Cleaning Tips

Look at each room and identify specific tasks. Make a list of cleaning priorities. Share the fun with family members. Kitchen: wash and wax wood floors and mop vinyl floors. Clean out refrigerator and pantry. Change shelf-liners. Straighten junk drawer Wipe down cabinet. Bathroom: Use lint-free cloths or a squeegee to wash windows inside and out. Dust the sill. Vacuum the window well. Window Treatments: Vacuum draperies. Wash blinds. Replace heavy drapes with lightweight or sheer curtains. Furniture: Polish furniture, wash upholstery, vacuum between cushions. Clean behind and under sofas and cabinets. Closets: Give old clothes and furniture to charity. Vacuum floors. Dust shelves. Hang cedar blocks to freshen the areas. Clean Doors Give a Great Impression If company is coming, clean and wash the doors in your house. No one knows why, but your whole house looks good. Scrub the door from top to bottom with a rag and soapy water, using a scrub brush for especially tough spots. While you're at it, wipe down the top edge of the frame. With all the dust that collects up there, it probably looks like velvet. Along with the upper side of a ceiling fan, the top of the door is one of the most missed spots in the home. Blood Stains Put a paste of water and cornstarch, cornmeal or talcum powder on fresh spots. Let dry and brush off. Cover fresh or dried stains with meat tenderizer and add cool water. After 15 to 30 minutes, sponge off with cool water. Fresh blood on leather? Dab on a little hydrogen peroxide. After it bubbles, wipe it off. If you get blood on fabric, quickly wet a long piece of white cotton thread with saliva and place it across the spot. The thread will absorb the blood. Removing Crayon Marks Remove crayon marks from painted walls by scrubbing with toothpaste or an ammonia-soaked cloth. Rinse and dry. Removing Heel Marks Take pencil eraser and rub them off. Quick fix for shiny wood floors. Put a piece of waxed paper under your dust mop. Dirt will stick to the mop and the wax will shine your floors. Cleaning Windows If necessary, dust off the window and sill with a clean paintbrush. Excess dust and water can cause mud. Use a professional-type squeegee available for about $20 at a janitorial supply store. Forget the cheap brands you find at the grocery store. They are not as effective, and you have to replace the whole thing once you get a nick in the blade. Don't clean windows while they are in direct sunlight. Your cleaning solution will dry too fast. Dip a 100% cotton cleaning cloth in your solution. Wring out the excess and then wipe the window to loosen dirt. Grab your squeegee. Start each squeegee stroke in a dry spot. Wipe a strip with a cleaning cloth to get started. Squeegee in a pattern from top to bottom, or side to side. If you clean the outside and the inside, Work top to bottom on the inside and side to side on the outside. By doing this, you'll be able to identify which side any streaks left behind are on. Keep the squeegee blade dry by wiping it with a cleaning cloth after each stroke. Replace the blade when necessary. Even the smallest nick can cause streaking. Don't have a squeegee? Use newspaper for drying freshly washed windows. It's cheaper and leaves no lint behind. More Window Washing Hints Wash windows on a cloudy, but not rainy day. This is the best time to vacuum the frames and sills. Cool, clear water is the choice of most professional window washers. If windows are very dirty you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons of vinegar per gallon of water. For drying windows, a wad of crumpled newspaper works just as well as expensive paper towels. Wear rubber gloves to keep your hands free of ink. Cleaning Window Sills To remove spots rub the surface with rubbing alcohol. Removing Tar Spots Use paste wax to remove tar from floors. This works on shoes too. Candle Wax For spilled wax on carpets and upholstery, put a brown paper bag over the dried wax and run a hot iron over it. The bag will absorb the hot wax. Dried wax on wood floors can be removed by softening the wax with a hair dryer, then removing with paper towels. Wash spot down with a combination of vinegar and water. Cleaning Soiled Shirt Collars Take a small paintbrush and brush hair shampoo into soiled shirt collars before laundering. Shampoo is made to dissolve body oils. Cleaning Combs and Brushes Use a combination of baking soda and hot water to clean hair brushes and combs. Removing Deodorant Stains from Washables Sponge area with white vinegar. If stain remains, soak with denatured alcohol. Wash with detergent in hottest water safe for fabric. Cleaning Glass Table Tops Clean by rubbing with a little lemon juice, dry with paper towels and polish with newspaper for a sparkling table. Toothpaste will remove small scratches from glass. Cleaning Marble

