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10 Green Home Cleaning Tips – All You Need To Know

Cleaning the home is a vital key to staying healthy. It helps eliminate unpleasant odor, disease-causing germs, mites, and buildup of dust that worsens allergies and triggers asthma.

However, most of the cleaning agents that are used in the process are not environmentally friendly. They sometimes contain chemicals that can prove to be very hazardous to both humans and the ecosystem in general.

Interestingly, you can keep your house clean by following a few natural house cleaning steps. Before we move over to the green cleaning tips, let us find out what green cleaning involves.

What Is Green Cleaning?

Green cleaning is a concept that revolves around making use of cleaning methods and solutions that are safe for humans and the environment. It involves using green cleaning solutions and reducing waste when cleaning.

Some common green ingredients used in cleaning include lemon, salt, baking soda, and vinegar. These are used to prepare natural green cleaning solutions.

On the other hand, some manufactured green cleaning products are used in the cleaning process. Although most of these products are not free of artificial additives and chemicals, they are being marketed as green cleaners either because some of the ingredients are grown organically, or the manufacturers donate a portion of the profits generated from their sales to support environmental causes.

Green cleaning can significantly minimize the waste of resources and prevent environmental pollution in general. It also reduces health problems like allergies, headaches, nausea, skin irritation, and respiratory issues.

Now that we have found out what green home cleaning involves, we will not look at some green cleaning tips to incorporate into your everyday cleaning. In the later part of the article, we’ll discuss the role of green cleaning services and the things to consider when choosing one.

10 Green Cleaning Tips For Your Home

Some simple green ingredients and natural house cleaning methods are smart ways to keep your home clean without using toxic cleaning solutions.

Take a look at these ten green home cleaning tips that you can use to alternate harsh chemicals used to clean your home.

1. Make your windows and mirrors shine with Vinegar/Lemon juice.

Most of the window cleaners available in the market are ammonia-based and can be harmful to your health. So, it is time to ditch those cleaners and embrace some green cleaning solutions to do the same job.

clean-window-with-vinegar

Mix one part of vinegar with three parts of water to make a solution. Alternatively, you can make use of lemon juice instead of the vinegar. Spray the solution on the window or mirror as you would a cleaning product and wipe it down with a microfiber cloth to avoid any streaks.

Sometimes, it is advised that old newspapers be used in cleaning windows. However, there are pros and cons attached to doing this, and you would like to be aware of that.

It might sound like a cool and green idea to use old newspapers in shining your window because you will be saving on paper towels and recycling the newspapers, and it has been proven to work.

However, cleaning your windows with old newspapers may become very messy more quickly than you expect. Most times, the inks on the newspaper bleed, leaving streaks on your window frames.

Using a solution of vinegar or lemon juice and water with a microfiber cloth will be low on your pockets and keep your windows and mirrors shiny.

2. Naturally clean and shine your bare floors

A warm water and vinegar solution will do the trick of cleaning the most bare floors in your home, ranging from ceramic tiles, vinyl, linoleum, and even wooden floors.

Naturally-clean-and-shine-your-bare-floors

Just mix one cup of vinegar with one gallon of warm water and use the mixture to mop your floors. It serves as a cleanser, removing any buildup of dirt and grease on the floors, and has mild disinfectant properties. But, do not use this in excess.

Alternatively, if you have a wooden floor, you can use a combination of hot water, vinegar, and olive oil. Yes, salad dressing can be used to clean floors.

Just combine equal parts of vinegar and hot water with a little portion of olive oil to bring out the wooden floor’s shine. The quantity of oil to add depends on the quantity of your solution, which in turn depends on the expanse of the area you want to clean.

Using these natural house cleaning recipes will give you a clean and shiny looking floor without using the toxic cleaning products available in the market today.

3. Eliminate pests and rodents naturally.

Pests often cause a lot of disturbances, and in a bid to get rid of them, a lot of damage is caused. You can eliminate many pests ranging from household pests to outdoor pests, including bugs, spiders, and mice, without using chemicals.

Eliminate-pests-and-rodents-naturally

The wide variety of insects and rodent killers available in the market do a lot of harm rather than good. These products contain certain chemicals that are very harmful to health and the environment. They may succeed in eliminating the pests, but the products’ aftermath proves to be far more dangerous than the pests themselves.

On the other hand, you can get rid of these pests using some simple green ingredients that are both inexpensive and readily available. These solutions will also prove to be very beneficial to you in the long run.

You can use some essential oils to eliminate pests from your home. If you want to get rid of spiders in hidden corners of your home, such as the attic, you can do so using citronella essential oil.

Spiders tend to avoid any area with this scent as it repels it. So, you can place a few drops of citronella in strategic locations where spiders can be found.

Mice can be eliminated using peppermint essential oil. It finds the scent extremely offensive. Just add a couple of drops of peppermint oil on cotton balls and place them around your home.

Bugs can also affect the growth of the plants you have in your garden. Rather than trying to kill them with pesticides that are very harmful to the environment and health, you can use neem essential oil.

Mix two teaspoons of neem oil and two cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake the mixture vigorously to combine and then spray it on the plants to eliminate bugs without endangering them.

4. Clean your oven with baking soda

Baking soda is a natural house cleaning abrasive and can help you get rid of stains in your oven. Not everyone can afford to buy a self-cleaning oven, and even if you have one, there are just a few commercial green oven cleaners.

Clean-your-oven-with-baking-soda

Many of these oven cleaners are made with caustic soda, which is very harmful to health. You can clean your oven with just a simple green cleaner that you can easily make at home.

Prepare a thick paste using baking soda and water. Apply this paste to the portion of the oven that you want to clean and leave it to settle for a couple of hours, or perhaps overnight. Then, use a brush and scrub the stains away, wiping it after with a soft cloth.

Alternatively, you can search for a green oven cleaner to get the work done for you. The best option, though, is to prevent food spills from burning in the oven by using oven liners to make the task of cleaning your oven a lot easier for you when cleaning up your house.

5. Shine Your Metals

Among the must-have home cleaning products with a high concentration of harsh chemicals are metal polishes. These polishes for brass, copper, steel, and several other kinds of metals contain chemicals like ammonia and some corrosive acids, which can be damaging to the internal organs when perceived on a regular basis.

Shine-Your-Metals

To avoid the health hazards associated with these harsh chemicals, it will be wise to check out some green cleaning tips to remove any tarnish from your metals and prolong their life.

You can shine your copperware or antiques with a paste made with baking soda and lemon juice. Cover the entire surface with the paste and leave it to dry. Once it is dried up, you can then wipe it off with a clean microfiber cloth.

You can also use half a lemon sprinkled with some sea salt to rub on the metal item. Use a clean cloth to remove every residue of salt and lemon juice from the item’s surface.

6. Polish Your Furniture

Furniture polishes are among the list of home cleaning products that you need to ditch for green cleaning solutions. The polish is most often manufactured using petroleum distillates and solvents.

Polish-Your-Furniture

These two products found in your furniture polish are poisonous, smelly, and pose a great risk of inflammation. What are you still doing with something that can potentially burn down your house if care is not taken?

Several simple green ingredients can make your furniture shine effortlessly. And of course, our all-time favorite, lemon, is included in this list.

Make a solution of one part lemon juice and two parts olive oil and apply it to your furniture with a soft cloth. Yes, we are back again with the salad dressing.

This fantastic combination of olive oil and lemon juice will not only bring shine to your wooden furniture but will also give it a pleasant smell.

7. Eliminate Stains and germs in the kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most common places for disease-causing germs to breed. In fact, it has been shown that the kitchen contains more germs than the bathroom.

Eliminate-Stains-and-germs-in-the-kitchen

Many activities go on in the kitchen, from handling raw meat fish to cutting up vegetables, and all these introduce several harmful bacteria into the kitchen.

Although most cleaning products used in getting rid of the germs and stains are effective, they contain chemicals that can be fatal to the health, and you would not want that in your kitchen.

You can use a few simple natural house cleaning solutions to get rid of stains, germs, and odor in the kitchen. You can clean the dishwasher using a mixture of vinegar and water, allowing it to run one cycle to eliminate bacteria and odors.

You can clean countertops, cutting boards, and other kitchen surfaces with a solution of vinegar or lemon juice. These green ingredients will get rid of stains and food smudges in the kitchen and leave it with a delightful scent.

8. Use a natural cleaner for the bathroom.

Bathroom cleaners contain one of the harshest chemicals used to dissolve tough stains on the toilet bowl and soap scum and grease. These chemicals can pose a serious threat to health and should not be used in the home.

natural-cleaner-for-the-bathroom (1)

Granted, cleaning the bathroom is not one of the most exciting parts of house cleaning. However, you can still get a clean bathroom by simply replacing these harsh chemicals with natural house cleaning solutions.

To remove soap scums and grease from the bathroom, you can use lactic acid, which does the same thing as the cleaning products’ chemicals. What is more? They are naturally derived!

To clean the toilet bowl, you will need one part of vinegar, one part of water, and one baking soda. Mix everything and put it into the toilet bowl, and brush it vigorously with a toilet brush.

Allow it to sit for a couple of hours or overnight, then scrub it once again before flushing it all out. You can add a few drops of lemon essential oil to the mixture to get a pleasant odor.

Alternatively, you can buy very green cleaning products, paying particular attention to the ingredients used in manufacturing them.

9. Eliminate Clutter

The entire cleaning process can result in massive decluttering of your home, which can be caused by the use of paper towels.

Eliminate-Clutter (1)

These paper towels can cause a lot of mess in the home as they can not be recycled. Not to mention the large number of trees that are destroyed to produce them, in addition to the water pollution they cause.

Remember, green home cleaning also involves using cleaning methods that do not endanger the environment. Therefore, you can either reduce or eliminate the use of paper towels in cleaning your home.

As an alternative, you can use reusable towels that can be washed and dried when they become dirty. That way, you can reduce or eliminate the litter caused by paper towels.

