TRIED AND TESTED (Hints and Tips for Household Cleaning)

Member Name: senga53

Product:	Hints and Tips for Household Cleaning
Date:	31/08/08 (311 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap and simple

Disadvantages: some need elbow grease

I don't know about you, but I am always on the look out for different ideas, on how to get my housework done quickly. I love it when my home is sparkling clean, I just hate what I have to do to get it that way.

I am going to share some of my tips with you.

1. Microwave

I have found that the quickest and easiest way to clean my microwave, is to put a dish of water with a squeeze of lemon juice (a slice of lemon works just as well) into the microwave and heat on full power for about four minutes.
When I remove the dish, all I have to do is to wipe over the inside of the microwave with a damp cloth. Any food particles, that had stuck to the inside, wipe away easily. Using the lemon juice leaves my microwave with a lovely fresh clean smell.

2. Toilet Bowl

If my toilet bowl looks a bit grubby all I do is pour some Cocoa Cola into the bowl and leave it overnight. Any brand of coke will do. If I have some coke that has gone flat I use this. In the morning when I flush to toilet the bowl is sparkling. Rather than pouring flat coke down the sink (which I used to do) I now use it to clean my toilet.

3. Awkward Areas

I'm sure everyone is like me, and has those awkward little places to clean. I use an old toothbrush and this lets me get right into the corners. An old toothbrush is also great for cleaning ornaments. The brush gets into all the little spaces where the dust collects.

4. Cats

I have added this one in, although it is not a cleaning tip. If you are not a cat lover, but like me you are bothered with cats soiling on your flowers beds, this is one for you. Put one or two moth balls just under the earth where the cat has been soiling. The cat won't come back. I have done this twice and it definitely works.

5. Windows and Mirrors

This is my old favourite. I clean my windows with soapy water and dry them off. Then I crumple up a newspaper and pour on a small amount of vinegar. I rub the crumplied newspaper over the window and the window looks clean and sparkling. It works everytime.

6. Cups, Vases and Pots

When my cups start to get stained with coffee or tea, I fill the cups with boiling water and add a half teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda. I leave my cups to soak for 30 minutes and then rinse them thoroughly. All the stains have disappeared. It works the same on flower vases, and pots with burnt on food. I would usualy leave a pot for a couple of hours and then wash as normal.

7.Grout

If like me, your shower is constantly in use, the grout probably gets a bit on the grubby side. I mix up a little paste of Bicarbonate of Soda and bleach and gently scrub the grout with an old toothbrush. This brings the grout back to it's original white colour.

8. Grubby Trainers

If I need to give a pair of trainers a quick clean, I always reach for the baby wipes. The wipes don't do a perfect job, but the trainers are a lot cleaner.

9. Smells

One of the worst smells to try to remove is spilled milk. Another is if one of my grandchildren has been car sick. A friend told me to try Bicarbonate of Soda. I wasn't sure it would work but I gave it a try.
I mixed two teaspoons of Bicarbonate of Soda with a half pint of hot water, and them rubbed the stain with the mixture. It took two attempts but the smell disappeared. It worked equally well on both stains and the smell was gone. I have passed this tip to others and they all agree that it works very well.

10. Blocked Toilet

Disgusting I know, but it happened to my daughter two weeks ago. It was the weekend and her toilet was completely blocked. We went to a plumbers merchant who sold us something to pour down the toilet, and he assured us that it would work. It cost £12.99 but we decided that it was worth it, if it cleared her toilet.
Needless to say it didn't work. I decided to go back to basics.
We didn't have a plunger and we had tried rods, so I made a 'plunger'. I used a string mop and tied a carrier bag securely round the mop head. I then used this as a plunger and after about five minutes it began to work. It took about 30 minutes to clear the toilet, but it was worth the hard work, and definitely cheaper than calling a plumber to the house.
So, if all else fails make your own 'plunger'.

Summary: I hope some of these are useful..........