Whether you get blood stains on clothes, furniture, carpets, or another area of your home, it can be distressing to see a continual reminder of an accident. Depending on the amount of blood and how long it had to soak in, you may be able to remove it with one or more of the tips that we outline below.
Removing Blood Stains From Clothes
The first thing to do when blood has splattered onto clothes is to remove them and soak them in cold water. Next, you can pre-treat the garment by placing liquid detergent into the cold water and allowing it to sit for up to five minutes. You may need to push down on the item of clothing with one hand to ensure that it remains fully under water.
You are ready at this point to wash the blood-stained clothing with other clothing items or sheets and towels. The other items you wash with the pre-treated clothing should be as close to its color as possible. There is no need to rinse the water or detergent off the piece of clothing with the blood stain before you put it in the wash machine with the rest of the items.
Run a load of clothes through the wash machine as you normally would but make sure the dial is set to cold water. Unfortunately, using warm or hot water will cause the stain to set into the clothing rather than remove it. If the bloodstain does not come out completely when the load has gone through a drying cycle, you can try to repeat the same process. You may need to hire a maid service if you do not want to do this yourself.
Removing Blood Stains From Furniture
If your child had a nose bleed while sitting on the sofa or your cat got a claw stuck and left a little blood behind, you might think the stains are impossible to remove. While some will be difficult to get rid of entirely, others will come up with the right combination of elbow grease and cleaning product. Keep in mind that blood is always easier to clean up when it is fresh and has not yet had the opportunity to dry and harden on the surface of your furniture.
Many home goods, discount, and online stores sell cleaning products designed only for removing blood stains. These products work by making the properties of the stain water-soluble so you can simply wipe it up. At Companion Maids, we encourage you to research several blood removal cleaning products and to read the reviews about each product. With so many options available, it really becomes a matter of preference as to which one you will buy. You can even use a magic eraser.
You also have the option of trying to remove the blood stain without special cleaning products. Here are some tips that can help:
Pour hydrogen peroxide on the blood stain. This is a common trick in the medical and veterinary fields.
Spray window cleaner on the blood stain before you attempt to wash the fabric. You will need a cloth to rub the window cleaner gently into the stain.
If the fabrics of your furniture are washable, try pouring salt water on the blood-stained area.
For removable pieces of furniture such as couch cushions, place several inches of water in the bathtub and then add a denture cleaning tablet. The blood-stained item can remain in the bucket for up to one hour before you remove it and wash it by hand.
Try rubbing lava soap on the stain and then return in three hours to see if the stain is gone.
Tips For Removing Blood Stains From Carpets
The first step in getting blood out of carpet is to saturate the area with cold water. After allowing the cold water to sit for several minutes, try to blot out the stain with a clean rag. Be sure not to use a wiping motion since this will spread the stain rather than remove it. A wet/dry vacuum cleaner can also work on a blood stain that has not set in yet. As an alternative to water, you can try using a tablespoon of ammonia and the same blotting process.
You may need to buy a carpet cleaner if neither of the above methods is effective at removing a blood stain. Be sure to follow the instructions on the back of the can, which will likely call for you to sprinkle some cleaning product onto your carpet, allow it to sit for a specified time, and vacuum the area.
Hiring A Maid Service
What each of the above tips have in common is that they may or may not be effective while still costing you time and money. It could be a better use of both resources to contact Companion Maids for a one-time cleaning session. We use strong, professional-grade cleaning supplies that you probably don’t have access to as a consumer. We have also made a significant investment in heavy-duty cleaning equipment such as wet/dry vacuum cleaners.
The likelihood of getting a blood stain out of your furniture or carpet is much higher when you work with us. Companion Maids also offers laundry services as an add-on to regular cleaning sessions. Whether you have concerns about set-in stains or not, the best way to prevent your home from becoming dirty and cluttered is to arrange for regular maid service. For your convenience, we offer cleaning packages every seven, 14, or 28 days.
We welcome you to call our office in Chicago at 773-346-6714 to learn more about how we can clean your home and reduce the stress in your life. You can also request services by completing this form.
First patented in 2004, the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, a melamine foam sponge—which was billed as one of Time Magazine’s “Coolest Inventions” of that year—has since been busy removing dirt, grime, and sticky stains from everything from shoes to stovetops.
Learn more about how this unique sponge works, the many ways in which you can utilize its cleaning powers, and a few things you should never use a Magic Eraser to clean.
How Does A Magic Eraser Work, Anyway?
Although a Magic Eraser looks like an ordinary sponge in many ways, this unique cleaning tool is actually made from melamine foam. Melamine resin is a versatile plastic that is created by mixing melamine with formaldehyde; when this resin is used to create foam, the final product is an ultra-fine abrasive that’s similar to sandpaper. Adding the power of water retention to this microscopically gritty sponge gives it a cleaning power that is truly magical.
Ten Ways To Use Your Magic Eraser
In addition to the seemingly obvious uses for a Magic Eraser (like scrubbing soap scum out of showers and sinks, cleaning scuff marks from walls, and wiping burned-on spills from an induction cooktop) there are dozens of other situations in which a Magic Eraser is truly a secret weapon.
1. Erase Crayon or Marker From Your Walls
If you have children (or have hosted children) who tend to view your bare walls as a canvas, don’t fear cleanup—the Magic Eraser can handle both waxy crayons and penetrating markers, even permanent markers.
2. Remove Rusty Residue from Porcelain
For households with hard or iron-heavy water, rust stains on porcelain can be tough to get rid of. But a Magic Eraser makes short work of these stubborn red and brown streaks, easily restoring your bath, shower, or tub to like-new condition.
