Cleaning your bathroom is unlikely to be a chore you relish. After all, who’s ever claimed to love scrubbing toilets or tackling mildew stains? However, that doesn’t mean it needs to be a completely thankless task or a particularly time-consuming one. Check out these 14 bathroom cleaning hacks with less effort.

1. Clean Your Shower With Vinegar

The key to sparkling shower tiles is already in your pantry: white vinegar.

“Heat the vinegar in the microwave and spray it on while it’s hot,” suggests Brad Roberson, president of Glass Doctor, a Neighborly Company. Roberson suggests adding a tablespoon of dish soap to the mixture if the smell bothers you, noting that this can also help cut through tough grime.

2. Scrub Mildew With A Dish Brush

If you’ve got mildew or surface mold in your bathroom, a clean dish brush is a tool you need to combat it. Roberson suggests combining six cups of warm water and a quarter cup of bleach to create a mold-busting cleaner.

3. Get Rid Of Mold Stains With Baking Soda

For those stubborn mold and mildew stains that your dish brush and bleach solution won’t touch, try applying a paste of baking soda and water. “Cover the stain with the paste and allow it to stay on the stain for three to four hours,” following up with a thorough rinse, suggests Roberson.

4. Use Baking Soda And Vinegar To Deodorize A Drain

If your drain is emitting some unpleasant odors, a simple mixture of baking soda and vinegar can fix that in no time.

“The combination of vinegar and baking soda begins to fizz and can help break up any congealed grease in your drain,” explains Joshua Miller, VP of Technical Training at Rainbow International Restoration. Miller recommends pouring one cup of baking soda and two cups of white vinegar down the drain, then flush it with hot water after half an hour.

5. Use Dental Floss To Clean The Small Parts Of Your Sink

Some parts of your sink are simply too small for the average cleaning tool to reach.

Luckily, there’s a solution right inside your medicine cabinet: “Dental floss is a great way to remove buildup in the nooks and crannies of the faucet and handles,” says Kim Burckhardt, owner of Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services of Westminster-Eldersburg.

6. Use Dryer Sheets To Nix Soap Scum

Can’t seem to get rid of that soap scum on your shower or tub? Instead of a sponge, reach for a dryer sheet.
“Add a few drops of water to a dryer sheet and gently rub the area. Rinse the residue off and the majority of the scum should be gone,” suggests James Conner, VP of operations at Molly Maid.

7. Use A Denture Tablet To Clean Your Toilet

Not in the mood to scrub your toilet? Then let a denture tablet do the hard work for you. “Drop one in, let it do its job, and then flush to get rid of toilet bowl stains and rust,” suggests Conner.

8. Squeegee Your Bathroom Window

Finding that your usual glass cleaner isn’t cutting it when it comes to getting your bathroom window clean? Using a squeegee instead can help keep those panes clear and free of water spots.

9. Rub The Lemon Over Chrome To Wipe Off Water Spots

Though water sports are unavoidable in places where water is constantly running (like the shower and the sink), it’s surprisingly simple and cheap to get rid of them. All you have to do is rub lemon over your stained chrome fixtures and the pesky spots should disappear instantly. Plus, using this citrus-as-cleanser will mask any unpleasant smells.

10. Restore Your Mirror’s Shine With Black Tea

Young happy black man cleaning the bathroom mirror. You want your bathroom mirror to be spotless so that you know what you actually look like before leaving the house—but all too often, it’s fogged up with water stains, dust, and other debris.

The solution? Black tea! All you have to do is combine a cup of boiling water with a few bags of black tea, let it cool, and use the resulting solution to clean your cloudy mirror. The tannic acid in the tea will dissolve any dirt, leaving you with a spotless surface that tells no lies.

11. Put Your Toothbrush Holder In The Dishwasher

It’s easy to let your toothbrush holders become disgustingly dirty. But washing the accessory is barely a chore: all you have to do is throw it in the dishwasher. Really, that’s it!

