Cabinets

* Set jars of liquid or jelly on coasters, or line shelves with nonadhesive cork liner. When drips occur, just replace the coasters or the lining.

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Countertops

* To repel stains on countertops, twice a year apply grout sealer (available at hardware stores) to tile, and stone sealer (also at hardware stores) to stone countertops. Follow the package instructions.
* Instead of using wood cutting boards, switch to plastic. Since wood shouldn’t be sanitized in the dishwasher (wood can warp when wet), it can harbor bacteria, which gets on knives and can invade your food-prep area. Pop plastic boards into the dishwasher after every use to kill germs.
* To make cleanup faster when you cook, cover countertops with sheets of wax paper, parchment paper, or butcher paper before preparing food. Juices from meats, chicken, and fish never hit the counters, so there’s no need to disinfect. When finished, crumple up the paper and toss.

Freezer and Refrigerator

* Place a box of baking soda in the freezer and another in the refrigerator to absorb and neutralize smells; replace them every three months. Alternatives: a mound of charcoal; coffee beans in a bowl; or a cotton ball soaked in vanilla extract and kept in the refrigerator until dry.
* Every month or so, dump ice cubes from the trays and make a new batch. Stale ice traps odors, like those from frozen fish or meat.

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1) Read the care label. If the duvet is dry clean only, take it to your dry cleaners! Washing a dry clean-only duvet can result in shrinkage, and it will no longer fit over your existing comforter.

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2) Pre-treat any stains if the duvet cover is washable. Spray the stain with stain remover and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. This will allow the stain remover to soak into the fabric. Let it sit for a longer period of time if the area is badly stained, but do not allow the pre-treatment spray to dry.

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How to make a headboard

1. Fill a microwave safe glass or bowl half way with water with a tablespoon of white vinegar and place inside the microwave. Turn on for 5 minutes. What you’re trying to do is loosen up the dried-on gook.
2. When it is done, remove the glass container and wipe down the inside of microwave with a clean towel or paper towel.

How to use a lemon to clean your kitchen.

3. The loose gook should come off easily now, and without chemical cleaners inside the microwave.
4. Take out the glass tray or turntable and wash it like a dish. You could even run it through the dishwasher if you have one.

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How to get rid of lingering food smells.

If you don’t have the time or money for a major home improvement project, take a look at five easy projects that can each be completed in one weekend.

1) Your bedroom is the place where you rest, and it deserves a little attention. Give it a thorough deep clean, then enjoy a good night’s sleep.

2) A clutter-busting method that really works is to wipe down every horizontal surface. It forces you to clean and organize all those spots where junk collects, and it makes your home shine.

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3) You know those spots that you rarely think about that never seem to get cleaned? (Windowsills, ceiling fans, the tops of frames and doors.) They’re small details, but it’s amazing how much better your home feels once they’ve been given some attention.

4) Painting. This is one of the most cost effective home improvement projects you can do, especially if you do the painting. If the prep work is minimal, you can paint one or two average size rooms in one weekend.

Spa treatments you can do at home

Imagine a bathroom that never has a dirty toilet bowl ring, toothpaste blobs in the sink or spots on the mirror. How would you like to have a sparkling clean bathroom every day without ever cleaning it?

Begin with a quick evaluation of how bad off your bathroom really is. If you don’t normally clean your bathroom, the first time will not be a 5 minute clean up. This works for bathrooms that gets a cleaning at least once a week. When you have all that extra build up, you are going to have absolutely no choice but to do some thorough deep cleaning to get all the grime that has begun a new life of its own in your tub and toilet. But for those of you that have kept up for the most part, take a look and make note of what is going to be the toughest to tackle. In most homes the bathtub takes the prize.

Get Ready

Get a mop bucket filled with warm soapy water and a mop. Also get a broom and dust pan and a plastic garbage bag. Bring all these items to the bathroom you will be cleaning.

Gather Cleaning Supplies (no time if items already under the sink)

It is a great idea to keep all the items you need to clean your bathroom in a caddy under the bathroom sink. Ideally, you should have a caddy for each bathroom so cleaning supplies are always on hand whenever you need them. Your bathroom cleaning caddy should include a toilet bowl cleaner, glass cleaner, basin-tub-tile cleaner foam, a disinfectant such as Pine Sol, paper towels or reusable micro fiber cloths, a sponge or rag, and rubber gloves (optional). You will also need a toilet brush.

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Clear Surface Areas (20 seconds)

Corral bath toys, shampoos and soaps and get them out of the tub and off the shelves and counters. Put all these items in an out-of-the-way spot, like the hallway. Remove towels and put them in the wash if necessary.