3. Refresh Grout and Caulk
If your tile is looking dingy, a good scrubbing with a Magic Eraser may be enough to bring back that bright white grout. And if you’ve caulked around the edge of your sink, shower, or tub, this eraser can remove stains and grime that could potentially degrade the caulk seal over time.
4. Protect Walls from Artwork
By cutting a tiny slice from a Magic Eraser and using it as a “bumper” behind shelves or mounted artwork, you’ll avoid scratches and scuff marks on your walls. Just attach the Magic Eraser to your frame with a tiny bit of superglue (which you can later use a Magic Eraser to remove!)
5. Eliminate Sticky Residue From Just About Anything
Whether you have hairspray build-up on your curling or straightening iron, the sticky remnants of a label on a glass jar, or another type of hard-to-remove stickiness, a Magic Eraser can break down these gluey bonds quickly.
6. Detail Your Car
Whether you’ve got a dusty dashboard, a smeared windshield, or sticky leather seats, a Magic Eraser can give your car that brand-new appearance again (albeit without the new-car smell).
7. Remove Stains From Fabric
If you’re dealing with a stubborn stain that even pricey laundry detergent won’t remove, try using a Magic Eraser. Often, this abrasive surface can be just the trick for stains that seem impervious to other cleaning agents. It can even remove blood stains in some cases.
8. Shine Your Car’s Headlights
Over time and with exposure to salt, hard water, and road dust, your vehicle’s headlights can become dingy and dull. A few quick swipes with a Magic Eraser may be all that’s needed to restore your headlights to new.
9. Try Your Toilet Tank
One fun experiment involves placing a Magic Eraser in your toilet’s water tank. As the Magic Eraser remains waterlogged, it will slowly release its micro-abrasive particles as it dissolves, helping keep your toilet bowl clean and sparkling.
10. Shine Your Silver
Because silver is generally hard enough to resist scratching, it’s a great candidate for a good cleaning with a Magic Eraser. Remove tarnish, water spots, and other discolorations without using harmful chemicals or tarnish removers.
Five Things To Avoid Cleaning With a Magic Eraser
While a Magic Eraser can seem like a fairly innocuous cleaning tool, its micro-abrasive surface isn’t a good idea for certain materials. Here are just five of the things you should never use your Magic Eraser to clean.
Your Car
The abrasive surface of a Magic Eraser is almost certain to leave tiny scratches in your car’s paint job. Resist the urge to use a Magic Eraser to get your vehicle super-clean; instead, opt for cleaning tools that are specifically designed for vehicles.
Your Kitchen Counters (Usually)
Some countertop surfaces are quite delicate. Using a Magic Eraser on marble or granite countertops can scratch them; and while you may not notice this damage at first, over time, the use of abrasive cleaning products can lead to pitting, discoloration, and cracks.
Your Television or Computer Screen
You wouldn’t use sandpaper to clean your television, would you? Because a Magic Eraser’s micro-scrubbers rely on the same physical principles as fine-grained sandpaper, using one of these sponges to wipe down your television or computer screen could give you permanent wipe marks. (However, using the Magic Eraser to clean the keyboard is just fine.)
Fine China
Magic Erasers are so good at removing surface dust and grime, they’re a poor choice to use to clean fine china or other delicate dishes, as they may scratch the surface or remove patterns.
Anything You Haven’t Tested First
Unless you’ve used a Magic Eraser on a certain surface before (or know, beyond a doubt, that the surface is Magic-Eraser safe), it’s a good idea to do a small spot test in an inconspicuous area. This test will reveal whether the Magic Eraser might damage the surface and help you avoid causing a much larger mess than the one you’re trying to clean.
With these Magic Eraser tips, tricks, and cautions, you’re ready for just about any cleaning project that comes your way! But if you’re ready to take the next step toward improving your home environment, consider hiring an outside cleaning company like Companion Maids. Our flexible scheduling and experienced staffers can help you get your home into ship-shape on your schedule and at your convenience.
Chances are, anyone entering your home will request to use your bathroom. If there are urine stains on the toilet seat, dirty, wet and stained floor, cluttered counter and misty mirrors; then you receive guests. They’d think you are gross. And to be fair, they will be right. If they see that, it is not rocket science why they will decline to eat. Your bathroom, as insignificant as it may seem, it is a very important room that you can’t leave without. It is no place to take cleaning shortcuts and procrastination. It is not one of those rooms you will close the door and wait until you feel like cleaning to get the job done.
You just have to regularly clean the bathroom. If it is of any help, you are not alone in dreading the job. Moreover, it is in your best interest when the room is clean. It’s so worth it. For instance, it’s a good place to decompress if you had a long day or just want to disconnect from the world for a while. As a matter of fact, I can’t think of a matter way than to take a long shower. Very relaxing, plus a majority of people know better than to bother someone while they are in the bathroom.
We know that if your bathroom is in a bad state, it was never your intention for it to get that gross. We know the drill, you plan to wash your bathroom on the weekend then you end up ‘forgetting’ about it for weeks. That’s why we got you. After you have made the necessary steps to thoroughly clean your bathroom, here are some tips to ensure your bathroom is always ready for impromptu guests.
Clean the bathtub and walls
There are a good number of us who can’t just seem to clean the bathroom unless you hear guests are on their way. By then, it is not a simple task and you’ll be there beating yourself as to why you never keep it clean in the first place. If you are in that position, where you can’t clean before it is out of hand, then this habit will help you. After you have loathed yourself, use a sponge filled with detergent and vinegar and swiftly clean the bathtub. Then as you rinse yourself, you’ll also be rinsing the tub. If you are feeling too lazy to scrub, after showering you can spray your walls with a mixture of water and vinegar. Then whisk away the excess moisture with a squeegee.