12. Sweep Your Bathtub Clean

There’s no need to waste time scrubbing your entire bathtub with a sponge. Instead, cover it in soap, then sweep and scrub with a clean broom and rinse until all of the suds are gone. The broom will clean as effectively as a sponge would, but using the large long-handled brush will require half as much effort.

13. Use Cotton Balls To Clean Pesky Bathtub Corners

The corners of the tub are always the hardest to clean. Luckily, there’s a simple solution for this, and it’s probably already sitting in your medicine cabinet. Just soak some cotton balls in the tub cleaner of your choice and let them sit on the edges of your tub overnight. By morning, those tub edges will be clean as a whistle!

14. Combine Baking Soda And Bleach To Clean The Grout

Grout – the stuff used to fill the gaps between tiles-looks good when it’s clean, but dirt easily sneaks into those small crevices, making the walls look dirty in an otherwise spotless bathroom. To restore your tiles (and the spaces between them) to their original color, apply a paste made out of 3/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup bleach to the grout, let it sit for 30 minutes, and remove with a scrub brush or cloth to reveal sparkling clean walls. This is an awesome bathroom cleaning tip.

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No matter how neglected or greasy you think your range might be, there’s hope. With a small investment in time and a little bit of persistence, you can get your stove back in peak condition and looking as good as new.

Step 1: Before You Start, Make It Safe

The first thing you should always do before cleaning a gas appliance is to make sure that the surfaces are completely cool and the control knobs are switched to the off position. If your model is equipped with a control lock, you should definitely take advantage of it before you start cleaning. You’re going to be removing the burner guards and scrubbing your stovetop pretty vigorously, and it’s essential that the gas doesn’t come on while you’re working.

If you have an older style range with removable knobs, just make sure everything is switched to the off position and remove the knobs so you don’t accidentally bump them while you clean.

Step 2: Let the Disassembly Begin!

Your gas stove has a few basic parts that pop right off for easy cleaning: the stove grates on top, the burner caps and the burners themselves. Start by removing the stove grates, and then take a moment to wipe up any loose food particles that are hanging around. Next, pull off all of the small caps that are protecting your burners, followed by each of the burners themselves. Set all of those items to the side on a couple of dish towels close to your sink; we’re going to deal with those later on.

Step 3: Degrease the Stove Grates

Place your stove grates in the sink and give everything a thorough soaking with a non-toxic degreaser. You can also use a concentrated dish detergent if you prefer; you might just have to scrub a little more. Leave everything to soak in the degreaser for about 15-20 minutes while you turn your attention to the stove surface.

Step 4: Degrease the Stovetop

Give your stovetop a heavy spritzing of the same degreaser or liquid soap concentration and give it a few minutes to really penetrate the greasy buildup. Use your soft scouring pad to break up any bits that are burned or stuck to the surface. As you work, take a clean paper towel and routinely wipe down the stovetop and lift out all of the grease and grime. Depending on your stove’s level of buildup, you may have to repeat the process of applying degreaser and scrubbing until your paper towels start coming up clean and free of any oil or grit.

Step 5: Combat the Baked-On Stuff

You’re likely to encounter a few places where the food is cooked on to the point where a sponge just won’t cut it. Or, you might find that there are a few little gummed up corners that are difficult to reach with your hands. For the hard-to-reach stuff, try a medium-stiff nylon scrub brush or an old toothbrush. Before you really start scrubbing away, it’s a good idea to test your brush in a discreet spot on the stove to make sure it’s not going to scratch the surface. Work your brush along with some degreaser into all of the corners and around the igniters to loosen any grime.

For areas that seem like they’ve permanently bonded themselves to the surface forever, you can try using a fresh razor blade to peel up the grime. Be extremely careful if you go this route and make sure you don’t scrape the paint. You just want to break up the surface of the burned bits so the degreaser can penetrate and loosen them up. Take your time and work gently. You might not get it 100 percent perfect, so don’t fixate on the one burned spot that won’t come off; sometimes in life it’s just good to let the little things go. Besides, we’ve got a trick further down that might help you cover up some of those blemishes.

