Cleaning Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Oh My Heartsie Girl

December 4, 2018

Teaching A New Dog Old Tricks: Tried and True Cleaning Tips From Days Gone By

It’s already the middle of December and 2018 is moving along fast. For me, 2017 was a year of major changes in my life. Honestly, I think the whole world kind of shook on its axis over the last one-to-two years. So many new events and perspectives are out there it’s hard to keep up. There is also a lot of dirt that was swept under the rug that now is coming to the surface.

Ok…cheeky segue aside: It’s a new world – again. It’s fast and there are new tricks and courses being revealed every day for ways to clean up your health, your life, your spirit, your dog….

I’m all for learning and growth. I’m also an advocate of the “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it,” mentality. And sometimes the old ways are the best ways.

Let’s take a look at a handful of tried-and-true cleaning tips that worked great in the past, and still work great today.

Not “Lemmon,” Jack… It’s “LEMON”:

This is honestly one of my favorite cleaning “products” to write about. The lemon is a powerfully diverse fruit that is good for your body as much as it is good for your home. There is something called “The Master Cleanse” and the main ingredient in it is lemon. That cleanse involves significant fasting, so if you’re more inclined to eat than not, you can just squeeze the fresh lemon juice into your water for an also-positive effect. But don’t throw away the peel! Toss it down the garbage disposal and run the water. It’s a great, antibacterial cleansing agent that deodorizes your sink drains. You can also use lemons to scrub your pots and pans (add salt to the lemon for a course effect) or on brass to take out nasty spots. Heat up a piece of lemon in your microwave in a bowl of water – it will help remove sticky spills. Use lemon juice in your sinks to help dissolve soap scum and germs as well.

The Versatility of Vinegar:

Although using lemons for cleaning is not as popular as using vinegar, it should be. That doesn’t mean vinegar isn’t just as good, because it is. Distilled white vinegar is widely effective at cleaning multiple things in your home.

– Run it through your coffee maker with some water to dissolve away stains and moist buildup in the water container and other parts.

– Boil a small amount of vinegar in some water on the stove without a lid. It will help deodorize your home

– Place an open bowl filled with vinegar in your refrigerator to get rid of unwanted smells from that lettuce you forgot was still in there

– Place another bowl filled with vinegar in your pantry or cupboard to get rid of musty smells as well

– You can pour vinegar on the stickers for your new cups or plates to help remove them. It’s acidic and will eat right through the stickers.

– Turn on a crusty stovetop burner and splash some vinegar on it. Turn the heat off and sprinkle baking soda on the vinegar. After it’s done fizzing and fuzzing you can wipe down with dawn and a rag to find your stovetop looking like new.

– Vinegar sprayed on newspaper makes a great, streak-free tool for cleaning windows

– Pour it down your drain following your lemons. Then dump in some baking soda. Give it a few minutes to bubble up and break down clogs, then dump boiling water down the drain to flush it out

Baking Soda Is Everyone’s Buddy:

Baking soda is vinegar’s BFF. It should be one of yours, too. It works in drains and on stains. It helps remove odors from your carpets and your mattresses. It keeps food and smells fresh in your fridge. It’s also a common ingredient in toothpaste. Man’s best friend is no longer the dog; it’s baking soda

“Believe no man unless you have eaten salt with him” – Said the Greeks, Supposedly:

I don’t know what that means. Also, I don’t add salt to my food at all, so take what I’m writing with, you guessed it, a “grain of salt.

I’m not against eating it – it’s just not right for me. But! I use salt for a whole bag full of other tricks. Wintry weather? Salt melts ice. Gunk’d-up pan? Salt helps break it down and scrub it clean. Clogs in your cutting board? Sprinkles of salt before you wipe it down helps break loose the food or dirt. Ants in your pants? Well, ok…anywhere? Salt deters ants from entering. You can also add some salt to your laundry loads to help clear out sweat stains and odors. Now you can finally just insert cleaning all the dirt your friend ants made by some quick vacuuming of the place they invaded in your house. Visit Vacuum Judge to learn more about this best friend you’ve got in your house.

The Olive Branch and The Coconut Tree:

I made that up, but it does sound like a good parable!

In all seriousness, olive and coconut oils have a lot of great uses besides being part of bad puns. I love coconut oil for cooking and it’s great for coating your barbeque grill before grilling. It’s also really beneficial for your hair and skin and is linked to improved brain function and memory.

Olive oil can be used to polish your shoes. I’ve done it – it works. Some people like to use a thin coating on their stainless steel surfaces to prevent dust and fingerprints, but you have to watch for bacterial growth if you use too much without regular cleaning. Zipper sZX tuck? Olive oil is the new WD40. Two really cool uses for olive oil are:

– Lining your soap dish so that soap scum has nothing to stick to…

– Coating your garden tools to keep them in great shape for longer periods of time.

My favorite? Helping loosen up that band-aid so you don’t’ have to rip it –and your hair – off.