Keep things put away
The first step in keeping a place clean is by removing clutter. This is especially true in the bathroom where space is small and an impressive amount of grime can collect. You will have such an easy time when cleaning the surface if it’s free of clutter. Plus your bathroom will instantly look cleaner. Strive to have almost empty surfaces in your bathroom. Neatly store items in the drawers and cupboards.
Keep cleaning tools close
How many times have we talked ourselves out of cleaning the bathroom just because the disinfectant is upstairs? Fight that by having designating their place close by. In the same voice, ensure you have all the arsenals you need to clean your bathroom. It goes without saying that you must own a brush and a disinfectant of your choice. Also have a basket of rolled washcloths on your counter, which you can easily retrieve when you want to wipe the surface.
Let it sit
For an easier time while cleaning your toilet, let the disinfectant sit for some time, you could be wiping the surface or brushing your teeth as you wait. After about five minutes, all you will have to do is swiftly scrub then rinse thoroughly. And your toilet is super clean without much effort on your part. A good way of also cleaning your tub is to let it heat up. Fill the bottom of the tub a couple of inches with the hottest water you can get from the tap. Let it sit for a while, this action will double up the effectiveness of the cleanser you are using. You can also throw some hot water on the walls and surface.
Clean before it gets gross
This can be as simple as wiping off soap on the counter before it hardens and becomes more irritating to clean. Now that your surface is clean and have the necessary tools at hand, make it a routine to daily spread some soda ash on the toilet and give it a quick scrub. When you do it more often, it will be so easy and fast.
Empty trash bin
It is a simple underrated task that goes a long way to ensuring you have a clean bathroom. After you are done showering, make it a habit of clearing your bin as you step out of the shower. Litter is an unpleasant site that can also mess with your nose by the foul smell wafting from it if you let it be long enough.
Spray and fan
A good fragrance is the easiest way of fooling someone that yours is a clean bathroom, especially with empty counters. Invest in commercial air fresheners or use an exhaust fan. Turn it on to keep the air in the bathroom fresh.
Clean glass, mirrors, and counters
Remember the rolled washcloths on your counter? Use those to quickly wipe down the mirrors and counters. You don’t need a cleanser at this point. Just dibble a little water on the cloth then wipe the surface. Same with the mirrors but if you want them shining, you can wipe them down with rubbing alcohol. Also, remember to wash your sink, and you can do it while brushing your teeth than drying the surface with the washcloth.
If you incorporate the tips listed above, it is possible to have a clean bathroom in less than five minutes daily.
For a person who hates ironing, jeans are God sent to me. I’m always on the quest to find the best pair, and no wonder it’s a never-ending job for me. I can’t seem to get enough of them –I’m what they call a total jeans addict. It’s probably because I not only love how relaxing they are but also the fact that you can manipulate them to match the occasion at hand. You know how you feel when you are in the right flattering pair of jeans, perfect, right? Most importantly, they come in different style, color, and design. Whichever your taste might be, you will be well taken care of. Jeans lovers can back me when I say, for a long time I’ve struggled maintaining my jeans.
They just seem to fade quicker than they should and I couldn’t place what I was doing wrong. Trust me, I’m a believer of buying quality, therefore cheap was out of reason (though to some people, this might be the reason. You get what you pay for. Nevertheless, you can still maintain them). Regardless, after I invested so much on a designer pair, only for it to fade so fast before I could even say ‘goodness’. I felt so betrayed (I don’t know by whom exactly…. I think the jeans) and I knew I had to do something before heartbreak. Unless you are down for the faded and stretched look, you will thank me for sharing what I’ve learned since then.
Keep them clean
It goes without saying; the cleaner the garment the better and newer it looks. Although when it comes to jeans, you don’t need to wash as frequently as other clothing. Spot washing will also help lengthen the period before the next wash. But personally, I think it’s harder for ladies to adhere to this tradition than guys. Remember the dreaded sag at the knee or bum after wearing your jeans without washing? Ladies know what I’m talking about. Washing your jeans helps them get their shape back as well as keep them looking fresh. I can’t seem to bring myself to wear my jeans more than twice if you are like me, you should take more care in the cleaning process. With just a little extra care, they will always look good even after that frequent wash. Here are some tips while washing.
Turn the jeans inside out prior to washing
Turn the jeans inside out to help reduce the detergent from wearing out its dye. Additionally, a lot of friction is involved while tossing and it will be much easier on the appearance of the jeans when washed inside out. This should become a standard habit because jeans washed inside out will maintain more of their color.
Use vinegar while washing
If you see that your jeans have started to fade with each wash, start dying. It will brighten or darken your jeans more. You can also opt to use vinegar, which will not add color to your cloth but will preserve the remaining one. You might also consider using vinegar as your detergent. While detergents are harsh in order to eliminate stains and may not be able to differentiate between a stain and dye, vinegar is milder while getting the same results.
Hugely avoid bleaching
While bleaching does very well with white clothes, it severely damages other colors. If you are using bleach on your white clothes, be good to change the water. Simple thing to do but hugely saves your jeans. You should not use any bleaching agent when washing your colored jeans. The worst thing about bleach stained clothes, Is the fact that they can’t be easily reversed. In fact, most victims I know just wholly count them as a loss.
This doesn’t mean you wholly give up on using any detergent. There are literally dozens of laundry detergents that are color-safe for your jeans. It might be overwhelming settling on one since each of them claims to be the best. Therefore, the best way to shop for the detergent you need is to understand what you need for your cloth. Choose the one that will preserve the color of your jeans or that which has an additive that prevents or reduces bleeding.