Step 6: Give Everything a Final Polish

Once you’ve degreased and scrubbed everything, you’ll want to use some fresh paper towels and wipe off any excess degreaser. Wipe everything down until it’s dry, then using some glass cleaner and a Magic Eraser, give everything a final wipe down. The Magic Eraser will lift off any small residual bits of grease and pick up any of the degreaser residue so it won’t leave a cloudy film on your stovetop. Once your Magic Eraser comes up clean, you’re ready to move on to the next step.

Step 7: Now, About Those Parts You Removed

Now that your stove grates have had some time to marinate in the degreaser, you’ll want to give them a quick rinse with hot water to wash away the majority of the grease. After that, give the grates and your burner caps a good scrubbing with your nylon brush, and use a little soap or degreaser if you need to combat any difficult spots.

When it comes to the burners themselves, we recommend washing those in hot water while giving them a gentle scrubbing with your nylon brush. Don’t put any aggressive cleaners or solvents on your burners since they come in contact with your stove’s gas outlets. You don’t want any clogs or residual buildup that could cause ignition problems.

Once everything is clean, place your stove parts on a towel and let everything dry completely before you reassemble your stovetop.

Step 8: Reassemble and Add a Layer of Protection

Now that you’ve invested so much time getting your gas stove back into peak condition, it’s a good idea to consider adding a guard around the burners. When you’ve finished a marathon cooking session, it’ll be easier to wipe the guard down or simply replace it when the time comes. Additionally, if your stovetop is scorched beyond rescue, this is a great way to hide the unsightly surfaces.

Stove Guard Stovetop Protector

Make sure to put your stove guard in place (and remove any stickers) before you put your burners on . Then, reassemble your stove in the opposite order of disassembly. Start with replacing the burners. Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten where they go; each one is unique to its particular location and will only fit its designated spot. Top your burners off with their caps and give every burner a quick test light. Once you’re satisfied that everything is in working order, put the stove grates back on , and you’re ready to cook!

What are the 10 Basic kitchen hygiene rules?

1. Keep your hand clean

Keeping your hands clean and germ-free is at the top of the kitchen hygiene rules list. It’s easy for bacteria to be transferred from raw foods to your hands to everywhere else in the kitchen, so wash your hands throughout food prep and before and after cooking food. This also includes personal hygiene, meaning keeping fingernails short and clean. Clean and appropriate uniforms and fitness for work.

2. Cook your foods to completion

One of the most important kitchen hygiene rules is to ensure food is cooked properly. If undercooked, harmful bacteria could lead to food poisoning. High temperatures (+70°C) are the best way to kill harmful bacteria. Keeping foods above 60°C during serving is also legally required.

It is absolutely vital to store food properly to keep it safe from harmful bacteria, chemicals, and objects falling into food. In other words, preventing cross-contamination. This effectively means keeping raw foods away from foods that are ready to eat.  Make sure leftovers or open food packets are covered with cling film or sealed in a plastic container. Keep your fridge tidy and dispose of any items that are out of date.

4. Clean-as-you-go

Keeping kitchen counter tops and food equipment clean after every use is one of the easiest (and most essential) basic kitchen hygiene rules. You’ll not only be keeping things clean and tidy, you’ll be stopping the spread of bacteria. Using the correct chemicals here is also essential. Remember we cannot see bacteria. Regular cleaning and sanitising will ensure a clean and germ free environment.

5. Kitchen hygiene rules: don’t cross-contaminate

If you’ve ever had food poisoning, you’ll understand why avoiding cross-contamination is high on the list of basic kitchen hygiene rules. Use different cutting boards for preparing fish, meat, veg, dairy, or bread, and never prepare or keep ready-to-eat foods near or next to raw meats and vegetables. These simple kitchen hygiene tips will help avoid the spread of potentially dangerous bacteria.

