The world of cleaning supplies is vast and confusing. One aisle down, you’re bombarded with options from eco-friendly to animal-friendly, non-toxic to antibacterial.
Plus, every surface is unique and requires its own special cleaner. Use the wrong one and you might as well be a bull in a china shop. So if, like us, you’re confused about what to use for the surface you’re trying to clean, we’ve got you. Here are some tips on how to match the material to the mess.
Lemons To Brighten Copper Pots And Pans
Lemons are fabulous and can handle a lot of your cleaning chores. For instance, it can be used to brighten copper pots and pans. The acid in the lemon dissolves tarnish. Add in a little salt that salt provides gentle abrasion. However, they aren’t suitable for every surface. For example, natural stones like marble or granite might not enjoy the acidic zest of a lemon. Doing a spot test before going full citrus on any surface is always a good idea.
Microfiber Magic
Thanks to its dense fiber structure, microfiber cloths can remove up to 98% of bacteria and 93% of viruses from surfaces. No chemicals, no sprays, just plain old H2O.
But before you run off to ceremoniously throw out all your cleaning supplies, a word of caution—microfiber, while mighty, isn’t invincible. It doesn’t like high heat or fabric softeners.
Vinegar
White vinegar might not sound like the most enticing thing to scrub onto surfaces, but its acidic nature makes it perfect for dissolving mineral deposits that usually come from normal kitchen use. For instance, that mineral buildup on your glass countertops would easily be melted away with a vinegar and water solution.
It’s also a great fabric softener substitute. Just add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to your washing machine’s rinse cycle. It softens clothes and is particularly good at resurrecting towels that have taken on the texture of cardboard.
Essential Oil Scents
To make your white vinegar fabric softener solution even better, add about three drops of tea tree essential oil, and you’ve got a fresh-smelling batch of clothes. The vinegar helps break down stains like sweat and food marks, neutralizes odors, and brightens colors, including white ones! The essential oil, on the other hand, turns your clothes into an aromatherapy treatment on the go.
Baking Soda
Ever opened your fridge and smelled something that was once food turned into a science experiment? Just tuck an open box of baking soda into the back of the refrigerator, and it’ll absorb all the odors.
It’s also a mild abrasive cleaner that can easily chip away stains from surfaces—from tiles and even to your clothes. Just be mindful of surfaces like high-gloss finishes and soft, scratch-prone materials.
Dishwashers Can Clean More Than Dishes
Got flip flops that have seen better days or kids’ plastic toys that are sticky from an unknown substance that you probably don’t want to know about? Rack ’em up! The dishwasher can clean these wonderfully.
But before you throw random stuff in there, remember to check the labels to see if they’re dishwasher safe. Monitor heat sensitivity, as some plastics may have a lower melting point than others.
Ice Cube On Your Garbage Disposal
Contrary to popular belief, ice doesn’t actually “sharpen” the blades as you might sharpen a knife. In fact, the blades within your disposal are not meant to be razor-sharp but rather blunt. However, where ice truly shines is in its ability to help clean the blades. As the ice is crushed by the disposal’s grinding action, it effectively scours hard-to-reach spots, knocking off accumulated sludge and debris. This process produces a cleaner, more efficient disposal system.
Rubbing Alcohol On Stainless Steel
Rubbing alcohol is the perfect stainless steel cleaner. It evaporates fast, so it won’t leave any unsightly streaks. Plus, it cuts through grease like a hot knife through butter, making sure you get even the smallest smudge out of there. Just a little dab on a microfiber cloth would go a long way in cleaning even the messiest kitchen nightmares. Just don’t overdo it, as applying alcohol too much and too often can damage the finish.
Coffee Filters For Screens
Coffee filters don’t leave lint behind, making them the perfect screen wipe for gadgets that attract dust and fingerprints like a magnet. They’re also soft and non-abrasive, which means you won’t have to worry about scratching your precious devices. So, before you reach for that screen wipe, consider checking out your coffee nook for some filter paper.
Dryer Sheet Hacks
Don’t throw away those extra dryer sheets from laundry day. You can use them to clean off the gunk on your bathroom. Just dampen one up, give a little elbow grease on your shower doors, and let those fabric-softening chemicals go full ‘cleaning vigilante’ on that grime. And let’s not forget the cherry on top—these bad boys are cheap.
Cinnamon In Vacuum
Leftovers inside your vacuum, such as pet hair, old snacks you once craved, or that tiny bit of soil from when you thought indoor gardening was a good idea, can start to smell as they decay. This can lead to unpleasant smells while you’re vacuuming. Sprinkling a bit of cinnamon inside your vacuum bag isn’t just for those who accidentally spill their spice rack—it’s a pro tip for making your house smell like a bakery on a Sunday morning without lifting a rolling pin. You see, when you vacuum, the warmth from the appliance activates the oils within the cinnamon, which can then spread throughout your home and leave a pleasant scent.
Use Chalk As A Dehumidifier
If you live in a humid environment, tucking a piece of chalk inside your toolbox or cabinet might be the lifesaver you never knew you needed. Chalk can soak up that unwanted moisture, thereby putting a stop to mold in small confined spaces such as your cabinets. Plus, it’s a cheap solution, making it way more appealing than investing in some high-tech dehumidifying system.
Hairdryer For Water Rings
Got water rings on your wooden furniture? Grab a hairdryer, typically reserved for taming your mane, and crank that baby up to high. Now, give that water ring a warm and toasty treatment by aiming the hairdryer close to the wood, moving it around in a gentle, sweeping motion. Follow up with olive oil to rejuvenate the wood.
Vodka As Disinfectant
Vodka isn’t just a party staple; it’s also a powerful disinfectant—minus the overbearing scent of lemons and pines usually trotted out by supermarket cleaners. Just mix one part water and one part vodka in a spray bottle, apply, and let the spirits do their thing. You can apply it on glass for a streak-free polish or on your bathroom tiles to get rid of those pesky molds.
Wax Paper To Protect Bathroom Fixtures
So, you’ve just scrubbed your bathroom fixtures, and they’re now gleaming like diamonds. But, as we all know, water has this sneaky way of leaving marks. This is where wax paper comes in. Running a piece of wax paper over your faucets and fixtures after cleaning can help repel water and prevent spots.