You can even use this medium to utilize old cloth napkins and fabric scraps that you wish to throw out, using them to clean extremely grimy things and promptly discarding them.

Place the clean towels in strategic places where they can be easily grabbed just like the paper towels.

10. Ditch Artificial Fragrances for Natural Ones

What would you risk to get a sweet-smelling house? Your health and that of those living with you? Air fresheners are very useful to get that blast of sweet scent in your home.

Ditch-Artificial-Fragrances-for-Natural-Ones

However, it might interest you to know that most air fresheners contain a number of harmful chemicals, including the wide range of hormone-disrupting chemicals called Phthalates.

Yes, your house has a pleasant smell, but at the same time, you are also taking in a huge amount of harmful chemicals each time you spray the air freshener.

The most effective way to eliminate any odors from your house is to keep it clean generally. All through the tips we listed above, we mentioned the natural odor-eaters you can find in your home, vinegar and baking soda.

However, you can make your own air freshener at home using only natural house cleaning ingredients. To make this air freshener, you will need a cup of water, three tablespoons of vodka or pure vanilla extract, 10-15 drops of lavender oil, and 5-8 drops of chamomile essential oil.

Get all these ingredients together in a spray bottle and shake it up to thoroughly mix them together. And bam! Your green air freshener is ready for use.

Do not kill yourself and your family in order to get that pleasant fragrance you want in your home. You can make do with the most natural air fresheners, vinegar, and baking soda.

We have now seen the few green cleaning tips that you can employ to change your home cleaning routine from artificial products to natural alternatives. Let’s review the benefits associated with adopting a natural house cleaning method.

Benefits of Green Home Cleaning

There are a lot of benefits you can derive from switching over to green cleaning. Some of them include:

  • Improved Air Quality

These green cleaners contain essential oils that create natural fragrances in the home. That, in itself, is a form of aromatherapy.

  • Cleaner Environment

Using green cleaners can help to reduce a lot of environmental pollution that is rampant today. It reduces water and air pollution and goes a long way to minimize the depletion of the ozone layer.

  • Improved Health

Making use of green cleaners will improve the quality of your health. There will no longer be any danger of inhaling dangerous chemicals that can cause a wide range of health issues. These home cleaning products can worsen asthma and allergies.

  • Cost-efficient

Applying green cleaning tips and cleaning the home using natural ingredients is cheap in comparison with the cost of buying artificial cleaners. It will also eliminate any money that would otherwise be spent on treating health conditions caused by harmful chemicals.

Additionally, green cleaning is also cost-effective for companies that manufacture green products. There will be a huge reduction in the number of fire outbreaks that occur as a result of using inflammable chemicals.

Green Cleaning Services

Some households have aged ones or those who simply can not find time to clean their homes. Soji Cleaners offers professional green cleaning services that strictly follow industry standards and give clients the best results.

It is easy to forget that anytime you need to hire professional home cleaners to green clean your office or home, you need to find one that is reputable and can give you value for your money.

One advantage of hiring a home cleaning service is that it employs skilled professionals in their work. While you would usually scramble the internet to find efficient green cleaning tips, they know exactly what to do, what products to use, and what cleaning methods to use as well.

Most of these home cleaning companies also provide you with green home cleaning. When choosing a green cleaning company to hire, it is essential to know what exact products it will be using.

Green cleaning services refer to home cleaning companies that make use of natural, non-toxic products when cleaning your home. Now, it might be a little bit difficult to identify which company acîtually provides green cleaning services.

The main reason for this is because some of these companies merely claim to provide these services while they do not. They fail to disclose the ingredients present in the cleaning products that they will be using, and that is not what you need.

Therefore, you need to ensure that the company you choose stays true to its words of being a green home cleaner. Selecting a good green cleaning service like Soji Cleaners will help you to derive the full benefits of green cleaning without having to do anything.

You can simply schedule for a day to have your home cleaned while attending to other important duties.

Last Words

Green cleaning is a fantastic way that everyone can contribute to making the environment safer. Using the green cleaning tips provided above will guarantee a reduction in waste and improve health.

The ingredients in green cleaning solutions that you prepare at home are readily found in the house, which makes it very convenient to use.

However, if you can not always prepare those DIY green cleaning solutions, you can buy green cleaning products from the stores. But it is imperative that you pay close attention to the content so that you can guarantee that you are using a completely green product.

By switching to green home cleaning, you will be contributing your own quota to maintaining our beautiful home, Earth.

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25 Best Office Cleaning Tips and Tricks

As an entrepreneur or a business owner cleanliness of your workspace is probably not the first thing that comes to mind each day. Having a clean and healthy workspace is a major linchpin when it comes to running a successful business.

It’s a collective responsibility of the business owner and the employees to ensure that the workplace is pristine.

Work is Worship after all.

It’s not only important to keep your office clean for your mental and physical health. There is a myriad of other benefits that you can think of, should you choose to go down that road.

A Clean workspace is important to

  • Create a great first impression on your clients. Clean office space is a clear indication of your professionalism not only towards your employees but also for your clients.
  •  Promote your brand. It doesn’t matter what business you’re in. The average consumer would judge your brand by what your office looks like.
  • Boost the productivity of your Employees. They spend about 8 hours on average in the office every day. Keeping the office clean would boost their morale, keep them efficient, and most importantly happy.

So, without further ado, here are 25 best Office / Commercial Cleaning Tips and Tricks (specially curated for you)

office cleaning tips img 01

Start Small

Just start with your Immediate surroundings, (like your desk, or even your keyboard) and see where it takes you. No one expects you to deep clean the whole office in one go. (Nooo way)

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It doesn’t matter on what side of the threshold you are. Whether you’re a neat freak or a far less orderly fellow. You can always start small. It’s all about channeling your inner Monica (FRIENDS).

Desk

Your workstation is like a shrine and should be treated nothing less.  You spend a major part of your day on it. So why not start with it?  Get rid of the things you don’t want – Unnecessary files, papers and other debris. The more organized your desk the more productive you are (and I can’t stress that enough)

messy-desk

Surely, you already have a lot on your plate but you also have your plate on your desk. Remember it’s NOT a kitchen table. Try and keep those two separate. All it takes is about 5 minutes to declutter your desk. You will instantly feel a sense of accomplishment. Now go and shred that unnecessary document that’s been sitting on your desk for a week. NOW!

Empty Drawers

What did you do with the pen that stopped working the other day? Check your drawer …THERE IT IS! This isn’t where it belongs. Once you open that can of worms you might find a lot of things that you should’ve gotten rid of long ago.

You might also find things that you had been looking for weeks. All these little unseen things contribute to the office mess. It’s time to get rid of those stapler pins, paper clips, Qtips, and everything else that doesn’t belong there.

I hope I’ve “DRAW-n ’’ your  attention to it.

Filing

By now you might know that papers and files are one of the biggest offenders in the office mess. While one of the simpler solutions is to make paper planes for a laugh. But that kind of thing is not going to “fly “in an office environment.

 File as you go

  • Before it becomes a huge pile, process papers as you go.
  • Immediately Shred the ones you don’t need.
  • Set up a Labelling system for files and trays and make a habit of using it.

Communal Areas

Your colleagues are your extended family. Celebrate it by keeping the communal areas clean, doesn’t matter if you work at NASA or Space X.

communal-area-in-office

Keeping the communal areas clean is no rocket science.

  • Keep the common kitchen clean. Avoid leaving the dishes in the sink and clean immediately after you’re done.
  • Take responsibility for cleaning appliances – microwave, kettle.
  • Clean all the common cutlery and crockery immediately after you’ve used them.
  • Maintain hygienic standards in bathrooms especially the gender-neutral one (DO NOT LEAVE THE SEAT UP)
  • Even if you’ve not littered or made a mess, make a general effort to keep your surroundings clean.

Ditch that junk

No one loves junk (except Paul McCartney). Get rid of all the things you don’t need. We all know it’s difficult but seriously you DO NOT need the coaster that your ex once put her/ his /their tea on. It’s only gonna leave behind a mess.

ditch-the-junk

Let go of the useless things on your workstation (apart from yourself).

Useless pens, coasters, mouse pads, papers.

YOU CAN DO IT.

Fridge

It’s a no-brainer that you must keep your fridge clean. That’s where you keep your FOOD after all! That stale smell or spilled curry on the foot of the fridge can be off putting. Especially when you’re starving after a hardworking morning.

fridge

A weekly fridge clean out is recommended to keep it hygienic and fresh.

It becomes easier if we keep an eye on the expired produce and remove items beforehand.

Cleaning Compartment

Create Space for a cleaning compartment in the office to keep all your cleaning needs in one place.

Cleaning Schedule

It’s all about teamwork. Workout a cleaning schedule where everyone shares responsibility.

cleaning-schedule

It’s an opportunity to strengthen camaraderie and discipline of your team.

It’s also an opportunity to get better at a task you might be unfamiliar with. (You know you can get better at doing the dishes! Yes, I am talking to you!)

Light Switches

Since light or fan switches are used by multiple people throughout the day, it’s imperative to give them a gentle wipe every now and then.

Surface cleaners and a damp cloth are your best bets.

They will light up your world.

Electronics

Your electronic gadgets are capable of shocking you. What’s even more shocking is the number of bacteria that can be found on your keyboards and desktops. Research by University of Arizona researchers also found that the average desktop has 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.

electronics

That study took samples from offices across the United States, and also showed that women’s desks tended to harbor more bacteria than men’s desks.

(Anderson, G; and Palombo, EA, Microbial contamination of computer keyboards in a university setting; American Journal of Infection Control, 37(6) pp.507-9, 2009.)

Strong enough to reason to give them a wipe?

Here are some quick tips to help you clean your desktop. 

  •  Shut down and unplug your computer
  • Turn the keyboard upside down to empty debris from between the keys. If you are using a can of compressed air, you should use it at this point to blow debris out from in-between the keys.
  • Dampen a cotton swab (such as a Q-tip) with water or isopropyl alcohol. Make sure it is damp, not wet. Use it to clean in-between the keys
  • Dampen a lint-free cloth with your chosen cleaner. Again, make sure it is damp, not wet. Wipe down the rest of the keyboard with the cloth.