6. Cutting Boards are critical areas

Bits of food left on a cutting board will soon breed bacteria, so scrubbing down your board immediately after use is vital to stop them from spreading. Quick, easy, and essential,cleaning and sanitising cutting boards is one of the most essential kitchen hygiene rules.

7.Clean your fridge regularly

Ensuring your fridge is clean is one of the top 10 kitchen hygiene rules in t for good reason. Left alone, spills and spoiled food will spread bacteria to everything else, so clean out the fridge and dispose of expired food on a weekly basis. 

8. Basins need a clean too

Your wash and rinse basins are used regularly throughout the day, so it’ll become grimy and covered in bacteria quickly if it’s not kept clean. Again, this is one of those kitchen hygiene rules that doesn’t take much time, but that is well worth doing: just give your sink a quick scrub with a scourer and a spritz of cleaner and sanitiser once a day.

9. Grease build-up is problematic

Greasy surfaces or pots and pans are able to prevent proper sanitising from taking place. Bacteria are able to hide behind greasy areas, allowing them to survive. Always clean with a clean cloth and multi-purpose cleaner to remove the greasy layer, before using a suitable surface sanitiser.

10. Kitchen bins are germ havens

Regularly changing your bin is a key aspect of kitchen hygiene. Old food in a bin will soon decompose and bacteria will start to form. Not to mention the bad odours and on occasion the little white squirmy maggots!

Challenge 2:

Challenge 3:

Challenge 4:

Challenge 5:

Challenge 6:

Check the answer below:

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2/

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6/

For a homeowner, the terms will help you read product labels and determine if the products you are using are providing the proper level of sanitation needed if someone in your home is ill, came into contact with someone ill, or has a compromised immune system.

Definition of Cleaning

Cleaning is the process of removing visible debris, dirt, and dust and organizing a space. Cleaning a surface uses soap or detergent and, usually, water to remove soil and germs through chemical (cleaner), mechanical (scrubbing), and thermal (water temperature) action.

Cleaning may not always kill bacteria and germs, but it will remove some of them and aid in lowering the risk of spreading infection.

Definition of Sanitizing

When a product claims to sanitize a surface, it is promising to reduce the level of germs that could be harmful to your health to meet to public health standards or requirements. Sanitizing reduces, not kills, the number and growth of bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Sanitizing is particularly important in food preparation areas where germs and fungi can cause foodborne illnesses.

Definition of Disinfecting

The act of disinfecting kills microscopic organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi) on surfaces.1 Disinfection is usually achieved by using EPA-approved chemicals that kill the organisms and prevent them from spreading. Items can also be disinfected using UV-C germicidal short wavelength, ultraviolet light that breaks apart the DNA of bacteria and germs leaving them unable to harm or reproduce. This is the same UV-C light technology used in hospital surgical suites to aid in killing superbugs.

Disinfecting does not necessarily remove visible dirt and debris from a surface and is much more effective if basic cleaning is done first.

Should You Clean, Sanitize or Disinfect?

Cleaning should be a routine process that occurs on a daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal basis. Basic housekeeping maintains order, reduces the growth of potentially harmful organisms, helps keep pests under control, and protects the investment you’ve made in your home and belongings.

Sanitization is important for health and hygiene and is particularly important on communal surfaces like countertops, doorknobs, light switches, touchpads, and any surface that comes in contact with body fluids. Sanitizing bed linens and undergarments is much more important than sanitizing dress shirts and slacks.

Disinfecting should always be done when someone in the household is ill or if someone has a compromised immune system. Following label instructions and using disinfectants correctly is vital to killing microorganisms. If the product is not used correctly, the process only offers a false sense of security.