Wash windows on a cloudy, but not rainy day. Working in direct sunlight causes streaks because the cleaning solution dries before you can wipe it off. This is the best time to vacuum the frames and sills. Cool, clear water is the choice of most professional window washers. If windows are very dirty you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons of vinegar per gallon of water. Use horizontal strokes on the inside and vertical on the outside so you know which side the streaks are on. for drying windows, a wad of crumpled newspaper works just as well as expensive paper towels. Wear rubber gloves to keep your hands free of ink. Countertops First remove everything. Then vacuum or dust off all crumbs. Then wet a white nylon backed sponge with dishwashing detergent solution and use the sponge side to go over the counter, including the backsplash. Let the solution set on the surface for a few minutes to soften hard droplets. Then, use the nylon side of the sponge as necessary to remove any stubborn stuff. Buff dry with a clean, lint free towel. If your countertops have lost their luster, try furniture polish or club soda to give a temporary shine to your kitchen.

Like most decisions, the choice between having a carpet cleaned professionally and D-I-Y cleaning is based frequently on financial considerations. Electing to use a rental unit rather than a professional cleaner may be penny wise and pound foolish. Before deciding to do it yourself, several points should be considered. Contrary to common belief, carpet cleaning is an intricate process. When spots, stains and traffic patterns have made carpet unsightly, cleaning by D-I-Y methods may not enhance the appearance to the desired level. Consumers in most cases have had little or no previous experience operating the machines. Therefore, there is a good possibility of misuse and/or overuse. Machines can be rented for D-I-Y cleaning that utilize one of the various methods already mentioned (shampooing, hot water extraction, dry absorbent compound, etc.). Shampooing machines, for example, leave some residue on the carpet. If the carpet is shampooed many times the residue can accumulate leading to various problems, such as severe foaming on later cleaning, stickiness etc. Rental machines that use hot water extraction ("steam") cleaning are the most popular for residential use. Successful cleaning by these machines is largely dependent on the experience of the operator. Improper use can leave the carpet overly wet, causing possible backing delamination, odor from development of mold-mildew-fungi, cellulosic browning, color run, shrinkage, and other related problems. This can happen especially in areas of repeated, high volume use, or "traffic lanes". One or two passes of the cleaning wand may not be sufficient to enhance the appearance of such areas. Attempts to clean them over and over again can cause overwetting and its attendant problems. D-I-Y cleaning by the dry-absorbent compound method will not cause such problems as overwetting, color run, shrinkage, etc. But it, too, can mean some headaches. If the final vacuuming operation is not thorough, some of the powder will be left in the carpet pile. With repeated cleanings, enough cleaning compound can accumulate to cause some discoloration by its own presence. The obvious conclusion is that carpet cleaning by D-I-Y methods is not a substitute for professional cleaning. It can, at best, merely postpone the need or reduce the frequency of professional cleanings. Rental units lack adequate power, and consumers usually lack the expertise to succeed in properly maintaining carpet and prolonging its attractive life.

