General Cleaning Tips, Tricks & Advice

Home Cleaning Tips

• Most wooden floors can be cleaned with ½ of a cup of apple cider vinegar that is mixed with a gallon of warm water. Dampen a soft cloth and wipe down the wood floor without wetting it. Next take a soft cloth which is dry and buff out the floor for a fantastic lustre.
• Only wash windows on days which are cloudy. On sunny days the window cleaner will dry before it can be wiped and this will leave streaks on the window.
• Use water that is cold to wash windows for better results.
• Adding a couple of tablespoons of vinegar to each gallon of water when washing windows will help cut through grime and dirt better.
• Wadded up newspaper works better than paper towels for cleaning windows and there are no fibres left behind. Gloves may be worn to avoid ink smudges on hands.
• Crayon marks on paint and walls can be used by scrubbing the stain with toothpaste.
• Using a pencil eraser on heel marks will eliminate the marks completely.
• Scuffmarks on linoleum can be removed by a tennis shoe with a white sole. Use the tip of the shoe sole to rub over the scuffmarks and they will disappear quickly.
• Wax paper can be used in a pinch to wax hardwood floors.
• Used dryer fabric softener sheets work well to remove dust from electronic items and other surfaces.
• Always start at the top of a room and then clean downwards. This prevents dust from falling on previously dusted surfaces.
• Cleaning the doors in your home with warm soapy water can make a big difference in how clean your home appears.
• An organised home is much easier to keep clean and is more attractive and appealing.
• Spend a weekend every 6-12 months going through each room in the home and eliminating clutter.
• Sprinkle baking soda on the carpets and leave overnight. Vacuum the carpets the next morning for a home that smells fresh and clean.
• Tar can be removed from hard floors by rubbing with paste wax.
• Candle wax that has hardened on wood floors is very easily removed by using a blow dryer to soften the wax and then wiping the stain with paper towels. After the excess wax is removed wash the floor area with a vinegar and water mixture.
• If candle wax spills on carpeting or upholstered furniture cover the wax with a brown paper bag. Use a hot iron on the paper bag and the wax will be absorbed.
• Minor scratches on glass can be removed by rubbing with toothpaste on a soft cloth.
• Marble stains can be easily removed by cutting a lemon in half and sprinkling salt on the cut area. Rub this surface over the marble stain using a very light pressure. Rinse the area with soap and water and the stain is gone.
• Use an old toothbrush and furniture polish to polish curved items.
• Periodically wipe down polished areas of furniture with a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water. This will remove any polish build up. Wipe the furniture dry with a soft cloth.
• Wicker can be thoroughly cleaned by vacuuming the interior and exterior with a brush or hose attachment.
• Use sanitizing wipes to disinfect doorknobs, telephones, and light switches through the home a few times a week.
• Before sweeping or dust mopping spray the broom or dust mop lightly with furniture polish and dust will be attracted instead of repelled.
• Throw curtains in the dryer with a damp towel or cloth and a fabric softener sheet to freshen and straighten them quickly.
• Baking soda can be used as a scouring powder around the home and offers the additional benefit of deodorizing and freshening the area as well as cleaning it.
• Sprinkle some baking soda in a litter box to get rid of unpleasant pet smells.
• Use a mixture of dish soap and water to treat urine stains and spots right away. Sprinkle with baking soda afterward to freshen the carpet.
• Chrome can be cleaned using club soda. Seltzer water will also do the trick.
• Marks from a Magic Marker can be removed by spraying with hair spray and then wiping with a dry cloth.
• Unpleasant smoke odour can be removed by filling a bowl with white or cider vinegar and then placing this on a table in the centre of a room.
• Doors which stick can be fixed in just a few minutes by applying car wax to the edges and frame.