Recycle The Way You Recycle:

Recycling has become the thing to do. But it’s more than just separating plastics from rubbage. Have a t-shirt that no longer fits? Tear it into squares and use it as a rag. Keep your newspapers to wad up and use to clean your windows – it’s better than towels and prevents streaks! Sterilize your old toothbrush with rubbing alcohol and boiling water. Then use it to get into hard-to-reach places when cleaning, or to shake the dust off your blinds. Grolsch beer bottles have great, resealable lids and are a nice emerald color. Use them to store other liquids after washing and rinsing them out. Throw your food scraps on a compost pile if you can. And, to keep the energy flowing in your home, rotate dishes and silverware when returning them to their drawers or cupboard locations so you’re not always using the same forks, spoons, and plates.
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Related:
How to Clean an Oven The Easy Way
Baking Soda For Hair Growth a Perfect Home Remedy
Cleaning Tips For a Fresh Home

October 22, 2018

Cleaning Tips For a Fresh Home

The hot summer months can be quite daunting when it comes to keeping a living area fresh and clean. Below are some tips and tricks you can use to keep your house clean the way you want it during the summer period:

Donate or Sell Unwanted Clutter

If not everything you wanted out of your house made it on its way during spring cleaning, the summer is perfect for eliminating unnecessary clutter. Consider taking your unwanted goods to a local community shelter, charity, or thrift store. Some thrift stores even offer rewards, such as coupons or rebates, when you donate items to them.

Of course, some things are just too valuable to give away. You can place an ad online, to make some extra cash for things you no longer need. And last but not least, if you have an abundance of things you simply do not need, host a yard sale – the summer weather is perfect for it. However, make sure you check the forecast first. By liquidating your inventory of things you no longer use yearly, you can greatly reduce clutter and maintain tidier living and storage areas year-round.

Wash Waste Bins Often

Summer heat can easily change the rate at which organic waste decomposes. In order to keep your kitchen, among other areas, fresh and clean, it’s recommended that your garbage, compost, and recycling bins be cleaned regularly. Dish soap and water will do the trick, but for a cheaper alternative, vinegar will suffice.

Dehumidify

Warm, and often humid summer can greatly increase the risk of mold growing in moist areas, such as the restroom, kitchen, basement, or cellar. To reduce airborne moisture, use a dehumidifier, or if you do not have one, run the fan in your restroom often. This will greatly reduce the potential for mold to grow in inaccessible areas, such as tile grout, around the shower pan, and under the toilet.

Blinds

If you have blinds or similar in your commercial property or office, then having them cleaned will have a huge impact on helping remove dust and irritants from the building. Especially worth it if the blinds are covering open windows, as more pollution from the outside can get trapped onto the blinds.

Air Conditioning

If you have an air conditioning unit, be sure to get it serviced and cleaned in time for summer. There is nothing worse than working in a hot office and there are legal requirements as to how hot a working environment can be. While you are doing this, it may be worth getting your heating unit looked at and cleaned too. This means you could avoid the rush in autumn and have your place fully prepared for the colder months.

Carpet and Floor Cleaning

Having your interior carpets and hard floors cleaned during summer will make them dry quicker and thus preventing any damp within your place. Make sure you hire office cleaners to clean your floors as doing so yourself can cause irreversible damage.

Window Cleaning

Summer is a great time to have your windows cleaned. It means they will dry in no time if the sun is shining and smudges will be prevented too.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I might receive a small commission,
if you make a purchase from ads.
Related:
Tips On Cleaning Your Hardwood Floors And Maintaining Its Beauty
Spring Cleaning… In The Fall? Tips For Nailing That Deep Clean

October 15, 2018

Here’s Why You Should Consider Hiring a Cleaning Service for the Holidays

Holidays are getting close and it’s time to think about getting the right gift for your family and yourself of course. Why not choose something practical and useful this time around? We’ve talked recently about this to the experts at Barrie Modern Cleaners and they gave us this awesome idea to hire a cleaning service for the holidays. Here’s why:

A clean slate

You remember how daunting and time-consuming it is to clean the entire home in order to prepare it for holidays. Why not skip that boring part and just let your family enjoy the fun of decorating and actually spending a quality time together.

A cleaning service can do all the hard work for you in no time. Your house would be so clean and shiny, you wouldn’t even need to decorate at all!

We guarantee that everyone would be happy because there’s no greater joy than having a good time with your family in a clean house during the holidays.

Make it easy on yourself

We all know how stressful it is to prepare a holiday party at your place. There’s plenty to do and the list seems to get only bigger.

It’s time to chill out and give away a big chunk of your chores to someone else so that you can focus on things that really matter, and that’s making those delicious cookies everyone really loves.

You don’t want to waste time and energy cleaning, remember, holidays are about relaxation and fun, you need to put aside as much stress and frustration as possible, or at least let professionals deal with all that stuff.