Wash with similar color
It sounds like a no-brainer but it is still worth mentioning. You should always clean jeans of similar color together. I learned this lesson the hard way. Since I had only a handful of clothes to wash, I thought why not throw them all in the washer, mark you, none was bleeding as far as I was concerned. You can imagine the shock I got when I saw the big navy blue patch on my peach silk blouse. I actually think it’s more painful to lose a cloth on a discoloring stain than on a tear. It’s because it feels so careless plus there’s nothing you can do about it and chances are, you’ll never get to wear the cloth again. Therefore, save yourself a headache by sorting out your laundry first.
Don’t use the dryer
While there are great benefits of using the dryer than line drying especially during winter, it is not so friendly to your jeans. Since you want your jeans looking new and fresh after every wash, it is best if you consider line drying them. The heat and tumbling from the dryer only weakens and reshapes your cloth gradually. Besides, line drying also has an added advantage of making clothes smell so fresh that a dryer can’t achieve in the absence of a detergent. You also need to know that the ultra-violet rays of the sun don’t go smoothly on dark colored clothes when exposed to it for long. Either hang them under a shade or remove them as soon as they are dry. If you lack a line dryer because they are literally banned in some neighborhood, either use low heat in a dryer. Or a shower curtain rod can suffice as your line dryer.
When you use these tips on your good set of jeans, you will wear them longer than before. It is also essential when it comes to jeans; you adopt the mantra of quality over quantity.
The idea of pest invasion in a home doesn’t go too well with so many homeowners. Terming pests as annoying and frustrating is actually more of an understatement. Pests such as rats and cockroaches cause so much damage leaving you feeling so disappointed and agitated. The presence of pests in your home only means one thing, your home is dirty. Pests, for instance, rats dwell in a filthy area where they can easily get food.
Your kitchen cleanliness shouldn’t be anything short of spectacular cleanliness. The kitchen is sensitive because this is where you are likely to find many cockroaches and rodents coming out of there hiding places in search of food. So how do you deal with a pest infestation? This is a question that occupies the mind of many homeowners who have no clue on how to tame these menace-causing creatures. However, here are some great ways of dealing with a pest infestation.
The Cause Of The Infestation.
The first step of dealing with a pest infestation is finding out what caused it. Cockroaches, flies, and rodents are some common pests that infest so many houses. These three pests are attracted by a rather filthy surrounding. Flies are dangerous since they can easily spread diseases. Rodents on the other hand feast on so many things including garments, wood, and even rubber. However, having a cluttered and an unhygienic set up has to be the leading reason as to why pests will come knocking at your door.
Your house, in particular, the kitchen area has to have top-notch tidiness and sanity. This will greatly help keep rodents and cockroaches at bay. After cooking your meals, ensure all the utensils are cleaned especially at night since that’s when rodents and cockroaches crawl out of their hiding to look for food. Any leftover food and all water jerrycans should always remain tightly closed.
Determine the kind of pests that have invaded your house.
In some cases, you may only have one type of pest that has infested your home while in other cases you may have several pests playing around in your home. The remedy of dealing with pests vary depending on the pests, in a nutshell, the approach of eradicating pests is different for every pest. This will help you determine which action steps you shall take. For instance, if you are dealing with rodents’ infestation, you will be able to know whether to buy traps or buy poison that will kill the rodents or call in a professional exterminator. However, choose a course of action that will bear you positive results. While at it, also find out how far the infestation has extended so that you can come up with an effective method.
Have all entries points properly sealed.
Pests don’t just find a way to your house miraculously. Rats squeeze their way to your home in any tiny hole they will find. One or two rats that will invade your house will start multiplying and within no time you have an empire of rats to deal with. The same applies to cockroaches. Flies will use even the tiniest of holes to gain access to your home meaning that you have to ensure all openings are tightly sealed. It will be very prudent for you to pay great attention when sealing your door frames and window frames. This is to ensure there isn’t any space for any pest to use to gain access to your home. If you have pipes that run in and out of your house, you should ensure that they are properly closed. This helps trap the pests in your house giving you a better shot at dealing with them.
Embrace a clean environment.
When dealing with a pest infestation, one of the remedies include ensuring your environment looks nothing less than tidy and clean. First and foremost, ensure your litter bins are emptied and remain clean. Essentially, this ensures that the rodents have no food hence they will starve or forced to move to another environment. Nevertheless, ensure that the grass in your yard remains short and that any stagnant water is immediately drained. The essence of doing this is that you are eliminating the breeding ground for mosquitoes which can be very detrimental to your health especially during rainy season. A clean surrounding keeps many pests at bay.
Don’t allow fruits to overripe.
Fruits that are overripe tend to attract a lot of flies most of the times. Fruits such as bananas easily ripen when placed in the fruit basket for such a long time. This means you will have many flies to deal with. To add on that, cockroaches will love to take a bite of your fruits so it would be prudent for you to keep your fruits in a safe place that no rat or cockroach will reach.
Call an exterminator.
If the pest infestation is too difficult for you to handle there’s always an option for you to call in a professional pest exterminator. If you had employed your own techniques and they aren’t really bearing any results, then it’s high time you seek help from pests control department in your area. These guys will not only help you eradicate the pests but will also teach you on measures to prevent pest infestation in your house.
The above method will come in handy as you try to deal with these destructive creatures. Pests such as termites are very destructive as they eat away wood. Dealing with pest infestation is very tasking and involves a lot of patience. Rodents can be clever and sometimes they can’t easily walk into a trap as easily as you might think, so patience is very important. However, ensure you have employed preventive measures so as to ensure that you don’t deal with another pest infestation in your house. These pests can really deny you peace and joy in your home if they aren’t dealt with in a proper manner. Conclusively, prevention is always better than cure.