Tips for Proper Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting

Do Routine Cleaning

Dr. Michael G. Schmidt, professor of microbiology at the Medical University of South Carolina and chair of the American Society of Microbiology’s Council on Microbial Sciences, says that the best way to protect your family from infectious diseases is to listen to your mother and, “Clean your house.”

Dr. Schmidt explains that after washing our hands, the next best way to protect our family is to wipe down countertops, doorknobs, light switches, and common surfaces with a microfiber cloth dipped in a solution of hot water and an all-purpose cleaner twice per day. “The slight abrasion of the microfiber cloth and the cleaning solution will lift and dilute any microbes that have settled on the surfaces,” says Dr. Schmidt.

Add Sanitation and Disinfecting Products When Someone is Ill

If someone in your home is ill or has a compromised immune system or there is a widespread viral outbreak in the community, add sanitizing or disinfecting products to your regular cleaning routine.

Read Labels and Follow Directions

Almost all sanitizing and disinfecting products, including the ingredients on wipes, must remain on a surface for four to 10 minutes to effectively kill germs and bacteria. You must use a sufficient amount to keep the surface wet for that entire time and then allow the surface to air-dry.

Use Products Safely

Do not mix chemicals when cleaning. Chlorine bleach, an excellent disinfectant, and ammonia, an excellent cleaner, when mixed together produce a toxic gas.

Always provide adequate ventilation when using any type of cleaning product.

Wear protective eyewear and gloves when using harsh chemicals. And always wash your hands with soap and warm water after handling soiled garments, emptying waste receptacles, and using any cleaning product.

Match the Best Cleaning Product With the Item to be Cleaned

Electronic devices like remotes, game controllers, cellphones, touchpads, and keyboards are some of the germiest items in our home. The warmth of the devices encourages bacteria to go forth and multiply. But these items cannot be cleaned with soap, water, and bleach.

Check the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions and use a disinfectant wipe or alcohol wipe to clean these devices.

By Wendy Rose Gould

Meet your new best friends

There’s no denying the satisfaction of spreading, smearing or spraying a cleaning product onto a problem area and watching gunk and grime disappear before your eyes. Not all cleaning products are created equal, though, so it can sometimes take a few misses to find a hit. Lucky for you, we did the dirty work (literally) to find cleaning products that work like magic. In addition to these products surpassing crud-busting expectations, they’re all under $15, so they won’t break the bank. 

Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray

Grease is no match for this new Dawn product ($5). The mild foam formula may appear unassuming, yet it will remove even the toughest filth from your home. It eliminates the need for soaking because it works five times faster than other products. Simply spray, wipe, and rinse to remove. It’s great for baked-on messes, grout stains, and broiler pans with who knows how many layers of burnt-on crud.

SkylarLife Home Mold & Mildew Remover Gel

If you’re all about setting it and forgetting it, this is the product for you. SkylarLife’s ($13) mold and mildew buster is a potent gel that you apply to areas that are prone to developing mold, including the bathtub, shower, sink, and windows. It even tackles nasty orange or black mold. Simply apply it to the area, let it sit for six to eight hours, then come back to witness a miraculous removal. Wipe it away, and you’re good to go! 

Blue Magic Carpet Spot Lifter & Stain Remover

Stains happen, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with them for the rest of your life. Blue Magic’s Carpet Stain & Spot Lifter ($10) is a true hero when it comes to removing difficult stains; it even removes stains you weren’t aware were there. Spray it liberally over the damaged area, wait 30 seconds for the stain to rise to the surface, and then press with a paper towel. It works great on automobile upholstery, carpet, and even upholstered furniture.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

Of course, Magic Erasers are on this list—it’s magic! If you’re unfamiliar with Magic Erasers ($7), it’s essentially chunks of melamine foam that act as ultra-gentle, super fine sandpaper on all types of surfaces. They safely buff away everything from soap scum on your tiles and food buildup on your stovetop to stubborn stains on your walls.

