It’s hard to believe, but your dirty kitchen sink has more bacteria than your toilet seat. Miguel Taveras, a supervisor for Managed by Q cleaning service, said he recommends sanitizing your kitchen sink once a week. For stainless steel, he recommends using an eight-ounce box of baking soda and the juice of 10 limes to create a mildly abrasive paste. As he told Martha Stewart, he uses a sponge to scrub the inside of the sink with it, following the steel’s grain. If you have an enamel sink, he recommends using a gentle scrub, such as Bon Ami Powder Cleanser, and a microfiber cloth.\n
For garbage disposals, Taveras recommends soaking a loaf of bread with vinegar and stuffing it in the canister. Then, after letting it sit for 15 minutes, turn on the disposal and flush it with cold water. It may sound strange, but it works!\n
\n
De-funk your dishwasher\nJust like the other appliances in your home, dishwashers require regular cleaning, and it’s best to give your dishwasher a deep clean \u2014 including an alkaline wash and drain trap scrub \u2014 once a month. One way to do this is to fill a dishwasher-safe cup or bowl with white vinegar and place it on the upper rack of your dishwasher. Afterward, run the (otherwise-empty) dishwasher on the hottest setting. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, you can also opt to sprinkle one cup of baking soda along the bottom of your dishwasher and rinse on a hot-water cycle instead.\n
To clean your drain trap, remove and disassemble it and \u2014 once it’s apart \u2014 use a sponge or toothbrush and dish soap to remove any stuck-on food bits or mold.\n
\n
Show your oven some lovin’.\n\nTackling the spills and splatters in your oven doesn’t have to be a daunting task. As\u00a0Melissa Poepping, natural cleaning expert and author of the\u00a0Chemical Free Home,\u00a0told\u00a0Martha Stewart,\u00a0all you need is some baking soda and vinegar, and she recommends tackling your oven with these two ingredients every few weeks.\nTo start, remove your oven racks and let them sit in dishwashing liquid for a few hours before scrubbing with a scouring pad. After removing your racks, create a paste using three-quarter cups of baking soda and one-quarter cup of warm water. Then, use a paintbrush to spread the paste throughout the oven’s interior, avoiding bare metal surfaces and the oven door. Let it sit overnight and then remove the paste the following day with a plastic scraper, wetting as needed.\n
\n
Make your microwave look new.\n\nYou should avoid using heavy-duty oven cleaners, bleach, and other abrasive chemical solutions to clean your microwave, which can damage the appliance’s interior. Instead,\u00a0try washing your microwave with dish soap. To make the process easier, start with a steam-clean. Simply heat one cup of water in the microwave for two or three minutes. Then leave the door closed for a few more minutes, allowing the microwave to fill with steam.\n
If a steam-clean and dish soap don’t do the trick, apply a paste of baking soda and water to the interior of the microwave and wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Don’t forget to wipe down the microwave’s exterior with soap and water as well!\n\n
\n
\n
\n\n
Scour your gas stovetop.\n\nWhen food residue spills over the sides of pots and pans around your oven’s burner heads, things can get messy. However, it’s possible to restore your gas stovetop to its former glory. You should\u00a0start by placing your stove grates in the sink\u00a0and soaking them in a non-toxic degreaser, like\u00a0Simple Green. Then, remove your burners and spritz your stovetop with the same degreaser. Use a soft scouring pad to eliminate the grease and grime, and then wipe clean with paper towels.\n
After that, give your grates and your burner caps a good scrubbing with a nylon brush, as well as the burners themselves. Just be sure not to put any aggressive cleaners or solvents on your burners.\n
\n\n\n
\n
Make your glass stovetop shine.\n\nUnlike gas stovetops, cleaning a glass stovetop can be as easy as wiping it down, but burnt-on food and grease can sometimes stick around.\u00a0Baking soda and vinegar can tackle stubborn stains\u00a0on your stovetop. First, make a baking soda paste using a three-to-one ratio of baking soda to water, mixing it in a bowl until it thickens. Then, spread the paste evenly over your glass-top stove using a spatula or a brush.\n