Often times we find ourselves with a lot of foodstuffs after grocery shopping with nowhere to place them after the fridge seems full. It might not be necessarily full. Maybe it’s just how you arrange stuff in your fridge. Here are some very easy hacks to keep your fridge organized.
Use containers to keep food in place.
Placing food anyhow is one of the greatest mistakes that you can do as it will consume a lot of space in your fridge. It may also be a bit unhygienic and some food wrappers may cause the food to go bad after a short period of time. Try putting common items in one container and place them at a common place as a great way of keeping your fridge organized.
Label the containers.
To avoid confusion or instances where you have to uncover the container every time you want to prepare something just to make sure it’s the right thing you want, ensure you label your food. This is usually due to the frost in the fridge that makes the container look a bit blur making it difficult to see through it. You can also arrange them in order of what you frequently eat.
Cover your fridge shelves.
If you are always in a hurry and find it time-consuming cleaning your fridge, you can always cover the shelves with a wrapping paper so that when something spills, you just peel off the wrap and you are good to go. Make sure to wrap it again after removing the dirty one.
Get an arranging system.
As funny as it may sound, it makes perfect sense to put the meat stuff on the bottom shelve of the fridge while the veggies are on the top shelf. This will avoid the fluid dripping from the meat to spill on the rest of the food making you go through double the trouble of cleaning it.
Come up with a menu.
Getting to know what food you are cooking first will also help in arranging the fridge. You can arrange the food according to your meal plan so as to avoid going through the well placed and organized stuff again then having to start from scratch as you re-organize.
Avoid placing liquids in the fridge door.
For the sake of kid’s safety, store things in the fridge the right way. Avoid placing milk jars and beer bottles on the door side as this may cause breakage when the kids are opening the fridge vigorously. Try and get a bottle stopper and just place them on the normal fridge shelf with the stopper in place. This will also keep all fridge items safe and protect your kids or pets from harm as well.
Keep a stock of whatever is in the fridge.
Once you organize your fridge, it is really important that you get to know what you placed there and when you placed it so that you can avoid other foods from overstaying. When you go for grocery shopping, you can place the old stock in front and the new at the back so that nothing goes bad.
Ensure air circulation.
Do not stuff food in the fridge or rather do not overstock the fridge. Space the food well inside the fridge so that the air may flow through them to keep them cool. This will avoid food from going bad when inside the fridge from lack of being chilled. You can also slice fresh lemon pieces and place them in every corner of the fridge. This keeps bad odor away and the fridge will always remain fresh.
Store food whole.
If you are not consuming food at that minute, it is best that you do not slice it as it has a higher chance of going bad faster than whole food. For vegetables that are already sliced, you can chop them up and store them in mason jars inside the fridge. This will avoid wastage of food.
Take out anything you do not need.
At times you find empty milk bottles and meat wrappers that just stay in the fridge for no apparent reason. This makes the fridge appear so messy and disorganized. Have time to remove all those unwanted things in the fridge. If you no longer have any stock, the best thing to do is clean your fridge thoroughly and let it stay fresh ready for new stock.
Classify your food.
Please note that some foods when placed together may cause harm to your body. Putting meat and vegetables together, for instance, is a bad idea. They can release toxic substances that will make them go bad and can be very dangerous when consumed.
Containers work in the freezer too.
The freezer has a lower temperature than the fridge. This is to make sure that food stays frozen in there. You can imagine placing meat in their wrappers on top of each other. The wrappers will attach to each other making it very difficult to get one wrapped meat. The best way to store food in the freezer is just the same as the fridge and that is keeping them in containers.
Know what should and shouldn’t be in the fridge.
There are some foodstuffs that if placed in the fridge would go bad. They have a longer lifespan outside the fridge than inside. Things like potatoes, onions, and bananas are better off kept elsewhere other than in the fridge. If you need to store eggs in the fridge, get a good egg tray that will fit and place your eggs on the tray inside the fridge. Although eggs don’t need to be in the fridge to survive.
Position your fridge well.
Your fridge should not be very close to the wall or touching the wall. What happens is that when you place it touching the wall, the gas cylinder at the back of the fridge tends to lose gas fast. When that happens, your fridge will not be able to cool or freeze food.
With the above tips, keeping your fridge organized shouldnt be difficult and you wouldn’t have to rummage through for hours when you are looking for something.
A sponge is such a simple item that most people just use for washing dishes. In as much as they are primarily meant for dish-washing, sponges can be used for so many other purposes. These water-absorbent squares can be re-purposed to do various other activities. Sponge hacks are very interesting and the fact that sponges are relatively affordable means that you should really try these hacks out. The beauty of repurposing an item is that you get to save some coins at the end of the day. Some of these sponge hacks may seem pretty unfamiliar to many people but once you get to know them they will thrill and fascinate you so much. So, what are these sponge hacks? Here are some great and amazing ways a kitchen sponge can be reused.
Cleaning Your Microwave
Who could ever have thought that your dirty microwave can be given a touch of sparkling cleanliness by using a sponge? The food particles that get stuck in your microwave can really make you avoid using it to warm up your food. However, someone came up with a hack to ensure these food particles don’t in any way prevent you from enjoying the services of your electronic device. Dip the sponge in water then place it in the microwave and let it sit there for approximately three minutes. Remember to switch it on. After three minutes, don’t take the sponge out yet. Let it sit there for a few more minutes. The steam in your microwave will help loosen up the food particles that had stuck. From there you can easily remove the food particles thus your microwave becomes spectacularly clean.
