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23 House Cleaning Tips And Tricks To Keeping Your House Clean

Take advantage of these 23 natural and innovative house cleaning tips and tricks to keeping your house clean.

These tips and tricks will help you to discover some pretty simple, easy and effective natural homemade cleaning methods and products that will often outperform the nasty chemical variety or at the very least provide a similar outcome, but be better for your health.

Whitening Yellowed Pillows

Isn’t it annoying when your beautiful pillow covers that used to be white have become a pale yellowish shade?

The good news is you can easily deal with that by mixing up the following ingredients: 1 cup of laundry detergent, 1 cup of powdered dishwasher detergent, 1 cup of bleach, ½ cup of borax and very hot water.

Cleaning The Iron

Making your iron clean again can be simple if you follow this advice.

Sprinkle a little table salt onto your ironing board and then turn your iron on to the highest heat setting, turning off the steam option.

Proceed to iron over the salt and you’ll find the dirt sticks to the salt leaving the iron clean and shiny again.

Homemade Grime Remover

We all know that our kitchen cabinets over time can gather grime and embedded dirt and gunk.

Not a pretty sight over time but there is a way to fix the problem using this home recipe grime gunk remover.

All you do is mix one part vegetable oil with two parts baking soda and then using a sponge or a gentle (soft bristled) scrubbing brush get to work on the cabinets until the dirt magically removes itself, leaving nice clean cabinets.

Removing Pet Hair From Furniture

So your pet cat or dog leaves fur or pet hair everywhere around the house?

Did you know its relatively simple to remove this unwanted fur?

Grab a pair of rubber gloves, put them on and then just rub your hand over the unwanted hair.

Your clothes, upholstery, and furniture will be instantly free of the unwanted hair/fur.

Cleaning Up Dirty Lego Blocks

Ever been concerned about the cleanliness of the Lego toys your toddlers play with?

Its true these items can become quite filthy and dirty and it would take forever to clean them individually, so why not place them all in a laundry bag and then pop them into a washing machine.

With a little washing powder, you’ll have a spick and span lego blocks afterward that you just need to let dry and you’re done.

Removing Labels

Have you ever been frustrated at removing labels from bottles or jars?

It’s not often as easy as you’d think.

This task can be simplified however when you use OxiClean. (If you aren’t familiar with OxiClean, it’s simply a product that is a mix of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide)

Fill your sink with warm water and add a scoop of OxiClean.

Let the bottles soak for around 30 minutes and the labels will just come off easily.

Scratches In Wooden Furniture

If you own an old wooden table that is all scratched and unattractive and has frankly seen better days, don’t dispose of it, or throw it away, because, believe it or not, it can still be saved.

Mix ½ cup of vinegar with ½ cup of olive oil, dip a soft cloth in the mixture and rub it onto the wood.

The scratches will completely disappear leaving the wood looking almost like new.

Removing Driveway Oil Stains

Oil stains on your driveway can be frustrating and very unsightly and removing them isn’t very easy either.

Using the product Pour-N-Restore which is an eco-friendly product made up of a powerful citrus degreaser with a non-leaching absorbent, it’s a solution that dries into a powder and absorbs all the oil and pulls up embedded stains.

Removing Heat Marks On Wooden Furniture

If you have white heat marks left behind on your furniture, to remove them, you’ll have to use more heat and moisture.

Using several cloth layers and spraying them with water, place them over the stain and then iron over it for about 15 seconds and hey presto!

Make Your BBQ Grill Non Stick

Getting ready for a summer barbeque?

Don’t you hate how food sticks to the grill?

Well, with this little tip, it won’t anymore.

Grab a decent sized onion, cut it in half, and rub the cut side on the heated grill grate like in the photo.

Cleanup That Microfibre Couch

You probably know that microfiber furniture can get pretty grubby, especially if you have pets or young kids.

But don’t despair, it is possible to clean a microfiber fabric couch or sofa and have it looking a lot better than before.

All you need is a white sponge (so you don’t accidentally pass on the color of the sponge to the sofa) and some rubbing alcohol.

Spray the alcohol onto the stained area of the furniture and scrub with the sponge, then let the area dry.

Then, just take a bristle brush and give the area a bit of a re-fluff up.

Unsightly Or Clogged Shower Head

Make your showerhead look like new again using distilled white vinegar and a plastic bag.

Pour some vinegar into a plastic bag, tie it around the shower head.

Let it soak for about an hour, remove and wipe clean with a wet towel, problem solved- naturally!

