After the hustle, bustle and rush of the Holiday Season, many of us are left with major messes and clean up jobs. Here are a few ol’ school tricks that could help you clean a little better – and faster.
1. Vacuum first, then dust. The vacuum stirs up dust, so even if you just dusted, you’ll have to do it again.
2. Dish soap will get grease off your clothing just like it does with your dishes. The next time you get a grease stain, rub some dish soap onto the stain before laundering.
3. To save time making your bed, do it while you’re still IN bed. Sit up, then pull the sheets up and straighten them out in front of you. This saves time because you don’t have to walk around the bed to straighten each side.
4. If you’re cleaning au natural with baking soda and vinegar (two products that don’t smell so great), add a few drops of an essential oil to your cleaning bucket. Lavender or eucalyptus will help your newly cleaned area to smell much better.
5. To remove crayon from a wall, wet a rag and smear toothpaste on it. Use it to scrub the wall clean.
6. To deodorize a refrigerator, fill a bowl with white vinegar and place it in the fridge. It gets rid of the foul smell.
7. To clean baked on food in the oven or burnt items from the bottom of a pot, make a paste out of baking soda and water. Let it sit for about an hour and wipe clean.
8. An old clean sock works great as a furniture duster. Slip one on your hand, spray some wood cleaner on it, and wipe away.
9. Ask the members of your family to tie a knot into any clothing item that has a stain on it before throwing it in the dirty clothes hamper. That way, when you sort the laundry, you instantly know when something needs spot treatment.
10. To remove dirt and product residue from brushes and combs, soak them in a mixture of baking soda and Listerine for at least 15 minutes. Then, rinse them under running water.
And, lastly, if you are able, find a good cleaning person, treat her/him well, pay her/him well and thank her/him every time she/he comes. 🙂
What are your tried and true ol’ fashioned cleaning tips? We’d love to hear them.
– S.O.
