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How to clean a toilet using citric acid

Using citric acid to clean your toilet is an effective and environmentally friendly alternative to commercial cleaners.

Get your supplies together you are going to need citric acid powder, rubber gloves and a toilet brush or scrubber.

Use the citric acid as it is and pour directly into the toilet pan 100/200g. If the limescale build up is quite bad use more.

Pop the lid down and allow the citric acid to sit in the toilet bowl for at least 1 hour, for best results leave over night. This gives the acid time to break down stains, mineral deposits, and bacteria.

After the citric acid has had time to work its magic, scrub the toilet bowl thoroughly using a toilet brush or scrubber. Pay special attention to areas with stubborn stains or buildup.

Once you’ve thoroughly scrubbed the toilet bowl, flush the toilet to rinse away the citric acid solution and any loosened grime.

For particularly tough stains or buildup, you may need to repeat the process one or more times until the toilet bowl is clean and sparkling.

Using citric acid to clean your toilet is not only effective but also safe for the environment and your family.

Clean,Clothes,Hanging,On,White,Radiator,In,Room

Stop drying your clothes on your radiators

Radiators will dry your clothing quickly, but you’ll be storing up potential problems in your home.

The moisture from the wet clothing has to go somewhere; it doesn’t just magically vanish. 

The two primary reason against drying clothes on a radiator is the cost and mould.

Radiators are not designed for drying clothes, and using them for this purpose can be inefficient. It may lead to increased energy consumption and higher electricity bills.

Cost


Your radiator, even without a thermostatic valve is trying to reach a certain temperature. Yet you’re plugging the upstream heat of your whole system. Your boiler then has to struggle to heat the room using a radiator whose cycle is blocked by your washing. Your radiator is rendered completely inefficient and it’s costing you money.

The central heating hates it and your bank account isn’t any better off either.

Mould

Mould loves it when you’re drying clothes on a radiator. Modern homes are especially vulnerable to condensation and mould because double glazing and better insulation means that there’s no air escaping. 

Drying clothes indoors releases a surprising amount of moisture into the air. This is because the water in the clothes needs to evaporate, and that moisture is then released into the surrounding environment.

The moisture released during the drying process can lead to an increase in indoor humidity. When this moist air comes into contact with cold surfaces, such as windows, walls, or the radiator itself, it can condense into water droplets.

The moisture that condenses on these cold surfaces can create favourable conditions for mould growth. Mould thrives in damp, dark, and humid environments. If not properly ventilated or dehumidified, the moisture from drying clothes on a radiator can contribute to mould problems in a room.

Stick to a well ventilated area

Here are some tips for effective clothes drying in a well-ventilated area:

  • If possible, use a designated laundry room with good airflow and ventilation. If you don’t have a dedicated laundry area, choose a room with windows and good airflow.
  • Consider using a clothesline or drying rack near an open window or outside, if weather permits.
  • Use fans or open windows to improve air circulation during the drying process.
  • Ensure that the room is not overly humid to prevent moisture-related issues.
  • Use a dehumidifier which will cost you an average of 14p to run.

By following these tips and drying your clothes in a well-ventilated area, you can help maintain a healthy indoor environment and ensure your clothes dry efficiently.

book 3

Lemon and Bicarb the ultimate scrubber

I absolutely love, using a lemon and bicarbonate of soda for a natural cleaning solution for various surfaces, including my kitchen sink. Lemons contain citric acid, which helps break down grease and stains, while bicarb acts as a gentle abrasive and deodoriser.

Grab your lemons later in the day from the supermarket where they are often price dropped.

Here’s how you can use this mixture for the ultimate cleaning power:

Materials Needed:

  • Lemon
  • Bicarbonate of soda
  • Microfiber or cleaning cloth

Steps:

  1. Cut the Lemon: Cut a lemon in half, ensuring that it’s fresh and juicy.
  2. Sprinkle Bicarbaonate of soda: Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda directly onto the cut side of one of the lemon halves.
  3. Scrub: Use the lemon half with the bicarb to scrub the sink surface. Focus on areas with stains, limescale, discolouration, gunk and grime.
  4. Squeeze Juice: As you scrub, you’ll naturally squeeze out lemon juice. The citric acid in the lemon juice helps break down stains and grease.
  5. Scrub Tough Areas: For tougher stains or areas with mineral deposits, you can use a soft scrub brush along with the lemon and baking soda mixture.
  6. Rinse and Wipe: Once you’ve scrubbed the sink, rinse it thoroughly with water to remove the lemon juice and bicarb residue.
  7. Dry and Polish: Use a clean cloth or paper towel to dry the sink and polish the surface. This can help remove any remaining residue and leave your sink looking shiny.
  8. Dispose of the Lemon: You can dispose of the used lemon in your compost or food waste bin to help give off a fresher scent.

