Cleaning Kitchen Accessories

The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the house, and for that reason often one of the dirtiest. Often things go awry while cooking and kitchen equipment gets burnt or has dirt and grease caked on to it. Here are some tips for keeping your main kitchen items clean.

• Burnt Pots. Put half a cup of baking soda into the pot and add water. Boil for five minutes or until all the burnt pieces have come off and are floating in the water.
• Casserole/Baking Dishes. These can often have food cooked onto them and be difficult to clean. Place four tablespoons of salt into the dish and then fill with hot or boiling water. Let it stand till the water is cool and wash.
• Chopping Boards. Salt and lemon can remove food odors. Rubbing down with salt also cleans and lightens wooden boards.
• Coffee Maker. Run straight vinegar through a cycle and then follow this with 2-3 cycles of clean water. This will remove the yucky brown sludge that builds up.
• Kettles. These can easily build up lime rings inside from the continual boiling of water. To clean, simply mix half/half water and vinegar, boil and then leave overnight.
• Marble. On marble tops and benches, remove stains by rubbing with a half lemon and then wiping down.
• Microwaves. Place a container of hot water in the microwave for five minutes and heat on high. This will help remove even the toughest cooked on foods.
• Plastic. Storing colored foods (especially those with tomato bases) can often leave an ugly stain on your containers. Avoid this by rubbing down the inside of the container with some vegetable oil before use.

Cleaning Your Outdoor Furniture

During the warmer months, it's not uncommon for families to eat outside or have regular barbecues outdoors. Of course things like table and chairs are usually left outdoors and can often suffer under the strain of varying weather - especially extreme weather. Here are some tips for cleaning and keeping your outdoor furniture in good condition.

• Cane. Clean all items down with equal parts white vinegar and water. Leave outside in midday sun to dry.
• Mesh.Use a solution of white vinegar and water to wipe down. Try to avoid getting the mesh too wet as this leads to mildew.
• Plastic.Spray with vinegar and wipe with a cloth to avoid mildew.
• Resin.Mix a teaspoon of detergent with two cups of bleach and wipe over the furniture. Leave on furniture and wipe off after thirty minutes for a clean and shiny look.
• Wood.Clean with a mix of ammonia, white vinegar and baking soda in a bucket of hot water. 
• Umbrellas.Mix a cup of white vinegar and one tablespoon of dish washing detergent and wipe the umbrella down. Rinse with cold water (a hose is an easy way to do this.)

Removing Stains on Material

No matter how careful you are, chances are that you'll get a stain on your clothing now and then. Having children or a busy work and social life also increases the risk of stains. However most stains can easily be removed with a few simple home products, without having to spend hours scrubbing or taking them to the dry cleaners.

• Beer. Clean with warm water and salt.
• Blood. Use hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and wipe the stain until it's completely gone. Another option is to soak the garment in a bucket of salt water. Afterwards, simply wash the garment in cold water as per normal.
• Candle Wax. A simple solution is to place the stained item in the freezer for an hour or so. This will allow the wax to harden. Peel as much of the hardened wax off as possible and then place some brown paper over the cloth and iron to remove any remnants. If any stubborn pieces remain, use some dry cleaning fluid, readily available at a hardware store.
• Chocolate. Use a butter knife to remove as much of the chocolate as possible. Rinse the item in cold water and then clean with a liquid detergent and rinse again. For stubborn chocolate stains use some dry cleaning solvent.
• Coffee & tea. Soak the material in cold water and then in hot liquid detergent. Ring out the item and rub with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water.
• Egg. Cool wash in a washing machine and then hot iron.
• Felt Pens. Rub bar soap onto the stain and wash. If this doesn't work, try dabbing with methylated spirits.
• Ink. Rub alcohol over the stain and wash.
• Pen. Rub eau de cologne or methylated spirits onto the stain with a cotton ball or bud. Rinse thoroughly and wash.
• Rust. Add half a cup of lemon juice to your washing load.

