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Tip Store: Cleaning: General

A Clean Green Bin

​After our green in is emptied and hosed out if necessary I throw a few sheets of newspaper into the bottom of the bin and this usually keeps it clean for quite some time.
Contributed by Barbara Aldwell

No More Smelly Garbage

Our garbage collectors come weekly and the recycle garbage collectors come every second week. To keep the smell of meat and old bones etc. we put them in a plastic bag that we would have picked up from the grocer when buying fruit and veg and then freeze the meat products and by products that have gone to waste. We are using the plastic bags that otherwise would have had no use and saving on water and sanitisers for the cleaning of the bin. This freezing idea works wonders as there are no terrible smells and also works for liquids that have gone off in the fridge and is limited only by your imagination. To get rid of the scraps or waste just pop them in the rubbish bin the night before pick-up. There's no attracting wandering animals and no smell while also saving water. Remember to wash out containers and jars when putting into the recycle bin. We have been doing this for 20 years now whilst using our food scraps from veggies and fruit etc in the compost to make a great soil for the plants where we can grow more fruit and veg hence saving even more money and time.
Contributed by Sunita Hand

​Old Toothbrushes

Use old toothbrushes to clean in between badges on the car. They are also good for cleaning in between numbers on number plates.
Contributed by Kathy Prest

​Illustrated Chore Book

I travel a lot for my work and am often away for one or two nights a week so I put together an illustrated booklet of the household chores my children (aged 9, 7 and 5) have, using a small photo album and index cards. Each card went in a plastic sleeve of the album and has step-by-step instructions for each chore and a photo of the cleaning tools needed. Now the kids know exactly what is involved in cleaning the toilet or tidying the family room. This saves me repeating myself and the kids getting frustrated because their jobs aren't done properly. Now our home runs more efficiently and Saturday mornings are peaceful (well more than they were) as everyone does their chores just once. PS My husband also uses the booklet when he has to take over running the house.
Contributed by Trish Mitchell

​Soak the Grime Away

To clean vases, crockery, ornaments or just about anything made of the same china, don't try to scrub into the little nooks and crannies, especially the small ornaments. Just soak them overnight in a bucket (or any large container) of warm water with a half a cup of bleach added. In the morning they are back to new and clean as a whistle. This includes dishes that may have hairline cracks or marks. These marks will have completely disappeared. No scrubbing needed at all.
Contributed by Loretta, Broadmeadows

​Decluttering

I always put off decluttering the cupboards because they take so long to do. Every night while I am watching TV I pull out one shelf at a time and declutter. In half and hour I have cleaned up three shelf spaces. Do this as many times as you like a week and before you know it you have finished.
Contributed by Resmie, Yarraville

​Slipping on a Morning Routine

Approximate $ Savings: $5 per box of cereal not used and time and effort

When my kids were little I had a routine that saved me a lot of problems. Before going to bed I would collect the dirty clothes of the day and put in the washing machine ready for the next morning. When I woke in the morning I would get dressed and put on the dirty socks from the day before. I would walk up the hallway waking the kids as I went. On my way I would use the old socks to clean the skirting boards as I went by. When I got to the laundry I'd deposit the socks into the washer and start the load on its washing cycle. I would then go to the kitchen to make a batch of muffins for breakfast while the kids got themselves ready for school and made their beds. The muffins would be ready for them as they sat down for breakfast (it only takes twenty-five minutes to do a batch from scratch) , Leaving me only the washing to hang out, wash a bowl and muffin tray up and for the kids to clean their teeth and head to school. I saved money by not having to buy breakfast cereal, saved time with my housework and no matter what was happening my skirting boards were clean. Nothing says 'a dirty house' than dirty skirting boards.
Contributed by Linda, Macquarie

​Wipe Permanent Marker From Whiteboards With a Simple Spray

Approximate $ Savings: $200+ To remove permanent marker from white boards (I'm forever using the wrong pen) use insect repellent. Just spray on and wipe off. I have been told it works on graffiti on fences etc also. I just use the generic one from Aldi and it works great. Much cheaper than a new whiteboard.
Contributed by Lisa, Kurri

