Cleaning Tips
Clean your mattress
We spend 1/3 of our lives laying on a mattress that can't be washed. Or can it? Pour vodka into a spray bottle, spritz lightly across your mattress and leave it to air-dry. The alcohol kills odor-causing bacteria while it disinfects the mattress.
Microwave
Halve a couple lemons and put in a glass dish with water. Zap until the water starts to boil. Let it sit and steam for a minute before opening. The gunk can now be wiped away with little effort. You might want to share this one with that co-worker who's always exploding spaghetti in the break room.
Fool-Proof Ceiling Fan Cleaner
Hook an old pillowcase over one fan blade at a time and slowly wipe it backward. The blade will be clean and the dust will be trapped inside (instead of in your hair).
Grease Stain Fixer
Got greasy fingerprints on the walls? Cover the stains with white chalk, wait a few minutes and then wipe the chalk away with a damp cloth. Works on clothes too!
Quick-Dry Wet Shoes and Gloves
Shoes and gloves soaked through from rain or snow? Shove some crumpled newspaper inside to soak it all up. A sachet of plain uncooked rice works too.
Pet Hair Squeegee
Do you live with a four-legged friend who loves to shed? Sweep your carpet with a rubber squeegee (or run your hand over it while wearing a rubber dish washing glove) and prepare to be horrified by what comes up.
Speed Up Drying Time
Pressed for time? Throw one clean dry towel in with wet clothes before starting the dryer. 15 minutes later, take it out. The dry towel will actually absorb some of the excess moisture floating around and speed up drying time.
No-Fuss Blender Cleaner
Love smoothies but hate cleaning the blender? Just fill it with warm water and a drop of dish soap, then turn it on and blend for a few seconds. Dump, rinse with clean water, and dry.
Butter Knife in the Air Vent
Cruddy air vent or A/C intake? Moisten a clean towel with your favorite cleaner and wrap around a butter knife. Now you've got the perfect tool to clean the narrow grate.
Revitalize Leather Furniture
Buff worn leather furniture with shoe polish. Scrapes and scuffs will disappear.
Onion Grill Cleaner
Halve a white onion and use a fork to rub it back and forth over the grates of a hot grill. The onion will clean the grates and add a little extra flavor.
Easy Lipstick Remover
Spray the spot with hairspray, let it set for 10 minutes, dab with a damp washcloth, and wash as normal.
Pot and Pan De-Scorcher
Fill the bottom of the pan with water and add a cup of white vinegar. Simmer. Take the pan off the stove and add 2 tablespoons baking soda. Empty the pan and scrub lightly to remove burn marks.
Shower Head Saver
Shower head covered with nasty hard water deposits? Pour distilled white vinegar in a plastic bag and fit it over the shower head with a rubber band. Let it soak for an hour (or overnight) then remove the bag and wipe scum away with a cloth.
Glass Sparkler
Tired of spotty, cloudy glasses? Just spray with some white vinegar and wipe with a paper towel.
Nastiness baked onto your favorite glass dishes? Scrub them with a ball of aluminum foil and a little dish soap.
After they've freshened your laundry, use dryer sheets to clean anything--baseboards, your television or laptop screen, bookshelves--and the anti-static chemicals will actually repel dust in the future.
Remember this kids: oil attracts oil. Next time your bacon breakfast makes a mess of the stove, add a few drops of vegetable oil to paper towel, then wipe the greasy surface and watch the oil disappear!
Theres nothing grosser than a couch that looks like you pulled it out of the alley. Use a spray bottle to cover your couch with rubbing alcohol, then use a clean white sponge to rub the couch. Fluff the fibers with a hard bristle brush when done, and itll look good as new.