Cleaning Glass Blades or Shutter
There are surfaces that are tricky to clean, such surfaces may include shutter, blinds and even fan blades. There are expensive methods of cleaning these surfaces but when you have a kitchen sponge you can clean such surfaces and save yourself a lot of money. All you need is two sponges and a pair of tongs. Right below the scrubber of your sponge, make a deep but slightly narrow cut. The cut shouldn’t be too narrow neither should it be too wide, just the right size to fit the edge of the tong. Make a cut on both the sponge. On the edge of the tongs, place the sponge such that the scrubbing side of the sponge faces outside. Hold the glass surface or the fan blade between the two sponges and move the tong vertically such that it picks any dust present.
Cleaning Oven Racks or Grill Grates
Cleaning grill grates is not a joke especially when you don’t have the right tools thus this process becomes hard and time-consuming. However, someone discovered an easy and fast way of cleaning cooking grills and oven by using a kitchen sponge. Using a paper cut, cut your sponge vertically and horizontally to create several squares. But don’t make deep cuts. You can then use the slit sponge to effectively clean your oily grill grates and even oven racks. This method is very effective as you are able to remove dirt even in corners that seem unreachable.
Use as a Nail Polish Remover
As a lady, if the process of removing nail polish doesn’t intrigue you maybe because you have to buy a nail polish every other time then you should try this hack and just see how efficient it will work for you. Take a sponge that doesn’t have the scrubbing surface and fold it then put it in an airtight glass jar. Pour all the contents of the nail polish bottle into the container with the sponge. Afterward, stick your fingers into the sponge one by one. Remember to swirl your fingers so as to completely remove all the nail polish from your nails. When you are done, tightly close the glass jar and put it safely until the next time you will need to remove nail polish from your nails.
Great as Ice Packs
This sponge hack is very creative and definitely helps you save some money. If you are a gym person or a sportsperson, then you can definitely agree that ice packs are something that you regularly use. Kitchen sponges can be used to make some reliable and efficient ice packs. Dip the sponge in a roughly large bowl that has water. Let the sponge absorb water for some time before taking it out. Squeeze it lightly before putting it in a ziplock bag and putting it in a freezer. After three hours, you will have yourself an ice pack that you can use to relieve painful muscles, aching joints or even swells on your body. What a hack.
Dryer Sheets DIY
Knowing how to turn kitchen sponge into dryer sheets will make you ditch all those dryer sheets sold in the stores which are actually expensive compared to this method. All you need is water, thin sponges and fabric softener, it looks simple already, doesn’t it? Into an airtight container, pour one cup of water and half a cup of fabric softener. Gently stir them together to get a dissolved mixture. Dip the thin kitchen sponge into the container with the solution, then close the container tightly and store it in the laundry room. When doing your laundry, take one sponge and throw it in the dryer together with the wet clothes and run the dryer machine. When you are done with the laundry, put the sponge back into the container and you can use it again.
Kitchen sponges have these and more other functions. Other ways include the curling of hair, seed germination, and others. You can go online and learn the various ways you can turn a simple kitchen sponge into a tool that can be used and re-used. However, always ensure that your kitchen sponge remains in very clean conditions since a dirty sponge can easily be a breeding ground for bacteria. Try these great and fun tips today.
For a space that is quite small, your home office can collect an impressive amount of clutter. It is easy for a stack of files and papers to pile up considering this is where you place all of your financial, medical and educational files. Your office might be the most important room in your house because that is where the activity that pays for everything else occurs. It’s important, therefore, to know that how you set up your office.
This will greatly influence your productivity in ways that you will find impressive. When you have an organized home office, you literally reduce distractions and in the process saving time and positions you to success. It also gives you a sense of control over what you are doing, which is motivation enough to psych you up on doing more.
On the other hand, a cluttered and disorganized office not only reduces your productivity but also can affect your health by causing frustration and depression. For instance, you don’t want to be in a situation where you need a sales report, and you can’t remember whether you filed it under sales or some other report that seemed sensible at the time. This greatly wastes time and more often, becomes a turn off even to those you are working for.
Most people love the thought of working from home, but in reality, it’s not easy finding the balance between your personal and professional life. One will habitually get in the way of the other. And sadly, the personal life often takes the crown. That is one situation you don’t want to find yourself in. here are some guidelines on how you can bring order in your home office:
Clear your desk
Since this is the place you spend most of your time, it is the best place to start. Clear off everything that’s on your desk. Just leave your computer and phone. Chances are, the surface is dirty from dust and coffee stains that were never cleaned out. In reference to the finishing of your desk, clean appropriately. A surface that is clean automatically looks more organized. If you rarely or never use the things on your desk, put them away. Whereas, arrange the ones used regularly neatly on the desk. Regularly means daily.
Get a good filing cabinet
Most of what clutters the office are files and documents. Losing a file in clutter gets as bad as it can get. It is frustrating because, ugh, you will need to go through almost every document by the time you get the appropriate one. It doesn’t have to be so, clear the office desk clutter and have a good filing system in place. Good filing systems ensure efficiency, ready reference and better control of your work. Ensuring you get the data you need when you need it. What marks out a good filing system is its simplicity, accessibility, compactness, and safety. It is important, however, to note that in reality, almost everyone has a filing system but most are the king of clutter. After you secure a good filing system, don’t just stuff it, organize it frequently.