Be smart, take our advice and give yourself a quality holiday time you really deserve.

Make guests feel at home

If you are having guests over, that’s another reason for stress, especially if they decide to stay for the night, then you have to make things extra tidy because it’s always important to leave a good impression.

Your guest rooms will probably need even more attention than the rest of the house, and that’s just another chore added to the list.

Avoid all that and let cleaning service take care of your guest rooms, they know all the tricks of the trade to make your home postcard-worthy.

Not only will you open up more space in your busy pre-holiday schedule, but the cleaning service’s professional touch will drop some jaws, and you as a host will be the only winner.

Holidays at work

Professional cleaners do not limit their work to your house only. You can easily hire them to take care of your office space as well.

You know how dirty offices can be, with papers and dirty coffee cups all over the place, not to mention if anyone remembers when was the last they had it vacuumed.

If you and your coworkers want to organize a party, this is the perfect excuse to get that extra help so you don’t have to stay late after work to do it yourself.

This would also impress your boss and the rest of the collective as it shows initiative and ability to solve problems.

Not a single person would complain about having their workspace neat and tidy, at least at this time of the year.

Post-holiday depression

We all get that feeling, it’s perfectly normal, especially when you realize that you need to repeat all the hard work. You need to put decorations back, do all the dishes, laundry, etc.

Give yourself another treat for the holidays and hire reputable Barrie cleaning services to do this work for you. Use that extra time to do things you love.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I might receive a small commission,
if you make a purchase using this link.

October 5, 2018

How to Clean an Oven The Easy Way

There are many situations when you can end up with a grime filled unusable oven, whether it be from forgetfulness or part of a home renovation. If it is someone else’s property you have recently purchased, or even your own, you may find that food material has built up quite heavily and will require some hard work to remove. Pull on your cleaning gloves, it’s time to get that oven squeaky clean.

Clean as You Cook

The hardest grime and mess to get off your oven walls is that which has had time to set hard. Over many changes in temperature any fluids and food material that has caked the walls of your oven will begin to set and harden, very hard. My recommendation is to give your oven just a brief 5 minute clean after every meal. It’s not very difficult and will save you hours of hard work in the future.

Cook in A Clean Way

Unfortunately, it’s another hindsight tip. The easiest way to prevent your oven from getting dirty is to just cook in a clean way. For example, when cooking things like chicken cover it in tinfoil to keep the juices in, and if cooking bacon there are various ways to prevent oil from flying out of the pan or tray.

Prepare Your Oven Properly

No oven cleaning tip is going to work if your oven is not prepared properly. Make sure all oven racks and trays are removed so you have the bare minimum to clean in the oven itself. Many ovens even come with removable walls and heating elements making your job far easier. These can be left to soak in hot water and a cleaning agent separately from the main oven.

Stay Away from The Chemicals

Man made chemicals are the quick and easy way to get your oven clean. But over time they will destroy your oven and cost you more money than your time is worth. White spirit is an example of a chemical many people will have for home decoration and reach for during oven cleaning projects. Take a bit more time to use conventional methods and your oven will last you far longer. Naturally occurring ingredients like baking soda and vinegar are your friends here. Prepare baking soda into a paste by mixing it with water. 75% baking soda and 25% water will make a good paste that should stick to your oven walls. For tougher stains that fail to budge use a solution of vinegar and water. If you have to use man made cleaning agents check that they won’t damage Oven surfaces.

Check Your Manufacturer’s Recommendation

There are various different substances that manufacturers use to coat the surfaces within your oven. Each of these materials may react differently to cleaning. It’s best to check the manufacturers guide (if one is available) to make sure you aren’t about to use a potentially damaging cleaning agent, or miss out on a useful tip for that specific oven.

Know Your Oven

Ovens these days are cunning pieces of technology. Manufacturers know the difficulties of cleaning an oven after months of cooking various culinary delights. Modern ovens (and even some older ones) come with various ways to make this less of a hassle, such as auto-clean modes.

Be Patient

Cleaning an oven properly is not a short process. If you are having a dinner party this evening and you need a clean oven first you are better off getting takeout. Most cleaning processes you will find require solutions to be left on overnight and I recommend this also.

Use the right tools for the job

Some stains and food material are going to need some convincing to remove. This is where physically scraping the walls of your oven can come in. A home improvement tool that you will likely already have is a wallpaper remover. These can be used (carefully) to scrape material off the walls. If you are worried about scratches wrap a metal scraper in a tea towel or use a plastic one instead.

Safety

Always wear thick rubber gloves when cleaning your oven. Many chemicals are toxic and can be irritating to skin. Also leave windows open and keep kitchen well ventilated during and after cleaning. This will help remove the smell as well.

Verdict

So there you have it, oven cleaning doesn’t have to be a difficult process it can just take some time and effort. Remember preventing the build-up of grime will always save you time and money in the long run. Hopefully you now know how to clean an oven and can use these tips in the future.