Cleaning is just about as monotonous as life gets (at least for me). I clean over and over again with no end in sight. One day while I was scrubbing my son’s dirty highchair tray and thinking about the many tasks I had yet to accomplish, I realized that I am often cleaning harder than I should be. Since then, I’ve done a lot of thinking, researching, and experimenting. Here are 7 quick ways to get your machines and appliances to clean for you.
Here are 7 of my favorite ‘realizations’ of how to clean smarter and not harder thereby freeing up valuable time.
1- After you have used your blender (as long as it is not meat or other bacteria laden items) you can just rinse it out, fill it with water up to ½ full and put a few drops of soap in it and start it up. Blend until it is clean and rinse it out again in the sink. Your blender has just cleaned itself pretty well in less than 1 minute. The trick to this is that you have to do it right after you use it. If you wait for 10-20 minutes or more the ingredients will dry and stick to its sides and the blender won’t be able to clean it well. After a few uses I always disassemble it and wash it in the dishwasher as well.
By the way I just got a Blendtec Blender and LOVE it! I never knew they sold refurbished ones for a lot less and they come with a 7 year warranty. Save Big + Free Shipping on Blendtec Certified Refurbished Blenders by clicking here.
2- Use your dishwasher to wash plastic toys, toothbrushes, binkies, and anything that is dishwasher safe and that will fit. My son’s high chair tray fits in our dishwasher on the bottom shelf so I often just put it in with the other dishes.
3- I realized I could put the following safely in my washer machine over the last few years. This has freed up more time and cut dry cleaner expenses significantly. You can wash the following in a washer machine: Shower curtain and liners (on gentle), car seat covers, diaper bags, purse (washable), bed pillows, laundry bags, and rugs (really anything that is washer machine approved). See the washing instructions on each item to be sure (or just Google it).
4- I would sweep daily and dust often. Then I decided the vacuum could do both jobs for me. If I have my vacuum out anyway (which I usually do) I complete 3 chores in one. I use the vacuum wand attachment to clean my baseboards instead of having to kneel and scrub them. The brush head to dust under couches, go over banisters, wipe up the dusty air returns, clean behind furniture and even vacuum dust off walls, tables, and other surfaces. I use the regular hose or wand to get lint and spider webs from off of the ceiling and chandeliers. Vacuuming and using the correct attachments can almost eliminate the need to dust.
I also use the vacuum to sweep. I have rugs in my kitchen so I quickly go over the rugs on a low carpet setting. I then switch it to a floor setting and vacuum the tile. After that I get the attachment, and go around under and in between the cabinets. I virtually eliminate the need to sweep using this tactic and it goes much faster.
5- Microwaving dish sponges on high for 2 minutes has been shown to kill 99% of the bacteria. You can also get microwave steamer sterilizers like this for baby items, breast pump attachments, and bottles (just be sure to make sure they can go into the microwave). I destroyed my sons teething toy that couldn’t handle the heat. Using microwaves to sterilize things cuts a ton of time and energy off of boiling water and sterilizing things by hand. Further, you can use your microwave to clean itself. Use 1 c vinegar + 1 c hot water in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 10 minutes. As found here.
6- Most people know this but I didn’t learn it until about 2 years ago…So in case you also were in the dark like me…here it is. You can actually set most ovens on a clean mode and it will clean itself. The oven will heat up hot enough and long enough and melt everything away. Caution though: If it is VERY dirty it will stink up the house so don’t do it before company comes over.
7- The shower is a tough area for me to figure out the best way to clean it. Others have commented on this article since I wrote it and have given me some great ideas that I will be sure to try! One reader told me she uses a steam cleaner on the showers and it heats the hard water and she can wipe the walls really clean after its use. Another reader wrote that she I finds that if she sprays the shower walls with white vinegar and blue dawn soap water about half hour before she is going to clean it and then use a shower scrub she gets sparkling clean shower in a few minutes. The one thing I used to do is that use my water heater and shower to get the hottest water and soak the shower walls and tub for a few minutes before I start scrubbing. I will report back once I try the tips my readers have given me.
