Where do I start?
The honest answer is just to start. Start with small steps and work your way up to the big things.
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Sinks, Toilet, and Shower;
1. First, put bleach down all the plug holes and circle the inside of the toilet. When you are able to get water to flow well, then you can start on the cosmetic side of the project.
2. Pick up a cream cleaner during your next weekly food shop and some microfiber cloths. Line the sink with a thin layer of the cream cleaner and let sit for 2 mins.
3. Lighty rinse the microfiber cloth under water in the same sink, and wipe over the surface, using a slight amount of force if you need to. This should take off the top layer of dirt and grime.
4. Rinse the cloth with warm water again, and wipe the sink clean of all cream cleaner. You do not want to leave the cream on porcelain overnight as it might stain and harden on the basin.
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Microwave and oven;
1. Fill a small Tupperware with water, add a teaspoon of baking powder and a drop of washing-up liquid. Wet a microfiber cloth.
2. Take the trays out of the oven and place them in the sink. Fill the sink with warm and a drop of washing-up liquid. Let them soak in water and it will help take off the grime. Do not add in any extra chemicals, they might cause rust on the trays and that is very dangerous to heat up again.
3. Dip the microfiber cloth in the mixture and scrub the inside of the oven. It might take several times to completely clean the inside, but you will be able to do it!
4. If you need to do it a second time, repeat as necessary. Wash the microfiber cloth and dip it again into the Tupperware of liquid.
5. Rinse the microfiber cloth all the way through to wipe the inside of the oven clean. Make sure that the oven is fully rinsed and dried before next use.
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Washing Up
Now a friend or foe might have sent you here, just bear with us. Once you understand why washing up correctly is important, you will know why we want to share it with you.
Not everyone has a dishwasher and there are going to be periods of time when a dishwasher is not available, so this is how you do it:
Just running anything, plates, cutlery or pots, under cold water does not work. It causes mould to grow, causing food poising, can cause allergic reactions, which are very serious, and make living with people unbearable. Do not underestimate the power of a relationship ender like the never washed dishes.
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1. Run the tap until warm water is flowing steadily. Fill the sink or washing up bowl with warm water.
2. Put a pea-sized amount of washing-up liquid into the warm bowl.
3. Place items to be washed in the water. Do not continually run the tap whitewashing up, it wastes water.
4. Grab a cloth/brush and wipe on the item until visibly clean and non-greasy to the touch.
5. Place the item on a wire or plastic rack to dry. Either let this air dry, or dry with a CLEAN tea towel.
PRO TIP:
Start with glasses or anything made of glass, then make your way through from the least dirty things to the dirtiest. Change the water if all the soap suds have disappeared or the water is grey.
If there are any burnt-on bits, I tend to soak the item for a while and then have a go at it with a Brillo pad. But be careful with these pads as they will scratch off a Teflon coating, or any gold pattern on your china so in these cases, soak the item and wash when the stain has lifted off. If your saucepan has a horrendous stain which cannot be shifted by any other method, put a small amount of biological washing powder into the pan, half fill the saucepan with water, bring it to a boil, turn off the heat and let it soak. This shifts most stains. Don't forget that you'll need to wash it with washing-up liquid afterwards.
Laundry Symbols Explained
There are a lot of symbols on our clothes, bedding and many other things, but they can be confusing. Here is your quick guide to the main laundry symbols.
These aren't on many clothes in the UK but be wary, if you want to put anything on a high temperature unless it's bedding or towels, it will not come out the same size as you put it on.
We have also done a few #tiptuesday on washing a little bit colder, but you should pay particular attention to clothes as many should not be washed above 30 Degrees. This works as a general rule, but be careful there are some items that this can affect.
There is a second post all about different fabrics which should be washed at different temperatures, and also washing machine symbols explained. Find more in the member's area.