Waste Basket

A really easy and convenient way to keep your surroundings even cleaner – keep a small wastebasket for your bits and bobs (don’t forget to empty it at the end of the day).

Eco Friendly

In this ever-changing world, it’s important to take responsibility to lead the way by making some positive changes. To keep your surroundings, clean just isn’t enough. To do it responsibly is the ultimate challenge.

ecofriendly

You can do your bit for the planet by –

  • Recycling
  • Upcycling
  • Using – non-toxic, environment-friendly cleaning products.
  • Avoid wasting paper.

Windows

It’s criminally underrated how a great view from the window can uplift your mood. After hours of grinding in front of your computer screen the best way to take a breather is to catch some natural light. it’s good for your morale and a much-needed respite from the virtual world.

You can easily clean the inside of your window with just a surface cleaner and rag.

It’s imperative to hire a professional window cleaning service for the outside. It’s also an interesting way to inspire the employees to keep them tidy from the inside.

Spring Cleaning

It’s good practice to generally keep your workplace clean. There are times when the office needs a thorough and deep clean. Even though you’ve done your best to channelize your pristine self into doing your bit (if your conscience is clean too).

There are still a few things that need professional attention. Spring cleaning is one of them. Having your office deep cleaned every spring will help your business and your employee’s blossom. (see what I did there)

Carpet Cleaning

Carpets are silent killers. They just sit and collect dust and bacteria. Carpets should never be underestimated. Besides, investing in regular carpet cleaning will also prolong the life of your carpet.

carpet-cleaning

Carpet cleaning is crucial. It won’t take you very far if you just sweep it under the carpet.

Plants

Plants add character to an office. They are a healthy addition to your office as they purify the air, remove toxins (especially if you have Aircons).

plants-in-office

They add color to your office space and your life. If you have indoor plants in the office it’s imperative to maintain them because they can collect dust.

The leaves need a gentle wipe with a damp cloth and you’re good to go.

Organise – Assign a place for everything

  •  Assigning a place for everything will help you save your precious time.
  •  Labelling it and putting things in the right place will help you find it in a pinch.
  •  It comes in handy on a particularly tough day at the office when things are already going awry.
  •  Make sure you have empty drawers and space for new things that come into the office.

Keep Air fresheners in Proximity

Keep Air Fresheners in close proximity. They are handy to keep the space smelling nice. After all, it just isn’t enough if the place is only aesthetically pleasing. You’re spoiled for choice with the kind of range of air fresheners in the market these days.

Pro tip: Don’t overuse them. They can be overwhelming and counterintuitive if overused.

Cleaning Checklist

While we’re on lists it’s important to list down another list- the cleaning checklist.

It’s an incredibly easy way to ensure that every inch of the office is taken care of.

The checklist also ensures that 

  • the job gets done on time
  • chances of mistake are reduced
  • Nothing gets overlooked.

A Note on the Cleaning technology

 It’s important to invest in cleaning technologies be it your high-powered vacuum cleaner or your humble damp cloth. They all need to meet quality standards for great results.

cleaning-technology

A slight lapse and the whole room might smell of the old rag.

It’s your move.

Don’t ignore that floor

Every hard surface needs a specific cleaning process. It can hamper the original shine and brightness if ignored.

floor-cleaning

Taking care of these specifics will ensure that your floor is cleaned and will prolong its inevitable replacement.

Common kitchen

  • Keep the common kitchen clean. Avoid leaving the dishes in the sink and clean immediately after you’re done.
  • Take responsibility for cleaning appliances – microwave, kettle, coffee machine.
  • Clean up after you’re done eating in case you spill or drop food in the common dining area.
  • Clean all the common cutlery and crockery immediately after you’ve used them.

Cleaning Equipment

Not going to ask you to buy a smaller vacuum cleaner to clean your normal sized vacuum cleaner and so forth. Disinfect, sterilize, sanitize your cleaning equipment for the best results.

It’s also important to replace your old rags, wipes, clothes, even technology when it’s time and trust me you will know when it’s time.

Hire a Professional

You already have a lot of balls in the air, and you’re doing a great job keeping your surroundings clean. But there’s only so much you can do. Why not let the experts take care of it.

Like you they’re experts in their field. While all the tips and tricks mentioned above are important to keep your office pristine. Hiring a professional will make sure that it’s being done in the best possible way.

It’s the best way to give your office a budget-friendly facelift. Elevating the morale of your employees and making your office inviting for everyone -be it clients, industry professionals, or even a newfound romantic interest of your employee.

Conclusion

A clean office space allows for happy customers, clients, and employees. Still, cleaning goes beyond tidying up after yourself, and it can be challenging to know precisely how to keep your office clean efficiently.

Hope that the above-mentioned tips and tricks are useful to you in keeping your office cleaned and your employees happy.

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How to Clean Your Duvet/Comforter At Home

The duvet and comforter are two handy textiles in the home because they are both comfortable and keep you warm on cold nights. However, just like every other textile material, they can get dirty and require washing them.

Sometimes, though, it might not be all too easy to take your duvet or comforter to a laundry or dry cleaning facility to wash it. But, the duvet-cleaning process can also be done at home with just a few steps.

This article will focus on how you can go about with your duvet or comforter cleaning process safely without damaging the material. But first, let’s find out more about these two, duvet and comforter.

Duvet And Comforter: Any Difference?

A lot of people are often confused when it comes to distinguishing between duvets and comforters. Some refer to the duvet as the duvet cover and the comforter as the duvet itself.

duvet white pillow

Let us closely examine the difference between duvets, duvet covers, and comforters to prevent further confusion.

Duvets:

Duvets are made by sewing a piece of fabric to form a large sleeping bag, filled with either down or other soft materials such as wool or feathers and synthetic fibers. This filling makes it to keep you very warm, although being considerably lightweight.

Duvets typically come in white colors and are not decorative as they will not be visible through the duvet cover. Duvets can not be used without the duvet covers, and they can be sold separately, making it possible for you to choose the color of the duvet cover to match your bedding.

Duvet Covers:

These are sewn in the form of a large pillowcase that is intended to cover your duvet. The duvet covers help protect your duvet from a wide variety of stains, spills, and damage.

They come in a wide array of colors, patterns, materials, and styles. Duvet covers help relieve the burden of regular duvet cleaning and allow you to switch up your bedding style and color by simply changing them. They are also very easy to remove, clean, and store.

Comforters:

Comforters are pretty much like duvets, hence, the confusion. However, comforters are not filled with as many soft materials as the duvet, making it flat and less fluffy.

Since they are less bulky than duvets, comforters do not supply as much warmth on colder nights as duvets, so you may have to layer it with extra blankets.

Comforters are often sewn with fancy fabrics, and they can be very decorative, even including matching curtains, decorative pillows, and bedsheets. But, if you want to change your bedding look, you will have to change the entire comforter.

Now that we have cleared up that misconception, what do you have in your home? A duvet or a comforter? Interestingly, the suggestions for duvet-cleaning are also applicable to comforter cleaning. So, let us look at how you can clean your duvets and comforters at home.

How To Clean Duvets/Comforters At Home

To prolong the lifespan of your duvet or comforter, you must take proper care of them. A duvet does not even need to be frequently washed since it has the duvet cover that protects it and keeps it clean.

However, if there happens to be a spill or a tiny stain on your duvet, it will be best to spot it clean and dry. You don’t need to complete a whole duvet-cleaning process to keep it clean. It is often the duvet covers that need to be washed and not the duvet itself.

Sometimes, you have to freshen up your duvet before the need to all-out wash it arises. So, if you want to freshen up your duvet, and probably kill some germs without actually washing it, you need your dryer and a few dryer balls or clean tennis balls.

Place your duvet or comforter in the dryer and add the dryer balls. Set the dryer on a low or medium heat and allow it for about 30 to 40 minutes. Stop the dryer every 10 minutes and rotate the duvet to distribute the heat evenly.

That way, you can freshen up your duvet without actually having to wash it. On the other hand, a comforter has no covering, and so it is not often protected against stains and will need to be washed as frequently as possible.

Therefore, if you cannot merely freshen it up, below are a list of steps that you can take to wash your duvet and comforter at home.

  • Follow The Instructions:

Most beddings often come with labels that provide care instructions on how to clean the material properly. Paying attention to the label before duvet-cleaning will give you a clue as to the type of material that you are dealing with and how to wash it safely.

Remember, do not launder fabrics labeled “dry clean only” as that could significantly damage the duvet or comforter. Ignoring this first step can cause you to destroy your duvet or comforter.

  • Choose a Washing Method

If your duvet or comforter is sewn with a material that needs to be dry cleaned, it will be best to send it to a reputable dry cleaning facility like Soji Cleaners to have it cleaned up.

You can either hand wash the duvets or wash them with a washing machine. If you are using a washing machine, ensure that it is large enough to contain your duvet or comforter without ripping it.

Duvet in a washing machine

duvet in washing machine

First, place your comforter or your duvet cover into a large washing machine and add the appropriate quantity of liquid soap that is best suited for the material that you will be washing.

Next, set your washer cycle at gentle or delicate, set the spin to medium or low not to stress the seams, and use cold water in the duvet cleaning or comforter cleaning process.

Granted, you want your duvet or comforter to look very neat, sparkly, and incredibly soft. Still, it will be in your best interest to resist the temptation of using a bleach, fabric softener, or anything else to either brighten or soften your duvet.

The bleach removes the protective down-proof layer covering the fabric. The fabric softener coats the down, and other natural or synthetic fibers used in filling up the duvet or comforter prevent it from properly drying.

After the washer has completed its cycle, run it through the rinse cycle for at least 2-3 times to ensure that your duvet or comforter is thoroughly rinsed without any residue of the liquid soap used in washing it.

