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What’s your favorite household cleaning tip? Share it with our readers – the writer of our favorite tip will receive an e-gift card for $200 at Solutions.com. You can even share it with a friend or family member for a wonderful gift!
Submit your entry in the comments section (be sure to include your email address) by midnight, August 20th PDT. Our favorite will be featured on Friday August 21st.
Here’s a bit of advice from Solutions’ own Kathy M: “When the time comes for a new toothbrush, I don’t throw the old one away – I sanitize it in the dishwasher, then use it for cleaning hard-to-reach areas, like around the base of the bathroom faucets and in the shower drawer door track.”
Thank you everyone for such wonderful cleaning tips and ideas! Comments for this post are now closed.
Empty the dishwasher before you start cooking. Then as you finish with each pot/pan/utensil drop it right in dishwasher. Saves a lot of cleaning time after dinner.
I never scrub greasy or crusty pots, griddles or BBQ grates any more! Fill sink or plastic garbage bag with hot water, put in dirty item and add one or two USED fabric softener sheets. Wait an hour or two and the items will clean easily with soap and water. This has not failed me yet and my friends always call me amazed when they try it.
Use dish soap to clean out a dirty tub. It will cut through all of the gunk that clings to the walls much better than most shower/tub cleaners. For Soap Scum build-up, try white vinegar.
Any man knows his lady loves to receive fresh flowers. What he doesn’t know is how yucky it is to clean the vase after the flowers have passed their prime! To do so easily, put 2 or so tablespoons of dry rice in the bottom of the vase. Then cover the rice with hot, soapy water. Shake and swirl the rice, rinse, and you’ve got a *sparkling* clean vase!
Blood on clothing, upholstery, etc. just add hydrogen peroxide and watch it bubble and wipe it clean.
Friday is my cleaning day. Like everyone else, I do toilets to mopping with my steamer! But do you clean your computers and laptops? They get dirty inside and out. The first thing I do on cleaning day is to turn on every computer and laptop in the house. I start the installed antivirus program. AVG is an excellent, free, program that rarely
My miracle cleaner is Hydrogen Peroxide, the main ingrediant in Oxyclean…Especially good at cleaning blood stains…COMPLETELY, if
still wet.
I go one step further than, I put both dish detergent and a little white vinegar in an empty spray bottle (old window bottle) and spray my tub surround. This takes care of both grime and soap scum. A little swich with a soft cloth and rince. All done.
I LEAVE EXTRA GARABAGE BAGS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TRASH BIN.GOT TRIED OF ALL OF THEM SYAING WERE OUR THE TRASH BAGS AT THATS WHY THEN DID NOT EMPTY IT CUZ THEY COULDN;T FIND A NEW ONE. NOW THEY HAVE NO EXCUSE TO EMPTY IT. IT;S WORKS FOR MANY YEARS NOW THEY DO IT IN THERE HOMES[LOL]
Cotton swaps are really great to clean hard to reach areas. Getting into those small places that you tend to just wipe over really makes a big difference. I wet one swab with the cleaning product I would normally use. After that another clean swab to dry.It makes things go from just clean to looking sparkling new!
After my daughter got sick—all over her car seat, I had to take the entire thing apart for cleaning. I was afraid to put the parts in the dryer so after I machine washed all the seat components, I put them next to my dehumidifier in the basement. This did the trick and within a day, I had a completely dry and clean car seat.
I’ve since used the dehumidifier for drying sneakers, snow suits and anything that might be difficult to get completely dry.
I know it seems simple but I know a lot of people who have never thought to do this.
From an e-mail I received….unknown author…
VODKA ??? – Too good not to share! Who knew ? !!!!
1. To remove a bandage painlessly,
saturate the bandage with vodka.
The stuff dissolves adhesive.
2. To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers,
fill a trigger-spray bottle with vodka, spray the caulking,
let set five minutes and wash clean.
The alcohol in the vodka kills mold and mildew.
3. To clean your eyeglasses,
simply wipe the lenses with a soft,
clean cloth dampened with vodka.
The alcohol in the vodka cleans the glass and kills germs.
4. Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka
and letting your safety razor blade
soak in the alcohol after shaving.
The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting.
5. Spray vodka on wine stains,
scrub with a brush, and then blot dry.
6. Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face
as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores.