This method not only cleans but also imparts a pleasant citrus scent to your sink area. It’s a natural and environmentally friendly way to deep clean and deodorise your kitchen sink.

However, be cautious when using this method on natural stone sinks, as the citric acid in the lemon could potentially damage the stone over time.

Remember that regular maintenance and cleaning can help prevent excessive buildup, making your deep cleaning efforts more effective and less frequent.

Laundry,Room,With,Washing,Machine,Or,Tumble,Dryer.,Modern,Household

Combat smelly workout wear

If you hit the gym or the local park frequently for a good power walk or run or you may just enjoy wearing workout wear for comfort when doing the housework, you have most likely experienced stinky workout wear. That unfortunate occurrence when the stink lingers after the clothes are clean and dry?

The fibers in workout wear are generally not natural and tend to hold on to odours due to the type of material and how tight the material is woven. It can be hard for detergents to penetrate the tight weave.

The simplest trick to keep the stink at bay

Is to just add an extra rinse. The extra rinse ensures that you remove any detergent and most importantly, any trapped odours.

A few more tips include:

Use a liquid laundry detergent. with enzymes – liquid always works best!  It works so well because it’s powered by an enzyme blend that searches out dirt, stains and those nasty odours.

Don’t over use detergent. This is one of the biggest mistakes people make with all laundry, more detergent does not mean cleaner! If you use more detergent than is recommended, the suds might not get fully washed out of your clothes during the rinse cycle. This can be a big problem, as odour-causing bacteria are likely to thrive if any of the soap remains on your work out gear after it has been washed. Unfortunately, the results aren’t going to be very hygienic or fragrant. The cap on the bottle is normally the measuring tool so use this or read the label for the correct measurements.

Cold water. Avoid the heat. Elastic clothing doesn’t like being exposed to high heat, and that heat will also amplify odours.

Never use fabric softener. The fabric softener coats the fibers making it difficult to clean the clothes. Instead you can add 20ml of white vinegar directly to the drum, white vinegar is a natural disinfectant and will banish those odours from workout wear.

Don’t over-dry workout wear. As soon as the clothes are dry, remove them from the dryer. Letting them continue to dry too long just makes really statically and no one wants clingy shorts or leggings. Workout wear dries quickly so even in the winter months on dry days hang it outside to air dry.

Wash workout wear with workout wear. If you can try and wash together and whilst waiting for a fuller load store work outwear together so that horrible smell does not impact other clothing. The clothes will get cleaner this way and it will be so much easier to sort and put away.

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How to clean walls

We all know that with kids and animals around the house, it can be really hard to keep walls clean and mark free.

Here are some tips on how to clean walls broken down into categories

INK

It’s always such a joy when little ones begin to express their creativity through drawing, colouring, and painting – unless, of course, they decide to do it on the walls. 

  • Spray some hairspray onto a Cloth then rub it gently over the ink mark.
  • Try some rubbing alcohol/surgical spirit onto a cotton ball and dab it on the ink stain until the stain is gone.
  • Apply some toothpaste to it, leave it for 10 minutes, then wash off with water (this method is also great for wallpapered walls).
  • Apply some eucalyptus oil to some kitchen roll and rub directly on the mark.

CRAYON

Another waxy material the kids like to apply to our walls is crayon you can use Magic Erasers to get rid of crayon without taking off the paint or you can make your own using a dampened sponge dipped into some bicarbonate of soda.

DIRTY FINGER MARKS AND SCUFFS

To get rid of dirty fingerprints, mix equal parts of white vinegar with warm water and wipe down the walls. Another option is eucalyptus oil on a cotton ball rubbed on the fingerprints.

GREASE MARKS

The same vinegar/water solution as above but also add in some lemon juice. Lemon juice is a great degreaser and will shift those stubborn grease marks.

For a general clean and freshen up of your walls you can use sugar soap diluted with warm water, to reach up high use a flat headed mop, but don’t forget to dry dust your walls first of all. Sugar soap helps to improve adhesion and give a better finish when decorating and will effectively remove nicotine marks so a great product to keep in your cleaning cupboard.

Empty,Glasses,And,Wine,Carafe,In,Stylish,Modern,Kitchen

How to clean cloudy glasses

If you are hosting a dinner party or simply just grabbing a glass of water there is nothing worse than dingy-looking glasses.

There is a way to clean up cloudy glasses and limit how often the unwanted haze returns and you can do using staples you most likely already have in your kitchen cupboards.

All you need

How to Clean Cloudy Glasses 

Cloudiness in glassware is usually caused by two things: Calcium and magnesium left behind from hard water. Washing them by hand is the best way to keep them clean and spot-free, but with busy lives the dishwasher makes light work of washing up.

