Home Cleaning Services

Company:	Location:	Contact Info:
Levingers Home Services	Strijdom Park	011 – 699 8600
Pride Home & Office	JHB (serving Randburg)	011 – 640 2283
Prokleen Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners	JHB (serving Randburg)	011 – 485 3711
Absa One Call Home Solutions	Serving Randburg area	086 – 101 2255

 

Home cleaning tips and tricks

 

Cleaning is the most time consuming  job in housekeeping. Worse of all, some stains are hard to clean out. Even if you are spending all your efforts or energy, you may not clean them probably. So how to combat all those difficulties and save your time on these cleaning tasks? Here are some useful pointers for your everyday cleaning tasks:

The Kitchen

 – For more effective dishwashing, add a few tablespoons of vinegar along with the dishwashing detergent when washing dishes. The vinegar cuts the grease and leaves dishes sparkling.

 – To clean up spills in your oven, sprinkle the spills immediately with salt. When the oven has cooled, brush away the burnt-on food with a damp sponge.

 – To disinfect smelly sponges, wash sponge thoroughly, then microwave it while it is wet, for a short period. When you see steam from the sponge, the bacteria in the sponge will be dead. Remove carefully, it will be hot! Wash the sponge thoroughly before use. **Make sure the sponge has no metal components!**

 – To remove hard-water and lime build-up in a teapot or kettle, pour in two cups of vinegar and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, then rinse well.

– To remove mineral deposits in a tea pot or burnt spots on a coffee pot, put some ice cubes, cut-up lemon, and salt with a tad water and swish around and let sit overnight.

– To whiten an old stained sink, poor a half cup of salt in it and then scrub it with a lemon. Let it stand for a few minutes and rinse.

– To remove skid marks on linoleum rub the spot with toothpaste before washing the floor.

– To keep your plastic containers from getting stained from tomato based foods, rub the inside with vegetable oil before placing the food in the container.

– Kitchen surfaces: Mix in spray bottle, 1 part ammonia to 3 parts water. Or try diluted bleach solution in a spray bottle. It will remove stains AND disinfect.

– Removing kitchen and food odours: Soak pure vanilla on a cotton ball and place in a saucer. Put the saucer in the car or refrigerator to remove odours. Keep cotton ball out of reach of children as it contains some alcohol.

– Odour producing mould and bacteria in garbage cans: sprinkle 1/2 cup Borax in the bottom of the garbage can.

– Cleaning coffee maker: Pour straight vinegar into it as if you are making the coffee, no filter is need. Turn coffee maker on as if you were making a pot of coffee. Repeat this with a new batch of vinegar until it runs clear of calcium deposits.

The Bathroom

– Bars of soap too small to use effectively can be pressed into the sides of new bars softened by recent use.

– Shower curtains can be renovated by being washed, on gentle cycle, with a pint of white vinegar.

– If you have more than one bath to clean, keep separate cleaning supplies in each bathroom, that way you can clean the bath at a moment’s notice.

– To clean tubs and showers use a product that contains phosphoric acid, there is no scrubbing involved.

– Build-up on shower doors: Wipe with lemon oil. Removes build-up and keeps doors protected longer from future build-up.

– Removing mildew from shower or bath: 3 parts bleach and 1 part water – put in spray bottle. Spray on mildew areas and it will virtually disappear.

Laundry

– To remove perspiration stains in clothing, soak in warm vinegar and water.

– Microwaves can be used to disinfect clothes in case of emergency, such as a child’s cap that another kid has put on, as long as they have absolutely NO metal in the zippers, buttons, rivets etc. ALWAYS place a cup of cold water next to the article to absorb the heat and microwave on high until the water is steaming.

– Removing mildew stains from clothes: Begin by brushing of mould outdoors so you don’t scatter mildew spores in the house. On washable fabrics, pre-treat by rubbing detergent into the dampened stain. Then, launder the items in hot water, detergent and chlorine bleach, if it is safe for the fabric. If the stain remains, sponge it with hydrogen peroxide, rinse and launder. If the item isn’t bleach-safe, soak it in an oxygen bleach that is safe for colours, then wash it. Take non-washable fabrics to the dry cleaner and tell them what the stain is.

