Top Cleaning Tips You Didn't Know About

There are plenty of cleaning products on the shelves when you go to the store. It can often feel like we spend more money on cleaning our houses than we do on decorating them, with scent-free toilet cleanser and specialist sprays to clean stainless steel equipment. If only there was a method to clean our homes with items we already have on hand...oh, wait, there is!

Stainless steel appliances must be cleaned.
In less than five minutes, pesky fingerprints can change your fridge from gleaming and fresh to a crime scene. Stainless steel is difficult to clean, especially when streaks remain. However, according to McCormack, you most likely already have the remedy in your cupboards!

“To shine stainless steel, I use Windex or another glass cleaner,” she says. “For the greatest results, use a clean cloth or paper towel and wipe with the grain, not against it.”

If you don't have Windex on hand, she offers a different alternative for cleaning your fridge, oven, or dishwasher.

She jokes, "Throw them out and get some old-school white appliances." “Stainless steel, on the other hand, can be a hassle. All you need to remove the smudges is a spray of hot water and vinegar on the fridge, followed by a wipe with the grain. Wipe it off with a damp cloth, then buff it dry with a soft cloth or cut up towels, going with the grain.”

Getting rid of filthy kitchen drains
The majority of people are guilty of flushing things down the toilet that don't belong there. Food and sludge can accumulate in the pipes, causing your sink to stink and spread throughout the kitchen. It's not a very inviting setting! A common condiment will be your closest friend if you're looking for a quick fix.“Pour vinegar down the sink to get rid of the odour,” McCormack says. “Vinegar is a super-cheap and convenient disinfectant, and the high acidity helps kill all kinds of nasty germs.”

McCormack adds that vinegar may not be powerful enough for your needs and that in that case, it's time to snake the drain—or, more precisely, call a plumber and have them snake it!


Coffee rings are unsightly.
You can ask your guests to use coasters all you want, but your coffee table will unavoidably end up with a ring. These rings can make you furious at first, then depressed as you try to figure out which coffee table books you can use to disguise them. McCormacks, on the other hand, claims that there are a few of ways to get rid of them!

“If you have Magic Erasers, or just hot water and a light dish soap like Dawn, those are my go-tos,” she says. “They'll come off with a little scrubbing, but they'll come off.” Magic Erasers are fantastic for removing marks from a variety of surfaces. Only use caution when scrubbing painted surfaces, as vigorous scrubbing might wear down the paint over time. Also, if your coffee table is marble or granite, avoid utilising these.”


Cleaning blunders that everyone makes
Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, we all have lousy cleaning habits. Instead of using the dustpan, some individuals sweep the dirt under the rug, while others wait until there are no clean dishes in the house before running the dishwasher. However, according to McCormack, there are two bad cleaning behaviours that can make matters worse!“It just looks so stupid when I watch people on shows clean,” she says. “They usually grab a damp rag and start doing circular motions all over the place, which I understand isn't realistic, but people do it and it simply pushes dirt around.”So, what are we supposed to do instead?

“The most effective approach to wipe a counter is to spritz it with the right cleanser for the surface and then strategically wipe from the top corner down in a scooping motion to avoid spreading the dirt around,” McCormack says. “Then get down to eye level with the counter and double-check that you didn't miss any spots!”The way people scrub their floors is another pet peeve of hers.

“It doesn't take long for the floors to become filthy. Use very hot water with mild dish soap—I use Dawn—or vinegar and change your mop water frequently. They make fantastic floor cleaners,” says McCormack. “It feels wonderful to only get those floors wet to make it appear as though the arduous chore has been finished, but it's not doing the job you need!”

Cleaning is something that we all do, or at the very least, benefit from. Knowing how to clean your home successfully without spending a fortune will make cleaning feel less like a chore and more like a victory.