Microban 24 Hour Multi-Purpose Cleaner and Disinfectant Spray

Bacteria is everywhere, and it can survive and thrive on surfaces anywhere from a few hours to several days. This can lead to illness, stubborn stains, and gnarly odors. Powered by antimicrobial technology, Microban 24 ($4) effectively sanitizes and protects surfaces for 24 hours by creating a germ-busting shield on any surface where it’s applied. 

Soft Scrub All Purpose Surface Cleanser

Glass oven tops are prone to accumulating burnt-on food debris and porous surfaces—including countertops, sinks, and toilets—easily develop unsightly set-in stains. Soft Scrub ($4) tackles all of that with a gentle but aggressive formula that essentially buffs away lingering gunk. Apply it to the area with a sponge or brush, then wipe and rinse. It works on soap scum, food and drink stains, hard water and lime stains, and grease.

Conair Fabric Defuzzer

Clothing, coats, and upholstery that you use regularly are often susceptible to pilling and fuzzing. This can make the fabric look dingy and old, but it’s not a reason to throw the whole thing out. Conair’s Fabric Defuzzer ($12) essentially shaves these extra bits away, rescuing garments and furniture by restoring them to their glory days.

Fume-Free Oven Cleaner Easy-Off

Do you dread having to clean the oven? You’re not by yourself. While self-cleaning ovens sound like a dream, they result in a hot, stinking kitchen that is unusable for several hours. Instead, go with Easy-Off ($4). It’s widely regarded as one of the best oven cleaners available and for good reason. Simply spray it, let it stay for two hours, and then wipe it down. Use it as a spot treatment after you’ve completed a thorough cleaning.

OxiClean White Revive Laundry Whitener + Stain Remover

The commercials are true: OxiClean ($7) makes your whites whiter. This household staple belongs in everyone’s laundry room. It’ll get rid of grass, dirt, wine, makeup and ink stains on your favorite whites and it’ll even restore tired, yellow-tinted white clothes back to their original brightness.

Magic Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish

Stainless steel is a magnet for smudges, fingerprints and food debris, which makes it hard to keep clean. Even after cleaning a stainless steel surface, it may seem like all of the above makes a comeback right away. This Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish ($7) not only cleans the surface—but it also helps prevent future smudges and fingerprints from developing.

Pumie Toilet Bowl Ring Remover

The ring around your toilet bowl stands zero chance against Pumie ($11). This pumice stone works via gentle abrasion, nixing mineral deposits, rust, stains, and limescale. And don’t worry—it’s completely safe for your porcelain. In addition to using it on your toilet, it’s great for sinks, tubs, and showers. Do you know which spots are the germiest in your bathroom? 

Glisten Garbage Disposal Cleaner

Having a garbage disposal is a real blessing. However, as wonderful as this kitchen feature is, it can also be the source of stinky smells wafting through your home. This foaming Glisten Garbage Disposer Cleaner ($5) tackles the stench and ensures that your garbage disposal runs as it should. Just drop the premeasured biodegradable packet into the disposal and turn it on while running water. It will foam up as it cleans blades, pipes, and the intricate pieces of the disposal itself.

Swiffer Sweeper Dry + Wet All-Purpose Starter Kit

Anyone who has hardwood or tile floors knows how quickly dust and assorted filth accrues. Swiffer Sweeper’s ($12) Dry Cloths work by attracting and locking in dust, dirt, hair and other small debris to make floors shine. The Wet Cloths trap and lock more dirt while mopping away stains, smudges and smears. 

Taking out the trash is a routine we’re all too well acquainted with. But believe it or not, you can actually make trash day easier—perhaps even pleasurable —with these brilliant hacks. Why didn’t we think of this sooner?

Line the Can with Newspaper

Moisture from food scraps and wet paper towels can drip right out of the trash bag and into the garbage can. Be proactive! Catch those messy spills by lining your garbage can—or even a fresh trash bag—with a layer of yesterday’s newspaper. The newsprint will absorb much of the liquid from your soggy rubbish and keep your trash can cleaner.