– Urine Stains:
For washable fabrics that can be bleached: Pre-soak them in cold water for at least thirty minutes. Launder these fabrics in hot water using detergent and chlorine bleach according to the directions on the bleach container.
For washable, non-bleachable items: Sponge the stained area with a solution of equal parts of household ammonia and water then launder the item in warm water and detergent. Rinse it well.
For non-washable items: sponge just the stained area with clear water to which a few drops of ammonia have been added. Then, sponge with clear water only.

Around the house

– Use crumpled up black and white newspaper dipped in vinegar to wash windows. Dip paper in vinegar and wipe the glass until almost dry, then shine with dry newspaper or cloth.

– Children’s stickers can be removed from wood by applying white vinegar to the sticker, letting it soak and then scraping off.

– Clean those dirty, dusty, mini-blinds in your house in a snap! Fill the bathtub with warm, soapy water and let the blinds soak. If they are white blinds add a little bleach to get rid of any stains.

– Remove spilled nail polish from wood furniture: Don’t wipe it up! The solvents in nail polish soften most finishes, and wiping may take off the finish. Instead, let the polish dry completely; then gently scrape it off with a credit card. Wax the surface, using superfine steel wool.

– Use cooking or salad oil for lubricating non-essential mechanical things like hinges, tools etc. A light coat of oil will keep tools from rusting and you don’t need to buy expensive and toxic chemicals like WD-40 etc.

– To get hard water deposits off of your fixtures try some diluted muriatic acid (available at pool stores or hardware stores), but don’t store it near chlorine- they can combine and become explosive!

– Run your sponges through your dishwasher every few days, and dispose of them every few weeks. They breed bacteria because they do not get the opportunity to dry out in between uses.

– Cleaning ceramic tile: Regular rubbing alcohol works wonders for a ceramic floor. Just pour straight on and rub around with mop until it dries. Make sure children are not in the area during this process and have good ventilation in room.

– Removing Crayon from walls: use damp sponge and Colgate toothpaste. Rub carefully.

– Removing scuff marks, pen, and pencil from walls: use a dry cloth and rubbing alcohol.

– Make your own furniture polish: Yucky but works, take a slab of spam and rub it on your wood — wipe with pantyhose. Or, make a concoction of: 1 tsp olive oil, juice of a lemon, 1 tsp whisky or brandy, 1 tsp water. Mix together and rub on furniture with cloth, buff for a deep shine.

– Cleaning a Keyboard: On a weekly basis, carefully vacuum the keys with the round brush attachment of your vacuum. Never spray keyboard directly, spray a cleaning cloth with all-purpose cleaning solution and wipe it with it.

– Home oil spills: Paint thinner is best for this type of spill. Pour on spill and it will dissolve oil.

– Dirty neck rings around shirt or blouse collars can be removed by putting shampoo on them. Rub the shampoo in like you were washing your hair. Shampoo is specifically made to remove body oils. A cheap bottle of shampoo kept by the washing machine is handy for all kinds of stains in clothing. Don’t forget this trick when you are travelling.

– For removing ink stains: Ball point pen stains can be removed by using hair spray – let the hair spray dry and then wash the item. Table salt will absorb ink when it is spilled – pour salt on the wet ink and continue to add salt until there is no more “wet ink”. Then vacuum or wash. Other types of ink can be removed using rubbing alcohol.

28 Practical Uses for Vinegar, Nature’s Magic Cleanser

5 Percent solution of vinegar, that you can buy in any supermarket kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mould and up to 80 percent of germs (viruses).

Here are twenty-seven uses for vinegar:

* Deodorize your sink drains: Pour a cup down your drain, let stand about thirty minutes, then run cold water.

* Unclog a drain: Dump 1 cup of baking soda down your drain and follow it with 1 cup of vinegar. When they mix, they foam and expand, cleaning your drain. Allow a few minutes for the mixture to do its job, and then flush with hot water for several minutes.

* Disinfect and clean wood cutting boards: Rub with vinegar to disinfect and clean. If your cutting board has deep grooves, you can also soak the board in vinegar for 5-10 minutes.

