How to Spring Clean Your House Like A Pro

 GET YOUR WINDOWS AND MIRRORS GLEAMING

The best tip to make your inside windows or mirrors sparkle is simply vinegar and newspaper, i remember while doing work experience in a hair salon we would go round all the mirrors daily with newspaper and it really did make them shine, you need to first dilute the vinegar with water and mix it up in an old spray bottle, you can buy one from most pound stores but i just used a old kitchen cleaner bottle that had run out (rinse out first) spray this solution onto your windows and use a chamois leather to remove all the dirt that has accumilated, then you simply buff the windows with screwed up newspaper.

For your outside windows for those who don't have a window cleaner, you need to put washing up liquid and warm water in your bucket and then use a sponge to clean the windows, remember outside windows attract more dirt, once clean you can then buff them up with screwed up newspaper.

To clean mirrors you can use the same vinegar solution and newspaper for a lovely shine.

TOP TIP

To stop bathroom mirrors steaming up during your bath or shower wipe over them with a little washing up liquid or shaving foam (yes it really works!)

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR KETTLE

Make your friends a brew in your newly clean kettle, If you have a metal kettle then you need to use soapy water to clean it then buff  it up with a microfibre cloth to stop finger marks and streaks etc.

For plastic kettles just wipe down with warm soapy water and a normal cloth so you don't scratch the surface, for any marks simply run a cut lemon over them.

To descale your kettle you fill it with half water and half clear vinegar then leave to sit overnight, in the morning empty the kettle rinse and wipe it out, next refill with water and boil it then empty again, now your ready for your first brew.

TOP TIP

You can use white toothpaste and baking soda to clean stainless steel kettles.

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO UNPLUG YOUR KETTLE BEFORE CLEANING!

HAVE A RELAXING CLEAN BATH

For cast iron baths avoid anti limescale products, instead you can remove limescale with a made up solution of half water and half vinegar and apply with a soft cloth.

For enamelled baths clean the same way as the cast iron ones and try using paste of bicarbonate of soda mixed with a drop of water for stains that wont shift.

For plastic or acrylic baths which are most common stay away from abrasive cleaners, a wipe over with a soft cloth and a mild bathroom cleaner is the easiest way, but for a intense clean you can fill the bath up with warm water and two scoops of biological washing powder and leave overnight. Cleaning your bath after every use will stop limescsle from building up.

TOP TIP

Sprinkle some salt onto half a grapefruit and rub it all round the bathtub ring, leave it for a while then use a nylon cloth to clean it off.

CLEAN THE THRONE

Pour a toilet cleaner into your toilet at least once a week and leave for five minutes, then scrub with the brush making sure you get into the seat hinges and under the rim, flush twice then use warm soapy water and a cloth to clean the seat and the flush handle. To reduce limescale in your toilet try putting half a lemon into your cistern.

TOP TIP

Pour half a bottle of coke down your toilet and leave for half hour to shift toilet stains. For a really dirty toilet use damp sandpaper on the tough stains.

GOOD CLEAN COOKING

Everyone would like a clean oven but just wipeing it down after each use is not enough to shift those common stains and stuck on food, you need to mix bicarbonate of soda with water to make a thick paste and then place it all over the inside of your oven, leave it there overnight then the next day scrub it out using water and a scourer.

TOP TIP

Place your stainless steel oven shelves in the bath, fill bath with hot water and washing powder and then leave overnight, in the morning the dirt will slide of the oven trays and also your bath will be cleaned too.

OTHER CLEANING TIPS

1. Put bleach into your toilet brush holder to kill germs.

2. Keep kitchen work tops clean by simply washing them down with warm water and washing up liquid.

3. Clean the grouting between ceramic tiles with a solution of one part bleach to four parts water and use a old toothbrush to scrub between the tiles.

4. To clean your laminste floor without damaging it use a paste of bicarbonste of soda with a few drops of chlorine bleach then wipe on with a soft cloth.

5. To clean solid wood a firm rubbing with a cloth and washing up liquid solution is best.

6. Fingermarks on stainless steel can be best removed with a touch of baby oil on a clean cloth.

7. Get rid of pencil crayon or felt tip marks with shaving foam or hairspray.

8. To keep your bin smelling fresh run some lemon or lime pieces through it once a week or sprinkle some baking powder in the bottom of the bin bag to trap odours.

9. To clean your microwave add two cups of water and two tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice to a microwavable bowl then cook on full power for 4 minutes, when finished wipe inside of microwave with kitchen roll.

10. Clean your iron by sprinkling salt onto some newspaper and running the iron accross it.