Basic Household Cleaning ~ Tips & Tricks

[YouPdWhat]

Post Your Tips Here!

[YouPdWhat]

Cleaning Flower Vases or fish tanks

To remove deposits caused by flowers and water,
rub with salt; if you cannot reach the deposits to
rub them, put a strong salt solution in the vase and
shake, then wash the vase with soap and water.



( borrowed from ff thanks to turtleangel )

[YouPdWhat]

Keep Curtains Fresh. Every three months or so,
toss them in the dryer on the "air-fluff" setting, with no
heat. The tumbling loosens dirt and dust, transferring
it to the dryer's filter. Then you simply pull out the lint
screen and toss away the layer of debris that it has
collected.

Get Dirt And Dust Off Venetian Blinds. Submerge
them, fully extended, in a bathtub filled with warm
water and one or two cups of powdered dishwasher
detergent. Dip them up and down to clean. Then wipe
them with a cloth or kitchen scrub brush. Rest on old
towels to dry. This takes half the time and creates
much less mess than cleaning them slat by slat.

[Jusk]

To clean out food splatters in microwave........put a coffee mug with water in it in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. Most splatters should wipe out easily with a paper towel or dish cloth because of the steam created from the water. Pour hot water down drain to help keep grease build up cleared out

[jonjaktez]

Originally Posted by Jusk To clean out food splatters in microwave........put a coffee mug with water in it in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. Most splatters should wipe out easily with a paper towel or dish cloth because of the steam created from the water. Pour hot water down drain to help keep grease build up cleared out

Putting grease down the drain is a bad idea. The drain is connected to the sewer lines and when the liquid reaches the treatment plant, the grease can not be removed. Even with all the treatment that the water goes through.

[papadsgirls]

When shampooing carpets. Use tide with febreeze. Leave the best smell and no chemical odors like carpet shampoos. This also does wonderful with pets.

[funnyface09]

Here is a tip for the dryer, to help your clothes dry faster and save on energy. Once a month take out the lint trap, clean out all the lint and dust that you can, and then wash it with hot soapy water. Use a nail brush if you have one.

When you use Dryer sheets the coating off the sheet that goes onto your clothes also coats the lint trap which creates a barrier that keeps moisture inside the dryer longer.

[amcryer]

Originally Posted by Jusk To clean out food splatters in microwave........put a coffee mug with water in it in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. Most splatters should wipe out easily with a paper towel or dish cloth because of the steam created from the water. Pour hot water down drain to help keep grease build up cleared out

You can also wrap half of a lemon in a wet wash cloth, nuke it for 1 minute then wipe clean, leaves fresh lemony scent.

[tylianna]

I wash my dishes, wipe my counters, then use the washcloth in the microwave. Nuke for 1 min, let it sit for about 2-3 minutes, then wipe away. I was coming here to post that when I saw other people posting the same thing LOL!

Great minds think alike, huh? ;)

I use vinegar to wash my carpets when they are not too bad. It picks up the soap that you have left before and cleans away residue. My carpets stay cleaner longer! It doesn't keep sticky stuff or spills away, but the gradual build up of dirt by walking is minimized!!!

I keep lysol or clorox wipes in the bathrooms for quick cleanups. My kids can use them, too if they want to clean up. Great for when you have surprise company. Just pretend you are going potty, and wipe up the sink and toilet. Good as new!

[CouponRus]

I like the clorox wipes. They save a lot of time when cleaning on different surfaces.
What do people tend to use for carpet cleaner? I live in a small apt and have a newborn on the way and want to make sure my products are all baby-proof.