After spreading the paste, fill a spray bottle with vinegar and lightly spray your cooktop. Once the area is evenly covered, spread warm, wet towels over the stovetop. After 30 minutes, remove the towels and wipe down the surface in circular motions.\n
\n\n
\n
Spruce up your sponge\n\nThough you should replace your kitchen sponge anywhere from once a month to once every two weeks, depending on how much you use it, you can make a sponge last by giving it a good cleaning. However, that old trick of putting a sponge in a microwave probably isn’t your best move.\n
The\u00a0best way to clean a sponge is by mixing three-quarter cups of bleach in one gallon of water and soaking the sponge for five minutes, then rinsing.\n
\n
Banish mold from your bathroom.\n\nIt’s tough to keep your shower tile and grout mold-free, but\u00a0small areas of mold can be removed\u00a0with a grout cleaner, a mold remover, or a bleach-and-water solution.\u00a0Clorox Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover\u00a0can eliminate mold and mildew germs and bacteria in only a few minutes with no scrubbing required.\n
For shower curtains and liners, Clorox Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover can also be used to get rid of mold. Simply spray on, wait until the stains disappear, and rinse off. Another option is to wash your shower liner in your washing machine on the delicate cycle with warm water, laundry detergent, and bleach.\n
\n
Mop up your tile floors.\n\nWhen you notice a hazy film or dirty grout on your tile floor, then it’s likely due for more than a good sweep. When\u00a0cleaning ceramic or porcelain floor tiles, it’s best to use mild detergent and clean water with a rag or\u00a0chamois mop\u00a0rather than a sponge mop. The reason: Sponge mops tend to push dirty water into the grout lines, which makes them harder to clean.\n
After mopping (and frequently changing the water as you go), dry your floor with a clean, lint-free cloth immediately after washing. If your tiles still look hazy from soap residue, then try removing the film with a gentle all-purpose cleaner.\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
Scrub your toilet\n\nWhen cleaning your toilet,\u00a0you should start with the toilet bowl. Use half a cup of bleach (or\u00a0Clorox toilet bowl cleaner) to coat the entirety of your toilet bowl, starting underneath the bowl’s rim. Then, use a toilet brush to scrub the solution into your toilet bowl. Let the solution sit for five minutes before flushing.\n
To clean the rest of your commode \u2014 including the exterior, both sides of the lid, both sides of the toilet seat, and the handle \u2014 try using\u00a0Lysol Power Bathroom Cleaner.\n
\n
Wash throw pillows and blankets\n\nThe method used for\u00a0cleaning throw pillows and blankets depends on their material, so be sure to check out the manufacturer\u2019s care label to find washing instructions. Silks and velvets typically require the use of dry cleaning fluid, while other materials, like cotton or polyester, can usually handle gentle washing with water. To wash pillows and blankets, the machine washes in warm water on the delicate cycle and let hang dry. Be sure to wash pillow covers separately from the cushion.\n
To sponge clean pillows, use a sponge and upholstery shampoo to scrub the pillow in circles, and then blot the excess moisture and shampoo with clean white towels. If dry cleaning is indicated, use a sponge dipped into a dry cleaning solution to clean the fabric using the same circular motion and then blot dry.\n
\n
Dust off your blinds\n\nDon’t let your blinds collect dust. If your blinds are dusty,\u00a0you will only need a vacuum with the brush attachment, a feather duster, or a microfiber cloth\u00a0to clean them. For wooden slatted or mini blinds, simply shut the blinds and vacuum or wipe the dust away. For any other material, vacuum the front and back of the shades to whisk away dust.\n
If a deeper clean is necessary, plastic and metal blinds can be restored using an even mixture of warm water and white vinegar with a few drops of dish soap mixed in. Wet a sponge in the solution, wring it out well and wipe down each slat. For wood blinds, use furniture polish, and for microfiber or cloth blinds, gently wipe them with mild soap and warm water solution.\n