Bedroom Cleaning Tips

• Make the bed as soon as you get out of it every morning.
• Spend 5 minutes each morning and each evening picking up the bedroom and putting things away.
• Use a hair dryer to gently blow on lampshades. This will remove dust without wiping.
• Place a basket on the dresser for keys, papers, and other clutter that will mess up the dresser top.
• A dirty clothes hamper in the bedroom will eliminate any dirty clothes on the floor and keep the room looking more attractive and neater.
• Place a roll of small trash bin liners under the liner being used. When the trash needs to be emptied then a fresh liner is immediately available to replace the liner removed.
• Sprinkle baking soda on the mattress and rub in. Vacuum thoroughly for a mattress that smells clean and like new.

Kitchen Cleaning Tips

• Counter tops can be cleaned with a warm soapy solution and soft cloth. Rinse thoroughly with warm water to eliminate any soap residue.
• Use dish soap and hot water to mop vinyl floors. Allow the solution to set on the floor for half an hour and ground in dirt will come up easily.
• Water spots on stainless steel can be quickly removed with a little white vinegar on a soft cloth. Wipe the spots dry.
• Run the dishwasher empty after adding 1 cup of white vinegar to the dish washing liquid dispenser inside the appliance. This will remove any build up soap residue.
• Keep the refrigerator fresh by placing a fresh box of baking soda on a shelf. Replace the box every month for excellent odour elimination.
• Soak a little vanilla extract on a cotton ball and place this in the refrigerator. This will keep the fridge smelling nice.
• When cleaning the fridge add a few drops of lemon extract to the water used for the final rinse.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the garbage disposal and turn it on. Flush with hot running water. Do this once a week to prevent any bad odours.

Bathroom Cleaning Tips

• The best time to clean the bathroom is right after a hot shower. The steam makes cleaning much easier and more effective.
• Keep a spray bottle with a vinegar and water solution in the shower. After each use spray the shower interior completely and then rinse down. This prevents soap scum residue and keeps the shower spotless.
• Stains on the bathroom sink and counter can be removed by rubbing with the cut side of a lemon as long as the stains are light.
• Rust stains and others that are dark can be removed by mixing borax and lemon juice and then rubbing this on the stain. Let sit for 5 minutes and then rinse with clear water.
• A ring around the tub can be easily removed by using ammonia that is undiluted. Make sure to wear gloves and rinse the tub fully after the ammonia is used.
• Baking soda and water made into a paste can be used to scrub off any ring that appears in the tub. Rinse with warm water.
• Caulk that is stained or dirty can be cleaned using rubbing alcohol or a diluted chlorine bleach solution.
• Place ½ cup of bleach in the toilet before going to bed. Scrub the toilet with a toilet brush upon waking in the morning and then flush.
• A weekly treatment using 1 cup of baking soda in the toilet can prevent clogs and eliminate odours. This will help the bathroom smell fresh and clean.
• Small bathroom floors can be quickly cleaned using an all purpose cleaning solution and a damp rag.
• Cotton balls that have been soaked with bleach can be placed in tub corners before staring the cleaning chores. Remove the cotton balls after an hour and rinse the corners with clear water. Any built up dirt and grime will disappear like magic.
• Use a fabric softener sheet in the bathroom waste basket to freshen up the room and make it smell nice.
• Undiluted vinegar can quickly remove soap scum from shower doors and other hard surfaces.
• Pour 1 cup of white vinegar into the shower door tracks. The vinegar will dissolve dirt and other gunk that can make shower doors harder to slide open and shut.
• Use vinegar or a few drops of oil on a stainless steel sink to give it incredible sparkle.

Laundry Tips

• Coffee stains can be removed from clothes and fabric by using denatured alcohol and then rinsing completely.
• Shirt collars that have dark rings or stains can be cleaned by rubbing with shampoo before laundering.
• Use a paste of corn starch and water to remove blood stains. Rub the paste into the stain and the let the paste dry. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and then launder as usual.
• Gum on clothing can be removed by freezing with an ice cube or putting the item in the freezer until the gum hardens. Use a butter knife to scrape the gum off the cloth.
• Use hydrogen peroxide to remove blood from leather items. After the substance bubbles up the wipe it gently.
• Deodorant stains on clothing can be removed using white vinegar. If this does not work then soak the stain using denatured alcohol. Rinse and then wash with hot water and laundry detergent.

Commercial Cleaning Software