A clever trick to make your rubbish smell nice (and 11 other handy home hints)
You’ll wonder how you ever got along without knowing these sneaky home cleaning tricks.
1. Throw lemon, lime or orange peels into your garbage disposal to clean the drain and give your kitchen a lovely fresh scent.
2. Clean your silver quickly by lining your sink with foil, and then add half a cup salt and half a cup baking soda. Fill the sink with hot water and place your silverware inside for 30 minutes. The tarnish will transfer to the foil saving you loads of time as you won’t need to clean each piece separately.
3. Use an old dryer sheet to polish and metal in your car. It will give much better shine than a regular cloth.
4. To clean your cutting board, slice a lemon in half and rub it all over a plastic or wooden board. Leave to work its magic for 20 minutes before washing it.
5. Clean the ceiling fan by sliding a pillowcase over each blade, then pull it off gently to collect the dust.
6. If you have a grease stain on clothing, rub some chalk over it before washing to help get rid of the marks.
7. Keep the tops of cupboards cleaner by lining with plain paper or newspaper. Simply replace every couple of months.
8. Make your loo smell great by popping a few drops of your favourite essential oil in the middle of the roll. Lavender or rose are great options.
9. Make your own fabric freshener in a spray bottle by combining one-eight of a cup of fabric softener, two tablespoons of baking soda, and topping it up with hot tap water. Shake well and use to freshen up clothing or upholstery.
10. Clean vomit off a rug or carpet by baking a paste of baking soda and water. Clear up as much of the mess as you can and then smear the stain with the paste. Leave it to dry overnight until it becomes powdery and then just vacuum up.
11. Clean your sandwich press or bench top grill by placing a doubled up sheet of damp paper towel in the press after you have used it and switched it off. The heat will cause the towel to steam and clean the press. Then just wipe it clean with another piece of paper towel.
12. Clean up stained plastic containers by filling them two-thirds full with water and a tablespoon of washing up liquid. Add a quarter cup of bleach and microwave for 40 seconds, or until the solution is boiling. Leave to cool until the water is lukewarm and then wash your container as normal.