Once you are done washing and rinsing your duvet, you can then take it to the dryer. If the duvet is made with synthetic materials, you can set your dryer on low to medium heat or tumble dry on low heat. However, if the duvet or comforter is made with down or other natural fibers, it will be best to set your dryer on low heat and allow it to dry.

You can as well add dryer balls or clean tennis balls wrapped up in some socks. This will help to agitate the down and fibers as the duvet dries, returning them to their natural forms and preventing the formation of lumps on the duvets or comforters.

Stop the dryer at intervals, take out the duvet and shake it to redistribute the down or other fibers inside it. Rotate it and use your hands to smoothen out any clumps that you find before putting it back into the dryer again to dry completely.

Once the drying cycle is complete, take out the duvet or comforter and hang it under shade to air it. Do not spread your duvet under direct sunlight as it causes the down filling to release an unpleasant odor in addition to a small amount of shrinkage that may occur.

After duvet cleaning, ensure that the duvet is completely dry before placing it back on your bed to prevent mildew. If you notice any clumps in the duvet, it is an indication that the duvet or comforter is not dry, so you will have to place it back in the dryer to dry completely.

white pillow
  • Washing by Hand

A duvet cleaning or comforter cleaning exercise can be a little bit difficult to carry out by hand. But, it is not impossible to do, especially if you cannot seem to lay your hands on a washing machine or afford the cost of having it cleaned by professionals.

You will need a clean bathtub, cold water, and a mild washing soap or detergent to accomplish this task. Before placing your duvet or comforter in the bathtub, ensure that there is no dirt in it.

It will be best to scrub the bathtub with a cleaning agent and rinse thoroughly to be on a safer side. Next, fill in the tub with cold water and add the right amount of mild washing soap suitable for the duvet.

Use your hands to lather up the soap to create a soapy solution. Then place your duvet or comforter inside the soapy water and allow it to sit in the water for about 30 minutes.

Next, gently move your hands around the surface of the material to get rid of stains. Remove the duvet or comforter from the bathtub and drain the soapy water.

Refill the tub again with cold water and place the duvet back into the water to remove any excess detergent or soap suds. Do this a couple of times until the duvet or comforter is rinsed thoroughly. Finally, drain the water and gently roll up the duvet several times to squeeze out excess water.

If you do not have a dryer to dry your comforter, you can pick it up after removing excess water and give it a good shake to make sure that the down and other synthetic fibers are not clumping before you hang it.

It is advisable to hang the duvet or comforter on a place where it is suspended to prevent the growth of mold or mildew. You can drape it over a drying rack or place it near a window or fan so that it can dry up quickly.

There are still certain things that you can do to keep your duvet or comforter clean and prevent frequent washing that can cause the material to lose its quality. What are those? Let’s find out.

Extra Tips To Keep Your Duvets/Comforters Clean

These tips can enable you to treat your duvets better and keep them fresh before each wash.

  • If you are using a duvet, always protect it against stains, sweat, and damage using a duvet cover. A thorough duvet cleaning should be done only once in a while.
  • Regularly fluff your duvet or comforter as this will help to redistribute the fillings and prevent them from becoming matted.
  • Do not store or transport your duvets or comforters in a plastic bag. Instead, place it in the cotton bag that it came with, as it allows air to penetrate through to the duvet.
  • After duvet or comforter cleaning, do not iron or starch the material as this can melt the fillings.
  • Use a steamer to remove wrinkles, odor, and germs on the duvet or comforter before wash days.

Final words

Your duvets or comforters can look and feel new all over again with just a little bit of extra attention from you.

Following the tips above on duvet cleaning and comforter cleaning will guide you on how to give your duvets or comforters the appropriate care by either washing and to dry them or freshening them up. Either way, you can look forward to a good night’s sleep when you take care of your duvets and comforters.

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20 Best Home Cleaning Tips to Make Your House Look Like New

“There’s no place like home.” This popular saying is often used to put the spotlight on how loved ones staying together creates a beautiful atmosphere for everyone. However, you would agree that every home also has a unique flair, furniture, or gadgets that family members already view as part of what makes up the home.

What often gets ignored, though, is the effort that goes into learning how to clean home surroundings and maintain a clean and healthy environment for everyone.

Often considered a ‘Mom’ task, home cleaning requires a lot of time and dedication, including not getting tired of picking up misplaced articles in different home corners.

If you handle cleaning for your home, you likely may be searching for home cleaning tips to make your house look like new all the time.

In this article, we’ll share some of the best home cleaning tips to help you achieve the results you desire, and also go over some home cleaning benefits to keep in mind.

The information we share herein also applies even when you hire home cleaning services to help put your home in shape. Knowing them will allow you to save costs and understand your specific cleaning needs.

20 Best Home Cleaning Tips To Make Your House Look Like New

1. Refresh The Shower Curtain

Shower curtains accumulate dirt from mold, mildew, and soap scum. Often, one may ignore the dirt build-up unintentionally or simply because of procrastination.

Shower-Curtain

However, if you’re looking to get instant home cleaning benefits and make your house look new, starting from your bathroom (a frequently used section of the home), is an excellent idea. So, it’s time to take those shower curtains off the rings and clean them.

Not sure how to do it?

Well, most shower curtains can be cleaned with a washing machine filled with warm or hot water. Add the regular amount of detergent and mix with baking soda and wash at the highest level.

At the rinse stage, add a cup of distilled white vinegar and hang the curtain to dry after a full spin cycle. You should have a refreshed shower curtain at the end of the process, giving your bathroom a deserved facelift.

2. Disinfect Kitchen Sponges

Kitchen sponges are useful for cleaning countertops, dishes, and other utensils. What is often less discussed is that these sponges can spread millions of bacteria around the home because it is not cleaned correctly.

Disinfect-Kitchen-Sponges

A study by Scientific Reports suggests that kitchen sponges have the potential to “collect and spread bacteria with a probable pathogenic potential,” making it a hotspot for bacteria in some kitchen environments.

Interestingly, there is not so much that you need to do to disinfect your kitchen sponge. A standard method is microwaving damp sponges for 90 minutes and with full power.

Doing so could literally destroy up to 99% of bacteria and is recommended at least once in a week for regularly used kitchen sponges.

3. Wipe-out Wall Doodles

If you have kids in your household, you will most likely have wall doodles resulting from kids using your painted walls to display their artistic efforts. But you don’t need to wait until they’re all grown up before you start looking for a solution.

Wipe-out-Wall-Doodles

A simple home cleaning tip to wipe out wall doodles is to sprinkle a damp sponge with baking soda and scrub affected areas lightly. This exercise will make your house look new, at least until the artists show up again!

Alternatively, you can commit to repainting walls periodically to wipe our doodles to give the entire room a facelift.

4. Freshen Fuzzy and Musty Towels

A towel is one of the most used household fabrics. Constant use and hard water could result in an accumulation of minerals that, in turn, make towels scratchy and uncomfortable for continued usage.

Freshen-Fuzzy-and-Musty-Towels

You can get rid of these deposits by washing the towels using boiling water, and then add a cup of Ammonia to soften the fabric once again.

On the other hand, a towel can become musty and speckled if it is not exposed to sufficient sunlight. Brush the towel to remove mildew spores and sundry the material for three to four hours.

Next, pre-soak the material using water and bleach solution before tossing into the washing machine for a full spin.

5. Get Rid of Pet Stinks and Furs

Pet owners agree that these friends are great companions and can bring you a rare kind of joy. Simultaneously, dealing with pet odors and furs presents a challenge, hence its inclusion in this list of home cleaning tips.

Get-Rid-of-Pet-Stinks-and-Furs (1)

Although dealing with pet stinks and furs is a daily tussle, here are some practical ways to handle it:

  • Eliminate the odor from soft, cozy surfaces where your pet loves to hang around. Sprinkle these surfaces with baking soda and vacuum.
  • For more severe odors, use a solution of vinegar and water to spray on carpets, floors, and other pet surfaces.
  • Regularly scoop pet fur with damp gloves or use a soft-bristled brush.
  • Wash all the items regularly used by your pet.

At other times, the solution to pet order is to bath the pet regularly either at home or with a pet groomer.

6. Wipe-Out Coffee Stains From Mugs and Carafe

If coffee stains have made your ceramic mugs or carafe appear less attractive, you can do away with such seemingly stubborn stains as part of your next cleaning exercise.

Wipe-Out-Coffee-Stains-From-Mugs-and-Carafe

The simplest way to achieve that is by adding a small quantity of your regular dish soap and then some baking soda to increase abrasion.

7. Sanitize Your Devices

Electronic devices are very prone to dirt, dust, and some bacteria. The reason is that you are almost always touching them, especially your smartphones, and this frequent touching can cause it to gather a lot of dirt in the process.

Sanitize-Your-Devices

A study by the scientists at the University of Arizona has shown that your smartphone carries ten times more bacteria than your toilet seat. You heard that right. Your cell phone is dirtier than your toilet seat!! And this is because they are often left out in the cleaning processes.

Your electronic devices, including your PCs, game consoles and controllers, smartwatches, phones and tablets, and even your headphones and earphones, need to be cleaned as often as possible to prevent picking up some bacteria that make you sick.

Of course, you would not have to immerse the devices in water for it to be clean, but there are certain things that you can use to clean them. It is often best to wipe them with a slightly damp microfiber cloth and use cotton swabs to clean areas that you can not get to with the fabric.

Avoid using liquid cleaning sprays as they are difficult to control and tend to run into the device and cause much damage. You also need to avoid harsh chemicals that are used in day-to-day cleaning. The best option is to read up on how to clean your devices without damaging them safely.

8. Remove Stains from Cutting Boards

The cutting boards are one of the most reached for tools in the kitchen. They are used to handle a lot of food items, and the constant contact with sharp knives creates splits and scrapes on the surface of the board, thus, making it a perfect habitat for germs to breed.

Remove-Stains-from-Cutting-Boards (1)

Your cutting boards need to be cleaned as often as possible, irrespective of the cutting board that you are using. Stains on the board are inevitable; therefore, you must know the proper way to get rid of them depending on your cutting board’s surface.