By using our appliances and machines we can seriously cut down the time we spend cleaning. Instead of using our elbow grease and being down on hands and knees we can spend more time engaging in more enjoyable activities.
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Did I miss anything? I’d seriously love to know any efficient cleaning tips you have. I usually will add the useful comments to the text of my article too. So please let me know.
OWKDLSAIKDBCWH
Wednesday 19th of September 2018
Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your blog? My blog site is in the very same niche as yours and my users would definitely benefit from a lot of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this ok with you. Thanks a lot!
Anita
Thursday 27th of September 2018
Please link back! Thanks
Dana
Tuesday 3rd of May 2016
I clean my shower while I am taking one I keep a handheld scrubber in shower and use vinegar and dish soap mix. when I am done I squeegee. when I have hard water build up I scrub whole shower with pledge multi surface with orange oil it is amazing even though it says for wood it really gets hard water stains with ease I have even treated shower doors with rain x after cleaning too!
Anita Fowler
Tuesday 10th of May 2016
Great tip, Thanks Dana!
Janice
Thursday 30th of October 2014
IMELDA: Wow what ever happened to if you can't say something nice not to say anything at all. That's what my momma taught me. I love the tips. I was in the dark on some of these also. Not because my mother did everything but because we were raised on a farm and we didn't have money for a dishwasher. I was the dishwasher from the time I could reach the sink. My mom was out working on the farm. We scrubbed with soap and water and our bare hands. Those were our cleaning tips. So I for one and very thankful for the tips shared. Even if I had known the tips prior to reading, she is trying to help others which is far more than you're very rude rant. At least our mother's taught us manners. Thank you and God bless your hatefulness.
Anita Fowler
Thursday 30th of October 2014
:) Thanks Janice!
Imelda
Sunday 26th of October 2014
In the dark is a good choice of words. Don't mean to be harsh but I came here expecting to learn how I could save time and hopefully something new. Did you not do chores as a child? I get the impression you had a maid or something and I hope it wasn't your poor mother. If so and she's still living, go treat her to a full day of some serious quality time! Putting a shower curtain in the washer is a tip? Honey where have you been? Who doesn't know to do that w a load of towels? ? Same thing with sponges in the microwave and washing thoseitems mentioned in the dishwasher. Binky's and the top of the high chair and all others mentioned. If it's plastic it goes in the dishwasher at our house. You really were killing yourself trying to get housework done! Wish my mother was still alive so I could thank her for making me do all the work around the house so I'd be prepared as an adult to know how to properly take care of a household and still have time to spend with my family. Vinegar, salt, Apple cider vinegar, isopropyl alcohol, bleach, Dawn dish detergent yes specifically that brand, Magic Eraser, Swiffer duster and wipes and hydrogen peroxide can do the majority of any job needed for cleaning the entire house unless there's a special blend of carpet, wood flooring, special tile in the bathroom or granite counters. Study them. Use them. Live them. Love them. Your life will be much easier and it won't require a fortune. CLR gets out most any hard water stain in bathrooms.
