Although the number of times you clean the house will largely depend on whether you have pets or children to undo all your good work, it’s certainly a huge chore that many of us struggle to find the time for no matter our circumstances.
If you’ve got some serious cleaning to get through, but you’re a little short on time, the last thing you want to do is spend precious time scrubbing the microwave or hoovering stubborn pet hair.
In this blog, we’ve covered five of our top cleaning hacks to give you an edge on those pesky stains, stubborn marks and problematic odours, and best of all each of these tips involves using only natural ingredients.
#1: Remove Stubborn Carpet Stains with Alcohol
Hand sanitiser, white wine, and even vodka can be used to break down those hard to remove stains within the fibres of your carpet.
Method:
– Gently blot the entirety of the stain.
– Pour the flavourless alcohol onto a cloth or directly onto the stain.
– Continue to blot to spread the alcohol into those deeper, harder to reach spots.
– Rinse the area with cold water and repeat these steps until the stain disappears.
Products with a higher concentration of alcohol work as a solvent to destroy the particles that create the stain, which is particularly effective for removing red wine, grass stains, and other food spills.
#2: Baking Soda & Vinegar Solution for Cleaning Ceramics
Sinks, bathtubs and tiles can be particularly susceptible to grime and scum from shampoo and soap suds and even rust.
A warm mixture of baking soda and vinegar will make short work of these stains in no time at all.
Method:
– Mix together 250ml of vinegar and 125g of baking soda in a bowl with some hot water.
– Leave to dissolve for five minutes.
– Pour the mixture into a bath which is around a quarter full.
– Leave to stand for five or six minutes.
– Let the plug out and thoroughly rinse with clean water.
Baking soda is known as a ‘base’, which works to dissolve organic material compounds such as dirt, grime and grease. Combine this with the acidic properties of vinegar, which breaks down the hard minerals found in tap water, and you have an incredible double punch cleaning solution.
However, do bear in mind that it’s not a good idea to combine these two substances in equal measures, as you need either a basic mixture or an acidic mixture, which is why more vinegar is used in this solution to primarily move hard stains in the ceramic.
#3: Lemon Essential Oils for the Microwave
Cleaning the microwave is always a pain, particularly if something has boiled over and it’s been left for too long.
Fortunately, lemon essential oils are an ideal cleaning hack for this most laborious of chores!
Method:
– Find a sizeable microwavable bowl.
– Add 12-15 drops of essential lemon oil into about a pint of water, leaving some space at the top to prevent the water boiling over.
– Add to the microwave and turn it onto high for five to ten minutes (this allows steam to build up within the microwave).
– Once complete, take a soft sponge or cloth and wipe the stubborn stains clean.
Not only is lemon oil naturally fragrant and fresh, but it also has incredible degreasing, antiseptic and antifungal properties within it. Not only does this mean you’ll enjoy a fresh smelling microwave, but also helps to fight germs and fungi build up for longer too.
#4: Lemon Essential Oils for the Oven
The only thing worse than scrubbing away in the microwave is doing so with the oven. Cleaning the oven is often left by the wayside because we use it so often, so it’s very easy to leave it for another day after the effort of cooking a meal.
Lemon oil is also ideal for this task, although the method for doing so is a little different.
Method:
– Combine 250ml of water, 250ml of vinegar and 10 drops of lemon essential oil.
– Pour into a spray bottle, spray the stove top and cut through any grease or stains.
– For the tougher stains inside the oven, sprinkle baking soda and then apply a generous amount of the mixture and wipe clean with an abrasive cloth.
Although it’s such a painful task to get through, it’s also a very important one. Each time you use it, you’re also heating any stains and grease buildup, which not only produces harmful toxins, but could also present a dangerous fire hazard.
#5: Remove Pet Dander with Rubber Gloves
Sometimes, particularly during the spring and autumn when your pets might be moulting, vacuuming just doesn’t cut it when trying to remove pet dander.
Method:
– Any rubber gloves will do the trick here, simply rub your hands across any fabric, such as curtains, sofas and carpets that the hoover hasn’t managed to capture.
– The static friction from the rubber will collect the pet hair, lint and other particles.
– Simply rinse the gloves under running water to remove the hair.
Pet dander can cause allergic reactions in some people, particularly during allergy season, so it’s important that you do the best you can to minimise these allergens in your home.
How Can MAK.today Help You?
Here at MAK.today, we understand how difficult it can be to make the time for your household chores, particularly when it comes to deep cleaning, and we’re here to help you put your time into what matters most to you.
We’re one of London’s biggest cleaning platforms, and we have hundreds of cleaning professionals searching for cleaning jobs in your area.
Whether you’re looking for regular cleaning, deep cleans, or something a little more specialist, our app is available to download for Android and Apple.
If you’d like to learn more about us, then why not get in touch?