Plastic cutting boards are among the most common types of the board found and are very easy to get stained, especially if you are using bright-colored ones. You can remove stains from a plastic cutting board by making a paste with four parts hydrogen peroxide, 1 part dish soap, and two parts baking soda.

Apply the paste on the board and allow it to sit for a couple of hours. This will considerably lighten up the stain. But, if the stains are adamant about removing, you can consider buying a new board and take care to clean it as often as possible to avoid stains that will later prove very difficult to remove.

9. Let Your Blender Clean Itself

Blenders are very handy tools in the kitchen. However, the blenders can become dirty pretty quickly with dried up residues from smoothies, soups, and many more.

Let-Your-Blender-Clean-Itself

The task of scrubbing off the stains and reaching between the blades with a scrubbing brush and hot water is one of the most frustrating dishwashing tasks.

Interestingly, you can make your blender wash. You just need to fill the blender half-way with warm water, add a few drops of dish soap and turn on the blender for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Once it is complete, pour out the contents and rinse. Your blender will be even cleaner than when you spend several minutes or perhaps hours scrubbing it.

10. Use Baking Soda to Unscratch Your Plates

Plates often get scratched as a result of spoons, forks, and knives being constantly dragged across its surface. With time, these scratches tend to make the plates look tattered.

Use-Baking-Soda-to-Unscratch-Your-Plates

To make your plates look as good as new, you do not need to spend a lot of money. You just need a simple ingredient that is very common, baking soda.

Mix the baking soda with a little quantity of water and use your fingers or a piece of soft fabric to gently apply rye paste on the scratched areas of the plate that have been scratched. After doing this for a few minutes, rinse the plates off.

11. Clean And Shine Your Plants With Mayo

Your potted plants are one of the decorations that can make the home look very beautiful. However, dust and dirt can make the leaves of these plants look very unattractive.

Clean-And-Shine-Your-Plants-With-Mayo

Have you ever wondered why the leaves of flowers at the florist shop look healthy and shiny all-year-round? Well, it is true that they are professionals who can properly take care of those flowers.

But there is something you can do to make your plants shine. You can use mayonnaise to make your plants shine. Yes, it is weird and quite absurd from other home cleaning tips that we’ve shared so far. But it works.

Just take a small piece of soft fabric, add a little quantity of mayo and apply it on the leaves of your plants. Note that you can apply this to plants that have smooth leaves.

12. Shine Silver Items

Silver items make the house look sparkly and beautiful. However, being a metal, they sometimes tarnish and lose their shine. Shining these silver items that have been tarnished over the course of being used is one of the cleaning tips that you can employ to make your house look like new.

Shine-Silver-Items

Unsure about how to do it? Don’t worry; we got you covered. If you are cleaning more than one silver item or larger vessels, you will need an aluminum foil, half tablespoon of baking soda, a gallon of water, and bakeware.

It is best to use bakeware that is not metal as it can react with the aluminum. With the shiny part up, place the aluminum foil inside the pan, add the water and baking soda and bring it to a boil. Then, add the items that you want to shine and leave it for about 15 seconds.

Take it out and allow it to cool down, then wipe it off and see your silver items sparkle again.

13.  Eliminate Oven Spills

Oven spills can be very difficult to deal with, especially when the spills are burnt and stick to the oven racks. This can produce an unpleasant odor and taste to subsequent food that will be placed in it.

Eliminate-Oven-Spills

Soaking the oven racks in water overnight can help to soften the stains and make it easier to scrub with dish soap and warm water.

14. Get Rid of Water Stains on Glasses

Your windows can take on a lot of water stains from rainfall and other accidental spills. Getting rid of these stains can make the glasses look shinier and provide instant home cleaning benefits.

Water-Stains-on-Glasses

You can use a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar, and a piece of soft fabric to gently wipe out the stains.

15. Clean Your Shower Head

When was the last time you cleaned your showerhead? The showerhead is one of the most frequently used items in the house, and it can accumulate a lot of dirt as time passes.

Clean-Your-Shower-Head

Cleaning the showerhead may seem like a difficult task, but it can be made easy with just a few simple steps. First, fill a plastic bag that is large enough to cover the showerhead with white vinegar and wrap it around the showerhead.

Next, you take a piece of ribbon and fasten the plastic bag to the showerhead. Leave it to soak for a few hours or perhaps overnight if it is very dirty. Note that if your shower head is coated with brass, gold, or nickel, do not leave it in the vinegar for more than 30 minutes as it can damage it.

16. Remove Grease From Cabinets

This is another that falls under home cleaning tips for the kitchen. Kitchen cabinets can become greasy and dirty. Cleaning the cabinets will require a great deal of effort and patience. Leaving it that way will be very unsanitary.

Remove-Grease-From-Cabinets

Prepare a solution of equal parts of vinegar and warm water and pour it into a spray bottle, you can add in a few drops of dish soap if the cabinet is extremely greasy. Spray the solution on the greasy cabinets and allow it to sit for about 2 minutes.

Rinse the cabinet and dry it off with a piece of dry cloth.

17. Eliminate Upholstery Stains

Upholstery stains can be pretty frustrating as they are very visible, and a single mistake in cleaning them can make them worse than before.

Eliminate-Upholstery-Stains

If you choose not to hire home cleaning services to help with this, then It will be in your best interest to first identify the reason for the stain on the upholstery. Having this knowledge will help you to identify what to use in getting rid of it.

In cleaning spills on fabric upholsteries, water and a few drops of dish soap can get rid of water-based stains. But in cases of oil-based stains, you can apply a layer of baking soda on the stain to absorb it.

For synthetic upholsteries, make a solution with two parts of white vinegar, one part of warm water and a few drops of clear dish soap. Spray the solution on the stained portion and gently scrub with a clean cloth.

18. Clean TV Screens With Dry Clothes

Television screens are often neglected in the everyday home cleaning process. Cleaning your TV screens frequently will help to prevent the build-up of dust.

Clean-TV-Screens-With-Dry-Clothes

You just need to make use of a clean microfiber cloth to wipe the screen every day to have it looking neat at all times.

19. Make Home Cleaning a Group Activity

This is not one of those pro home cleaning tips. However, everyone in the home should probably get involved in keeping every corner of the home as clean as possible. This way, there will not be only one person to pick up misplaced articles in the house or take the clothes out of the washing machine.

Make-Home-Cleaning-a-Group-Activity

What’s more?

Doing deep home cleaning quarterly or at least bi-annually requires a lot of effort and probably shouldn’t be left for any single member of the household. Carrying out this activity as a team fosters good relationships, and also allows everyone to appreciate the work done in keeping the home safe and conducive for everyone.

Alternatively, though, households with elderly members could use the final tip that we’ll discuss.

20. Hire Professional Home Cleaning Services

If a household has elderly members who can not keep up with the everyday cleaning of the house, the best option will be to hire a professional home cleaning service like Soji Cleaners.

Hire-Professional-Home-Cleaning-Services

These professionals know how to clean home surroundings and the best home cleaning tips.

With the advancements made in technology, there is the availability of on-demand home cleaning services. You can simply contact the company via their website or app and schedule a time that will be convenient to have them come over.

Home Cleaning Benefits To Keep in Mind

There are many benefits that you can derive when you learn how to clean home surroundings properly. Let’s take a look at just a few of them.

  • A Clean Home Reduces Stress

A messy home is often linked to increased stress levels. Having a stressful day at work and coming home to a messy home can make you feel very fatigued.

Decluttering your home and taking care of the necessary chores can help you to manage stress and feel emotionally healthier.

  • You Sleep Better

When your sleeping space is clustered up, you will find it very difficult to fall asleep. Going to bed with a lot of undone chores nagging at your brain will leave you feeling restless all through the night.

Sleeping in a clean house will make you sleep better.

  • Home Cleaning Saves Money

When the items in your house are not cleaned as frequently as possible, they tend to get damaged beyond repair and this will require that they are replaced.

Taking the time and effort to clean your home will enable you to save the money that would have been used in replacing damaged items. This money can then be used for other things that are more important.

  • Prevents Spread of Diseases

A dirty house is a perfect breeding ground for disease-causing germs. On the other hand, a clean hand leaves out little room for germs to breed.

Maintaining a clean home will make it very hard for you to fall sick as a result of germs. You get to live healthier.

  • Reduces Allergies

Dirt, dust, and pet furs that have accumulated on carpets, beddings, and upholsteries can worsen the symptoms of asthma and increase the chances of getting allergic reactions.

Frequent dusting and cleaning will reduce the occurrence of allergic reactions. Additionally, getting rid of clutters can limit the number of crevices where dust can build up.

Evidently, a combination of these home cleaning benefits explain while experts recommend regular home cleaning irrespective of the household size.

Final Words

In this article, we considered the best home cleaning tips to make your house look like new. We also discussed home cleaning benefits to keep to mind, anytime you feel like giving up on the practice.

Cleaning the home may seem like a stressful job, especially if it has been neglected for a very long time or left for a single family member.

The key to reducing the workload lies in cleaning the house as often as possible. If left untouched for a really long time, the burden becomes heavier and your house will age really quickly.

Always remember that the effort you put into taking good care of your home is really worthwhile.

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12 Best Home Cleaning Products/Tools Everyone Should Have

It is a well-known belief that health is wealth since you can avoid extra medical expenses when you take care of yourselves and your surroundings. An essential area that requires cleanliness apart from your body is your home.

The home is where you most likely spend most of your time with family and friends and where memories are created; thus, the home should be kept clean at all times with the right home cleaning products to avoid the growth of germs and diseases.

A dirty home can be a breeding ground for germs, which can cause different diseases dangerous to your family’s health, especially those with allergies. A dirty and unkempt home can also be chaotic and unorganized.

Meanwhile, a clean home is inviting and peaceful to stay in for both members of the household and visitors too. A clean home also improves the quality of the indoor air and helps one stay organized.