Throw clutter away
Most offices are filled with files that we don’t need to use anymore but just can’t bring ourselves to throw them away. Yet, no office can be that generous with space and still be organized. Sort-throw your files, then throw or shred those that are unnecessary. This is a time you can get really indecisive, which is understandable, but you have to be brutal. Come on, do you really need the old business magazine? If there’s something important that can replace it, get rid of it. You actually have the power to keep that paper from piling up, if decluttering gets challenging.
Get important desk accessories
Desk accessories help in maintaining the neatness of your desk. After clearing your working area, you will definitely need a pen or something you use regularly, and leaving it on your desk will just be adding clutter. You also need desk accessories to save on time –the time you use to get up to your filing cabinet to get what you use frequently. The key to having a desk setup is to improve your productivity by obtaining desk accessories that will improve productivity without causing clutter. For instance, consider getting a smartphone holder, pen, and paper holder, desk lamp or book and file folders (but don’t be overwhelming).
Personalize but don’t overdo it
Personalization never loses its charm. It gives character and personality to any space. As much as you want to maximize productivity, you also need your office to feel occupied. You need to familiarize with space. Add color to your desk with a picture frame of your family or friends. You can also add inspiration by having your favorite book or novel on your desk.
Organize your desktop
Since most of the work now is done digitally, it stands to reason that your computer environment will greatly influence your productivity. First, start by choosing a wallpaper that is productivity-boosting and will put you in the mood. Before you do anything else, if you have a cluttered desktop, clear it by putting the items any folder first. It is easier to clean if you can get it out of the screen. Then create a filing system that suits our style. For instance, you can have one folder for sales documents and within that, one file per sale. It is also important to back up your important files at an external storage. Then you can toss out files you no longer need.
Develop a routine
Develop a habit of tidying up office space, before you call it a day. It is easy when working from home, for things that are totally not related to our work to find their way there. Therefore, by taking a minute of your time after work to clean your office, will greatly help start in the right foot the next day.
With all the above tips your home office will not only look professional but you will get more things accomplished from your desk.
Every home appliance was manufactured to serve a certain distinct purpose. These appliances have really come in handy as they have made work so easier. For instance, a coffee maker has made the process of preparing coffee take less time, washing the dishes has become easier and fun thanks to the dishwasher. These appliances have become a necessity amongst most modern homeowners. Do you know one appliance can perform another task other than the intended one? The essence of these hacks is that you don’t have to buy one too many appliances whereas you can have a reduced number of appliances since one device can perform several functions. Here are some great hacks about home appliances.
Coffee maker.
It goes without saying that a coffee maker is a home appliance with a very distinct function, which is obviously making coffee. An intelligent and creative chef can attest that with access to only a coffee maker, he can prepare some great meals. A coffee maker can be used to boil eggs or even rice thus eliminating the need of having a rice cooker. Other than that, it can also be used to cook complex dishes. Isn’t it fascinating knowing how much a coffee maker can do other than making coffee?
Cleaning of jeans.
Most people don’t often wash their favorite pair of jeans as they tend to fade away with time. Well, freezer, yes freezer, is ultimately your best solution. All you need to do is put your pair of jeans in an impervious bag and store it in this home appliance for some time. Bacteria don’t tend to survive very well in cold surroundings so the cold temperatures in the freezer will kill any bacteria present in your pair of jeans. This method not only eliminates bacteria but also the smell of dirty jeans leaving your jeans smelling new. Nevertheless, if you have a computer hard disk that has crushed you can put it into the freezer and it will get revived, for a short time though, but you should be able to retrieve important files. Also, you can use your freezer to recharge NiMh and NiCd batteries when they are dead.
The dishwasher is your best solution.
A dishwasher is an appliance that was designed to perform a number of duties but most people only relate dishwasher with dishes. This appliance can clean just about anything. It has the capability of killing bacteria while ensuring that original shape of items remains to be so. This appliance is designed to be gentle thus you can clean items that can easily lose their shape when put in the washing machine. Dishwashing machine is your best bet when it comes to cleaning not only dishes but also other items.
Rice cooker.
This is an appliance with the potential of doing a number of activities, but don’t let its name restrict you. Steamed towels are very popular with high-end restaurants or even spa. These towels are used to relax the body prior to a body massage. Also, these towels can be used to wipe hands as they are capable of killing bacteria. However, cabinets used to warm these towels are rather expensive. There won’t be any need to buy a towel-warming cabinet while you have a rice cooker. You can easily warm and steam your towels using a rice cooker. Furthermore, there is a wide range of food that you can prepare using a rice cooker.
Use the oven to dehydrate food.
The expensive cost of commercial dehydrators should not deny you the chance to enjoy the pleasant taste of dried food and fruits. If you have an oven then you can easily enjoy your dried meals round the clock. All you need to do is stack numerous cooling racks above each other. These racks are separated by balls of aluminum foil which are placed on the corners. You will probably need to remove the oven racks so that you can place the racks with the fruits on the bottom. Then remember to set the temperatures to 200 degrees then leave the fruits there for approximately six hours. From there you will be able to enjoy the sweet taste of dried fruits.
Disinfecting your sponges.
Sponges are a very useful tool in the kitchen. Sponges are used to clean dishes and in the process, they can get bacteria if they are not properly maintained. It wouldn’t be such a good idea to clean your dishes with a dirty sponge that is host to numerous bacteria. To ensure your kitchen sponge is clean and bacteria free, dip in water then lightly squeeze it. Put it in the microwave and let it sit there for two minutes. To have clean utensils you will have to use a kill sponge and your microwave will help you sanitize your kitchen sponge.
Dying of fabric.
Turns out that the microwave cannot only be used warm cold food but can also be used to speed up the process of dying fabric. This is a rather interesting hack. A microwave impressively accelerates the dying reaction from hours to just minutes making it so convenient and reliable so much. Interestingly, a microwave is the recommended way of dying fabric.