​Fast Action Makes Cleaning Easier

For any cleaning job, you will get better results if you act on the problem as soon as possible. For example stains come out of clothes when you take them off and soak them or treat them straight away. Another example - if you burn food to the bottom of your pan (only at the worst of moments) poor water over the hot (empty) pan while it is still hot and scrape the bottom with an egg flip or something. This will lift most of the gunk, you can turn off the stove, have your meal and clean the rest up when you are ready, instead of using too much water, more cleaning products and heaps of elbow grease after the fact. This tip works with general cleaning as well - e.g. it is much easier to keep up with the washing than catch up. And yes the tip does save you money - all those extra treatments cost money - a stain on a shirt that has set may need extra spraying, soaking, a special stain remover and several washes (or maybe professional cleaning) all of which costs more $$$ each time. If the stain doesn't come out - you've wasted the money you spent on the shirt. To conclude - do it now and save $$$, your favourite things and your sanity.
Contributed by Leah Richardson

​Shiny Fire Doors

The doors of tile fires accumulate black smoke across the glass. Too stop wasting money on cleaning products, and avoiding damaging the glass. Wet a cloth and dab into last nights ashes. Rub, and repeat. All clean!! Will even take off long term stains.
Contributed by Doreen

​A Sticky Solution

I have found that I can remove the glue that is often left behind on an item when you remove the price label etc. If you spray the area with Aerogard and then wipe over the glue melts away. It even removes marker pen writing. Magic.
Contributed by Cheryl, Collaroy

​Cleaning Anything and Everything

​A cheap and sterile method for cleaning all the difficult and not so difficult jobs is by using steam energy. I have had my Vapouretta machine for years and it must have saved me hundreds of dollars in cleaning products cost, let alone the environment positives. It has the attachments that clean window, floors, stoves, and curtains, even has an attachment that presses and cleans curtains. I truly love my machine and encourage others to look at this cheap efficient method of cleaning anything.
Contributed by Angie, Lavington,

​Litter in the Bins

Place a layer of cat litter at the bottom of your garbage bin or kitchen bin, before you place in the lining bag. That way if the bag should leak you wont have a dripping smelly bag to carry out of the house. It also makes your bin easier to clean and keeps it free from odours longer.
Contributed by Sandra

​Hair Spray as a Cleaner

Hair spray makes a great cleaner. Especially for pen marks on counters, white goods and vinyl handbags and shoes, or patent leather ones. Also removes marks from clothing. Spray and then wipe off. If using on clothing put another cloth underneath, as it does disperse the stain, so you need to blot up as you go. Works a treat.
Contributed by Jenny, Melbourne

​Clean Grease Off Anything

​To clean grease off anything at all, but especially exhaust fans and the like, wash the article in dish-washing soap. Bio Add can be used. The no name brands available in Woolies, Coles, work just as well.
Contributed by Lucien, Sydney

​Cleaning Your Kettle

Pour 3 cups vinegar and 2 cups water into the kettle, boil and leave overnight. Then empty, fill with clean water, boil and empty again, repeat with clean water again and it's ready to use.
Contributed by Linda, Qld

​Sturdier Rags

​When you cut up old clothing for rags, take a few minutes to put a hem in them. They will last much longer and won't fill your lint filters or plumbing with ravellings. You save both ways - rags last longer, and you avoid plumbing problems, not to mention the headache of trying to separate rags twisted together with ravellings.

​Eggs-idental Spills

​If you accidentally drop an egg on the kitchen floor, don't make the sticky mess worse by wiping it up. Instead, cover the egg glob completely with salt. Leave on for about 15 minutes. Simply sweep or wipe up with a paper towel.

​Oven Spills

​To clean up oven spills, sprinkle immediately with salt. When the oven is cooled off, brush away the burnt on food with a damp sponge. Or sprinkle with automatic dishwashing powder, cover with wet paper towels; let it stand for a few hours, then clean with a damp sponge.

​Get Under the Fridge

​To clean underneath the fridge, tie a sock around the end of a broomstick and go at it!

​Care When Cleaning

​oo often, after we mix our cleaning solutions (or use ones from the store) we spray them indiscriminately on the objects we wish to clean. That can lead to problems. The foundation of most of our cleansers is liquid, and you have to be careful where it lands. For instance, when cleaning around electronics, never spray cleaning solution on them. Spray any liquid cleaning product on your cleaning cloth, and use the moisture in the cloth to clean them. When you clean the outer glass on your framed pictures again spray the cloth and not the glass. If you spray the glass, some of the water may work its way under the glass and damage the paper, picture, or mat underneath the glass.