Shiny Up Your Bathroom or Kitchen Faucets

Unfortunately, these days, there are cleaning chemicals for just about everything.

The thing is, many of these cleaners aren’t exactly good for our home’s surfaces, our environment, or even us for that matter.

Which is why people are often looking high and low for simple, non-toxic cleaning alternatives.

Here’s a really natural cleaning approach for cleaning up the stainless steel faucets in your bathroom and kitchen.

Just cut a lemon in half and scrub the hard water stains away leaving the surface looking nice and shiny again.

Clean Your Windows Properly & Naturally For a Streak Free Finish

Achieving streak-free clean windows can be the bane of many home owners.

However, the solution is simple, all you have to do to ensure your windows come up clean with no streaks is use a combination of water, vinegar and dish soap.

Mix these three ingredients together, and then spray on your windows, clean the surface with white towelette, or lint free cloth and then finish off by wiping over the window with scrunched up newspaper.

Cleaning Up The Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink

Make your own cleaner for the kitchen sink using the following ingredients: liquid dishwashing soap, white vinegar, baking soda, rock salt, lemon or lime, and ice and an old rag, a toothbrush and a soft sponge.

Rinse off the sink and sprinkle the baking soda onto the surface.

Make a paste and scrub the rim with the toothbrush soaked in the baking soda paste or soap.

Then line the entire sink with paper towels soaked in white vinegar and let these sit for about 20 minutes.

Saturate the sponge with soapy water and clean around the sink.

To clean the drainpipes, fill the drain hole with 2 cups of ice pouring a cup of rock salt over the cubes.

Run the cold water and turn the garbage disposal on until the ice is all gone.

Then cut a lemon in half and add this to the disposal.

A good clean natural way to clean up your kitchen sink and drain.

Cleaning The Bathtub

If you’re a person that prefers the natural cleaning products over the harsh and nasty chemical types, then try using this natural homemade cleaner on your bathtub.

All you need is a grapefruit and ¼ cup of table salt.

Cut the grapefruit in half, and then sprinkle some of the salt onto the cut grapefruit half, wet the tub and then sprinkle the remaining salt around the bottom of the bathtub.

Proceed to then scrub the grapefruit around the sides and base of the bathtub or shower base.

Rinse with water and you’ll be amazed at the end result.

Simple, Natural & Effective Oven Cleaner

No one enjoys cleaning an oven. And when you buy those harsh corrosive chemicals and spray it around your oven, its hard to avoid breathing in the fumes and wonder what they are doing to your lungs.

A better, healthier more natural method of cleaning your oven without having to resort to those corrosive chemical cleaners is to mix up a mixture of baking soda and vinegar.

You’ll also need a bowl and a spatula.

Scrape the large debris pieces off the oven with the spatula, then sprinkle baking soda all over the floor of the oven.

Then spray vinegar over the baking soda and spread the paste around the walls and hard to reach places with the spatula. Let it sit for about 15-20 minutes.

Scrub in a circular motion to remove the residue and note the difference.

Cleaning Venetian Blinds

Cleaning the blinds doesn’t have to be painful because there really is quite a simple method to clean them.

Mixing equal parts of white vinegar and warm water in a bowl and slipping an old sock over your hand, simply dip and wipe. You’ll be amazed at the dirt that comes off the blinds.

Removing Permanent Marker

If you have young children who have just discovered the joyfulness of artistic creativity using permanent markers on your furniture, then you’ll most likely be thankful for this little tip.

You can remove the marks by first putting a dab of white toothpaste on the mark and then rubbing gently with a damp cloth or paper towel.

Removing Carpet Stains

Some stains on the carpet just won’t come off, regardless of what type of cleaner you use.

One simple solution that has been proven to be effective is to spray window cleaner over the stain, put a cloth or towel over it and then iron. Repeat the process until the stain comes off.

Cleaning Silver

When it comes to natural homemade cleaning products, both salt and baking soda are commonly used, so why not mix them?

If you do that you get a very nice cleaner which you can use on silver by combining equal amounts of salt and baking soda.

Disinfecting A Kitchen Sponge

Kitchen sponges accumulate germs and bacteria and its easy to assume that with a good rinse and squeeze they’re clean, but they aren’t and when you use them to wipe things and benches clean, you’re probably spreading bugs everywhere.

To solve this problem, simply and easily without having to replace the sponge every 5 minutes is to just pop it into the microwave for about 4-5 minutes.