Binder Clips for No Slips

If your trash bags don’t have a drawstring, you can keep them in place by attaching a couple of binder clips along the lip of your garbage can. Secured by the clips, your bag will stay snug and secure, and will never leave a mess.

Drill Holes to Prevent Suction

Sometimes the suction between the bag and your trash can makes it difficult to pull the bag out. Even worse, all that tugging can strain a weak trash bag, making it susceptible to leaks and spills. Put an end to this tug-of-war by drilling a couple of holes in the bottom of the garbage bin for easier trash bag removal and fewer garbage mishaps.

Keep Extra Bags at the Bottom

Take a tip from hotel maids, who have been using this cleaning trick for years. Keep extra trash bags in the bottom of the can, so you can simply pull a fresh bag into place after you remove the old one.

Deodorize with Dryer Sheets

For a truly fresh-smelling kitchen, you should clean and dry the inside of the trash can on a regular basis. But you’ll be able to put off this unpleasant task a little longer—and keep your trash can smelling fresher—with a strategically deployed dryer sheet. The next time you take out the trash, throw a dryer sheet into the bottom of each new trash bag to help counteract that familiar garbage can funk we all know so well.

Take It on the Road

If you spend any amount of time commuting to work, chauffeuring kids, or running errands, your car probably needs a trash can. A tissue box is the perfect size, and you won’t have to fuss with the top of a container while you’re driving. Remember, a clean car is a happy car.

Wood cladding

While it’s possible to pressure wash wood cladding correctly, you can also force water up and under the exterior surface if you use high pressure. From there, water can damage insulation and electrical wiring, and even spur mold growth. A high-powered pressure wash can also dent aluminum and vinyl cladding.

Electrical panels and meters

Even on the exterior of your home or in your yard, do not pressure wash fixtures housing electricity. Though built to withstand a rainstorm, pressure washing can force water into cracks and crevices, leading to damage and costly repairs.

Asphalt shingles

Never pressure wash your roof if you have asphalt shingles. The water pressure strips away the granules that protect your roof. Not to mention, using a pressure washer in a high place is dangerous. Once you squeeze the trigger, the powerful recoil on the spray wand can throw you off balance and off a ladder.

Air conditioners

For cleaning your air conditioning unit, don’t reach for a pressure washer. The intense flow of water can bend or crush the delicate fins and restrict airflow, which shortens the life of the unit. If your air conditioner suddenly stops working, it might need a thorough (yet gentle!) clean, or it might be one of these issues.

Lead paint

Never remove lead paint with a pressure washer. Lead paint should be carefully contained when removed, not blasted into the air and surrounding surfaces. Remember to always protect yourself during lead paint removal with a respirator. Lead paint can cause serious issues in children, like developmental adults, and is extremely dangerous when ingested in chips or dust. If your house was built before 1978, you should get your paint analyzed.

Old mortar

A pressure wash damages weathered brick houses and other landscaping surfaces with mortar. Any loose material, especially on older structures, will be blasted away by pressure washing on a high setting, and that can cause your walls to become unstable.

Living things

This one is a no-brainer (hopefully!). Never pressure wash humans, pets, or plants. The force of water coming from a pressure washer can cause physical harm. It can even penetrate the skin, and will most certainly destroy your plants.

Painted surfaces – that you want to stay painted

A pressure washes easily chips paint off most surfaces, so only use a low-pressure flow of water to wash painted items such as a porch floor or painted outdoor furniture.

Windows

Don’t pressure wash windows! The high pressure can break them, causing you a major headache (and expense) to replace.

Vehicles

Using a high-pressure wash to clean your vehicle can actually cause small dents and even chip the paint, leaving it vulnerable to rust. If you do use a pressure washer to clean your car, always set it to a low-pressure setting, and never attempt to pressure wash under the hood! It could force water into cracks and crevices and cause serious damage.