\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sanitize your sink It’s hard to believe, but your dirty kitchen sink has more bacteria than your toilet seat. Miguel Taveras, a supervisor for Managed by Q cleaning service, said he recommends sanitizing your kitchen sink once a week. For stainless steel, he recommends using an eight-ounce box of baking soda and the juice\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47172,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[54,44,43,115,31,32],"class_list":{"0":"post-47135","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tie-life-style","8":"tag-clean-hack","9":"tag-cleaners","10":"tag-cleaning-house","11":"tag-healthy-lifestyle","12":"tag-tips","13":"tag-tricks"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Food-Travel-Tips-YouTube-Thumbnail-2.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47135"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47135\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nTackling the spills and splatters in your oven doesn’t have to be a daunting task. As\u00a0Melissa Poepping, natural cleaning expert and author of the\u00a0Chemical Free Home,\u00a0told\u00a0Martha Stewart,\u00a0all you need is some baking soda and vinegar, and she recommends tackling your oven with these two ingredients every few weeks.\n To start, remove your oven racks and let them sit in dishwashing liquid for a few hours before scrubbing with a scouring pad. After removing your racks, create a paste using three-quarter cups of baking soda and one-quarter cup of warm water. Then, use a paintbrush to spread the paste throughout the oven’s interior, avoiding bare metal surfaces and the oven door. Let it sit overnight and then remove the paste the following day with a plastic scraper, wetting as needed.\n You should avoid using heavy-duty oven cleaners, bleach, and other abrasive chemical solutions to clean your microwave, which can damage the appliance’s interior. Instead,\u00a0try washing your microwave with dish soap. To make the process easier, start with a steam-clean. Simply heat one cup of water in the microwave for two or three minutes. Then leave the door closed for a few more minutes, allowing the microwave to fill with steam.\n If a steam-clean and dish soap don’t do the trick, apply a paste of baking soda and water to the interior of the microwave and wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Don’t forget to wipe down the microwave’s exterior with soap and water as well!\n\n \n When food residue spills over the sides of pots and pans around your oven’s burner heads, things can get messy. However, it’s possible to restore your gas stovetop to its former glory. You should\u00a0start by placing your stove grates in the sink\u00a0and soaking them in a non-toxic degreaser, like\u00a0Simple Green. Then, remove your burners and spritz your stovetop with the same degreaser. Use a soft scouring pad to eliminate the grease and grime, and then wipe clean with paper towels.\n After that, give your grates and your burner caps a good scrubbing with a nylon brush, as well as the burners themselves. Just be sure not to put any aggressive cleaners or solvents on your burners.\n \n Unlike gas stovetops, cleaning a glass stovetop can be as easy as wiping it down, but burnt-on food and grease can sometimes stick around.\u00a0Baking soda and vinegar can tackle stubborn stains\u00a0on your stovetop. First, make a baking soda paste using a three-to-one ratio of baking soda to water, mixing it in a bowl until it thickens. Then, spread the paste evenly over your glass-top stove using a spatula or a brush.\n After spreading the paste, fill a spray bottle with vinegar and lightly spray your cooktop. Once the area is evenly covered, spread warm, wet towels over the stovetop. After 30 minutes, remove the towels and wipe down the surface in circular motions.\n \n Though you should replace your kitchen sponge anywhere from once a month to once every two weeks, depending on how much you use it, you can make a sponge last by giving it a good cleaning. However, that old trick of putting a sponge in a microwave probably isn’t your best move.\n The\u00a0best way to clean a sponge is by mixing three-quarter cups of bleach in one gallon of water and soaking the sponge for five minutes, then rinsing.\n It’s tough to keep your shower tile and grout mold-free, but\u00a0small areas of mold can be removed\u00a0with a grout cleaner, a mold remover, or a bleach-and-water solution.