sanitizer
• Walls
  • Toothpaste
  • Hairspray
• Wood
  • Toothpaste
  • Rubbing alcohol
• Carpet
  • White vinegar
• Furniture
  • Milk
• Whiteboard
  • Dry erase marker
  • Pencil
  • Rubber eraser
• Ceramic, glass
  • 1 part toothpaste, 1 part baking soda

Water rings on tables

• Toothpaste

Iron

• Salt

1. Turn iron to its highest setting and turn off steam
2. Pour salt onto ironing board
3. Iron over salt

Paint

• Hard surfaces:
  • Rubbing alcohol/germx
  • Let sit for 30+ seconds
  • Wipe up with a paper towel
• Skin:
  • Coconut oil
  • Baking soda for extra umph

Chewing gum

• Clean off with WD-40

Bathroom

Toilet bowls

• Drop in denture tablets
• WD-40
• Borax, overnight

Showerhead, faucet

1. Mix ½ water, ½ vinegar in durable baggie
2. Attach to the showerhead or faucet with a rubberband
3. Leave on for 15 minutes at a time
4. Use a toothbrush to scrub

Laundry

Mildew smell

1. Wash with like colors hot with ½ cup vinegar
2. If necessary, rewash hot with ½ cup baking soda
3. Wash normally with detergent

Protein stains (sweat, grass, blood, egg yolk)

• Era Plus (digestants)
• Paste:
  1. Mix equal parts of Bon Ami and cream of tartar into a paste with hydrogen peroxide
  2. Apply and leave on 30 minutes
  3. Rinse
  4. Use with cold water on blood
• Never use digestants on wool or silk
• More tips

Grease stains

• Chalk
• Cornstarch
• Talcum powder
• Dawn dish soap

Bleaches

• Lemon juice
• White vinegar: 1:1 with water
• Peroxide: 2 or 3%
• Ammonia: 2 water : 1 ammonia
• Do not use on wool or silk
• Use a cotton swab to dab on or place the material over a paper towel and drop the bleach with an eyedropper

Unshrink clothes

Kiddo Messes

Crayons

• WD40

Plastic toys

• Wash in dishwasher with 1–2 cups vinegar

Kitchen

Polish silverware

• House flannel and A&H baking soda

Copper

1. Mix equal parts vinegar, water, table salt
2. Apply and leave on for 30 minutes
3. Rinse