7. Add a jigger of vodka to a 12-ounce bottle of shampoo.
The alcohol cleanses the scalp, removes toxins from hair,
and stimulates the growth of healthy hair.
8. Fill a sixteen-ounce trigger-spray bottle with vodka?
? and spray bees or wasps to kill them.
9 Pour one-half cup vodka
and one-half cup water into a Ziploc freezer bag
and freeze for a slushy, refreshing ice pack for aches,
pain or black eyes.
10. Fill a clean, used mayonnaise jar
with freshly packed lavender flowers,
fill the jar with vodka, seal the lid tightly
and set in the sun for three days.
Strain liquid through a coffee filter,
then apply the tincture to aches and pains.
11. To relieve a fever, use a washcloth?
to rub vodka on your chest and back as a liniment.
12. To cure foot odor,
wash your feet with vodka.
13 Vodka will disinfect
and alleviate a jellyfish sting.
14. Pour vodka over an area affected with poison ivy?
to remove the urushiol oil from your skin.
15. Swish a shot of vodka over an aching tooth.
Allow your gums to absorb some of the alcohol to numb the pain.
And silly me!?
I’ve only been drinking the stuff.
I put 3-M stick-on, removeable clips on the inside of the sink doors in the bathrooms. I have a stack of inexpensive (cheap actually) terry wash cloths. One goes in each clip. When splashes and spills happen, after washing face and hands, or make-up spills etc. I have that little cloth handy. The counters and faucets stay wiped down and shiny, the cloths can be tossed into the wash every few days or so, and the size is just right for the job.
For a quick, shiny tub/shower enclosure put a couple drops [not too much or it will be too slick] of cooking oil on a damp cloth and wipe. This will also help keep the water spots away.
To clean windows and mirrors the first time without leaving any streaks, fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and spray the surface. Then use a newspaper wadded up and begin to use it just like you would a paper towel. I was amazed the first time I tried this. Now, it’s just normal cleaning and it saves me from buying window cleaners that don’t work as well and saves on using paper towels.
I make most of my cleaners instead of buying the expensive eco-friendly cleaners at the store. It saves me money and I’m not producing as much packaging waste because I re-use my spray bottles. One of my favorite cleaners is similar to a soft scrub: mix baking soda with enough liquid soap (like dish soap or castile soap) to make a frosting-like consistency. This works wonders on soap scumb!
Every 2 weeks I run 1/2 a lemon through the garbage disposal. The citric acid helps cut through any grease and grime that has collected, and I love the clean, lemony smell it leaves behind.
Mix hydrogenrnperoxide with baking soda to get grout clean between tiles. I use an old toothbrush for this. And thanks for all of the great tips!
Put a bounce in the butonhole of your shirt and it will keep the mosquetaes from biting you. The post office uses this trick.
I have used baking soda or Borax on a wet mattress for years. I rub it on the wet spot and let it dry then vacuum well. It draws out the moisture and deodorizes. Then you can spot treat any spot left on the surface of the mattress. It’s also good on home or car upholstery.
For oily black grease stains, sprinkle baking soda on stain. With a spray bottle of white vinegar spray to soak and let it foam. Wipe with cloth dampened with water, after a few minutes to blot up stain. Vacuum when dry.
As a nurse I often get blood on my pretty uniforms. Most nurses use hydrogen peroxide to remove blood, but I heard that Cascade Dishwasher powder also worked well. For about 12 years now I have used Cascade Dishwasher Powder to not only remove blood, but Betadine from my uniforms. I have not had one of the uniforms fade with this treatment. Sweet!
Buy an inexpensive canvas tool apron and put your most commonly used cleaning products in the pockets. You can move quickly around the house with everything handy.
I had red ink stains on jeans that I treated with multiple laundry products (including spray & wash), but still remained, so I sprayed with hair spray, rubbed & let set for a little, rinsed, then laundered as usual. No ink stains remained! I was about to throw them out, now they are as good as new.
1. Toothpaste will get your glass shower doors clear again — use the gritty kind (not gel) with one of those poofy plastic bath sponges. No harsh chemicals, a pleasant minty smell, and no more soap scum!
2. Rubbing alcohol on a Miracle Cloth will clean all your mirrors and windows. I buy the 32oz bottle, screw on a sprayer I saved from an old spray bottle, and clean all my glass this way. No streaks, no lint, and no paper waste!
