There are plenty of cleaning products available on the market today, but there are still some tips for cleaning that companies don’t want you to know about, ones that cost virtually nothing. Our grandmothers weren’t telling fairy stories when they said that some of the old ways are best – they were then, and still are now. Don’t spend a fortune on commercial cleaning products when you can keep your home sparkling for pennies.
Secret One: Clean Your Oven and Fridge with Bicarbonate of Soda
When it comes to cleaning your fridge or the inside of your oven, the easiest and cheapest way to get rid of smells and grease whilst leaving surfaces bright and clean, is to use bicarbonate of soda. Most people who bake will have bicarbonate of soda in their cupboards anyway so this is an easy one to try out.
To use it as a cleaning product simply mix the powder with a small amount of water until you have a paste. Coat the inside of your oven with the paste and leave for several hours, preferably overnight, before rinsing off. You’ll find that spills and grease will shift with no trouble at all when you use this method.
Secret Two: Deodorise a Fridge
If you have a fridge that’s been left empty for a while, then you’ll know how difficult it is to get rid of that stale smell. Make a paste, again with bicarbonate of soda, and coat the insides of the fridge with it. Leave the fridge door open for a couple of hours to let the paste do its magic. Rinse it off and the odour will be gone.
Secret Three: Clear a Blocked Sink
You can unblock a sink without recourse to harmful chemicals. Pour half a cup of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda if you’re American) into the drain and immediately follow with half a cup of white vinegar. Put the plug in and wait half an hour until the fizzing stops. Remove the plug, pour some boiling water into the sink and it should flow free, if it doesn’t work the first time then repeat the actions until clear.
Secret Four: Cleaning Your Toilet
Commercial toilet cleaners are quite expensive and can vary in their effectiveness. You’ll need some borax substitute and either half a cup of white vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice. Mix the ingredients in a bowl until you have a paste. Spread the paste around the toilet bowl and then leave for about half an hour. When you come back, give the bowl a good scrub and then flush the toilet.
Secret Five: Make Your Windows Sparkle
Half fill a bucket with warm water then add a cup of distilled white vinegar. Rub the vinegar and water mixture onto the window panes as you would when normally washing them. Then, take some sheets of old newspaper, screw them up, and use them to dry the windows to a sparkling shine.
Following these tips will not only get your home shipshape in no time, they will also save you money and have less impact on the environment. What’s not to like?