A microwave boils water in 2 minutes and so having the water in the sponge effectively boiled for 2-3 minutes should be sufficient to kill off most of the bugs.

Citrus Vinegar Natural Household Cleaner

To make a natural cleaner that smells wonderful and cleans well, you can use citrus peels and white vinegar.

Take the citrus peels and put them into a jar. Then just pour some white vinegar over them till they are covered and then let it sit for 2 weeks.

Then, remove the peels and dilute the vinegar solution equally with water (1:1).

Pour into a spray bottle and use around the house for most cleaning jobs.

Images Sourced from StumbleUpon and Pinterest.

The basis for this was article was inspired by;
Rosina Ayling http://www.easyshed.co.uk/blog/author/rosinaeasyshed

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Eco Friendly Homemade Cleaning Products In Your Pantry

Did You Know There Are Some Very Eco-Friendly Homemade Cleaning Products Just Lurking In Your Pantry?

You may be surprised to find out that some of the greenest and yet most effective cleaning products in your home are found right in your very own pantry.

They’re also some of the most affordable as well.

Simple items that you have sitting around your kitchen can do a great job of cleaning every room in your house.

Basic Baking Soda

One of the most versatile cleaning products in any home is plain baking soda.

It is a natural deodorizer and also works as a gentle abrasive cleaner that can remove stuck-on dirt and stains.

You can use baking soda on your sinks, countertops, tub, and even toilet.

It works well on a variety of surfaces and can even be used to clean silver with a little water mixed in.

You can scrub stainless steel pots and pans with it, and even remove stains from porcelain sinks.

A box or small bowl of baking soda will absorb odors in the fridge or in any other small space.

If you are unfortunate to have a pet cat urinate on your carpet, by regularly spreading baking soda on the affected area, you can effectively neutralize the smell completely.

Versatile Vinegar

Vinegar is perhaps the most powerful natural cleaner in your pantry—and don’t be afraid of the smell!

It will dissipate shortly after you’re through using it.

Vinegar can be mixed with water and used to wash floors.

A vinegar and water solution can be used to replace your glass cleaner.

Vinegar can remove build-up from shower heads and faucets.

It is helpful in removing odors and can be used to clean wooden cutting boards to remove strong smells like onion and garlic.

Vinegar can also be added to your laundry to remove odors and help brighten your clothes.

Leave It To Lemon Juice

Another easy-to-use green cleaner is lemon juice.

Mix a little with baking soda to make a highly effective liquid abrasive that will remove stains from just about any surface.

Lemon juice can be used to remove rust from metal—simply rub half a lemon on the rust to take it off.

Lemons can also be used to remove odors from a garbage disposal—simply drop a half down and run the disposal.

Lemon juice will remove those food stains from your plastic storage containers as well.

These cleaners are not only earth-friendly, but they are also budget-friendly and safe for kids and pets.

You can replace almost every cleaner in your home with a combination of these three pantry cleaning products that you probably already have.

It can save you hundreds of dollars and prevent your family from being exposed to dangerous chemicals as well.

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The 6 Steps To Follow When Creating A House Cleaning Schedule

6 Steps To Follow When Creating A House Cleaning Schedule

What’s the simplest way to keep your home thoroughly and regularly looking clean?

Stick to a regular cleaning schedule and a thorough clean house checklist!

It’s not as horrible as it sounds or looks.

In fact, once you get into the rhythm, you’ll feel less stressed because you’ll know that your task is not too far out of reach.

You will also know when you’re due to clean and that’s a lot less unsettling than if you have no clue when you’ll actually get around to cleaning again.

The trick is based on creating a realistic and suitable house cleaning checklist and schedule that works for you and for your home.

We will provide ideas so you can find the best way to organize and clean your place as fast as possible.

If you follow these guidelines you’ll see that in no time you’ll have your home sparkling with less effort than never.

So let’s get started!

Step 1: Getting Ready!

First of all, you need to have a concrete idea in your mind of what’s going to happen, in order for you to have a sparkling clean home.

Grab a pen and a piece of paper and walk around your house, room by room, and try to understand how much cleaning and time each room is going to need.

Also, it’s very important that you have all the cleaning tools and supplies that you’re going to need at hand.

This will help the cleaning process go so much faster.

You don’t need professional tools, but the basics are essential.

You may already have some of the necessities in your place.

Step 2: Choose The Frequency Of Your House Cleaning Schedule

List all the room areas in your home that require regular cleaning, including hallways, stairways, and entryways.

Don’t give any priority to areas that you don’t use so often, such as guest rooms or storage areas.

