How to Clean Anything

Cleanliness is said to be one of the top rungs on the ladder going to heaven. Even if you are unsure how to clean or what do first when it comes to house cleaning, there is a trick to being a good housekeeper. You don't have to be a household tips queen like Heloise to learn to clean anything and have a clean house.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Baking Soda
• Vinegar
• Pecans and walnuts
• Coca-Cola
• Multi-surface household cleaners

1. Remove most stains as quickly as possible to avoid ruining fabric. Some stains need to be broken down with kerosene or other materials first.

2. Check a stain removal guide for advice on cleaning stains and what to use to remove different kinds of stains.

3. Whittle down the arsenal of cleaning supplies. You can clean most anything and everything with fewer products by using a multi-surface cleaner, such as one made for glass and metal.

4. Use environment-friendlier products. You can get just as good, if not better, cleaning results by cleaning the old-fashioned way. Most things around the house can be cleaned using common household staples.

5. Clean almost anything with baking soda: brush your teeth, remove tea and coffee stains from inside cups and freshen laundry. Baking soda is the perfect house cleaning necessity since it is cheap and easy to use.

6. Keep staples on hand for easy house cleaning in a pinch: vinegar, baking soda, salt and Coca-Cola. (People claim that a can of Coke is a great toilet cleaner in a pinch.)

7. Stock up on nuts. Besides being good to eat, nutmeats such as walnuts and pecans can be used to hide scratches on a table or other wood furniture. Rub the nutmeat into the scratch and buff with a clean cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• Cleaning can be good exercise, too. Work up a sweat by putting more elbow grease into your cleaning

• Read labels. Do not mix certain cleaners, such as toilet bowl cleaner and bleach, to avoid chemical reactions and toxic fumes.

Resources

• The New Zealand chemistry website provides information on how to clean almost anything, including spots made by various chemicals.
• The Cleaning website offers basic advice on how to clean efficiently.
• Thrifty Fun offers tips on how to clean and how to make housecleaning fun to children.