Maintaining the cleanliness of your home can be challenging, and a hassle, but the advantages overshadow the stress. A critical factor in reducing the stress of cleaning your home is using the necessary and right home cleaning products and tools.

A list of cleaning products or tools every household should have will be discussed in the succeeding paragraphs.

12 Best Home Cleaning Products/Tools

1. Soaps and Detergents

Soaps and detergents play an essential role in your daily lives. They help remove germs, soils, and other contaminants safely and effectively, thereby making you stay healthy, making your environment more pleasant, and caring for your homes and possessions.

Soap-and-Detergent (2)

Some people confuse soap and detergents and often use them interchangeably. But the truth is, soap and detergents are two different house cleaning supplies. Let us consider the difference between soap and detergent and why they should be used in cleaning.

Soap is a biodegradable cleaning agent (fatty acid salts) made by combining fats (animal or vegetable) with Lye (Sodium Hydroxide). Soaps have been in use back in the days of our ancestors for as long as 2300 years now, and those living then used soap to clean their clothes for a long, long time.

When it comes to laundry, soap is not as effective as detergents, especially when washing synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, spandex, and acrylic. Soap is also not suitable to use in the washing machine because of the scum but can be used in handwashing since the scum can be removed with many rinses.

However, detergent, which only came about during world war 1, is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with cleansing properties efficient only in dilute solutions. They are majorly used as home cleaning products for fabric – and can be used in the washing machine either in powdered form or in liquid form.

Detergents are more effective than soaps since they solubilize, suspend, dissolve or separate dirt and soil from fabric in a way that they will not re-deposit on the surface of the fabric but will stay put, suspended in the water.

Notwithstanding the differences between the two cleaning materials, both are professional house cleaning supplies and can be used to clean our home like washing dishes and cleaning surfaces, especially laundry.

For more effective results during laundry, soap and detergents can be accompanied with bleach, stain remover, brighteners, fabric softeners, etc.

2. Broom, Dustpan, and Hoover

One of the most relied-upon home cleaning tools is also one of the simplest. In the past, when brooms were first discovered, they were a lot different than what we use today. Brooms were just sticks attached to a bristled head of bound-together twigs, fibers, or corn husks.

Broom-and-Dustpan

However, with recent developments, brooms have been modernized to suit present-day taste, but their basic purpose remains the same: to sweep up dust and debris and keep your floor surfaces clean.

Brooms have developed into something called hoover, which is gradually taking the place of traditional brooms and dustpans. Since science and technology are known to create new inventions to make life easier, using hoovers can be stress-free.

Hoovers effectively clean dust particles and hair particles; they are also useful for cleaning large areas in a shorter period and with less energy.

However, traditional brooms and dustpans also have their advantages. They can be used to clean small areas that do not require the effort to bring out the hover. Most hoovers can be quite clunky, and in some instances, it is faster to sweep up the area with your broom and dustpan.

In situations where there are large items such as broken glass or spilled popcorn that needs to be cleaned up, broom and dustpan can do the work well since these substances can cause blockages or even damage to your hoovers.

The hoover also consumes energy compared to the traditional broom and dustpan since the hoover uses electricity to work, and the broom doesn’t. Hoovers, unlike other home cleaning tools are also known to create a lot of noise when they are turned on, so brooms and dustpans that are not noisy can be used for late-night cleaning or early morning cleaning to avoid waking up the household.

3. Mopping Stick and Bucket

Dust mops and brooms can be easily confused with one another, but they serve different cleaning roles. While brooms are what you use when you want to sweep hard floors, dust mops are popularly known for their ease of use and additional dusting applications.

mopping-stick-and-buckets (3)

A mopping stick is Long-handled like a broom, but in place of regular broom bristles, a dust mop’s flat head is covered in cotton or microfiber cloth. In particular, microfiber is excellent at picking up dust, pollen, and even bacteria from hard surfaces, often without needing to use additional cleaning products or a dustpan.

There are two types of mops we can use in cleaning; we have the dry mop, which consists of yarn or microfibre, and the wet mop consists of a flat sheet of microfibre, a sheet with the surface of the looped yarn.

The dry mopping usually comes first, followed by the wet mopping; this is because, during dry moppings, loose dry particles like dust and sand are removed from the surface of the floor. Later on, the head can be removed and washed or cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.

The wet mopping, which is used for professional cleaning, comes next after dry mopping. The wet mopping is used to clean up fat, mud, and dried in liquid contaminations.

There are great benefits associated with mopping the floors of your home using professional house cleaning supplies. One primary benefit is that mopping helps remove germs that have accumulated on the floor as a result of dirt from the bottom of shoes that have worked on that floor, food droppings, pet hair, etc. thus keeping your family safe and healthy.

Just as regular cleaning and maintenance help preserve any product in general, regular mopping also maintains your floors and makes them look their best.

4. Vacuum Cleaner

This is another home cleaning product or tool that can be used to keep your home clean and tidy. Vacuum cleaning is in a way similar to the use of broomstick in sweeping but a more modernized version of sweeping.

Vacuum-cleaner (2)

A vacuum cleaner is an electronic device that removes debris from floors, upholstery, draperies, and other surfaces by sucking them into a dust bag or cyclone for later disposal. The use of a vacuum cleaner in the home helps to solve some problems in the home.

There is an ever-present need to remove specks of dirt and shed human or pet hair, dust, allergens, and bacteria from your home. These particles can be dangerous to the health of your home, especially those with allergies or asthma. A vacuum cleaner helps to remove these particles and keep your family safe.

Accumulation of debris and dirt can ruin the quality of your household materials like carpets, area rugs, cars, etc. Replacing these materials can be financially draining; therefore, regular vacuuming, which can be compared to the regular changing of oil in a car, is required for proper maintenance.

Food droppings and bacteria can make your carpet dirty and smelly, causing a nasty odor. For your home to remain clean, inviting space to entertain, receive unexpected guests, or sustain a clean living, proper vacuuming is required.

5. Brushes

Using a simple cloth or sponge to remove simple stains can be a good idea, but it is not the ideal, especially if you want to clean tough stains. An essential tool for home cleaning that can come into use, in this case, is a scrub brush.

Brushes

Small things are usually looked down on because they are believed to make little effects, but this is not the same for scrub brushes used in home cleaning. These brushes come in different sizes and different textures and are used for various cleaning surfaces and cleaning needs.

There are hard brushes and soft brushes, and they can be used for specific cleaning needs. Some of these brushes can be used in washing toilets or removing cobwebs. Scrub brushes are also efficient at cleaning the floor and walls of your bathtub or shower, sink, and grout on the tile floors.

When purchasing a scrub bush, look for a medium-sized one to easily fit into most spaces and clean those hard to reach corners. Also, scrub brushes with grip handles are easier to hold and use.

Not all stains can be removed with a scrub brush due to its size. When you need something a little more detailed than a scrub brush, a toothbrush is a great option. You can use toothbrushes to get tough stains out of car mats for garage floors or cement patios.

They can also be used to clean flower pots and garden tools, get soot off your fireplace walls, scour grout, clean garbage cans, and get dry mud off the bottom of your shoes.

Another pro of using toothbrushes for your cleaning is that you don’t necessarily have to spend money to acquire them.

Instead of throwing those old toothbrushes away, why don’t you disinfect them and put them to work on grout, sink rims, and all the other nooks and crannies in your house. You can even boil old toothbrushes in water to make them flexible and then bend their heads and make them better at reaching tough spots.

6. Spray Bottles

Most people who prefer using DIY home cleaning products instead of purchasing in stores would find spray bottles handy for storing such products.

Spray-bottles

Spray bottles are tremendous because they serve more than just containers; they are also a great tool for dispensing liquid products. They can be used in applying chemical or organic cleaners, perfumes, colognes, air fresheners.

Another use of spray bottles is that they can be used to rinse something off with water. Glass bottles will hold up to anything.

Spray bottles are not recent developments as they have been in existence for a long time now. They have existed long before the middle of the 20th century. At that time, spray bottles produced use a rubber bulb, which was squeezed to produce the spray and the quickly-moving air siphoned fluid from the bottle.

However, after World War II, there was a speedy development in plastics; this increased the range of fluids that could be dispensed and reduced the cost of the sprayers. It became easier to produce sprayers.

A spray can is different from a spray bottle, and it is an upgraded version of a spray bottle. In a spray can, the user trips the valve, and the product is passed out under pressure applied by the user, while for a spray bottle, the dispensing is powered by the user’s efforts.

Although spray bottles are necessary tools in home cleaning, they are also known to be the most common source of domestic injury, and bleach is the most common agent.

For this reason, doctors encourage parents to store especially toxic household cleaning products in locked cabinets, out of sight and reach children, to avoid swallowing the products or pouring it on their skin.

7. Microfiber Clothes

Microfiber is a polyester and nylon (polyamide) fiber used to make fabric, although other materials may be used to make it. These fibers are so tiny that they are about one-sixteenth of the thickness of the human hair. Its fibers are often split and then woven together in a net-like structure to create absorbing towels or clothing.

Microfiber-cloths

Microfiber is better than cotton in capturing bacteria, so it can be used in cleaning kitchen counters and floors. It won’t scratch or leave streaks behind, making it great for cleaning glass surfaces too like windows. Research has shown that microfibres reduce bacteria by around 99 percent, whereas cotton mops only reduce bacteria by 30 percent.

This cleaning material can also be used in hospitals where preventing the spread of germs and potential infections are of utmost importance. Thus microfiber towels reduce the potential spread of germs and make cleaning more effective.

The super absorbent power of microfiber fabric also makes it a useful tool in cleaning up spills; it is known to hold up to six times its weight in water! And in the process of absorbing liquids, it’ll also pick up anything in the liquid, making it a perfect material for cleaning.

Since microfiber fabrics can be washed and reused several times, they reduce the cost of regularly purchasing home cleaning products. They are also known to use less water and chemicals during cleaning, so with microfiber, you can keep the surfaces clean with just a little water.

