Even while the amount of cleaning we do depends on our lifestyle and whether we can afford a housekeeping service, the pressure to do it is growing.
We need to clean the house thoroughly, but we don’t have much time, and the last thing we want to do after work is spend an hour scrubbing the stove or bathtub. We think to ourselves, “Should I wait until the weekend to deal with the inevitable dust and dirt or should I just put it off?”. We were leaning toward a resounding “yes” until speaking to a few cleaning professionals and learning that we could accomplish a lot without devoting hours of our day, and even better, using supplies we already own.
Shutterstock 113205799
Buff Surfaces With Olive Oil
Olive oil provides a lot of nutritional advantages (and can possibly increase longevity). It turns out that it can also aid in household cleaning.
“Olive oil is a fantastic cleaning solution for stainless steel objects including pots, pans, and appliances. According to Mat Franken, CEO and Founder of Aunt Fannie’s, a producer of whole ingredient, food-based cleaning and pest solutions for the home, use olive oil on a soft cloth in a circular motion to buff away any stains.
Detox The Garbage Disposal With Lemons or Limes
It’s crucial to keep the garbage disposal clean and free of clogs because it does a lot of nasty labor on a regular basis.
Use a fresh lemon or lime to clean and deodorize waste disposals, advises Franken. “Quarter the citrus fruit, and while the water is running, throw the lemon pieces one at a time into the garbage disposal.”
Remove Carpet Stains With Vodka
This cleaning trick works with white wine, clear vodka (which has many cleaning advantages! ), and rubbing alcohol.
“Blot the stain first. Second, apply any clear alcohol to the stain (rubbing alcohol, vodka, white wine), advises Greg Shepard, proprietor of the housecleaning company Dallas Maids. This is superior to any over-the-counter remedy.
Eliminate Water Stains With Shaving Cream
Who would have imagined using shaving cream to clean? Shepard attests to its effectiveness in cleaning water stains from shower glass.
Shaving cream should be applied, allowed to remain for 15 minutes, and then removed, advises Shepard.
Baking Soda And Vinegar Will Basically Clean The Tub For You
The following 10-minute strategy is suggested for cleaning tubs by Jenice Findley, director of marketing at the recently established Fins Property Maintenance, which provides a variety of commercial cleaning services.
Findley advises mixing one cup vinegar, half a cup of baking soda, and boiling water. Pour the mixture into an empty tub and let it sit for five minutes. “Begin adding hot water to the tub until it is about one-quarter full, then leave it alone for an additional five minutes. Release the drain after that, and thoroughly rinse.
Essential Oils For A Sparkling Toilet
Doyle James, the CEO of Neighborly business Mr. Rooter Plumbing, advises utilizing essential oils in a homemade toilet cleaner.
“Combine one cup of baking soda with 15 drops each of lemon or orange essential oil and tea tree essential oil. Before flushing, clean the mixture with a bowl brush and let it stay in the bowl for 30 minutes.
Steam The Microwave With Lemon Oil
You may clean the microwave with essential oils as well.
According to Doug Rogers, owner of Mr. Appliance, a Neighborly company, “add 15 drops of lemon essential oil into one and a half cups water to a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high for five to ten minutes, allowing the steam to condense on interior walls/ceilings of your machine.” Once finished, simply use a sponge to remove the softened food.
DIY Glass Cleaner
Making your own glass cleaner is simple, according to Larry Patterson, franchise owner of Glass Doctor, a Neighborly business, if you don’t feel like running to the shop for more. Shake after combining white vinegar, distilled water, and drops of an essential oil. If you need to clean your windows, mirrors, or even shower doors quickly and cheaply, try this method.
Lemon Oil Is A Natural Degreaser For The Oven
“Lemon essential oil is a wonderful degreaser and can be an excellent tool to remove stubborn grease stains organically, in addition to its fragrance benefits,” explains Rogers.
“Spray your stovetop with a solution of one cup water, one cup vinegar, and one drop of lemon essential oil, then wipe it down. Sprinkle baking soda over harder stains before using spray and wipe. The same method may be used to clean your oven, which will aid in reducing the risk of kitchen fires, many of which are brought on by grease.