Coffee Stains To remove a coffee stain from fabric or a rug, try one of these methods: Dip a white cloth into a beaten egg yolk and rub the yolk into the stain. Then rinse with clear water. Work denatured alcohol into the stain, then rinse with water. Apply a solution of 1/2 teaspoon mild detergent in a pint of water. Blot with a white towel. If the stain remains, apply a 50-50 solution of water and white vinegar and blot. Cleaning Kitchen Countertops Use a mild dishwashing liquid for plastic lamination and rinse well afterwards to prevent residue from getting on food. Cleaning Vinyl Floors Mop with a mild detergent and wait awhile to allow it to penetrate the ground-in dirt. Cleaning Safety Tip Don't mix cleaning products like ammonia and bleach. They can be toxic. Cleaning with Automatic-Dishwasher Detergent. Automatic-dishwasher detergent works well on refrigerators, stoves, floors, walls and glass. Dissolve 1/4 cup in one gallon of very hot water. Wipe with a dry cloth afterward. Wear rubber gloves and test first to make sure that what you're cleaning is colorfast. Glassware Use the bartender's method for speedy stemware washing. Holding the base, pump the glass vigorously in very hot sudsy water, then quickly put it in hot clear water (cooler water may shatter it) Dry upside down on a cotton towel. For extra-shiny, streakless glasses, add a little vinegar or borax to the final rinse water. If glasses have hard-water stains, rub them with a scouring pad dipped in vinegar. Never use hot water, harsh soaps, ammonia or washing soda on silver or gold-rimmed glasses. A well-lathered shaving brush cleans deeply etched or hobnailed glass especially well. If eggs have dried on your patterned glass tableware, rub off the residue with a slice of lemon. Storing Leftovers When storing leftovers in the refrigerator, use old butter tubs and cottage cheese containers. When its time to clean out the refrigerator you can discard the entire container. You won't have a spilled mess in the garbage can or a sink full of dirty dishes. Garbage Disposal Tips If you've ever switched on the garbage disposal instead of the kitchen light, mark the switch with a dab of red nail polish - anything to stop that grating noise. If your dishwasher drains through your garbage disposal, switch it on when the hot soapy water is running through is so it gets a good cleaning. Stainless Steel To remove water spots on stainless steel, rub area with a clean, soft cloth dampened with white vinegar. Then wipe dry to avoid spots. Heel Marks Use a pencil eraser on black heel marks. Dishwasher Soap Film Run a cup of white vinegar through the entire dishwashing cycle in an empty dishwasher to remove all soap film. Refrigerator Odors A little vanilla poured on a piece of cotton and placed in the refrigerator will eliminate odors. After cleaning the refrigerator add a dash of lemon extract to the rinse water for a fresh scent. Stuck on Food For stuck on food on a casserole dish, try adding 2 tablespoons of baking soda and boiling water to cover the stuck on food. Let sit for a while. The dish will be much easier to clean. Handy Tie Drop the twist tie in the bottom of any can or basket before you put the liner in. When you're ready to empty it, the tie is handy.

Always keep an all-purpose cleaner and a sponge in the guest bath so you can sneak away and clean up when unexpected company shows up. Keep a squeegee in the shower so everyone can wipe it down when they are done (this will help prevent mildew). Steam helps to loosen build-up so why not clean while you're in there? Disinfectant can be used on everything in the bath except the mirror. Don't forget doorknobs and switch plates. Cleaning Shower Mats Dip a stiff brush in a kerosene and warm water solution to clean bath and shower mats. Easy Bathroom Cleaning Clean after a steamy bath or shower. The walls, fixtures, etc., will be much easier to clean because the steam will have loosened the dirt. Cleaning the Sink For light stains, rub with a fresh cut lemon. For dark stains (like rust) rub with a paste of borax and lemon juice. Bathtub Rings To avoid bathtub rings, don't use oily bath preparations. Use a water softener if you live in a hard-water area. Rinse the tub immediately after bathing. If a ring does form, wipe it off with undiluted ammonia (wear rubber gloves) or a wet sponge generously sprinkled with baking soda. Rinse clean and wipe dry. For a more stubborn stain, scour with automatic dishwashing detergent or rub with a cloth dipped in vinegar.

Always start at the top of the room and work your way down. Always clean top to bottom. When you dust, start at the top and work down. Take all your cleaning tools with you into each room to avoid unnecessary trips back and forth. Unplug the phone and the turn off the T.V. Eliminate clutter. An uncluttered home looks better than one that is dust-free but strewn with odds and ends. Clean as you go! It takes a lot less time to remove new dirt than old, and to clean and put away stuff as you use it, than to clean and store the pile-up you can accumulate. A house that smells fresh will give the impression of cleanliness. Leave baking soda on carpeting for the night to absorb musty odors, vacuum in the morning. Keep a big astro-turf mat on the porch to cut down on tracked in dirt. Keep a basket in the kitchen for the mail, newspaper, car keys to help with clutter. Keep a hamper in every bathroom. Make everyone in charge of making his or her own bed and picking up their stuff. Always pickup the T.V. room before bedtime and start the dishwasher. Prioritize, if your time is limited decided what is most important. Delegate, get the entire family involved. Make a checklist, when a job is completed, check it off - you'll feel as though you are really accomplishing something.