Homemade Shower Solution First after the last person showers, use a squeegee (avail @ Walmart and Dollar Tree) to take excess water off of the shower walls. Curtain throw in a load of towels into washer add cup of vinegar. Wipe down problem areas like corners and ledges with a dry rag. Shower cleaning spray by mixing 2 cups water, 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 big squirt of dishwasher detergent (use Cascade not Dawn). Helps to prevent mold. For treatment: Spray mold with straight vinegar. Mix up a paste of baking soda or borax (a naturally occurring mineral) and scrub with a toothbrush. Use caution if you use borax – it can be harmful if ingested. To bleach stubborn stains, mix 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide with 1/2 cup water in a spray bottle. Spray stains and leave to dry. Voila! Clean and shiny shower
Cheryle
Sunday 23rd of August 2015
Imelda, YOu are being pretty harsh on Anita! My mom knew none of these cleaning tips. I did the housework and cooking from 7th grade on, and lots of it well before the entire house was handed over to me. Actually, I took it over as I hated living in chaos and not knowing when a meal was going to be on the table, and ANYONE could cook better than my mom! I have learned many of them after doing like Anita, and overcleaning everything. in fact, it is only the past year that I have decided to make it easier on myself, and not do as much. I have ruioned many things with strong cleansers and too much scrubbing. So lighten up! You are not the "Queen of Clean!" And if you think you are, there are other titles I would prefer to have, so you go for it! Anita and I will finish up this pitcher of margaritas and enjoy chatting whie watching the susnet.
Anita Fowler
Thursday 30th of October 2014
Imelda- actually I had multiple chores every day. I worked every Saturday. I refinished boat trailers, did mechanical work, powder coated steel, perffetaped our home, re-shingled the house, help tile our kitchen and balcony, cleaned the kitchen 2-4 nights a week before going to bed, had 2 chores to do after I got home from high school each day. I certainly was worked hard as a kid. We weren't allowed to sleep in and woke up every Saturday at 6 am and had to do at least 7 chores before we could play. Granted for the cleaning pro my tips perhaps aren't helpful, but some of them have been well received by others perhaps not so talented in the cleaning department. Give your self a pat on the back because you have got it together girl! Best of luck.
Em
Saturday 31st of May 2014
I quickly squeegy shower and tub after every use and theni spray my shower and tub with undiluted white vinegar after every use. This has has cut down my need to actually scrub either to about once every month or less, depending on use. I now live alone so I can go longer inbetween scrubbing.
I put everything I possibly can in the dishwasher or washing machine. I am just careful about heat settings.
Clean your oven racks and stove drip pans more easily by placing in a garbage bag with clear ammoniaand seal. Let sit for about 24 hours and then use SOS or stiff scrub pad and most everything comes off with a minimum of scrubbing. If you get both spotless and then do this more often than say every six months it goes really quick.
I line all my baking and cooking pans with parchment paper, aluminum foil, or heavy duty aluminum foil. Makes clean up a cinch.
I use my floor steamer on everything in the house that cannot easily be moved to clean or just to freshen up my furniture and curtains.
Many of my throw pillows unzip so the pillow insert goes into the wash then the dryer. Some pillows can go into the washer and dryer. If the cover cannot go into the wash I sprinkle some baking soda inside and let it sit until the insert is ready to go back in. I shake out the baking soda put the pillow insert back in and include one half a downey dryer sheet. Nice clean, freshened pillows with a minumum of fuss.
Do not put throw rugs in the dryer with heat if they have a rubber backing. It dries out and makes a mess and then rug slides around. If a rug has lost its backing, put dotd of hotglue from a glue gun in each corner and randomly around the edges and center.
If towels smell musty after being washed (or other laundry) or the washing machine itself smells musty. Do a plain water cycle with Downey fabric softener. This stops any water in the drum from sudsing. Then repeat a second water cycle with 2 cups of white vinegar on hot wash and hottest rinse available.
I would also suggest buying the best possible canister vacuum you can possib ly squeeze out of your budget. Makes vacuuming quicker. I try and vacuum every day and it only takes a few min. to do hard floors and carpet. Then about once every 2 weeks I vacuum very well and purposefully. A canister vacuum is much easier to move around and is easier to add attachments an vacuum stairs.
Regardless of what or where I am cleaning in my house, I always slip a few ttothpicks and an old toothbrush into my pocket. I always see something I cannot get at and these 2 little tools come in handy if you do not have to run to get them or something else to clean small or tight areas.
OK, I am tired. Have more but need to go to sleep. Happy cleaning.
Anita Fowler
Tuesday 10th of June 2014
Em- This is awesome information! Thanks so much!