Outdoor light fixtures

How many pressure washers does it take to wreck your backyard mood lighting? Though outdoor lighting can withstand rain and other weather elements, you should not pressure wash these fixtures. You’ll risk forcing water into cracks and causing damage.

Gutters

Though tempting, you should never clean out the inside of your gutters with a pressure washer. It’s best to remove debris by hand, and then rinse the inside clean with a less intense flow of water. Gutters can withstand rainstorms, but not the extreme power of a pressure washer.

Citric Acid is a natural acid compound that is naturally found in many citrus fruits and up until around 1920 citric acid was made from these fruits. However, since then almost 90% of citric acid is now produced by mould-based fermentation (e.g., Penicillium or Aspergillus Niger) of sugars.

As soon as you mention the word mould it starts raising alarm bells. However, when producing citric acid commercially the mould is carefully filtered out of the final product, leaving it safe to consume and use around the house. If you want to read more about the safety of Citric Acid check out What is Citric Acid? and Is It Safe For You?

Here are amazing uses of Citric Acid in household cleaning:

Descaling Your Kettle

Citric acid is great for removing limescale which makes it perfect for descaling your kettle, here’s how:

What You’ll Need:

• 2 to 3 tablespoons of citric acid

How To:

• Half fill the kettle and bring to the boil
• Switch off and unplug the kettle
• Carefully add the citric acid to the kettle
• Leave to dissolve and fizz
• Swish the solution around the kettle and pour a little out so it gets into the spout
• Leave for 15 to 20 minutes
• Empty, rinse and refill

To save water you can pour the citric acid solution down the loo to help remove limescale build-up in the loo.

General Cleaning Spray

Citric acid makes a great alternative to using vinegar in a general cleaning spray, especially if you’re not keen on the smell of vinegar. It’s great for removing soap scum and watermarks on glass shower doors

What You’ll Need:

• 500ml hot water (boiled and slightly cooled)
• 3 tablespoons Citric Acid
• Few drops of essential oil – optional
• Glass measuring jug
• Glass spray bottle

How To:

• Pour the hot water (slightly cooled boiled water) into the measuring jug
• Add the citric acid and stir to dissolve
• Add the essential oils if using
• Pour the solution into the spray bottle.

You’re now ready to tackle all those cleaning jobs. It’s especially good for cleaning windows and shower screens and removing soap scum.

Cleaning the Loo

Once a week; if you don’t have hard water this can be less often, just as and when required; give your loo a clean with Citric Acid to remove the mineral/limescale deposits.

This is super easy and you will be amazed at the results.

• Pour a jug of hot water into the toilet bowl and tip in one to two cups of Citric Acid, sprinkling a lit bit around the bowl as well
• To tackle stains under the rim you can make up a citric acid spray with 50g citric acid dissolved in 250ml of warm water. Just spray under the rim after you’ve put the Citric Acid in the toilet and bowl.
• Leave for at least an hour, overnight if possible.
  When you’re ready just give the toilet bowl a good scrub with a brush and flush.

Note: if you’re tacking a build-up of limescale for the first time you may need to repeat this process.

Clean your washing machine

To ensure your washing machine stays clean and gunk free you should do this once a month.

What You’ll Need:

• 1 cup (approx. 250g) citric acid

How To:

• Clean the detergent draw and rubber seals with distilled white vinegar or a citric acid solution
• Pour the citric acid into the washing machine drum
• Run the machine on a hot wash

That’s it!

Keeping Your Shower Head Clean

Have you ever noticed how the holes in your shower head get clogged up? These can easily be cleaned by soaking your shower head in a solution of hot water and citric acid. Leave for around 10 minutes and then rinse

NOTE: Although natural cleaning ingredients are far less toxic and much better to use at home remember that even with natural cleaning ingredients you still need to take care when using them.