Pulire is the largest professional cleaning industry trade show in Italy and plays host to a complete range of machinery, chemical products, equipment and components for professional cleaning and hygiene in indoor spaces. Thirty years of history at the service of professionals make Pulire a leading event in Europe, ranked second for importance and size, and one of the most influential globally.

Pulire attracts 300 exhibitors and more than 10,000 visitors to its more than 16,000 m2 of display space. It welcomes the largest international groups, industry-leading companies, and innovative solutions for the express purpose of assisting cleaning industry professionals.

Always keep an all-purpose cleaner and a sponge in the guest bath so you can sneak away and clean up when unexpected company shows up.
Keep a squeegee in the shower so everyone can wipe it down when they are done (this will help prevent mildew).
Steam helps to loosen build-up so why not clean while you're in there? Disinfectant can be used on everything in the bath except the mirror. Don't forget doorknobs and switchplates.
Cleaning Shower Mats
Dip a stiff brush in a kerosene and warm water solution to clean bath and shower mats.
Easy Bathroom Cleaning
Clean after a steamy bath or shower. The walls, fixtures, etc., will be much easier to clean because the steam will have loosened the dirt.
Cleaning the Sink
For light stains, rub with a fresh cut lemon.
For dark stains (like rust) rub with a paste of borax and lemon juice. Bathtub Rings
To avoid bathtub rings, don't use oily bath preparations. Use a water softener if you live in a hard-water area. Rinse the tub immediately after bathing.
If a ring does form, wipe it off with undiluted ammonia (wear rubber gloves) or a wet sponge generously sprinkled with baking soda. Rinse clean and wipe dry. For a more stubborn stain, scour with automatic dishwashing detergent or rub with a cloth dipped in vinegar. Cleaning with Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol will clean the caulking around bathtubs. It also shines chrome and glass. Liquid chlorine bleach (1/4 cup to one gallon) will also clean caulk.
Cleaning Toilet Bowl
Clean the toilet bowl while you're away by pouring in 1/4 cup bleach and leaving it until you return.
Keep the toilet bowl ring-free by pouring a half-gallon of white vinegar in it once a month. Let it soak overnight before flushing. Don't use bleach if you're already using a tank-held cleaner that's released when the toilet is flushed. The two may react chemically. To avoid clogging and odors, pour one cup baking soda down the bowl weekly.
Getting to Dirt in the Corner
Can't get to that dirt in the corner? Make a pointed tool by cutting an old whisk broom at a 45 degree angle. Small Bathrooms
If you have a small bathroom or a tile entrance and don't have time to bother with a scrub bucket, just use an all purpose spray cleaner and a damp sponge for quick clean up. Mildew
To remove mildew from the corners of the tub, dip cotton balls in bleach and let them sit, when you finish cleaning the bath, remove cotton and rinse well. The mildew will be gone. Disinfectant
Clean with a disinfectant to kill germs. Everything in the bathroom except the mirror can be cleaned this way in just 3 or 4 minutes a day. Keep cleaners in bath for a quick job when unexpected company drops by. Shower Tile
Remove soap and hard water buildup on shower tile with tile cleaner. Then apply a good paste wax and buff with a dry cloth to deter future water spots.
Air Freshener
For immediate air freshener in the bath, place a fabric softener sheet in the wastepaper basket or add a dab of fragrance on a light bulb. When the light is on, the heat releases the aroma.
Freshen Drain
To freshen drain, pour 1/4 to 1/2 box of baking soda down the drain, add 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Cover drain tightly for a few minutes and flush with cold water.
Shower Doors
Rub glass shower doors with a white vinegar-dampened sponge to remove soap residue.
To clean shower track door, pour full strength vinegar into the track, let soak for a few minutes, then rinse.
A coat of acrylic floor finish gives new shine to fiberglass shower doors and makes water spots disappear. Club soda will give new shine to your counter tops.
Cleaning Shower Curtains
Before hanging shower curtains, soak in salt water solutions to prevent mildew.
To remove mildew, wash in hot soapy water, rub with lemon juice and let the shower curtain dry in the sun. For plastic curtains, clean with laundry pre-wash spray. Spray along the top, letting it run down to cover the curtain. Allow it to sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off.
Sparkling Sink
Wipe a stainless steel sink with vinegar or a touch of oil on a cloth to make the sink sparkle.