3. In a hurry to clean the bathroom? Keep a container of hand sanitizer in each bathroom (can’t have any aloe or other moisturizers in it) A few pumps on a Miracle Cloth and you can wipe down your whole bathroom this way. Start with the mirror, move down to the faucets, counter then sink, finish with the toilet, and you are done. Great for everyday touch-ups or when last minute guests pop in!
When removing the lint from your lint catcher in your dryer grab one of the used dryer static sheets and run it over the screen .. it pulls off the lint and helps keep it from flying all over the dryer and you.
Okay, don’t blush……KOTEX, or similar feminine napkin with the cloth cover. Whether you use hydrogen peroxide on a clothing stain, or, in a pinch, club soda, the best way to absorb and clean without getting lint all over your clothes is to use a Kotex. Spilled tomato juice while on an airplane? Ask the flight attendant for club soda and a Kotex (in fact, the kind stocked on most airplanes is perfect). Spill at a restaurant? Have a small, discrete Kotex in hour purse, get some club soda, and a quick trip to the powder room and you’re all set. Spilled juice in the car — soak it up quickly with…well, you get the idea. Very absorbent and lint-free — and usually available everywhere you might be caught with a spill on your clothing — often in the powder room, stocked in the airplane, or in the gift shop of the hotel… or you can pack a small covered one in your purse or bag or glove box, just in case. Put a couple in every first aid kit, and you have a quick lint-free spill cleaner even on your boat, in your car, on the trail, at the campsite….
Don’t throw away those worn socks. Use them as dust cloths. Just slide one over your hand. Works great on mini blinds, wiping around faucets, dusting railings and all of your dust catching trinkets. Even great for polishing shoes and jewelry. Let’s be eco friendly and reuse what we have instead of filling up landfills.
“My vacuum attachment doesn’t work on cloth lamp shades, so I dust the shades with a lint roller.”
“To remove stubborn price tags from items like dishes and glassware, I use a cotton pad or Q-tip soaked with rubbing alcohol. The alcohol dissolves the sticky glue and doesn’t mess up my manicure.”
I carry a spray bottle of water and my microfiber cleaning clothes when I am cleaning. I use in on the windows, cabinets, stove, and most everything else. It works perfect and I don’t worry about the dogs, or grandchildren getting the toxic cleaners on their hands in in their mouths.
Loy said to try Cascade Dishwashing Powder on bloodstains, but I’m wondering exactly how to use it: a little? a lot? sprinkle on? make a paste? Come on, tell us the details, please! I tend to get dirty just sitting in a chair minding my own business.
Thanks!
I’m physically disabled, & I use my vacuum cleaner for everything. To pick things up around the house, I slip a nylon “knee-high” over the end of the attachment, secure it with a thick rubber band (the nylon keeps things from being lost in the vacuum), and then use it to pick small items up and drop them into my other hand. No bending over – which in my case would mean falling over.
Our home is filled with original works of art, and I use the same vacuum technique to clean all of our artwork – with good results. I also use it to clean bookshelves, family pictures on walls, and door frames. Read on for the nuttiest use yet!
I SWEAR this next part is true. You can train your dogs & cats to sit and/or lie still to be vacuumed. (Feel the air being pulled into the end of the attachment – it’s cool air.) I taught my Rottweiler and two cats to LOVE being vacuumed. They’ll lie on their backs for me to vacuum their bellies. If you’ll invest the time when they’re young, your pets will accept this, too. Your cats will have fewer hairballs & you’ll see less pet hair everywhere. The only problem is that one of my cats, Phoebe, hears me cleaning the living room rug and runs in to throw herself down in front of the vacuum, in order to be “next in line” for being vacuumed. It’s hysterical. One guest asked me if she was suicidal; I assured him that she was just a very, very clean cat. So try it! The trick is to have the vacuum running while your pet is young, and to treat it casually – your pet will do the same. By using treats and showing your pet how good it feels to be vacuumed with the cool air, & having all that loose hair pulled away from its skin, you can also have a bossy cat who demands to be vacuumed. (Wait, that didn’t come out right.)
Swan
Butcher Block need some attention. Take a lemon and cut in half. Sprinkle Sea Salt on your block ad scrub with the lemon. The salt gets into the creases and scrubs out all this gunk. This takes out odors ad leaves your butcher block clean…..