Apply Cleaners (40 seconds)

Squirt under the rim of the toilet. Most toilet bowl cleaners recommend leaving the cleaning solution on your bowl for a few minutes before scrubbing, so this should always be the cleaner you apply first.

Next, use your tub and tile foam and spray it on the sink fixtures and lightly around the rim of the sink and on the sink plug. This should be more than enough to clean your sink. Remember, the more cleanser you use, the longer it will take to rinse it off. Continue with your tub and tile foam on the bath tub fixtures and around the water line or “dirt line” of the tub. If you have a shower, skip cleaning it for now

Finally, squirt your mirror with glass cleaner.

Wipe Down (3 minutes)

Start with the mirror and clean it using a paper towel. Then move on to the sink and quickly clean it with your sponge. Clean the tub next paying special attention to the area on the side of the tub where the dirt line is. Shine up the fixtures and wipe down surfaces where dust or dirt might collect. Finally, scrub out the toilet using a toilet brush.

Disinfect (2 minutes)

Fill your sink part way with warm water and add a little all-purpose disinfectant. Using your sponge, wipe down the counter top and then the toilet.

Finishing Touches (1 minute)

Return all your cleaners to the caddy and put it away under your sink. Empty the trash can into your garbage bag, return the soap, bath toys, and other items to their place in the bathroom. If you have clean towels, replace them now, or you can do it later after they have been washed. Sweep and mop the floor and you are done!

Maintain

It will be easier to clean your bathroom in 7 minutes if you maintain it through out the week. Antibacterial cleaning wipes are wonderful for very quick touch ups and a one or two minute spot check at the end of each day is all the time it should take to keep your bathroom looking great. Kids can even take on this chore as they seem to really enjoy using those cleaning wipes.

There will certainly be times where you will need to spend a little more time cleaning your bathroom, but this can be done once a month, or even every other month.

4 easy ways to beautify your bathroom

Short on time?  Here are some tips to give your living spaces the illusion of cleanliness.

The Living Room

* Reserve one side of sofa cushions to be shown to guests. Before company arrives, flip over the cushions to reveal good-as-new fabric. When guests are gone, flip them back.
* Rid the sofa of pet hair by wetting the fingertips of rubber gloves and gliding your hand over the sofa. The hair will stick to the rubber.
* Stack books, catalogs, and magazines in neat piles on the floor or arrange them in a deep decorative basket.
* To disguise windows in need of washing, pull curtain panels closed.
* Fold a clean blanket neatly and drape it over a stained sofa. Strategically placed throw pillows can also camouflage soiled upholstery.

Click here to find out how to decorate with throw pillows.

The Bathroom

* Glide a sticky lint roller over the bath mat to pick up hair.
* Light a candle. Everything looks better (and cleaner) by candlelight.
* Hang a fluffy bathrobe on top of damp towels dangling from the hooks on the back of the door.
* Store a rattan or canvas basket on top of the toilet and throw in stray cosmetic brushes.
* Hang fresh guest towels. The humidity in this room makes textiles look droopy, even after a recent machine washing.
* Mound cosmetics and hairstyling products in a container underneath the sink. In a pinch, pile them in the tub and close the shower curtain. Cross your fingers that guests don’t snoop.

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The Kitchen

* When the dishwasher is full and the sink is overflowing, stow dirty dishes and silverware in a stockpot and pull them out later to be cleaned.
* Cover up the lingering aroma of last night’s supper by boiling nutmeg, cloves, or cinnamon and orange peels in a sauce-pan on the stove.
* Declutter the refrigerator by taking down notes, drawings, and magnets and throwing them in a plastic bag. Sort through it later.
* Fold hand towels to hide stains. Two tips: Hang the clean side over the oven handle (with the stains in the back), or roll towels in neat spirals and stack them pyramid-style next to the sink.

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Cleaning the bathroom is not of my favorite chores.  Having mildewy, bacteria-filled grout is even less appealing.

Here are 4 easy steps that will show you how to clean grout.

Spray on a mildew stain remover

Wearing rubber gloves, spray the grout area well with mildew remover. (Be sure to use a cleaner specially formulated to tackle mildew: Ordinary cleaners won’t make a dent in mildew or mold, and the ammonia in them may yellow the grout.)

Scrub the grout

Using a grout brush or an old toothbrush, scrub tile in direction of the grout. Once you’re done, let the treatment sit for 15 minutes.

Rinse with water

Rinse the entire surface clean with water and a sponge.

Tip: Keep the brush handy while rinsing so you can scrub stubborn spots. Spray one final time to prevent future stains

Let the tile dry, and then give grout a final light misting with mildew remover to protect against future staining.

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Tip: You can prevent mold buildup by running a squeegee over tile after a shower. The same trick will eliminate soap buildup on glass shower doors.

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