Soak in white vinegar 

You need the white vinegar to be warm before using it as an effective cleaning agent. Fill your sink with hot water and let your bottle of white vinegar soak for one minute. Next, drain the sink and refill it with the now warm vinegar. Just use enough to cover the glasses and then let the glasses soak for one hour. 

Remove the Film 

Take the glasses out of their vinegar, gently scrub with your sponge and rinse with hot water until they are crystal clear.

Dry the Glasses

To dry use a lint free cloth or a flour stack towel, these cloths are perfect and will not leave any fibres behind. Fibres can make your glasses look dingy.

Prevent the Cloudiness From Returning

Since glassware becomes cloudy from dried water droplets, is to prevent water from drying on them in the first place which mainly happens when using the dishwasher. Hand washing and drying immediately is the best solution and will help keep your glasses from getting cloudy.

Cloudiness Could Be Permanent 

If you have tried the above and your glasses are still cloudy after they dry, the condition is likely permanent.

Angle the glass toward the light, if you see shades of pink, purple, brown, or blue this is a sign that your glasses can’t be brought back to life.

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Tips to keep your home dust free

Dust in the home can be a real pain and no matter how much you dust it does just tend to keep coming back.

Some homes are more prone to dust than others and the environment around your home can be a contributing factor but there are a few simple tips and tricks you can do to try and keep your home dust free

And don’t worry as you do not need to go out and spend money on lots of fancy cleaners as all these tips are super simple and won’t cost you nothing at all.

Close the windows

I love having my windows open, fresh air is a great natural deodoriser but when you have the windows open you are letting the dust in. If any of your windows face a busy road dust will be even more problematic, the dust becomes airborne, so it can easily find it way into your home.

Keep your blinds dust free

Blinds are one of the most common places for dust to settle due to their size and shape. If you have fabric blinds use a lint roller or a damp daddy, avoid using the vacuum nozzle as they can pull your blind out of shape.

For slated blinds pop an odd thick sock on your hand and run over each individual slate, work from the same end of the blinds and start from the top as dust falls. If you haven’t got an odd sock to hand get yourself a dusting glove, these are made from microfibre and will ultimately pick up more than a sock.

Grab a lint roller

gel lint roller just like the kind you use on your clothes, removes dust and dirt from any other fabric just as well. Regularly use on your curtains and lamp shades.

Vacuum correctly

Keep your vacuum well maintained and clean, if the filter is blocked or clogged with dust it will not pick up any dust from your floors, instead it will start to spit out what you have already picked up. Most vacuums have settings for different floor types so ensure you use the correct setting.

Vacuum in different directions, horizontally and then vertically and get underneath your furniture too as this is where dust will really settle.

Keep clutter at bay

The more items you have lying around, the harder it’ll be to dust them. 

Clutter is one of the most common causes of dust around the home and can affect how much dirt accumulates in different parts of the house. 

Keep plants on your window seals

Plants are an excellent way to keep dust at bay because they naturally absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, which in turn releases oxygen back into the air we breathe. 

Plants placed near windows will not only help clean the air but also help remove some of the dust particles that settle on windowsills – saving you a cleaning job in the future, too.

Plant leaves can get dusty and the best way to remove the dust is to use a recycled make up brush as they are so gently when knocking the dust away.

Keep hold of that last bit of wallpaper

When we decorate we are always left with a little of the wallpaper roll. If your kitchen cabinets or wardrobes don’t go all the way to the ceiling then line the tops with the left over wallpaper to collect the dust and knock of once a week to save the build up of dust.

Keep your pets well groomed

Regularly brushing (and even just petting) your furry friend produces errant hair and dust. If you regularly groom them outside, or in an easy-to-clean space like the bathroom, you can seriously cut down on your cleaning.

No shoes

Commit to a no-shoes policy inside and get a good-quality doormats one to leave outside your main entrance and one inside.

Want more cleaning tips then grab a copy of one of my books and I will show you how to clean your house and tidy up your life

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How to get rid of dust mites on soft toys

Dust mites can be a real pain and more often than not they live inside our kids soft toys.

Dust mite allergy is one of the most common allergies, and I’m sure most people don’t realise this could be the reason behind a lot of sinus or hay fever symptoms.  

Dust mites like to hide in the following:

  • Soft toys
  • Quilts
  • Sheet
  • Mattress
  • Pillows
  • Curtains
  • Carpet
  • Furniture and Clothes

Here to washed stuffed toys

  • Pop the soft toys into a laundry bag.
  • Use your usual detergent.
  • Add in 4-6 drops of tea tree essential oil as this is a natural disinfectant.
  • Reshape them when they come out of the wash.
  • Either hang them by the ears to dry or lay them flat too dry.
  • Give them a little dry brush with a soft brush to get them looking fluffy again. 

In the freezer

Place the soft toy into a plastic bag and pop in the freezer for 24 hours and this will also kill the dust mites and bacteria.  Once they have thawed out you can just put them in the dryer on a low setting for about 15-20 minutes to shake them up.

