Want sparkle, shine and no more grime? Our handy housekeeping tips will appeal to even the most pronounced Type A personalities, while making cleaning time as productive as possible. Work smarter, not harder, that’s our motto…
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1. Shattered a glass? After you’ve swept and removed the bigger pieces, pick up those tiny shards by pressing some soft white sandwich bread onto the area. Follow up by wiping with a wet paper towel.
2. Got stubborn price-sticker residue ruining the look of your homewares? Dab any oil – olive, canola, sunflower, or eucalyptus – onto a paper towel. Lay the towel over the gunk, wait a few minutes, then rub to remove. Just be careful that the oil doesn’t stain absorbent materials. You may want to do a test patch first.
3. Hate how heavy furniture causes dents in your carpet? To remove indentations, place an ice cube onto the spot. Leave overnight and check the next morning. If it hasn’t covered completely, use a fork to gently raise the remaining fibres.
4. Keep your bathroom mirror fog free by rubbing a dry bar of soap lightly onto the surface, then buffing it in with a cloth.
5. Having camisoles, thin-strapped sundresses and other slippery garments slide off clothes hangers is a pet bugbear for many a fashionista. Instead of buying rubber grips, simply wrap rubber bands around the ends as a quick fix it.
6. Want to make a candle last longer? Before you use it, place in the freezer to harden the wax, which makes it melt more slowly. If it’s a thin candle, it only needs an hour. Thicker pillar candles require six to eight.
7. Sprinkle baking soda on your fabric couch and leave for a few minutes before vacuuming away. This will absorb any unwanted odours.
8. Clean dusty fan blades with old pillowcases. The pillowcase captures any dust and debris so it doesn’t end up on the floor.
9. Flowers are lovely to look at, but pollen easily transfers to clothes and carpet. To remove a pollen stain, shake it vigorously, vacuum, and then wash as normal. Don’t blot, wipe or add water to the stain. And make sure you don’t touch the stain – the natural oils and warmth on your fingertips will set it.
10. Stop ants marching into your kitchen by making a tape barrier. Simply line your windows and entranceways with double-sided tape.
11. Clean a scorched iron with salt. Place several tablespoons of table salt on a cloth. Lay the cloth on the ironing board and iron over several times on the cotton setting, until the scorch marks disappear. Turn off and allow to cool completely before wiping the metal plate with a damp cloth.
12. Want to get those windows sparkly clean? Add a tablespoon of cornstarch to a litre of lukewarm water. Then spray and wipe with newspaper, cloth or a squeegee, as you would with usual glass cleaner.
13. Lift limescale from your toilet bowl with a can of flat coke. The carbonic, citric and phosphoric acid means it effectively breaks down stains when left overnight. Pour into the bowl, being careful to get the sides and allow to soak before flushing away.
14. Deep clean mattress stains by applying a mix of ¼ cup hydrogen peroxide with one tablespoon of dishwasher detergent and table salt. Rub in before scraping away.
15. Use a cotton bud dipped in distilled white vinegar to clean your window traps, running it along the filthy cobweb- and dust-ridden frames.
16. Clean your garbage bins with toilet cleaner and a toilet brush before rinsing out with a hose.
17. Got gunk build-up around your showerhead? Fill a plastic bag with distilled white vinegar. Attach it to the head with a rubber band, ensuring the showerhead is completely immersed in the solution. Leave overnight and scrub with a toothbrush the next day.
18. Dust window blinds with an orphan sock wrapped around your hand or a pair of tongs with microfiber cloths wrapped around the claws.
19. Always dust before vacuuming, so that you can suck up any dirt and debris that you dislodge.
20. Remove rust stains from your bathtub and tiled countertops by making a paste of cream of tartar and distilled white vinegar. Apply and let sit for at least 10 minutes before rubbing with a rag and rinsing with soapy water.
21. Quash foul oven odours with this common real estate trick: Put two caps of vanilla extract in an ovenproof dish and place in a 150-degree oven for one hour. Then wait for that sweetly scent to waft through the house.
22. Find water pooling at your feet every time you take a shower? Clear the blockage with a hair clog remover or “drain millipede“. Steady your stomach. This ain’t going to be pretty.
23. Use an old toothbrush to clean your garbage disposal, making sure you get underneath the splashguard. Gross, yes, but necessary. Then place lemon wedges in the disposal, running hot water to clean and deodorise your drain.
24. The Magic Eraser is your cleaning BFF. Use on to treat stains on any surface – even your favourite pots and pans. You can even snip a corner off and flush it down the toilet to remove the ring stain.
25. Leave odour removers on your fridge shelves. A cup of distilled white vinegar, baking soda, charcoal briquettes, a dish of dried coffee grounds and a bowl of raw oats works wonders!
