(This post was originally published March 2020 and has since been updated.). 100 Essential Cleaning Hacks for Your Home The Family . Carpeted floors and rugs should be vacuumed once a month at the bare minimum, once a week if youre going for an A+ or if you wear shoes in the house (by the way: DONT. I aim to mop mine about once a month. The difference between a $30 vacuum and a $100 vacuum is drastic. If you must have something on your feet, get slippers). Wash your bed linens more than you are currently washing your bed linens. Give it a good rinse, and youre back in business. All you need to make the cleaner is to grab a nice, clean spray bottle. Theres no fixed schedule when it comes to oven cleaning. With a few basic skills and an attainable schedule, you can impress your guests, prolong the life of your furniture and dcor, and achieve the pride and joy of a clean and comfortable home. Barbara Allred, who was head housekeeper at Sandringham for 10 years, and now lectures at the English Manner household consultancy, has been espousing the virtues of lemon juice from sprucing up a microwave to stopping mildew for years. Coat the inside of the oven, minus the heating element. Admiring her freshly cleaned carpets, Geraldine joked: "No one is going upstairs in shoes every again!". But my 22-year-old self chose to scrub it down as soon as I saw the slightest hint of pink buildup on the side of the tub, and I felt about as smug as one can feel while wearing a ratty t-shirt, hand-me-down basketball shorts from my brother, and hot pink rubber gloves on a Friday night. Mix 170 grams of bicarb and three tablespoons of water together. Meanwhile, Brennan added: "There wasn't anything I'd say was clean in there." Throwing themselves into the challenge, the pair started by hiring a skip and tackling Geraldine's son's room - which is overflowing with clutter. Tea contains tannic acid which deodorises, breaks down grease and grime and also helps wood shine! But it literally never takes as long as I think it will, and Im always so glad I did it. The pro cleaners admit there are a few areas of the home many of us forget to clean too, including under the sofa and behind the bed. Well, the main reason is that its safer and healthier for you to use a natural homemade oven cleaner, and its cheaper and better for the environment too. Use a 1:1 solution of water and vinegar to wipe down the shelves. Adding "it's stuff they should letgo off" to help "make their home easier to maintain.". When you clean your sink, give it a really good scrub, and then look at it from a few angles to make sure there arent any stubborn patches of Crest clinging to the bowl. But unless you have one of those fancy glass flat-top stoves, your stove is full of nooks and crannies and those nooks and crannies are full of crumbs and sticky splatters. Worked amazing, sprayed it on and let it sit. Left for at least an hour, preferably overnight, it totally works (with a good amount of vigorous scrubbing). The first time I ever felt like a real, genuine adult was not the moment I signed my first lease or chose my first 401(k) allocation or did my taxes. Filthy House SOS: Oswestry grandmother's home gets deep clean for 5Star series | Daily Mail Online Grandmother's cluttered home that was covered in dog hair, fleas and dead woodlice is. 4. Caldironi says the biggest difference between supermarket cleaning products and homemade ones is that conventional cleaning products are labelled for one specific task. Combined with white vinegar the two products form a gritty paste that is excellent and removing stains. It was as if someone had roasted a dozen whole chickens without using a pan. Dont open the oven door during this time; you want all that steam to build up and soften any hardened gunk. Its magic. Start by filling an oven-safe dish with water and putting it inside your hot oven for 20-30 minutes. Then, spray it all over the oven (dont be stingy). Brennan says: "Everyone thinks cleaning is a massive task but once youre on top of it and you have that big deep clean its very easy just to stay on top of it. When I first moved into my house, the oven was coated with a suspicious black, sticky grime. Get my full disclosureHERE. This Simple Trick Will Get Your Oven Clean In No Time! The recipe is 100% toxin-free and smells lovely and fresh, so its great to use around kids and pets. SPRING is the perfect time to spruce up our homes and finally clear the junk and mess we've been holding on to - not to mention the dreaded chores we've been putting off. Sprinkle a thin layer of salt over the excessively grimy areas. my kitchen. (we'll wash these separately). Self-cleaning ovens are kind of a racket. I couldve let the scum build up as long as I could tolerate it and beyond, with virtually no consequences. While theyre drying, use a vinegar/water solution or all-purpose cleaner to clean the stovetop. When this happens, I recommend using a baking soda and water paste mixture (see the recipe below). If possible, recruit your mattress-flipping buddy to hold a garbage bag underneath the blades to catch the drifts of dust that are sure to come cascading down. Its so hard on your rugs and you track in so much crap. Recruit someone to help you move it if you must, and maybe ask that person to help you flip your mattress while theyre there. I wipe down my wooden floorboards with a solution of 1 tsp castile soap and 10 drops of tea tree oil in 4.5 litres of warm water. In total, it takes two and a half hours