Cleaning Mirrors For Best Results

Cleaning a mirror is an important part of keeping your bathroom or bedroom welcoming and pleasing to the eye. Dust, water and tooth paste residue can all dull a mirror and make it appear less than it should. Here are some quick tips to optimize your mirror cleaning results:

• Mix vinegar and water in equal parts and use it to clean the mirror.
• Remove any excess water or cleaners with old newspaper.
• Rub the mirror with a black board eraser for extra shine.
• To prevent streaks, clean the mirror with a mixture of ammonia and water.
• Spray air freshener onto a mirror to add a lovely smell to the room.
• To prevent fog building up on a mirror, spray a small amount of aftershave in the middle of the mirror and then use a cloth to spread it over the entire surface. Wipe the surface clean. This can stop fog buildup for up to a month!
• Spray some Pledge onto a mirror and wipe it off well with a rag or old newspaper. Although it may appear to be stuck to the mirror - it will clean off with some elbow grease. The Pledge will help the mirror stay clean for weeks and you can easily wipe off any small smudges in the meantime.

Deodorizing and Removing Odors

Most houses have unique smells that aren't too bad and are often hardly noticed unless you haven't been inside for awhile. However a range of things can cause a house to develop a bad smell - from mould through to keeping the house shut up or uncleaned spills and insect activity. There are plenty of options to help remove or neutralise odors in the house. Here are a few to try for different areas of the house:

TOILET & BATHROOM:

• Drip a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil into the centre of your toilet roll tube. This will add a nice smell to your toilet and each time the roll is turned, the scent will waft into the air.

• To get rid of any gassy odors, simply light a match or candle for a few minutes. This will eat up any gas and help remove smells. 
• Put three drops of vanilla essence in a cotton wool ball and leave it for half an hour. A quick and easy way to add a fresh, sweet scent to the room.

GENERAL:

• Add twenty drops of pure lavender oil to a cup of water and place in a spray bottle. Spray it where ever you'd use a disinfectant cleaner - lavender contains linalool which is a natural disinfectant. Not only will you help your house smell lovely but you'll also help keep it clean and germ free!
• Mix two teaspoons of tea tree oil with two cups of water and spray around your house - another natural disinfectant!
• Mix white distilled vinegar and your favorite essential oil and spray the mist around your house to remove odors.
• Mix one tablespoon of baking soda, half a lemon squeezed and water in a spray bottle and spray around your house.
• Place baking soda in a bowl in a room where you wish to remove a smell. It will help absorb odors.
• Mix dried herbs such as peppermint and cloves and leave in the room.
• Add a bowl of pot-pourri to any room to add a sweet scent. 
• Spray your favorite essential oil behind heaters and radiators. The heat will help disperse the smell throughout the house.

Ceramic Floor & Wall Tile Care

Ceramic tiles are a common feature in most bathrooms and toilets. They come in a huge range of colors and styles, shapes and sizes but they all share one thing - the need to be cleaned. It's important to care for your ceramic surfaces properly and make sure they don't get scratched or lose their shine. Here are some quick tips for cleaning your ceramic surfaces:

• Always remember to spot clean a tile in a corner that won't be noticed, before trying out a new cleaner or product on the whole bathroom. Try cleaning in an area where the shade falls, such as at the base corner of a vanity unit or bath tub.

AVOID:

• Soapy or oily cleaners that can leave a residue on the ceramic.
• Abrasive cleaners that can scratch the ceramic surface.

DO:

• Wipe the area with a damp sponge, regularly.
• Clean with a mixture of half a cup of vinegar in a bucket of water.
• Finish off by wiping with a mixture of tea tree oil and water to increase the time between cleans.

ON CERAMIC WALLS:

• To stop any oily, soapy film building up on your walls, use furniture polish on your walls after cleaning them.
• Rub with silver metal polish and rinse.