8. Squeegee

Bathrooms are sometimes one of the dirtiest places in your home. Sometimes the water that doesn’t flow properly in the bathroom could be a breeding ground for soap scums, mildew, and bacteria, this can build up and make your shower look dirty even when it’s relatively clean.

Squeegee-

Once these organisms start growing in your bathroom, it becomes an even more difficult task to clean them up. An important tool that can be used to clean up your showers and prevent the accumulation of mildew and bacteria is called a squeegee.

A squeegee also called a squillgee, is a cleaning tool with a flat, smooth rubber blade used to remove or control the liquid’s flow on a flat surface. You can use a squeegee in cleaning your windows because it does not require extra scouring and scrubbing to remove dirt, and it does not leave behind mineral development and cleanser streaks.

When using a squeegee to clean, there are some measures one needs to take. Cleaning with a squeegee doesn’t require excess detergents. Excess detergents or other professional house cleaning supplies can cause streaks on the window, reduce work rate, or affect the squeegee negatively. On the contrary, the right amount of detergent increases the work rate and effectively removes dirt and grime.

While cleaning, you could also tire out quickly, leave streaks behind, or end up damaging the glass surfaces when you apply too much pressure on the squeegee.

9. Hand Duster

Hand dusters can come in different varieties depending on the material used in making them.

Hand-Duster

A particular type of hand duster used in home cleaning is the feather hand duster. As the name connotes, it is made from feathers and ostrich feathers in most cases with a wooden dowel handle.

A feather hand duster can help dust your home appliances. Since dust particles don’t stay stuck to the feather duster, the dust is lifted from the appliance, and then the feather duster can expel the dust with a quick shake unto the ground to be later vacuumed and mopped.

It is economical, more environmentally friendly than disposable dusters, and cheap to use a feather hand brush since it can be hand washed and air dried after use.

Feather brushes can be used for cleaning cars, vehicles, appliances, bookcases, blinds, shutters, ceiling fans, furniture, coffee tables, cabinets, ceiling fans, and dust walls with ease. They can also be used to clean delicate items like chandeliers etc.

10. Odor Neutralizer

A lot of things can cause an unpleasant odor in the home, from stinky sneakers, forgotten gym bags, kitchen concoctions, pets, our bodies to your environment in general. These odors can make your home uninviting and make visitors assume that your home is dirty. These Bad smells can also cause health effects, such as headache, nausea, and sleeplessness.

Odor-Neutralizer

Sometimes people make the mistakes of purchasing air fresheners that ordinarily mask the bad odor, but that is not the best thing to do since that would only would not reduce the effects of the bad odor. Regular home cleaning could remove unpleasant odor from home but might need to be accompanied by odor neutralizing house cleaning supplies.

There are some odor neutralizers sold in stores that can eliminate malodor. Still, some people like to do it the natural way by using homemade home cleaning products to eradicate such offensive odors. Examples of these homemade odor neutralizers are baking soda and lemon.

11. Bin Bags

The cleaning process is not complete without proper disposal of the wastes gathered from cleaning; this also includes residue from vacuum cleaners or hoovers. Quality bin liners or bags ensure that all your waste is disposed of properly.

Bin-bags

Improper management of wastes from home can lead to a dirty, messy, and unhygienic environment. Homeowners can reduce smells by separating their waste.

You can parcel high-odor items such as nappies and pet waste separately, and they should be kept outdoors. Recyclables should also be kept separately in a recycling bin and can be used either outdoors or indoors.

Offensive odors of waste bins can be reduced by sprinkling baking soda on the inside of the waste bin or using fragranced bin liners.

12. Protective Wear

Using the best professional house cleaning supplies isn’t enough to ensure that your home is clean and safe. You must also not neglect your body’s safety. There are some protective materials you can use to protect yourself while cleaning your home to avoid injury.

Protective-wear (1)

A few of these protective home cleaning tools/materials are; Nose masks, to protect yourself from inhaling harmful substances into your system. Apron or overall would protect your body from cleaning chemicals or water from spilling onto your clothes.

Rubber hand gloves will protect your hands from cleaning chemicals that cause skin irritation, germs that may be encountered during cleaning, and sharp edges, which could lead to bruises or cuts.

When working on a slippery floor, it would be advisable to put on footwear to avoid fatal injuries resulting from a fall and protect your feet from injury.

What to Consider When Choosing Home Cleaning Products/Tools 

Choosing professional house cleaning supplies involves more than just picking up any product at the store. You need to consider several factors. The home can be likened to a haven, and so one primary factor that needs to be considered is how safe a cleaning product is to the health of all household members.

Another thing is the product’s effectiveness, how well it cleans without leaving chemical or residue behind. Lastly, the cost of home cleaning products should also be put into consideration before purchasing.

Conclusion 

Your health depends on the condition of your home. A dirty home would breed disease-causing germs making one sick while a clean home results in good health. By making use of the right home cleaning products and tools, you would be making your home a safe, inviting place.

Alternatively, you can review why home cleaning services like Soji are essential for your lifestyle before choosing whether or not to outsource your home cleaning. Home cleaning services use professional house cleaning supplies, and because it’s their job, they can take care of your home cleaning demands more than you ever will.

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Simple Ways To Remove Stains From Dry Clean Only Clothes

While going about everyday activities, stains are bound to happen and most times it is not practical to get your clothes dry cleaned frequently. Often, it is a matter of the time that is required to drop the clothes off at the dry cleaner. Other times, the cost of having clothes dry cleaned is very high

The easiest dry cleaning stain removal process is to just drop it off at the dry cleaning facility. However, if you are unable to get the clothes to professional dry cleaners, you have nothing to worry about.

This article will provide you with some simple tips on how to spot clean dry clean only clothes. Before we dive into the tips, let us find out how dry cleaning actually works and what to do when you buy clothes that are labeled dry clean only.

Dry cleaning 

The concept of dry cleaning is different from laundering. Dry cleaning involves a method of cleaning stained fabrics without the use of water as a solvent.

However, the fact that it is called “dry” does not mean that the cleaning process is an entirely dry process. Instead, it refers to a way of cleaning fabrics using some chemical solvents other than water.

This method of cleaning clothes is often applied to fabrics that are very delicate and can not be washed either by using a washing machine or by hand. It also helps to preserve the desirable qualities of the fabrics by preventing stretching and shrinkage.

The chemical solvents that are used in the dry cleaning process are not often readily available to be used at home. So, fabrics to be dry cleaned are taken to professional dry cleaners to remove stains.

These professional dry cleaning services have large machines that are used in the cleaning process, including the chemical solvents required to completely get rid of stains on the fabrics.

Dry cleaning services provide a large number of people with professional cleaning services at costs that are proportional to the quality of services that they deliver to their clients.

Once the fabrics are either dropped by clients or picked up by the dry cleaning service, the first step that they go through will be sorting. This sorting is carried out either based on the color of the fabric or the material of the fabrics.

Next, the dry cleaning stain removal stage where fabrics are treated for the stains that are found on them. The professionals are skilled and they know the exact treatment to give to any stain found on the fabrics, oil, grease, sweat, coffee stains, and more.

Coffee Stain

Coffee Stain on clothes

The clothes are thereafter loaded into the dry cleaning machine with the right amount of chemical solvent needed to get rid of stains and the machine is then turned on so that the fabrics can be cleaned by gently agitating them so as to loosen the stains and get rid of it.

After the clothes have been washed and rinsed with another clean chemical, they are removed from the machine and taken to a dryer. It might also be dried by the same machine that was used to wash the fabrics if it is a closed system.

Next, they are pressed or ironed and packaged for delivery to their respective owners. The purpose of this packaging is to prevent the clothed against any further stains that may occur.

In recent years, though, there are several dry cleaning kits that are available for use at home. These kits come with manuals on how to clean the fabrics and that makes them very easy to use. They help to minimize costs that will have otherwise been used to pay for professional dry cleaning services.

However, it is vital to keep in mind that the services rendered by these professionals can not be compared to the results that you are bound to get from the use of the dry cleaning kits. Therefore, it will be wise to only dry clean at home those fabrics that do not have tough stains on them and reserve the ones with tough stains for the professional dry cleaners who know exactly what to do about them.

Additionally, the emergence of on-demand services, including on-demand dry cleaning services has made certain house chores, such as laundry, easier to carry out. By means of an app, you will be able to have your clothes picked up at a time that is convenient for you, dry cleaned and delivered back to you without even having to break a sweat.

But, there are certain dry cleaning stain removal that do not necessarily need to be taken to the dry cleaning facility. Let us see what to do about them.

How to Spot Clean Dry Clean Only Clothes

Spot Cleaning

Spot Cleaning clothes

Spot cleaning refers to a treatment that is given to a stained fabric with the intention of cleaning the stained part of the fabric alone and not the entire cloth. There are some fabrics that can only be spot cleaned and that is because they can not be washed safely using a washing machine or hand washing.

Fabrics that have intricate designs and hand-sewn embellishments such as beads, rhinestones, and laces are often spot cleaned because doing so will remove stains from the fabric without bringing any damage to the designs.

Another possible reason for spot cleaning a piece of clothing is due to the fact that the material used in sewing the cloth can not be able to hold the dye during the washing process; and therefore, does not need to be immersed in water or any other solvent so as not to color bleed and ruin the fabric.

Spot cleaning can also be done even when you are washing a piece of fabric with water. This will help to remove some tough stains on the fabric before the actual washing process commences. It is often done to confine the stain to a particular area on the fabric and prevent it from spreading to other areas and inducing subsequent stains.

Always remember that not all fabrics can be spot cleaned. For instance, an attempt to spot clean silk will most likely make the stain worse than it is already since it will leave large blotches of stain on the fabric. Therefore, it is important that you know how to spot clean dry clean only clothes to avoid creating a bigger mess.

Applying too much of a cleaning solution, using excess water, or just simply using the wrong product to remove a stain can cause you to end up ruining your favorite piece of clothing while spot cleaning on your own. So, if you are not very familiar with the basic principles surrounding spot cleaning, it will be better to take the clothes to a professional dry cleaner to have it cleaned properly.