* Cut grease: When washing greasy pans or dishes, add a few tablespoons of vinegar to your soapy dishwater.

* Clean the dishwasher: Vinegar reduces soap build up, so throw a cup of vinegar in your dishwasher and let it run a full (empty) cycle once a month or so.

* Clean the coffeepot: Hard water can clog a coffeepot and cause yucky buildup inside it. To remedy this, pour 1 cup vinegar in your coffeepot, fill the rest of the way with water, then run it through a cycle as usual (without coffee grounds in the filter). Rinse the coffeepot out. Fill it with fresh water and run another cycle without coffee to rinse the inside of the coffee maker.

* Loosen food grime and clean the microwave: Place a microwave-safe bowl with 2 cups water, 1/2 cup vinegar inside the microwave and microwave on full power for 3-4 minutes (it needs to boil). Keep your microwave closed for a few minutes to allow the steam to loosen the grime, then open your microwave, carefully remove the bowl, and wipe clean!

* Clean windows: Mix 1 cup vinegar with 5 cups water and you’ve got a great window cleaner. If you must have blue window cleaner, just a few drops of blue food colouring!

* Remove grease from kitchen walls: Put straight vinegar on a dishcloth to wipe grease off kitchen walls, or the stovetop.

* Remove pet urine stains (and smells) from carpet: Mix about 1/4 cup of vinegar to a quart of water. Soak a washcloth in the mixture and blot the area several times. 

* Clean kitchen and bathroom faucets: Soak a paper towel in vinegar then wrap it around your faucet to remove mineral deposits.

* Clean and shine no-wax vinyl or linoleum floors: Mix 1 gallon of water with 1/2 cup vinegar in a bucket, then mop or scrub your floor with the solution.

* Inexpensive scouring powder: Combine two tablespoons each of vinegar and baking soda for an effective scouring powder.

* Clean the toilet rim: Put straight 5% vinegar in a squirt bottle and use it to clean the rim of the toilet. It disinfects, too!

* Prevent mould and mildew in the shower: Wipe down tile or Formica shower walls with a sponge or cloth dampened with water and vinegar. The vinegar will clean the walls and inhibit the growth of mould and mildew.

* Unclog the showerhead: Mineral deposits from hard water can cause a sputtering, clogged shower head. Place the showerhead in a pot, add enough vinegar to completely cover it. Heat the vinegar to just below boiling, then remove from heat. Allow to sit for at least 6 hours. The acid in the vinegar will eat away the deposits. Rinse the showerhead well, and it’s ready to go again.

* Get rid of the funky smell in that lunchbox: Soak a piece of plain bread in vinegar, then place it in the lunchbox overnight and the smell will disappear!

* Remove rust: To get rid of rust, soak items in vinegar (do not dilute). This will work on any metals.

* Remove residue and styling product build up from hair: After shampooing, rinse your hair with a mixture of 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 warm water to remove all the build up and get rid of that dullness.

* Eliminate smells: Run a hot tub of water and pour in one or two cups of vinegar. Hang smelly clothes on hangers along your shower curtain rod. This will remove smoke and other tough smells.

* Get rid of stickers, decals and sticky residues: Rub a few coats of vinegar on the area and allow to soak. Then wash off with a wet washcloth and the sticky will rub right off.

* Polish patent leather purses and shoes: Place vinegar on a clean cloth, then rub over patent leather. Wipe dry with another clean cloth.

* Remove stains: Rub a small amount of vinegar gently on fruit, jelly, mustard or coffee type stains and wash as usual. No more stain!

* Clean your glasses: Place a drop of vinegar on the lens, then rub with a cotton cloth.

* Get the smell out of your cloth diapers! Next time those cloth diapers start to smell, add a 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar in your last rinse. 

* Polish your car: Rub vinegar on chrome to clean and shine it.

* Remove bumper stickers: Soak a cloth in vinegar and lay it over the bumper sticker. Allow to soak a few minutes. The bumper sticker should peel right off. Rub vinegar over the area to remove the sticky residue, if necessary.

* Next time you have a sore throat, try gargling with cider vinegar!