person home cleaning with a spray bottle

6 Home Cleaning Hacks

January 8, 2020 5:18 pm Published by

Cleaning your home can sometimes seem like a thankless task, but it is essential for reducing clutter, saving time, and maintaining your mental health. Thankfully, home cleaning doesn’t have to be painful or time-consuming. In this blog post, we discuss six cleaning hacks to help back your home cleaning routine a breeze. Whether you’re a constant cleaner or an occasional tidier, these tips offer affordable, easy ways to keep your home sparkling. 

While these hacks can certainly help with small cleaning tasks, the best way to keep your home looking fresh is by booking our team of professional house cleaners at Home Sweep Home in Kansas City. We provide deep cleaning and basic cleaning services for your entire home, including your bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, family room, and more. Our team will thoroughly clean, disinfect, and polish all surfaces to leave your house looking new again. Give us a call to learn more or book an appointment with our Kansas City house cleaners in Kansas or Missouri today!

 

Clean your sponges in the microwave

 

All of us have experienced the unpleasantness of a stinky kitchen sponge. The reason why our sponges smell is because they retain food particles and bacteria in their pores from dirty dishes and countertops. The longer you use your sponge, the more smelly and unhygienic it will get, so it’s important to replace kitchen sponges often.

Unfortunately, this can be expensive. If you’re looking to keep your sponges clean without breaking the bank, this hack can help: Simply place the wet sponge in your microwave and set it to high for one minute. Make sure to wait a minute or two before taking it out of the microwave, as your sponge will be hot! This process will zap 99.9% of all bacteria. Another quick way to clean your sponges is by placing them in the dishwasher on a heated dry setting. We recommend that you clean your sponges daily, if possible, to prevent the growth of harmful pathogens. 

 

Remove hard water with vinegar

 

Hard water accumulates on faucets, drains, and pipes from high concentrations of minerals such as limestone, calcium, and silica in your tap water. This can cause less movement of water, lower water pressure, and higher water costs for you and your family, not to mention an unattractive bathroom or kitchen. Thankfully, there’s an easy fix.

All you need is a little white vinegar. This common household item is one of the most effective and versatile cleaning agents available. To remove hard water from your faucets and drains with vinegar, you first need to create a 50:50 mix of water and white vinegar, and pour it into a spray bottle. Next, spray the mixture on any affected surfaces, and let it sit for 5-15 minutes to allow the minerals in the water to break down. Afterwards, use a spare toothbrush to scrub away the stain. Once the stain has been completely removed, wipe the surface clean with a wet cloth or paper towel. 

If this process still is not enough to remove hard water stains from your home, it may be time to call in professional help. Our team at Home Sweep Home Cleaning Services in Kansas City are expert deep cleaners, with the ability to scrub away even the toughest hard water stains.

 

Remove smudges on your stainless steel appliances with olive oil

 

Stainless steel appliances are a beautiful addition to any kitchen. Unfortunately, they are also prone to smudging from fingertips. Thankfully, removing smudges from stainless steel appliances is as easy as applying a little olive oil. Yes — it turns out that this common household ingredient is good for much more than just adding nutrients and flavor to your meals!

To remove smudges and dirty spots from your stainless steel appliances with olive oil, first clean the surface with water and non-abrasive soap, and then wipe it clean. Once the surface is dry, rub in a small amount of olive oil with a rag (we prefer microfiber, but any soft rag will do). Next, wipe the surface down with a clean cloth or paper towel in order to remove any excess oil and give your appliance some extra shine. Voila! This trusted method will leave your stainless steel appliances sparkling and smudge-free.

 

Unclog your drains with vinegar, baking soda, and water

 

As food, hair, and other substances accumulate in your drains, they cause a buildup in the pipes that can cause a nasty clog. Clogged drains can be a major inconvenience. With this simple tip, however, you may be able to avoid a costly plumbing bill.

Once again, white vinegar has come to the rescue! First, pour a pot of boiling water down the clogged drain. Next, pour a cup of baking powder and a 50:50 solution of one cup water and one cup white vinegar. Cover the drain with a drain plug and wait 5-10 minutes. During this time, a bubbly chemical reaction between the baking powder and vinegar will occur, helping to loosen the clog. Afterwards, flush out the drain with boiling water to remove the clog from your pipes.

 

Clean your fabric couch with baking soda

 

From food spills to pet stains to dirty sneakers, our couches have seen it all. With all that wear, it’s no wonder that our couches can get unsightly and smelly in seemingly no time. While unfortunately you can’t just put your couch in the washing machine, there is an easy way to get it clean. Baking soda, that common household workhorse, is here to help.

First, prep your couch by wiping it down with a dry, clean cloth or stiff brush to remove any dust, crumbs, or dried-on gunk. Next, sprinkle a very thin layer of baking soda onto the couch and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. After you’ve let it sit, vacuum up the baking soda with your vaccum’s fabric attachment. Don’t worry — as long as you applied only a minimal amount of baking powder and made sure not to get the couch wet, this won’t clog up your vacuum. Make this a part of your regular vacuuming routine to keep your couch attractive and odor-free.

 

Remove water stains from wood with a hair dryer 

 

Nothing ruins beautiful wood furniture like a water stain. These marks are most often caused by cold glasses, spills, or hot dishes placed directly on the wood. The best way to avoid water stains is to always place glasses on a coaster, but sometimes there simply aren’t enough coasters to go around. Luckily, your hair dryer can help.

Yes, we said hair dryer. Turns out this tool is good for more than just keeping you looking fabulous. To remove water stains from wood, set your hair dryer on medium heat and hold it two inches away from the stain. As you apply the heat, use a cloth or paper towel to buff away the stain. Continue wiping until the mark is gone. This process may take up to 20 minutes, but many people swear that it’s the only method they’ve found that works. If this doesn’t do the trick, you could also try applying a layer of mayonnaise (yes — mayonnaise), and letting it sit overnight. Different wood will respond differently, so try this at your own risk.

 

While we hope these hacks have helped ease some of the stress of keeping your house clean, there are some things that only a professional house cleaner can provide. Whether you’re looking to get your house cleaned regularly or simply want some help with move-in/move-out cleaning, Home Sweep Home Cleaning Services is here to help! Book an appointment in Kansas or Missouri today!

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This post was written by homesweephome@sbcglobal.net

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