Vacuum

Another thing you can do is vacuum them. I know it sounds strange but a good vacuum every week using the nozzle removes the dust mites as well as dirt and fluffs up the fur at the same time.

Steam

For delicate soft toys, steam out the dirt and grime with a handheld steamer. The steam will sanitise the toy, making it safe for your child to cuddle with, steam will also help deep clean toys with batteries that can’t go in the washing machine.

Children's,Hands,Decorating,A,Window,Glass,For,Christmas

How to remove sticker residue

Whether you’re dealing with label adhesive on a glass jar that you want to recycle or you have kids who really like putting stickers everywhere figuring out how to remove sticker residue off home surfaces can be challenging.

The good news is………

This all too common job is super easy with the right tools and you probably already have these in your kitchen cupboards.

Olive oil and white vinegar

A winning combination to remove sticky residue from any surface in your home. After applying a thin layer of olive oil to the affected area, simply scrub it with a recycled tooth brush, then, spray the sticky area with white vinegar and gently scrub using a dry cloth.

Then just wash away any lingering oil and vinegar with washing up liquid and dry/

WD-40

WD40 has so many amazing uses but it is also a great adhesive remover. Spray the solvent generously to soak the sticky area. Allow it to sit and work its magic for a few minutes, then use a dry rag or a plastic scraper to remove the adhesive. 

Orange oil

If have any orange oil based products in your cupboard, for restoring wood or an essential orange oil then both these products work wonders. Just soak the area and then scrap the adhesive away.

Rubbing alcohol

Soak a cotton ball or pad in rubbing alcohol, then applying it to the sticker until it’s fully saturated. Repeat twice , use a plastic scraper to slowly peel off the sticker.

Nail polish remover

Add a few drops or acetone nail polish remover to a cotton ball or pad and repeat the above steps.

Want to know how to remove candle wax then check out my how to remove tips.

Want to learn more tips then grab a copy of one of my books and I will show you how to clean your house and tidy up your life

White shaving foam

Shaving foam hacks

 I love a good simple cleaning hack! I never forget the day I discovered that white shaving foam is an amazing cleaner!

I dropped a new mascara on new carpet and quickly just dashed to the bathroom and grabbed the nearest soap like product and wow the results where amazing!

Sometimes, a household item can be surprisingly useful for things other than what it’s meant for, which means you don’t always need to spend a fortune on cleaning products. The humble can of white shaving is a fantastic cleaner and is so cheap if you stick to buying supermarket own branded logo.

So not only can you shave your legs or your face but clean your house too.

Make sure you keep a can in your cleaning caddy!

White tile grout

Typical grout needs to be cleaned every four to six months due to the built up dirt and bacteria that sits in grout lines and can potentially make the rest of the floor look dirty. Squirt the foam into the grout lines and then either using a recycled tooth brush or small grout cleaning brush and scrub in. Leave a few minutes and then wipe clean with a microfibre cloth.

It really is as simple as that and the good thing about using shaving foam is that it is perfectly safe for children and pets.

Stop your bathroom mirror from fogging up

Cover your mirror with white shaving cream, leave it for 30 seconds and simply wipe with a microfibre cloth or good quality kitchen roll and this will completely stop your mirror from fogging up, the bonus is it will also help prevent streaks.

Remove stains or your carpet/upholstery

Spray a bit of shaving cream on carpet or upholstery stains, scrub in using a soft bristle brush, allow them to dry and then blot clean using a white cloth. You can use it on upholstery in the car, too plus to tackle any mattress stains.

Polish up stainless steel

You can keep stainless steel looking polished by putting shaving cream on a clean cloth and wiping clean. You can do the same with all of your chrome fixtures in the kitchen bathroom, or laundry areas. Shaving cream great at removing hard water stains and leave such an amazing shine.  

Clean up the toilet base

Urine can end up on the sides of the toilet or the floor and after time the smell can become rather unpleasant, shaving foam is a quick and easy way to fix this! Simply cover the area around the toilet and on the sides of the toilet, really where there may be urine build up. Let the shaving cream sit for about 20 minutes and then wipe with a hot wet cloth or a mop with hot water. You will notice the urine smell has disappeared. You can do this every month or so, or just when the toilet area starts to smell. 

Make Jewellery Sparkle

Shaving cream is effective but gentle and perfect for cleaning jewellery. Pump a dollop of cream in your hand and rub your jewellery around.

Remove Oil Stains From Suede

To treat unsightly oil stains on suede furniture, coats or handbags, apply a small amount of shaving cream, rub it in, and then wipe it clean. You may need to fluff up the nap after the suede dries.

Want to learn more about to clean safely then grab a copy of one of my books and I will show you how to clean your house and tidy up your life