​Handy Jugs

​Cut the top off empty milk jugs, and use to store bathroom cleaning accessories. Use to hold your toilet brush cleaner, and then just discard when dirty.

​Old Dryer Sheets

​Use old dryer sheets to dust. Place them on the bottom of garbage cans and other areas of the house to eliminate odours.

​Antibacterial Wipes

​I purchase no-frills 'Chux' style wipes, cut them half and then put them into a small container with a tight lid in which I have a little antibacterial solution (I currently use a generic disinfectant cleaner with some water). These are my answer to those very expensive kitchen and bathroom antibacterial wipes. After using the wipes I simply throw them in the wash, dry them on the clothesline and throw them back in the solution. I keep a canister in the bathroom and the kitchen.

​Cleaning Up Melted Lipstick

​Lipsticks can leave an awful stain on fabrics if they melt, or are accidentally smeared. If this happens to you, scrape the wax off. Then using a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol, dab the stain and rub towards the centre (this avoids spreading it any further). The colour should disappear quite quickly. If you're not sure how the fabric will react, test it somewhere inconspicuous first.

​Glue

​You just need to put some vinegar drops in the container, and shake it and it will turn very soft and very easy to work with. For sticky residue left behind from price tags, stickers, etc., rub the area with a little baby oil (or any oil-based substance) and then wipe with a dry or damp cloth. The residue should come right off!

​Old Fashioned Cleaners

The main things I use are: bicarb to clean benches, showers, baths, sinks, basins etc ..... vinegar to clean glass, mirrors Did you know (and I'm sure you did) that bicarb strips soap scum off showers with the least amount of effort of anything I've ever seen!!!!
Contributed by MaryK

​More Cup Hooks

​My latest cup hook hint: Use for curtain or swag holders, and add a raffia ribbon or faux flower for a charming touch. The large brass hooks add an easy, classy touch especially for those who aren't handy with window treatments. Experiment with swags, and change the attached decoration as the mood strikes!

​Easy Dusting

​Minimal is best for saving dusting time, but if you have several knick-knacks or collectibles to show off, try rotating with the season or as the mood strikes. Also consider buying a showcase to protect pricey collectibles from accidents and dust!

​Powdered Detergent Stretcher

I've found that powder laundry detergent last five times longer than the liquid. I add a large box of baking soda to the powdered detergent. The baking soda is a natural stain remover and stretches the powder even further.
Contributed by Jenny, Melbourne

​Caring for Suede

​The easiest way to keep suede looking nice is to treat it with a spray on suede protector once a year after you have had it professionally cleaned. Suede protector can be bought from good leather stores, or from saddler. With regular cleaning and maintenance, your suede coats, shoes and boots will look good for years. The spray repels water and stains and having it professionally cleaned every year keeps them looking nice.

​Leather Cleaner

Toothpaste (the paste kind, not the gel type) makes a great cleaner for white leather shoes and handbags, belts etc. Just put a dab on a clean cloth (I use a face washer), rub into the leather and then wipe it off with a damp cloth. Dry and polish for it to look like new.
Contributed by Wendy, Auckland, N.Z.

​Used Dryer Sheets

​Used fabric softener sheets are great for dusting computer screens or TV's. Recycle, recycle, recycle!

​Easy Shelf Liner

​Use sheet lino (you can buy it in smaller pieces from discount stores) to line your shelves. If you have a kitchen cupboard that has an open space above the top cupboard, be sure to cover this or ti will get really dirty and greasy.

​Vinyl Care

​Don't put oil on vinyl to make it soft and shiny. It will eventually harden it and cause it to split. There are good vinyl protectors on the market. Grocery stores, hardware shops and auto accessory stores all carry them.

​Tupperware Cleaner

Besides absorbing odours in refrigerators and freezers, bicarbonate soda makes a good scouring powder because of its mild abrasiveness. It removes light soil and stains on sinks, bench tops and stovetops. A paste of bicarb and water onto stained Tupperware type containers will miraculously remove the stain. Mixed with water it makes an all-around, light-duty cleaner.
Contributed by Cath

​Scourers

Buy a packet of 5 scourers and as you really don't need to use the whole scourer cut them in half and you have 10 scourers.
Contributed by Jodie, NSW