Only clean them seasonally or whenever you think it’s needed.

After this selection, you’ll understand that some spaces are more likely to need weekly or bi-weekly cleaning.

However, you need to consider your lifestyle as well. For example, if your family is away from home almost every weekend, you might not need to clean as often as you would if you have small children.

You might also find that private spaces, such as bedrooms, don’t need as much cleaning as public spaces, such as the guest bathroom or the kitchen.

Step 3: Find Your Cleaning Style

So by this step, you should identify both your cleaning tasks and frequency, now it’s time to decide how to clean!

Here are some different options.

Choose the one that fits you the most.

The first option is cleaning everything in one day.

If you don’t feel like cleaning everything all in one day, you can just split your list in half and do it in two days.

It will depend on how motivated you are.

The second way to do it is scheduling different sessions.

Decide which days you’ll clean and set a period for each day.

For instance, 30 minutes every day.

Set a timer and start at the top of the list.

Clean as much as you can until the timer rings.

Then, on your next scheduled cleaning day, just pick up another task or room that you left off.

Repeat it!

This will split your different tasks, they’ll seem lighter and it’s probably a good option to start if you don’t feel like cleaning all in a day.

The third option is a room a day.

After deciding how many days you’ll clean assign specific areas to certain days.

For instance, a Monday might be all about cleaning the entry, the kitchen, and the laundry room.

On Tuesday, cleaning the dining room and living room.

Make a list that fits your particular home and your routine.

Try to divide it the best way you can so you can fill your week and by the end of it, your whole house will have been cleaned.

Step 4: Put Your Schedule Into Practice

Start your first month of cleaning and consider it as a trial run.

You don’t want to overwhelm yourself so limit time in each room and pick up where you left off next time, as we said before.

Don’t worry, it will get easier!

Like anything, it takes practice before the schedule functions get smoothly.

Step 5 – Stay On Track!

Print out your cleaning list. Cover it in a plastic sheet protector and stick in a strategic place, like your cleaning bucket so you know always which tasks to do.

Mark your schedule cleaning appointments on your calendar until they become a part of your routine.

If you struggle to finish a cleaning task on a scheduled day, don’t stress.

You can either prioritize your cleaning sessions or even reschedule them.

The best way to stay on track is setting these cleaning habits to enhance your whole home cleaning checklist and schedule.

Step 6 – Do An Evaluation Of Your Schedule

After your trial month is over, do an evaluation of how everything went.

What worked and what didn’t?

And if anything failed, think like you didn’t fail the schedule but the schedule failed you.

If the schedule doesn’t fit you for some reason, re-do some tactics and keep re-evaluating monthly until you find the perfect checklist or schedule for you!

You will see that if you set up cleaning tasks correctly, your whole home cleaning schedule will allow you to feel less stressed about it.

As you can see good housekeeping starts with a good cleaning checklist and a regular house cleaning schedule.

And there’s nothing better than walking into a house that smells as good as it looks.

You’ll feel the difference when the floors are washed or vacuumed, dirty clothes are dealt with and put away, beds are made, dishes are washed and put away and the kitchen and bathrooms are spotless.

Being clean and organized takes time.

But if you try to get better at it, you’ll save time and money.

For instance, you won’t spend minutes or hours looking for lost items.

But also, if your items are well organized and you can easily find them, then you won’t spend money on replenishing stock.

That’s where a checklist and schedule becomes very useful!

We’ve given you the way to do it, but no one is going to do the work for you.

(Unless of course, you pay them) Follow these simple steps and you’ll make what you previously thought was a boring mundane task, a not so bad habit and you’ll be a pro in no time.

Good luck!

This article was written by Olivia Orban who is a specialist for cleaning and home arrangement for 8 years. Her passions are green housekeeping, and environmental friendly housing. Since 2013 she’s blogging for Sparkle & Shine helping thousands of people to create beautiful and eco-friendly homes. Sparkle & Shine offers premium house cleaning in Melbourne.

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5 Secrets To A Healthy Home

Here are 5 Secrets To A Healthy Home To Keep You Healthy And Safe

Your home is your sanctuary.

It is a space that fills you with warmth and joy. It is your haven from the outside world, a respite from the hustle and bustle of work and stress.

Yet, what if your home isn’t as safe as you think?

From your furniture to your choice of cleaning agent, every small choice can have massive repercussions on the health of your home and sanctuary.

A healthy and happy home is one that is clean and free from health hazards.