to go through the 10 years of clutter taking up every spare inch in the cramped bedroom. As youre putting everything back, keep an eye out for duplicate items. You spend eight hours a night shedding dead skin, sweat, hair, and other bits of human viscera onto your sheets and pillowcases. If you have a really sticky or scummy spot, dish soap works great. Check out my video below to find out how to do it and why it works. Referring to it as "the beast", Brennan rents an industrial upholstery cleaner to treat the battered carpets. I always wanted to know the secret of how to clean an oven without oven cleaner, which is why I was delighted when I discovered a natural solution. Dirt-busting duo Richard and Brennan take on some of Britain's filthiest homes. Another good laundry tip: Keep a small bin or bucket for non-clothing dirty laundry, like dish towels, cloth napkins, and rags. Thats not to say that mishaps cant happen when using natural products, so still wear gloves and be careful of spills. This is the opportunity to do those big tasks you dont normally do.". Once a week is ideal but aim for at least every other week. Once they are rinsed, Id happily make an omelette with them. While she was tackling this, Brennan pulls out all the stops to sort out Geraldine's carpets. My favorite trick: Mix a 1:1 solution of water and white vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl and nuke it until it's bubbly. When I vacuumed my apartment for the first time after upgrading from a Target knockoff to a Bissell, I nearly projectile-vomited when I saw just how much dust and cat hair and unspeakable filth had been loitering beneath my feet for God knows how long. On the heavily built-up areas (for example, burnt-on fat), you can add a sprinkling of salt and let it sit. "Also, its physical work so you keep in shape as well so you feel good about it. I saved myself from Royal life, Harry says & insists 'sharing's an act of service', I bought a 1.6k Cavoodle & expected a model dog, but that didn't work out, Fergie befriends mysterious billionaire as she & Prince Andrew face eviction, I paid off my 40k debt in just five years - ditch the weekly shop, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Follow The Financial Diet on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for daily tips and inspiration, and sign up for our email newsletter here. It takes a little time and some elbow grease, but the payoff is well worth it. I coat the inside of my oven with a paste of bicarb and water. Invest in some good rubber gloves. The great thing with this natural oven cleaner, is you can make one batch and itll last several oven cleans, whereas many store-bought cleaners are a once-only application. Open the door carefully so you dont get a faceful of vinegar steam, and wipe down with a sponge. Spread the paste - Wear rubber gloves and spread the paste all over every surface of the oven. The pair also swear by the "five second" method, which will help you declutter in an instant - and working out "why you have the attachment" is key. I think thats probably the best way.". ABOUT. Making Mealtime Meaningful: See How Were Giving Back with the New 12 Tomatoes Cares Program , How To Make DIY Oven Cleaner That Works On The Toughest Stains. -1 cup vinegar Fridge I have a confession to make. For tougher marks use a small amount of cream cleaner and gently rub the area until the marks disappear. Here's how I managed to get this oven to look nearly new!Easy off fume free . Or alternatively, take the racks outdoors and use an outdoor hose to spray off the paste once the 4 hours are up. For extra safety, bring your vacuum into the laundry room and use the hose attachment to suck any runaway lint out of the vent where the lint trap sits. Simply wipe the door using the vinegar spray bottle solution and a soft cloth. I personally find it awkward to finagle a toilet brush up under the lip of my toilet bowl, so I usually use a sponge to get in there. G Available Until: 19 February 2030 Episode 3 "As professional cleaners we always start at the furthest point, work your way out and shut the door as you finish a room," Brennan reveals. Essential Oil Crash Course | Essential Oil 101 Class. Remove the baking racks from the oven. 4 tablespoons of baking soda. Baking soda is mildly abrasive which makes it a great gentle scouring powder that can be used on everything from glass and metals to wooden chopping boards(see below!). "People wash the dishes and put them on the drainer, well the drainer is absolutely filthy and thats what I would say is one of the common things. Start by taking everything out of your shower: shampoo, conditioner, razor, shower caddy, everything. The vinegar will react with the baking soda and gently foam. Amanda Cole tried this hack from Pinterest and had great success. Personally, Im not too fond of the toxic fumes that come off store-bought oven cleaners, and theres a real risk of harm if theyre not used correctly. She shared a photo of her sparkling oven on Facebook and said, Tried the Pinterest homemade oven cleaner, and Im sold on it. Don't forget to keep an eye out on my blog and social media for more hacks and cleaning tips. Here are a few ways I make it palatable for myself: Start by taking everything out or work shelf-by-shelf if you have limited counter space. It entirely depends on how dirty your oven gets. Photo: flickr/bloomsberries All you need to make the cleaner is to grab a nice, clean spray bottle. You can get away with