Cleaning Tips & House Cleaning Ideas

Give your counter tops a new shine with club soda.

To deodorize carpets, sprinkle them with baking soda at night and vacuum in the morning.

Use a soft cloth dampened with white vinegar to remove water spots from stainless steel and wipe dry.

Add a generous amount of baking soda to your hot dish water to help remove dried on foods from pots and pans. Let soak for 15 minutes, then wash as usual.

For faster dusting, wear old socks like gloves and go at it with both hands.

Wash windows on a cloudy day to help prevent streaking. Use vertical strokes on the inside and horizontal strokes on the outside so you will know which side has streaks.

To eliminate refrigerator odors, pour a little vanilla on a piece of cotton and place in the refrigerator or place a bowl in the back of the refrigerator with a few briquettes of charcoal.

I spray Febreeze on my vacuum roller brushes when I vacuum, makes the whole carpet smell fresh.
Submitted by Carol L.

I use a lot of waxed paper to cover counters for dirty jobs... I hate scrubbing flour that has gotten wet and hardened!
Submitted by Marcia S.

The bathroom will be much easier to clean after a steamy bath or shower. The steam will help loosen the dirt.

To get copper clean use orange koolaid.
Submitted by Ruth G.

If you're using an in the tank cleaner in the toilet, never add bleach. The two may have a bad chemical reaction.

No jewelry or silver polish? That's okay because plain old white toothpaste will shine that silver up beautifully! Simply use a dab on a cloth, rub on the silver jewelry and buff as you would with silver polish! It'll shine, shine, shine!
Submitted by Cate

I spray Febreeze on my vacuum roller brushes when I vacuum, makes the whole carpet smell fresh.
Submitted by Carol L.

Apply a good paste wax to shower tiles and buff with a dry cloth to deter water spots.

Alcohol on a rag cleans keyboards great!
Submitted by Rhonda W.

Rubbing alcohol takes off the sticky stuff left from scotch tape.
Submitted by Becky S.

Use fabric softener sheets to collect dust off blinds.
Submitted by Mary B.

Avon's Skin So Soft gets off the adhesive gunk off windows & mirrors. (no, I don't sell Avon.)
Submitted by Ruth S.

When dusting, start at the top and work your way to the bottom. Vacuum last.

After cleaning your garbage cans, scatter a handful of dry laundry detergent in the bottom of the can to repel flies and other insects.

Use a slice of lemon to rub off dried on eggs from tableware.

Use a soft paint brush for dusting hard to reach places, cracks, corners, ect.

Keep an outdoor mat at each outside door to cut down on tracked in dirt.

Add a little vinegar to the rinse water for shiny, streakless glasses.

When washing windows, use crumbled newspapers for drying the windows, a great way to recycle and lint free. Wear gloves to keep the ink from your hands.

You can clean silver jewelry by applying baking soda to a dry paper towel or rag and rubbing into silver, then rinse clean.
Submitted by Barbara L.

When you have a spray bottle your going to throw out put a little bleach in it and spray the tub and shower - then throw out the bottle - rinse thoroughly. Gets rid of stains and mildew!
Submitted by Joan D.

Use baking soda on a damp sponge to remove odors from cutting boards.

Line your oven with foil in bottom, to keep oven clean after you clean it!
Submitted by Jan W.

Never mix two or more cleaning products together, they could be toxic.

For an unpleasant odor from the garbage disposal, grind lemon or orange peels in it.

Before you shampoo your carpets, place plastic bags on the legs of the furniture to keep them dry.

Polish leather upholstery with a cream made from 1 part vinegar and 2 parts linseed oil.

When polishing silver forks, use pipe cleaners dipped in silver polish to polish between the tines.

Use a sponge dampened with white vinegar to remove soap residue.

To clean electric drip coffeemakers, periodically run a solution of half white vinegar and half water through it. The heated solution will clean the coffeemaker. If the buildup is heavy, repeat the process. Thoroughly rinse all parts of the unit. Then run plain cold water through a cycle to remove all traces.

To have shiney wood floors, place a piece of waxed paper under your dust mop. Mop the floor, the dirt will stick to the mop and the wax will shine your floors.

After cleaning your ceiling fans, apply a thin coat of wax to the blades to repel dust.

Mix one cup bleach with one gallon water and pour into a spray bottle. Use as a daily shower cleaner, spraying after each shower. No need to rinse.

While cleaning the house, listen to an audio book. Many books are available in audio.

Do you have ring around the collar? Apply white chalk to the stain. The chalk will absorb the oils in the fabric.

To keep your white sink white, cover with paper towels soaked in bleach. Let stand for 30 minutes; then rinse thoroughly with cool water.

Clean the exterior surfaces of your stove after they have cooled. Use detergent and warm water. A paste of baking soda and water can be used on difficult spots. Rinse and wipe dry.

Attach 1" suction cups to each side of your shower curtain, (toward the bottom). Simply adhere suction cups before you shower to eliminate water seeping out onto your bathroom floor.
Submitted by Lisa.

Clean copper bottomed pans or just any copper with a half a lemon and pickling salt. Just pour some salt on the exposed lemon and use the lemon to rub in!
Submitted by Melissa S.

Vinegar and baking soda gets out stubborn bathroom stains...I once used it to remove black hair dye from a shower-tub.
Submitted by Stephanie Q.

To deodorize jars or bottles that you wish to save and reuse, pour a mixture of water and dry mustard in each container. Let stand for a few hours. Wash and rinse.

After cleaning the inside of your refrigerator or freezer, wipe the the inside with white vinegar and allow to air dry. The vinegar will discourage the growth of mold and mildew.

To clean under the refrigerator, tie a sock on the end of a yard stick and sweep it away.