DIY Cleaning Tips and Products
If you’re an obsessive watcher of Clean House or How Clean is Your House, or any other DIY, clean-your-house-now reality TV series, you may be constantly itching to find better, faster ways to tackle your filth. Many DIY solutions are effective, and they are less costly than any single cleaning product.
freedigitalphotos.net
Seemingly Impossible Clean-Ups
Hard Water Stains
There’s a reason why water softeners are such a great asset. Hard water will build up in your pipes and leave your shower, sink, and toilet with hard-to-remove stains.
Spray white vinegar mixed with water onto your shower door and walls, and then wipe it down. Or you could mix baking soda with vinegar; leave it on the stain for 15 minutes before you scrub.
Sweat Stains and Odors
It turns out that our effort to keep dry has led to one of our most troublesome stains. Sweat mixed with antiperspirants is what really causes sweat stains. When a stain does occur, it’s best to take care of it right away. Drying your clothes will set the stain.
So how do you treat a sweat stain? If you do notice a stain before you wash it, you could rinse it in cold water. This neutralizes the antiperspirants acidity.
Another effective method is using a baking soda and water mix. Apply the paste onto the stain and leave it for 30 minutes before you rinse it. You could also use vinegar. Mix one tablespoon of white vinegar with a half cup of water. Apply it to the stain for 20 to 30 minutes then wash in cool water.
If you’re really desperate, you could also use aspirin to dissolve the stain. Grind it and mix it with water to make a paste. Apply to the stain, and leave it for an hour. Rinse it with cold water, and place in the washer.
Cleaner Alternatives
Oven Cleaner
You’ve had your fill of harmful chemicals, and oven cleaner is the worst. Besides, you have to stick your head in oven in order to scrub the corners.
There’s a simple recipe that can save you money and the chemical smell. You’ll need:
- Baking soda- 5 tbsp
- Dawn- 5 drops
- Vinegar- 5 tbsp
Mix all the ingredients into a paste, and slather on all sides of the oven. Then scrub like crazy.
Glass Cleaner
2 tablespoons of white vinegar in eight cups of water is enough to clean your windows. To get the best results, use yesterday’s newspaper instead of towels. Newspaper doesn’t leave streaks.
Carpet Cleaner
A good spot cleaner is simple to make. With a blender, mix 1/4 cup liquid soap with 1/3 cup of water. Apply it to the stain, then rinse it with vinegar.
Baking soda mixed with a bit of essential oil is a great deodorizer for your carpet and mattress. All you need to do is sprinkle it on, and thirty minutes later vacuum it up.
Before you reach for the generic bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, or any other cleaning product, first try a DIY cleaning recipe. Not only will you save money, but you will have a fantastically clean home.
Jami Castleton is a freelance writer who enjoys living in a clean house. She writes for companies like US Storage Centers.