\u00a0Clorox Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover\u00a0can eliminate mold and mildew germs and bacteria in only a few minutes with no scrubbing required.\n For shower curtains and liners, Clorox Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover can also be used to get rid of mold. Simply spray on, wait until the stains disappear, and rinse off. Another option is to wash your shower liner in your washing machine on the delicate cycle with warm water, laundry detergent, and bleach.\n When you notice a hazy film or dirty grout on your tile floor, then it’s likely due for more than a good sweep. When\u00a0cleaning ceramic or porcelain floor tiles, it’s best to use mild detergent and clean water with a rag or\u00a0chamois mop\u00a0rather than a sponge mop. The reason: Sponge mops tend to push dirty water into the grout lines, which makes them harder to clean.\n After mopping (and frequently changing the water as you go), dry your floor with a clean, lint-free cloth immediately after washing. If your tiles still look hazy from soap residue, then try removing the film with a gentle all-purpose cleaner.\n \n When cleaning your toilet,\u00a0you should start with the toilet bowl. Use half a cup of bleach (or\u00a0Clorox toilet bowl cleaner) to coat the entirety of your toilet bowl, starting underneath the bowl’s rim. Then, use a toilet brush to scrub the solution into your toilet bowl. Let the solution sit for five minutes before flushing.\n To clean the rest of your commode \u2014 including the exterior, both sides of the lid, both sides of the toilet seat, and the handle \u2014 try using\u00a0Lysol Power Bathroom Cleaner.\n The method used for\u00a0cleaning throw pillows and blankets depends on their material, so be sure to check out the manufacturer\u2019s care label to find washing instructions. Silks and velvets typically require the use of dry cleaning fluid, while other materials, like cotton or polyester, can usually handle gentle washing with water. To wash pillows and blankets, the machine washes in warm water on the delicate cycle and let hang dry. Be sure to wash pillow covers separately from the cushion.\n To sponge clean pillows, use a sponge and upholstery shampoo to scrub the pillow in circles, and then blot the excess moisture and shampoo with clean white towels. If dry cleaning is indicated, use a sponge dipped into a dry cleaning solution to clean the fabric using the same circular motion and then blot dry.\n Don’t let your blinds collect dust. If your blinds are dusty,\u00a0you will only need a vacuum with the brush attachment, a feather duster, or a microfiber cloth\u00a0to clean them. For wooden slatted or mini blinds, simply shut the blinds and vacuum or wipe the dust away. For any other material, vacuum the front and back of the shades to whisk away dust.\n If a deeper clean is necessary, plastic and metal blinds can be restored using an even mixture of warm water and white vinegar with a few drops of dish soap mixed in. Wet a sponge in the solution, wring it out well and wipe down each slat. For wood blinds, use furniture polish, and for microfiber or cloth blinds, gently wipe them with mild soap and warm water solution.\n Sanitize your sink It’s hard to believe, but your dirty kitchen sink has more bacteria than your toilet seat. Miguel Taveras, a supervisor for Managed by Q cleaning service, said he recommends sanitizing your kitchen sink once a week. For stainless steel, he recommends using an eight-ounce box of baking soda and the juice\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47172,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[54,44,43,115,31,32],"class_list":{"0":"post-47135","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tie-life-style","8":"tag-clean-hack","9":"tag-cleaners","10":"tag-cleaning-house","11":"tag-healthy-lifestyle","12":"tag-tips","13":"tag-tricks"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Food-Travel-Tips-YouTube-Thumbnail-2.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47135"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47135\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\nMake your microwave look new.\n
\n\nScour your gas stovetop.\n
\n\n\nMake your glass stovetop shine.\n
\n\nSpruce up your sponge\n
\nBanish mold from your bathroom.\n
\nMop up your tile floors.\n
\n\n\n\nScrub your toilet\n
\nWash throw pillows and blankets\n
\nDust off your blinds\n
\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"