16
Cleaning Tips
Posted under
TIPS
You likely would love to have us clean
your home every week. We do have several
weekly clients, but for most people that might
be a little costly, so here are some tips we have
learned that might help you out in between
our excellent cleaning visits.
Cleaning tips
Credit/Debit Cards
These everyday essentials get handled by lots of people and
germs can lurk in the crevices around the numbers. Give
debit and credit cards a quick cleaning with an alcohol wipe
and let them air dry before placing them back in your wallet.
Blinds – metal, wood, or fabric
– determines how you dust them. For metal blinds, wipe with
a sock lightly dampened with water or multi-purpose cleaner.
For wood blinds follow the same procedure using only a little
tap water. Do not overwet the wood and be sure to buff dry
right away. For fabric blinds, go over the blinds with a dry
microfiber cloth.
Top of the Refrigerator I guess it’s true what they say:
“out of sight, out of mind”. This definitely applies to the top
of the refrigerator. Don’t forget to wipe it down when you do
the sides and handles.
Clear the drain. It’s a real downer to stand in a puddle
because your drain’s stopped up. Most likely, the clog culprit
is hair. To fix: Untwist a wire hanger and slide one end inside
the drain to poke down or pull out any clumps of hair. Then
mix 1/4 cup ammonia in a quart of boiling water, and pour it
into the drain to dissolve soap coating the pipes
Quick Bathroom Clean -Guests are On the Way!
The busiest spot in your house, the bathroom is the place
every guest visits. So if you panic when someone asks,
”Do you mind if I freshen up/secretly judge your cleaning?”
relax. These tricks will get the room looking freshly scrubbed
in 15 minutes or less.
1. In the bag. To start, hang a plastic bag on the doorknob for
tossing the cleaning cloths you will use and emptying the
wastebasket — the easiest insta-tidy trick.
2. First, flush. Next, grab some bleach. Pour a cup into the
bowl; brush around the sides and under the rim. Then move
on to the next task for five minutes.
3. Quick shine. While the bleach is working, fill a spray bottle
with equal parts water and white vinegar. Spritz onto paper
towels or a microfiber cloth, and zero in on those telltale
soap drips and toothpaste spatters on faucets, mirrors,
countertops, and in the sink — a definite dirty-bathroom
giveaway. Optional (and only if you really care what your
visitors think): Give spotty shower doors the same spray
treatment.
4. Wipe control. Flip over one of those same vinegar wipes
and run it across the back of your dusty toilet tank, then over,
under, and around the seat. Flush the bleach that’s been
sitting in the bowl, toss the wipe into your doorknob bag,
and move on.
5. Towel trick. Instead of scooping up all the used bath towels,
just put out fresh hand towels — those are the only ones
short-term guests use anyway. Leave the others on the bar;
just straighten them. Fold the edges under. If you have linen
spray, mist the towels.
6. Exit strategy. Now it’s time for the floor. Shake out your rug
or bath mat to fluff it up so it looks recently vacuumed. Next,
with a dampened paper towel, swoosh the corners of the room,
where most of the hair and dust collects. And don’t forget to take
the plastic bag with you when you leave!
Shower head
Put the plastic bag around the showerhead so the holes
are immersed in the liquid, and secure the bag to the shaft
with a twist tie. Allow it to soak at least 15 to 20 minutes
(up to an hour if you can). Remove the bag and wipe away
loosened deposits; run the shower on hot to flush the holes.
Aah, now don’t you crave a nice, long shower?
Make It Easier Next Time
•Get a drain strainer to catch hair, pre-clogs.
•If you’ve got the patience, the best way to cut down on
mildew is to keep a squeegee handy and give the walls a
quick swipe before stepping out of the shower.
Hints from Heloise on Good housekeepings site.
Clever Uses for Toothpaste•
Clean chrome: Shine sink fixtures
•Eliminate cooking smells: Remove garlic or fish odors from your hands
•Polish silver: Clean silver jewelry in a pinch
Banish blemishes: Get rid of a pimple
•Soothe skin: Relieve itch from a mosquito bite.
•Note: Toothpaste comes in many formulas — gel,
whitening, baking soda. It’s best to use a dab or two
of the regular white paste
Clever Uses for Coffee Grounds•Fertilizer: Spread grounds
over flower beds containing acid-loving plants such as azaleas
and rhododendrons.
•”Fridge freshener“: Put dry grounds into an old margarine
tub with holes poked in the lid. Place the tub in the refrigerator
to absorb odors.
•Odor-eliminator: Keep grounds in a can near the sink. Rub a
small amount over your hands after peeling onions, chopping
garlic or handling fish to get rid of the odor.
Clever Uses for Vinegar (white or apple cider)•Eliminate paint
odors: Place a bowl or two of vinegar in a freshly painted
room to dispel the odor.
•Clean chrome: To remove soap or hard-water buildup on
chrome fixtures, put tissues over stained areas, then pour
full-strength vinegar over them. Let sit for about five minutes
before removing and rinsing.
•For a crispier crust: To improve the crust of homemade
bread, brush the top of the loaf with vinegar just before
baking.
•Wash away odors: If your hands smell from handling fish
or an onion, wash them in apple cider vinegar. Odor gone!
•Stop the itch: For relief from insect bites, soak a cloth in
vinegar and place it over the affected area.
We use vinegar alot, after cleaning bathroom fixtures to remove
cleaning film ,disinfect and shine.
On your microwave after using dish soap so it shines aswell as
eliminate any smell inside. Use it to clean all bottles in bathroom
to give a brilliant shine and disinfects naturally.
How to Clean Automatic Coffeemakers: Vinegar
(white).
How To Use: Use full-strength or diluted depending on use.
To clean automatic drip coffeepots, fill reservoir with vinegar
and water and run through a brew cycle; follow with a cycle
of clear water to rinse.
How to Clean Wood Floors Vacuuming and dust-mopping on
a regular basis are the best care you can provide for your
wood floor. Never pour water on a wood floor because it
can cause warping and stains. We use steamers on some
wood floors or Murhpys oil once mthly or Vinegar and water
with a damp only mop, so it drys quickly.
Eliminate Electronic Clutter
If your drawers are filling up with unused electronics, it’s time
to take a look at what you’re really using and get rid of what
you’re not. You probably think your old cellphone will come
in handy if your new Blackberry breaks, or an old PC is a good
backup, or a 2 megapixel camera still has some life left in it.
The fact is, these relics clutter your home and could be used
by someone else. E-waste is a growing problem in the US as
many of our older electronics make their way into landfills.
By either recycling unwanted products or giving them a
second life, we avoid generating unnecessary waste.