Washing brushes.
Besides keeping your dishes in a sparkling mode, you can also use your dishwasher to clean your brushes which include paint brushes as well as makeup brushes. A dishwasher can also be used to clean computer keyboard, but you will need to be careful about how you go about it. Place it facing downwards and remember to skip the drying cycle. It should stay there for a few days before you attach it back to your computer.
Without any doubt, these hacks are very interesting and fun to implement. When purchasing a home appliance be sure to opt for an appliance that will serve you in various ways so that the appliance becomes more efficient. The survivability of these appliances entirely depends on how you maintain and use them. Always ensure you give top-notch maintenance.
Children are a source of joy that brings a lot of happiness to a couple. They approach life with such innocence and wonder that somehow gets into you in the best way. Kids make you laugh, not the polite laugh you give after hearing a dry joke, but a genuine hearty laugh. Besides, they are a legitimate reason for you to watch cartoons and play games. But there’s a catch. After you spend an impressive four hours cleaning stains around the house, only to have them back before the sun sets, you realize it is a full-time job and you need some cleaning tips.
With everything else thrown in with parenthood, you are not alone in thinking that you did not sign up for such. While it might be easy to let your house go, it is not the best idea. It is hard to maintain a clean home, of course, but so worth it for both your kids and you. That is why you need all the help you can get. We got you. Here are some cleaning tips that will ensure you have a clean and tidy home, as you save time and maintain your sanity.
Cleaning Out Crayon and Marker Stains
Crayon stains are fun to make for your kid as they are having the time of their life creating art. Crayons actually help your kid into their path of writing, but when they go vague and write on everything else rather than the paper, you know you are in trouble. It doesn’t look good. There are various things you do to get rid of these stains. The simplest one, that would hardly require an elbow grease, is by rubbing mayonnaise on the stain and let it soak for a while. Then take a damp cloth and wipe the surface. You can also use your hair blow-dry to soften up the crayon stain, then wipe it off. To remove permanent marker stains, apply some toothpaste on the stain and scrub in circular motions using an old toothbrush. Kids also manage to get crayon stains on their clothes as much as on the walls. Simply soak the cloth in undiluted vinegar and rub the stains off using a recycled toothbrush.
Removing Gum From Your Kid’s Clothes
Kids just seem to attract every sort of dirt throughout the day. One of the dirt is gum, so it is important for you to have some tricks up your sleeves when they come home from school with gum stuck on their cloth. To remove the gum, either place ice cubes on the gum or place the cloth in the freezer. This will harden the gum, and you should now be able to scrape it off using a blunt object.
Cleaning Urine Stains
Kids are generally messy and often you will find pee stain on your seats or bed. This doesn’t mean you give up on your sense of style. There is a really effective and cheap way you can get rid of the stain, and particularly get the smell out too. All you need is hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dishwashing detergent. Make a mixture and put it in a spray bottle. Leave it for around an hour then come back and wipe it off. Your fabric will be stainless and the odor will be gone too. Consider ventilating your home if the smell gets to you.
Delegate Duties
We like doing the household chores ourselves because we will do it better and in less time. While this is true, there are so many other duties thrown at you, that it will be more effective if you delegate some duties to your kids. This will not only be beneficial to you but also give your child a sense of responsibility and competency. Getting your kids to do chores is good for everyone. For instance, a toddler around 2-3 years can pick up toys and put them in a basket or set placement mats on the dinner table. A preschooler around 4-5 years can help set the table and putting away groceries. School-age children can help water plants or feed the pet. Consider finding a way to make them do it without you being in their case every time.
Ensure Everything Has a Place
The main cause of clutter is when things don’t have a place to go. This will make your work very hard while cleaning and maintaining the order of your home. Therefore, consider giving everything their place and letting your children know. This will also ensure that you become disciplined in buying your kids toys. Frankly speaking, we never seem to buy enough toys for our kids and when never we see something cute, we’ll get for them. Not wrong at all, but buy those extra clothes and gifts as long as they have a place to go.
Remove Glitter by Using a Lint Roller
Most kids love glitter, but parents loathe them because of their nanoparticles that are so hard to clean. But glitter doesn’t have to be your enemy. Clean them by first removing as much as you can with a broom. Then use a tape-based lint roller to remove even the stubborn stains of glitter off your floor. If you don’t have the roller, you can wrap a masking tape around your fingers so that the sticky part is outside, then use that to clear the dirt
Cleaning Lego Bricks
Kids never get enough of Lego bricks, and they indeed do the trick of keeping them busy for a while. But, they can be very tricky and time-consuming when it comes to cleaning them one at a time. Therefore, place them in a net and wash them in your washing machine. It is essential you do the cleaning regularly because they often end up in their mouths as they play.
Baby Wipes Are Essential
If you don’t have baby wipes, go get them. They come in handy in many ways. Kids and stains go hand in hand, and this is where the wipes come in. by now, you know that it is easier dealing with stains while still fresh. Therefore, when your kid spills something, bring in the wipes. They are also great for cleaning seat belts
Remove Floor Scuffs Using a Tennis Ball
When kids and pets move around, it is easy to have a messy floor. You can scrub it if you like, but there’s an easier option. Just make a hole in a tennis ball and place a broomstick in the space. It will do a great job on your floor.
Clean The Toys in a Dishwasher
Having a hard time cleaning your kid’s numerous toys? Place them in the dishwasher and they will sparkly clean.
From the above information, you have now known some useful cleaning tips that you can use in your house where the kid(s) lives and keep it clean and germ-free always
