Housekeeping Tips
Read these 46 Housekeeping Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Family tips and hundreds of other topics.
Stainless Steel Utensil Cleaner
Use baking soda to clean stainless steel utensils - it removes most of the tough stains quickly - without much scrubbing.
Sweeping The Floor
To scoop up the final floor sweepings that are too fine to grip, wet a paper towl and dab it onto the pile.
Solo Socks
Throw away solo socks that have been lying around
a while. Or turn them into waxing or wash cloths. You can also make puppets out of them.
Roll Instead of Fold
Roll underwear and t-shirts instead of folding to save drawer space. Any small item that won't wrinkle can be rolled to save dresser drawer space.
Buttons, Coins, Pocket Miscellany
Glue a magnet to the back of a plastic pocket and attach to the side of the washer to collect stray buttons and coins.
Shower Heads
To remove mineral deposits from shower heads, unscrew shower head and soak in vinegar for several hours. If you can not remove the shower head, place vinegar in a plastic bag and then attach to shower head. After soaking scrub with a toothbrush and clean holes with a toothpick.
Assigning Household Chores
Put tasks that any family member can accomplish such as taking out the garbage on small slips of paper and place into a can for drawing. Once a week, have everyone draw one out and that's their chore for the week.
Toilet Bowl
To get rid of watermarks in the toilet bowl pour in 2 cups of white vinegar and let sit overnight. In the morning, just flush.
Kitchen Exhaust Fan
Use the exhaust fan in the kitchen to get rid of smoke and grease that can cause grimy buildup.
Stockpiling t-shirts, socks and underwear
Stockpile laundry staples such as t-shirts, socks and underwear to cut down the number of weekly washings.
Wastebaskets
Place a wastebasket in each room for easy disposal of
trash. Use plastic grocery bags to line each can by tying the handles in a knot to fit the rim of can.
Cold Water Rinse
Rinse laundry in cold water. It saves money and rinsing in hot or warm water won't get your clothes any cleaner.
Dried Food On Kitchen Floors
You can remove dried food from vinyl kitchen floors by using a plastic ice scraper. You can also squeeze a small amount of water on the area. It should wipe up easily after soaking for a few moments.
Coffee, Tea
For cotton, linen, nylon, raime, acrylic and polyester: Sponge with cool water. Soak in; 1 quart water, 1/2 tsp. dish washing liquid and 1 tsp. white vinegar. Rinse. Launder as usual.
For silk, wool, leather, suede and rayon: Apply dry cleaning solvent on a moist pad. If milk was used, an enzyme solution will be required. (Do not use enzymes on silk or wool.)
Room Cleaning
Arm yourself with a large basket or box and a garbage bag. Go around the room and pick up everything that doesn't belong there. Put trash in the garbage bag and all other items in the box to be distributed to where they belong at one time.
Dusting Blinds
Dust your blinds easily by wrapping a cloth around a ruler. Spray the cloth with dusting spray and run the flat end across each slat.
Heel Marks On Wood Floors
You can remove heel marks from wood floors by using a typewriter eraser.
Mildew Remover
Remove mildew from walls by washing with a solution of 1 part chlorine bleach to 5 parts water. Rinse well. Ventilate room well during and after cleaning.
Dusty Drapes
Toss dusty drapes and curtains in the dryer for 10 minutes on the air only cycle to remove dust quickly and easily.
Crayon Wax
For cotton, linen, nylon, raime, acrylic and polyester: Put between 2 paper towels and press with a warm iron. Apply dry cleaning solvent.
For wool, silk, leather, suede and rayon: Follow instructions for cotton.
Chocolate, Cocoa
For cotton, linen, nylon, ramie and polyester: Flush with water or club soda. Sponge with dishwashing liquid and a few drops of ammonia. Launder.
For silk, wook, leather, suede and rayon: Flush with club soda. Apply dry cleaning solvent. Launder.
Antiperspirant
For all but wool or silk fabrics: Soak for 30 minutes 1 quart cold water, 1 tbsp. ammonia and 1/2 tsp. dishwashing liquid. Rinse. Soak again for 1 hour in warm water and 1 tbsp. white vinegar. Rinse; dry.
Timing Makes the Job Easier
The best time to clean the bathroom is after a shower. The heat and steam loosen dirt and grime.
Clean Only When Dirty
If it's not dirty don't clean it. Don't scrub the whole kitchen if only the stovetop is dirty.
Sorting Laundry
Sort laundry by location. As you take items from the dryer stack them by room assignment.
Spoon Rest
Keep a small piece of tin foil on the stovetop for a spoon rest. You can throw it away after cooking.
Pack Along Cleaning Supplies
Place all your cleaning supplies in a cleaning cart or in a bucket. This will save you unnecessary trips back and forth to find the right cleaner.
Top to Bottom Dusting
When you dust, start at the highest points in the room and work your way down to the lowest points.
Limits On Floor Wax
The maximum number of times that you should wax a floor is eight. Then, it is time to remove the wax and start again.
Pantyhose Dish Scrubbers
Scrunch them up and moisten with soap and water to clean non stick cookware, sinks and tubs.
Kitchen Freezer
Clean freezers with a solution of 2 tablespoons baking soda mixed with 1 quart of water. Dry thoroughly before replacing food and wipe off any moisture on freezer packages before putting them back inside.
Cosmetics, Lipstick
For all: Apply dry cleaning solvent with a sponge. Keep stain moist until it's gone. Sponge with water.
Rubberband Cleaning Cloths
Rubber band a cleaning cloth around a bottle of furniture polish so that the cloth is always at hand.
Shower Doors
Remove water spots on metal frames around shower doors and enclosures with lemon oil.
Newspaper Dusters
Roll old newspapers lengthwise into a loose tube, secure with tape and cut one end into a fringe with scissors. Use to reach ceiling corners and other high places.
Homemade Window Cleaner
Make your own window cleaner by filling a spray bottle with 3 tablespoons ammonia, 1 tablespoon vinegar and the remainder with water.
Cut Down On Dirt
Always place a mat both outside and inside the doors that lead into the house. This cuts down on the amount of dirt dragged through the house.
Window Cleaning
Clean windows on a day with average weather temperatures (preferably overcast) to avoid streaking. Dry the outside in one direction and the inside in the opposite direction. Then, if you see streaks, you will know which side is the offender. When you are finished, shine windows using old newspaper.
Cleaning Mildew Off Grout
The way to get mildew off of grout; either on tile floors or walls, is to mix 3/4 cup of liquid chlorine bleach to one gallon of water and apply this with a sponge or toothbrush.
Baking Soda Carpet Freshener
Spinkle baking soda on your carpets and let it sit overnight to absorb musty odors. Simply vacuum it up the next day.
