Deep Cleaning
Cleaning a house after a tenant moves out or in preparation for putting your house on the market can be tough. You never know what you are going to come across or if you can clean it or not. I found a good resource for Cleaning Tips, and here are a few of my favorites:
Sinks
“Once a month, pour one cup of baking soda, followed by one cup of white vinegar down the drain. Wait an hour and flush with warm water. The combination fizzles away most of the buildup. Works for shower, tub and kitchen sink drains as well.”
Mildew
“Keep ahead of mildew so it doesn’t become a problem. Every six months spray your bathroom ceiling with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water. Peroxide is a safe bleach and won’t harm the environment or your lungs. Find larger quantities of peroxide at beauty or medical supply stores.”
Removing Candle Wax from Cloth
“Once wax has dried onto a tablecloth, cloth napkin, or placemat, several steps are required to remove it properly and completely. The first thing to do is to apply an ice cube or ice pack to the wax. This will make the wax brittle, allowing you to scrape off what you can. Use a credit card or a thin butter knife to gently scrape away as much of the wax as you can. Never use a regular dull knife that has serrated edges since this may damage the cloth.
Once you have carefully removed as much of the wax as you can, it will be necessary to get your iron and a few clean paper bags. Place one paper bag underneath the cloth while you set the iron to heat on a medium to medium high level, depending on the fabric. Place a second paper bag on top of the wax.
Gently iron the area until the wax has been transferred to the paper bag. Throw the paper bag with the wax residue into the trash once it has cooled. Repeat the process with another paper bag until all of the wax has been removed”
Cleaning Kitchen Cabinets
“Painted wood, metal, laminated plastic or wood-grain vinyl surfaces can be cleaned with detergent and warm water solution. Rinse with a cloth or sponge dampened in clean water. Using a dry cloth or paper towel to wipe the surface dry prevents streaking. Painted, plastic, and metal surfaces, may be cleaned occasionally with a creamy liquid wax, which leaves a protective coating that retards soiling. If the finish is hard and in good condition, this extra step may not be needed.”
- “Loosen Up – Before cleaning bathroom tile, run a hot shower for five minutes to steam dirt loose.
- Brighter Bathroom – Wash dull tile with a solution of vinegar and water, then polish with a soft towel.
- Grout Grunge – To keep white grout joints clean, wash with a solution of one to two tablespoons chlorine bleach in one quart of water. Dry thoroughly, then apply an acrylic sealer or three coats of lemon oil. Let dry one hour between coats. Never use bleach on colored grout.
- Mildew Miracle – Remove mildew and make tiles sparkle by sponging them off with a solution of ammonia and water.
- Soot Solution – Remove soot from fireplace tiles with a mixture of lemon juice and salt, then rinse.”