cleaning your pillows two or three times a year. Yes, says Ingrid Caldironi, one of the founders of Bulk Market, a zero-waste supermarket in Hackney, east London: Its so easy to make your own products. Top 10 Natural Cleaning Hacks by Richard, Filthy House SOS, If you have seen me on Filthy House SOS, you may have noticed my love for using natural ingredients, or everyday items you can find around the house. Richard adds: "When I get stuck in and I clean, my mental health is better, I feel like Ive achieved something. ", Meanwhile, Brennan added: "There wasn't anything I'd say was clean in there.". Runby both me and mywife Rachel, here you can find all our favourite #smartcleaning tips and hacks, product reviews and recommendations, latest Filthy House SOS news and general family life. But they both agree that dish drainers are by far the biggest problem we're faced with, and admit people don't realise just how filthy they really are. A sponge should do the job after that. For other inquiries, Contact Us. -1/2 cup lemon juice If you have a pet, be sure to give their favorite window an extra scrub, since its probably covered in smears from all their spying on the neighbors. I absolutely hate cleaning out my fridge. Be ye not so stupid as me, and be ye not afraid of scrubbing your toilet. I love to cook, and I prepare 90% of my meals myself, which means I regularly destroy my kitchen. The longer you wait, the harder it will be in terms of both texture and effort required. "I search that item to see if its for sale or not, and if its for sale Im going to sell it. STEP 2: Combine the vinegar, water, and lemon juice in a spray bottle. When making your own, you use the same basic ingredients: vinegar, lemon juice, bicarbonate of soda, plant-based liquid soap and essential oils and vary the ratios, depending on the job. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Laundry: If you have a washer and dryer in your home, take a moment to revel or perhaps weep with gratitude for how deeply fortunate and blessed you are. TIP: Remember to do a patch test on any painted woodwork . TOP TIP: Do not use on untreated wood as the tea will soak into and stain the wood. Youll be able to reach all the weird spots and give your unpartnered socks a job. It doesn't go anywhere. Our oven was filthy and now looks really good. However, its one of those jobs that most of us hate doing me included! Because you will find stuff. "People tend to clean at eye level, they dont go down or up," Richard says, urging people to check skirting boards and ceiling corners for cobwebs. Let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it clean with a dry cloth. As a result, out of all the rooms in my house, my kitchen is the highest risk of devolving into an out-of-control mess if Im not careful. Start by filling an oven-safe dish with water and putting it inside your hot oven for 20-30 minutes. Vinegar is acidic, meaning it cuts easily through grease and grime, leaving a clean, streak-free finish. ring that always forms right at the waters edge. If you havent written in that journal in over a year, youre not gonna. find stuff. We hope you enjoy our content. -1/4 cup dish soap. Wash your windows and window treatments. As you know, my passion is cleaning smarter not harder, so here are my top. I absolutely hate cleaning out my fridge. Lets take it room by room. Oh, and give all your toiletries a rinse before putting them back so you dont defile your pristine palace of cleanliness with any of that bottom-of-the-bottle scuzz. Then get down on your hands and knees and scrub the empty drawer compartment, too. Gently mix everything until you have a paste. Explaining how surfaces need to be cleaned everyday, the professional also recommends tackling certain rooms on designated days of the week. Spray the liquid mixture all over the oven, taking care to avoid the heating elements. If its staying stuck fast, you may need to leave it a little longer, or use a scraper to get it moving. You could also use an old toothbrush, though Ill confess I find this metaphorically repulsive. Recycle anything thats empty and throw away all the old razor heads cluttering the ledge (or maybe that disgusting habit is mine alone). every other week. Luckily, theres a DIY oven cleaner that works to get the toughest stains off, and it only requires a few simple ingredients! Not only has the house suffered from the amount of clutter everywhere but the cleaners find years' worth of dirt lurking in the corners and hiding in the upholstery. Now youre going to scrub. Repeat until all the baking soda residue is gone. Richard says: "Spring is the time to freshen your house up. I use blogger Amanda Watters bathtub mix ( cup of liquid castile soap, 10 drops of thieves or tea tree oil and one cup of baking soda). ", Having seen the cluttered living space for the first time, John said: "Everything was so out of place. 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Flush again. Cleaning Your Bannisters. Don't leave them out to dry.. Cleverly brings you clever tips, tricks \u0026 life hacks to simplify everyday life, so be sure to subscribe, like, and follow us for a first-hand look at new videos that you can share with your family \u0026 friends! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/Cleverly_DIY Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cleverly.me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleverly.me Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Cleverly_DIY Website: https://www.cleverly.me****************************************************** "We teach people how to clean properly using products that arent harmful to the environment or to our skin and help them do the job easily without spending loads of money," Richard explains. Your email address will not be published. This makes them perfect for cleaning and polishing. Flush. That really shocks me.". Yes, Im serious! The abyss underneath your couch cushions is where bobby pins go to die. You may want to spray on the vinegar and lemon solution and leave it to soak for 30 minutes or so. There are 3 ways salt can be really useful firstly, salt absorbs water so when applied to spills it can prevent stains! Make sure you dust or wide down the head and foot of your bed every so often. Spray liberally onto surfaces and polish! As a result, out of all the rooms in my house, my kitchen is the highest risk of devolving into an out-of-control mess if Im not careful. If you let wet laundry sit too long and it gets that weird mildew smell (dont beat yourself up; weve all done it), or if youve got a hamper full of real stanky workout gear, just dump a cup or so of white vinegar on top of your clothes before starting the cycle. Once every few weeks, its a good idea to give your sink a good scrub. A standard bathroom cleaner is usually fine for your counter and your sink. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing. You can use the same baking soda and water paste mixture to coat the racks, leaving it on for 4 hours before washing or wiping off. As many of us look to the zero-wasters trying to eschew packaging to reduce our own impact on the planet, the internet is awash with recipes for making your own all-purpose cleaners from bathtub sprays and floor washes, to oven scrubs and window spritzers. Wash your bed linens more than you are currently washing your bed linens. He also adds that "little and often" is definitely the right approach to avoid feeling overwhelmed by a huge mess. The cleaners are horrified by the rubbish they find lurking under the bed Credit: 5 Star/Filthy House SOS. 3-4 drops of liquid dish soap. But do we really need any of it? Throw away stuff thats gone bad (of course, clean out and recycle the containers whenever possible). There is no limit to how far the contents of a leaky container on the top shelf can travel. I sprayed mine down before bed and tackled the scrubbing part the next morning. Homemade Oven Cleaner Recipe. Filthy House SOS Richard Pearson Welcome to my blog! It isnt all about fancy products, sometimes the most unexpected items can give the best clean! Add it to your spray bottle, followed by an equal quantity of blue Dawn. Cleaning the oven has never been so simple, and so cheap! His success in the cleaning industry has led to further opportunities and success in the media, with a large following on social media and ongoing . Always remember to wear gloves whenever you use any natural oven cleaning solutions to protect your hands. This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. For really nasty build-up, make a paste with baking soda and a little water, smear it on, and leave it overnight. But dont forget to switch a glass cleaner for your mirror! Then sprinkle salt over the really grimy areas. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. In a small bowl, scoop in the baking soda and add the soap. Dale Berning Sawa gives the bathroom a going-over. I use vinegar in many of my natural home cleaning products because its so good! Be like Rachel in that one episode of Friends and use all your vacuum attachments. If, for whatever reason, you dont want to use baking soda on your oven or even know how to clean an oven glass door without baking soda, then the other two natural ingredients will still work well, the vinegar and lemon juice. These were all required of me, so they lacked the sheen of chosen responsibility. Steel wool scratches porcelain. I can't believe it is already Christmas time again! Were obsessed with these gloves; theyre hands-down the best. In this video I explain just 3 of the may ways it can be used to make stubborn cleaning tasks super easy! "Not only [have I come across this on] the show and my in business, but I hear people say they put bleach on carpets and it just astounds me," he admits. We love to cook but there are certain downsides, such as cleaning up after the fact. 6. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Appearing on 5STAR'S Filthy House SOS, 41-year-old Geraldine lives in a three-bedroom house in Sheffield with her three children. Just do yourself a favor and buy some good rubber gloves first. A little tip with oven racks is to wash off the paste in your bathtub or shower at home, taking care not to cause damage to the bath surface. "Nine times out of ten people realise that 90% of their belongings are not memories, they're just not items they need," Richard admits. Extra credit if the shelves are removable: I find theyre easier to clean in the sink. "Many people have all the products in the world in their houses but its not about the products, youve got to use your elbow grease and get stuck into it.". tb1234. You may need to adjust this mixture if the water doesn't create a spreadable paste. As many of us look to the zero-wasters trying to eschew packaging to reduce our own impact on the planet, the internet is awash with recipes for making your own all-purpose cleaners from bathtub sprays and floor washes, to oven scrubs and window spritzers.