There are many old wives’ tales about how to keep your home sparkling clean. Over the years, some of those tales have been proven to be true – they work perfectly. Others, however… well, they’re not so great, and could even end up doing more harm than good. So our list of the top 10 dos and don’ts for home cleaning should clear up which is which.
Introducing The Do’s
Ceiling Fan and Pillowcase
Ceiling fan blades get very dusty, so they need to be cleaned. But using a feather duster or similar tool will just spread the dust all over the room, so what to do? Using a pillowcase, of course! The material will clean the blade, and the closed end means that the dust is caught.
Peanut Butter and Chewing Gum
If you’ve ever had chewing gum stuck in your hair you’ll know the struggle of getting it out. The easy way (that doesn’t involve scissors) is to slather the affected strands in peanut butter for a few minutes. The oil in the PB breaks the gum down so it can be removed.
Floors and Baking Soda
Baking soda is a natural and gentle abrasive, so although it cleans nicely, it won’t damage your floors. Mix a little with water and use it to scrub the muck away.
Silverware and Toothpaste
Using a clean rag or cloth, just rub toothpaste into your silverware, then wipe it offer with another (wet) cloth and leave to dry. Ta da! Shiny!
Sticky Stuff and Oil
Olive oil is a bit of a cure-all, and when it comes to anything sticky on furniture, rubbing a little bit on a cloth and then applying it to the stickiness should shift it quickly.
Walls and Top to Bottom
Washing walls from the top to the bottom is the best way to make sure it’s all clean. Starting at the bottom means that as you go up and the water drips down, your hard work is undone.
Introducing The Don’ts
Curtains and Hairspray
For a long time the received wisdom was that hairspray would keep curtains hanging straight and remove static. Not so – all it actually does it make them sticky.
Windows and Newspaper
Newspapers don’t absorb very well, and the ink can stain, so it’s anyone’s guess as to why wiping your windows with the stuff was considered a good idea. Use a microfibre cloth instead.
Linens and Wax Paper
This is a really old fashioned thing to do, and although some old ways work beautifully, this isn’t one of them. Far from stopping colour transferring from item to item, the wax could actually melt and ruin the clothes. Acid free tissue paper is a much better plan.
Clothing and Salt
Soaking clothes in salt was thought to prevent colours fading. It doesn’t. The end.
Hopefully this little list of dos and don’ts will help keep your home tidy and clean – and will prevent any cleaning disasters!