If you get gum in an article of clothing, simply spray that area with hairspray and stick in the washer. The gum will come right out.
To get stains out of clothes (even old stains) use 1/2 cup of Cascade dishwashing powder and 1/2 cup of Clorax bleach powder FOR COLORS. Put into a plastic pail (do NOT use a metal pail) and fill with warm water. Leave overnight and the next day, wash as usual. Your old clothes and clothes with stains will look new again.
I like to take hot yoga but when you’re done it’s like you’ve just gotten out ot the pool. I used to wash my workout clothes with lots of soap and fabric softener and they would come out smelling like mildew (the way towels smell left in the washer too long before being put in the dryer) I tried adding bleach and using different temps to no avail. I finally used a combonation of liquid borax and bleach with my detergent and that did the trick!
One of my favorite tips for those that have a glass shower enclosure.
Clean it very very well, and once it is clean apply a layer of RAINEX(the product used on windshields)to the inside glass. (NOT THE FLOOR–too slippery)This will protecct your shower from getting etched by hardwater and soap scum.The water should just run off the glass after a shower without leaving any behind. Just wipe clean. When the wster starts to ‘stick’ again, then clean your shower again really well and repply. Once your glass is etched, there is nothing you can do about it except get new glass.
A clever cleaning trick I like is to wax my fiberglass shower and bathtub with auto wax. This gives it a really like-new shine. Plus I don’t have to clean the shower or tub for a year to 18 months. The water just beads up. If I want to brighten it up, I just take a dry towel and wipe down after I’ve showered to renew the shine.
I like to sprinkle baking soda on my toothbrush, brush my teach then rinse out the toothbrush. Not only have I cleaned my teeth with the baking soda, I havae also cleaned my toothbrush at the same time.
Being a very busy mother of 4, during last years summer vacation I was not able to get out to the store to replenish the much needed hand soap for my bathrooms. After searching high and low for some in the house I happened upon a large bottle of new shampoo and bottle of bubble bath and refilled the hand soap bottles desperate for something to have the kids wash their hands with. I soon discovered that I got 5 times more out of the 99 cent bottle of shampoo and bubble bath that I always stock up on and have used it ever since. It does the job perfectly and saves me quite a bit of money over a months time.
I use a ratio of 1/2 vinegar to 1/2 water and keep it in a sray bottle in my bathrooms. I squeege the walls of my bath tub after each bath. (If you wiped down the walls and squeezed the cloth, you might have 1/2 to 3/4 cup of liquid.) I also keep an old washcloth to wipe down the corners of the walls and where the tile meeets the tub. Once a week I spray the walls and chrome with the vinegar and water mixture, and wipe the surfaces down with a dry towel. The wash cloth and towel go into the laundry each week.
I pour 1/2 cup of pure vinegar in the toilet to loosen the mold and mineral deposits under the rim and in the toilet bowl. After letting it sit, I then use a stiff brush to clean the toilet.
When I leave town for several days, I pour 1 cup of vinegar in each toilet. It helps with mineral deposits, and also odor control. This is much “greener” than using harsh chemicals.
If you have basement rooms and they tend to develop a damp odor during the year, fill a clean salsa size jar with pure vinegar, and place one or two jars in each room. Refill the jars every several months. This will help control odors.
Instead of using those credit cards in the store, I use mine to safely scrape bits off of the countertops, stovetop and floor. Sometimes wiping with a rag just doesn’t get everything, especially in the corners, but the credit card gets it all. Also, when cleaning my sink, I always end with a quick spray of dust spray and a paper towel wipe down. This gives it a shiney finish and a nice smell.
For streak free, lint free, clean windows, use newspaper instead of paper towels or rags and your cleanser of choice. I crumple the newspaper and just turn the wad as it gets wet. You will have crystal clear windows.
To clean sticky residue off skin,or anything, simply apply “Goo Be Gone” then rub briskly it comes right off. I use this on my feet because I have to wear Lidoderm Pain Patches at night, I cut the patches in half, because the cost so much and I want them to last longer. Cutting them also makes them more sticky, so I learned to use the “Goo BE Gone” to clean my feet. This also works on residue left by bandages. You only have to use a very little.