Tag Archives: cleaning tips

Cleaning Fixtures And Such

Those things made of brass, bronze and other metals that hang, dangle and more or less sit around your home and hearth gathering dust need some attention every once in a while. You may have to pick a day when you don’t have much to do (ha!) and tackle all of them at once. They like a united front. The strategy you choose can only be yours, but these tips are for everyone, and here they come, ready or not. Brass Door Knockers For most brass items, ammonia cleans very well. Apply some to a soft cloth and rub the … Continue reading →

More Cleaning Tips: P To The End

More Cleaning Tips: P To The EndWe are almost finished with the alphabet and still many things remain that need to be cleaned. You must face this for it will never change. We will cover today a range of items that includes paintings, pianos, seashells, pillow and video tapes, to name a few and exclude a few. Read on, if you dare. Paintings and Frames Some matching shoe polish or boiled linseed oil can really spruce up wooden picture frames. Gilt frames need a bit more special attention. Make a paste of 1 egg white and 1 teaspoon (level) baking … Continue reading →

More Window Cleaning Tips

Cleaning windows is a part of life and doing it effectively will bring a shine to your whole house, inside and out. Pick the right day to do it (not too hot, not too cold, no blizzard or rainstorm) and go to it armed with the following tips. Read on, if you dare. Frost-Free Windows Add 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to a homemade cleaner made from ¼ cup ammonia and ¼ cup vinegar mixed into a bucket half-filled with warm water. Apply to surface and this will prevent frost from forming on the inside of your windows. A solution … Continue reading →

Miscellaneous Cleaning

Cleaning miscellaneous as well as etcetera can be frustrating, because how can you know what is it, why can’t you find it and how often should you clean it? Well, whenever dust appears is the general answer, and some specific tips about what the topic entails are below. Read on, if you can see past the dust and think about what else you might have lurking nearby that can dare to be called “miscellaneous”. Kerosene Lamps A little salt and a damp cloth will clean and brighten the oldest and dullest of kerosene lamps. (Dull people and dinner guests are … Continue reading →

Removing Furniture Stains

Furniture and stains are a part of life and there’s no need to panic if odd-looking things have come to roost on your wooden tables, chairs and the like. The thing to do is to get rid of them, send them off and running to someone else’s house, someone you don’t particularly like before they have a chance to reproduce and multiply. Consider these tips for quick stain removal. (Getting rid of those unwanted relatives should only be so easy!) General Stain Removal Make your own all-purpose stain removal for your wooden furniture by combining lemon extract, oil of peppermint … Continue reading →

Deck the Stalls: Holiday Touches for the Bathroom

Do you decorate your bathroom for the holidays? Some do, some don’t. If you would like some ideas for dressing up the bath a bit, here are a few that you might find useful: If you can’t find a bath rug in a holiday print or design, there is no rule that says you can’t purchase a throw rug meant for another space or even a soft welcome mat style rug for use in the bathroom. Adding a large decorative touch like a rug is a good place to start, because it will make a big impact. You can also … Continue reading →

Gleaming Glassware: A New Twilight

Glasses take a beating in our homes even if they live long enough to commiserate with their brethren in misery, the pots and pans. Stains can take their toll on even the finest glassware and the campaign to wage war against them must be subtle and swift. Read on for some battle details. Reinforcements will not be arriving anytime soon. Removing Stubborn Stains Soaking your glasses in a solution of one part salt and eight parts vinegar will often eliminate stubborn stains and discolorations. If that doesn’t work, try soaking in some ammonia for an hour or so. (Not you … Continue reading →

Clean That Bathroom for Free!

Today I’m going to tell you about a free way to clean your bathroom and get rid of some clutter. Open up your linen closet, the under the bathroom sink cabinet or wherever you store your lotions and potions. Take a good look around. Chances are you have a valuable bathroom cleaning source right there, for free. You see, I have been on a mission to keep my bath-and-a-half absolutely spotless. This is far from easy with a husband and three kids, but the effort is worth it, I think. I have found that spending a few minutes every day … Continue reading →

Tips for a Tidy Bedroom

Bedrooms can get messy fast, especially if we don’t attend to a few simple tasks. First, a neat bed goes a long way to making the room look tidy, since it is generally the first thing that attracts the eye when one enters the bedroom. It helps to use bedding that isn’t fussy so the bed can be made easily. Straighten the top sheet and the comforter and plop the pillows on top. Done. Another item that can lead to a sloppy look is clothing. Many people dress in their bedrooms, try on or change clothes throughout the day, and … Continue reading →

Tips for a Tidy Bathroom

Some of the grungiest, toughest to clean items in the bathroom can be the toothbrush holder and the soap dish. It doesn’t take long to find soap scum build up making that perfect soap dish that you picked out look old and dingy. The toothbrush holder is another story. Try looking inside that thing! Eewwww! My best advice is to throw away a toothbrush holder that has an enclosed base. I don’t care how much bleach you pour into that thing, it’s full of germs again before you know it. Find an open toothbrush holder that doesn’t trap germs. I … Continue reading →