Professional dry cleaners will be able to detect the issue with the fabric immediately and take care of it very conveniently.

Sometimes, though, there may not be enough time to take the fabrics to the dry cleaner, so, it will be best that you learn how to spot clean dry clean only clothes even before the stains occur. Let us now examine a few steps to take that will help to eliminate stains from your fabrics as soon as they happen.

How To Remove Stains From Dry Clean Only Fabrics

Dry Clean Only

Dry Clean Only clotches

Dealing with stains on fabrics that are labeled “dry clean only” can be very risky. It is especially true with knitted and woven pieces of clothing such as wool and cashmere. Any mistake with the cleaning procedure will leave the fabric stretched and shapeless.

Learn: How to Wash and Clean Cashmere With Care

It is vital that you act quickly when stains occur because time is of the essence in terms of spot cleaning dry clean only fabrics. The earlier you take care of the stains, the easier it will be to get rid of them.

We will now look at four steps that you can take to remove stains from your fabrics as soon as they occur.

1. Check the label on the fabric

Labels are very important. The manufacturers of your garments are well aware of the need for labels and that is why they put it on the fabrics. Some people are not aware of this fact and that is why they are very quick to tear the labels out as soon as they purchase the garment.

The label provided you with a lot of information that will help you to take good care of your clothes to enable them last for a long time. It tells you about the type of material that your garment is made from, cleaning products to avoid using on the garment, ironing options, and if it is “dry clean” or “dry clean only”.

So you see, the label is like a guide that the manufacturer gives to you to help you handle your clothes correctly. Just imagine the number of clothes that are ruined on a daily basis, which would have been avoided if only the owners paid even the slightest attention to the labels.

Note that both fabrics that are labeled “dry clean” and “dry clean only” can be spot cleaned but it will require extreme carefulness. On the other hand, though, there are certain materials that you should not even attempt to spot clean on your own.

Materials like cashmere, leather, suede, and rayon should be promptly taken to the dry cleaner once they are stained. They are more experienced to handle these types of fabrics than you are.

  2. Identify stain

This step in how to spot clean dry clean only clothes is very critical in the removal of stains from fabrics. Identifying the type of stain on your clothing will give you leverage on the type of cleaning solution or product to use and how to go about it without bringing any damage to your clothes.

There are many different types of stains that we are faced with on a daily basis and it is very crucial that you learn about those stained before they occur. Below is a list of stains that are very common:

  • Oil-based stains:

Oil Stain

oil stain clothes

These are some of the most common types of stains that can be found mainly because we encounter them every single day. Most times, they are inevitable.

Oil-based stains are a little bit tricky to get rid of simply because of their tendency to spread to other parts of the fabric as quickly as possible. They also have the potential of leaving indelible marks on clothes if they are not removed quickly and efficiently.

Some common oil-based stains include lotions and body oils, petroleum, butter, mayonnaise, gels, salad dressing, lipstick, makeup, and many more.

  • Earth-based stains

Ketchup Stain

ketchup stain clothes

These stains are more commonly identified as food stains. They include a wide variety of liquid food stains that may occur at any time.

These stains are not as difficult to get rid of as the oil-based stains. They can be removed even with the most readily available solvent in the world, water.

However, before spot cleaning this type of stains, ensure that you have an idea of what you are doing to avoid turning a simple problem into a complicated one.

Tea, coffee, red wine, ketchup, juice, soda, and mud are all found under this type of stain.

  • Protein-based stains

Sweat Stain 

sweat strain 1

Protein-based stains are inevitable. Even if there is no visible stain on the clothes, protein-based stains will surely be found on it.

The stains under this category include sweat, blood, urine, milk, meat and fish juices, eggs, vomit, and urine.

  • Ink stains

Ink Stain

ink stain clothes

A stain from the ink is one of the most difficult types of stains to remove when thinking of how to spot clean dry clean only clothes. They are very tacky and often condemn any piece of clothing that they are found on, especially if it is in large quantities.

Stains like ink from a pen and permanent markers can be found in this category.

 3. Gather cleaning supplies 

Cleaning Supplies 

cleaning supplies products

It is true that there are different types of stains but the products or cleaning solutions to use in removing them are almost the same. Below are the necessary items to use in spot cleaning stains on a piece of fabric.

  • An absorbent white clothes or towel. This material is used to carefully blot the stain and absorb any excess moisture. The purpose of using a white material is to ensure that no further stains occur during the process.
  • Depending on the type of stain, you may need a scraper, a knife, or even the edge of your credit card.
  • Paper towels, cotton balls or cotton swabs are also needed for miniature stains.
  • A bowl of cold water to aid the removal process.

4. Choose the right method and cleaning products

Once you have identified the type of stain that you will be dealing with, the next thing is to find a suitable procedure on how to spot clean dry clean only clothes to use as well as an appropriate cleaning solution.

Choosing the right method and products will help to eliminate the stains more efficiently. We will now examine some simple ways to clean different types of stains on a fabric

  • Scrape off any excess.

Scraping off any excess stain is the first thing that you will have to do before every other thing. Doing this will help to prevent the stain from moving from one spot to another and creating a bigger problem than the one already at hand.

You can use the blind edge of a knife or your credit card to scrape off any excess mud, jelly or lotion.

  • Removing liquid-based stains

In the removal of liquid-based stains, water alone can do the work only if you address the issue as quickly as possible.

Start by spacing the stained part of your fabric on the absorbent white cloth or towel or simply hold it under a sink.

Next, pour cold water or soda water over the spot you are trying to clean. If the stain is not removed this way, prepare a solution of equal parts of vinegar and clear dish soap.

Use a paper towel or cotton swab to dip into the solution and gently start dabbing it on the stain. You must never rub the stain as it will aggravate the situation. But you can increase your tapping motion.

Don’t forget the white towel that you placed underneath the clothing and constantly rotate it when any part of it becomes wet or change it with a dry one entirely when it is fully saturated.

Once you are done with tapping the cleaning solution onto the stain, allow it to dit on the fabric for about 20 minutes. Repeat these steps until the stains are gone and use a clean cloth or cotton ball to wipe off the solution or you can rinse and allow it to dry off completely.

  • Removing oil-based stains

Using water alone never want to remove oil-based stains. In some cases, it might even make the stain worse. So you need a different approach when it comes to getting rid of this type of stain.

First, apply a large quantity of baking soda on the stain and tap it into the fabric using a cotton ball or a small, soft brush such as a nail polish brush. Always remember not to run the stain.

Allow the baking soda to sit on the fabric and absorb the stain for a few minutes and gently shake off any excess powder. Examine the clothing for any traces of a stain on it.

If the stain is not removed this way and is still visible, place the white towel under it and wet the fabric with cold water. Dab the stain with a small amount of citrus-based cleaning detergent.

Leave the detergent on the stain for a couple of minutes. Wipe off the detergent with a cotton swab and allow the clothing to dry, thus completing the dry cleaning stain removal process

  • Removing protein-based stains

Protein-based stains have a strong stench and so require high-quality products to get rid of both the stain and the lingering odors.

When cleaning a piece of clothing that has a protein-based stain on it, you will have to place the white cloth or towel under and wet it with cold water.

Next, you prepare a solution with 2 parts of water, 1 part of ammonia, 1 part of peroxide, and 1 part of a clear colored detergent. Use a cotton ball to tap this solution into the fabric and allow it to sit for a few minutes.

Wipe off any excess product or rinse with cold water and leave it to dry off completely.

Always make sure that you only store clothes that are very neat and dry. Storing dirty or moist clothes can attract moths and some other insects that can damage your clothes.

  • Removing ink stains

Among all the different types of stain that can be found on fabrics, ink stains are one of the most difficult to remove.

They are best handled as soon as they occur when they are still wet. When ink stains occur, resist the urge to wipe it as the wiping motion will only push the stain deeper into the fabric and make it even more difficult to remove.

You can buy an ink removal kit and strictly follow the guidelines on how to use it.

5. Additional helpful cleaning tips

Below are extra tips that you can apply on how to spot clean dry clean only clothes and rid them of stains:

  • Alcohol can be used in the removal of a wide range of stains from fabrics. Therefore, endeavor to carry a small bottle of alcohol-based products like hand sanitizer at all times for immediate spot treatment.
  • Always bring with you a white cloth or small towel, and a handful of cotton swabs or paper towels.
  • Always remember to test any cleaning solution that you prepared for removing stains in inconspicuous areas of your clothing to know its reaction before using it directly on the stains.
  • It is often best to keep commercial stain removers on hand in case of emergency stains.
  • Endeavor to buy a home dry cleaning kit
  • Most importantly, act very quickly when stains happen. If you do, you will succeed with dry cleaning stain removal and avoid damaging your clothes.

When Stains Are Difficult To Remove At Home

Commercial Dry Cleaning

commercial dry cleaning

Try as you may, there are still some stains that you can not remove on your own. Spot cleaning dry clean only fabrics, take note of the stains that are very difficult and leave then.

Your best shot at fully eliminating stains from your fabrics is to take them to commercial dry cleaning facilities. The professionals there can dry clean spots on the fabrics using the best products and best methods possible.

If you’re not confident about using commercial dry cleaners, you may want to go through our guide on things to consider when choosing the laundry service for you.

Remember, though, that trying to tackle tough stains on your own can only result in damaging your fabrics and that can not be compared to the amount you will pay for the services of a dry cleaner.

The professionals know the entire dry cleaning stain removal process and how to handle each fabric to make your clothes look fresh all year round.

Final Words

Stains can be frustrating at times, especially if you just got your clothes back from the dry cleaner and manage to stain it the next day.

These simple tips on how to remove stains from your dry clean only fabrics without having to visit the dry cleaning facility will help to simplify your life and reduce much stress.

Always bear in mind that when spot cleaning dry-clean-only fabrics, it is advisable to take small spots at a time and not try to clean large stained areas on the fabric and subsequently ruining your garment.

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