Maintaining a healthy home requires more work than one would assume.

It requires research, careful decision making and simple techniques that must be implemented from the very beginning.

Otherwise, small things can snowball into a massive health hazard that will be difficult to deal with later on.

Here’s a simple guide to help you create a home that isn’t just beautiful but is healthy and safe for you and your entire family.

Choose Your Furniture With Care

A home without furniture is an empty space.

It is the furniture that gives it character and makes it comfortable, which is why when choosing furniture, most of us focus on aesthetics alone.

We forget that furniture is a dust magnet, a hotbed of germs and requires frequent and rigorous cleaning.

Bulky furniture that is difficult to move around will collect dirt and dust in the corners, which can affect the air you breathe.

Instead choose simple and light furniture that can be cleaned around with ease, ensuring that no dirt is trapped in small spaces and corners.

Choose durable materials that can be maintained such as tile, stone, and leather. Avoid fancy carved furniture, large drapes that attract dust and heavy rugs that require constant cleaning.

Additionally, a lot of materials used to make furniture is covered with harmful chemicals.

For example, foam that is used in mattresses and couches is often covered in dangerous flame retardant chemicals.

Combat this by using cotton or wool where possible or ensuring the foam is covered in thick material preventing exposure to the chemicals used.

Take care when choosing paints and varnishes as well to ensure that no toxic chemicals are present.

Waterproofing Solutions

Based on the type of home you have, an apartment or a house, it is important to ensure that you choose the right type of waterproofing solutions.

Inadequate waterproofing can lead to a wide range of health concerns for those living in the home.

Leakage and seepage can cause mold, mildew, and fungus to grow on the walls and ceiling, leading to breathing problems and fungal infections to say the least.

This makes it imperative to tackle the problem right from the root with sound waterproofing on the structure.

While waterproofing begins with smart drainage that diverts all water away from the foundation of your home, you might also need additional waterproofing for extra protection.

Choose bituminous or polyurethane based waterproofing for roofs and cement based waterproofing solutions for kitchens and bathrooms.

Consult with a waterproofing expert to choose the right materials for your home, because there is no one-size-fits-all waterproofing solution.

Each option has its own characteristics and pros and cons which necessitate an informed decision.

Be Careful With Wiring

Wiring and electrics are something we rarely pay attention to unless we run out charging ports for our precious gadgets.

This overlooked aspect of home maintenance is incredibly important especially when moving into a new home or renovating.

Incorrect wiring and sloppy work can lead to a fire hazard in the house.

Which is why you need to ensure that you have certified electrician do all the wiring in the home.

Moreover, once your home is complete, don’t forget to call an electrician for bi-annual checks to ensure that everything is working as it should.

After all, when it comes to wiring and electricity, one small mistake can have dangerous and potentially lethal repercussions.

Simple Ventilation Techniques

Stale air can be a massive concern in today’s day, with indoor air pollution often higher than levels seen outdoors.

It is important to counter this with a few simple measures that will air out your home and keep the air clean and fresh.

The most important thing is to make sure that your windows are easily accessible and can be opened every few days to air out your home.

Make sure you use fans including exhausts in the bathrooms and kitchen to circulate the air effectively.

You might also want to consider an indoor air purifier to ensure that the air inside your home is clean and dust free.

Pair it with a humidifier for air that is easier to breathe.

Lastly, it is important to avoid using aerosol air fresheners. These are full of chemicals that should not be inhaled.

Instead, use natural scented oils and diffusers for a home that is both healthy and aromatic.

Practice Regular Effective Kitchen Care

Your health begins in the kitchen.

But these days kitchen health is more than just choosing organic produce and mercury-free fish.

A toxic material can make its way into your kitchen through the cookware you choose and the cleaning products you use.

For optimal kitchen health, it is important to pay attention to the details.

Cookware is essential to a kitchen and utensils must be chosen with care.

Non-stick cookware is known to release toxic fumes when heated to high temperatures so consider swapping to cast iron, steel, and aluminum.

Similarly heating up plastic in the microwave can be harmful to your health. Use glass or ceramic utensils to store food and for use in the microwave.

When choosing bottles, stick to BPA free plastic or switch to glass where possible.

Likewise, the cleaning products you use are often full of dangerous chemicals that you can do without.

Wherever possible, swap these out for healthy and organic cleaners that incorporate household products like vinegar, lime juice, and baking soda.

You don’t necessarily need an army of products to keep a clean kitchen and home, a few simple all natural products will do the trick with ease.

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