Showers:
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How can the shower---the place where you clean yourself---get so dirty? Nowhere, save for the kitchen sink, does a home show grime more than in the shower. Soap, shampoo, and dirt from the shower's temporary denizens combine to make an unsightly mess.
To keep your shower sparkling, try these:
Next time you shower, clean the shower, too. The steam from your shower will help loosen any grime and make the job easier.
For tiled shower walls and floor, use dishwasher detergent (either powder or liquid will do) Mix 1/4 cup dishwasher detergent with warm water in a small pump spray bottle and shake to dissolve the detergent. Spritz liberally on walls, let it sit two or three hours, and then scrub with a sponge. Use a sponge mop to scrub high spots and the floor.
To clean tile grout, make a paste of baking soda and bleach (add bleach to the powder until it's a thick goo). Smear the paste on with a spatula. Air-dry for an hour and then scrub with a tooth brush and water. (Never use ammonia nearby, since ammonia and bleach don't mix)
To prevent water spots, rub the shower walls and doors with a squeegee right after you have taken your shower. If you have no squeegee, an old wipers blade will do. Or try one of the daily shower cleaners. Mist surfaces right after you shower, While the walls are still warm and wet The cleaner will prevent deposits from forming and will wash down the drain the next time you shower.
If your shower sprouts mold, try this trick: Wipe down the walls with a solution of 1 teaspoon water softener, 1 tablespoon ammonia, and 1 tablespoon vinegar in 3/4 cup warm water. Rinse with fresh water. Buff dry.
To clean your shower doors, follow these pointers:
Simple SOLUTIONS
Easy Come, Easy Go>
Frustrated by stubborn grout grunge? Put on some rubber gloves for protection and spray on some oven cleaner (Easy-Off, for instance). Wipe the cleaner off with a sponge within five seconds. Rinse thoroughly with water. Make sure the bathroom is well ventilated when you do this.
To remove soap film on a plastic shower curtain, place it in the washer with two or three large bath towels. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar and wash, removing it before the spin cycle. Hang it up pronto to dry. If mildew is out of control, use 3/4 cup of chlorine bleach instead. To avoid that soapy buildup on the bottom of the shower curtain, rub it with baby oil. Always keep a shower curtain unfurled to give the fuzzy stuff a less inviting place to grow.
To clean the shower-head, remove it and soak it in a container with a 50-50 mix of hot water and vinegar. If you don't want to take the shower-head off, pour 3 inches of vinegar into a plastic sandwich bag and then pull the bag up over the entire head. Secure the bag with duct tape and it leave overnight.
See also Bathtubs and Tiles
Shutters
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How can the shower---the place where you clean yourself---get so dirty? Nowhere, save for the kitchen sink, does a home show grime more than in the shower. Soap, shampoo, and dirt from the shower's temporary denizens combine to make an unsightly mess.
To keep your shower sparkling, try these:
Next time you shower, clean the shower, too. The steam from your shower will help loosen any grime and make the job easier.
For tiled shower walls and floor, use dishwasher detergent (either powder or liquid will do) Mix 1/4 cup dishwasher detergent with warm water in a small pump spray bottle and shake to dissolve the detergent. Spritz liberally on walls, let it sit two or three hours, and then scrub with a sponge. Use a sponge mop to scrub high spots and the floor.
To clean tile grout, make a paste of baking soda and bleach (add bleach to the powder until it's a thick goo). Smear the paste on with a spatula. Air-dry for an hour and then scrub with a tooth brush and water. (Never use ammonia nearby, since ammonia and bleach don't mix)
To prevent water spots, rub the shower walls and doors with a squeegee right after you have taken your shower. If you have no squeegee, an old wipers blade will do. Or try one of the daily shower cleaners. Mist surfaces right after you shower, While the walls are still warm and wet The cleaner will prevent deposits from forming and will wash down the drain the next time you shower.
If your shower sprouts mold, try this trick: Wipe down the walls with a solution of 1 teaspoon water softener, 1 tablespoon ammonia, and 1 tablespoon vinegar in 3/4 cup warm water. Rinse with fresh water. Buff dry.
To clean your shower doors, follow these pointers:
- Wash them with white vinegar to banish soap scum.
- Or take that leftover white wine that's rapidly turning to vinegar, empty it into a trigger spray bottle, and squirt it on your shower doors. Rinse well with water and dry with a soft cloth.
- Wipe down the doors with fabric softener on a damp cloth. Buff with a clean, dry cloth.
- Another way to keep soap scum away: Wipe down the shower doors with lemon oil. Baby oil works too, as does furniture polish, buffed with a soft cloth. (This also works on tiled showers, but don't put these slippery substances on a shower floor.)
- Scrub shower door runners with white toothpaste and an old toothbrush. Brush with vinegar to rinse. Or dip a stiff-bristled paintbrush in vinegar and scrub.
- To keep runners from growing a bumper crop of mildew, run the head of a small sponge paintbrush along the bottom runner channels when you've finished showering.
Simple SOLUTIONS
Easy Come, Easy Go>
Frustrated by stubborn grout grunge? Put on some rubber gloves for protection and spray on some oven cleaner (Easy-Off, for instance). Wipe the cleaner off with a sponge within five seconds. Rinse thoroughly with water. Make sure the bathroom is well ventilated when you do this.
To remove soap film on a plastic shower curtain, place it in the washer with two or three large bath towels. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar and wash, removing it before the spin cycle. Hang it up pronto to dry. If mildew is out of control, use 3/4 cup of chlorine bleach instead. To avoid that soapy buildup on the bottom of the shower curtain, rub it with baby oil. Always keep a shower curtain unfurled to give the fuzzy stuff a less inviting place to grow.
To clean the shower-head, remove it and soak it in a container with a 50-50 mix of hot water and vinegar. If you don't want to take the shower-head off, pour 3 inches of vinegar into a plastic sandwich bag and then pull the bag up over the entire head. Secure the bag with duct tape and it leave overnight.
See also Bathtubs and Tiles
Shutters
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It's one of those curious little ironies of life that shutters--hung to gussy up the inside or outside of your house--often become more unsightly than decorative as the dust and grime accumulate.
Regular maintenance will keep your indoor shutter-cleaning chores to a minimum. Dust every month on both sides with the of soft brush attachment of your vacuum. In between sessions with your vacuum, touch up the shutters with a microfiber cloth or feather duster.
To clean indoor shutters, remove the shutters from their hinges and put them somewhere level-- a workbench topped with a white towel, for instance. Spray the shutters with a gentle all purpose cleaner, such as Fantastik or Formula 409, taking special care to penetrate the cracks and crevices. Allow the cleaner to sit on the shutters five minutes before rolling up your sleeves. Pull on some rubber gloves and start cleaning at the top of shutters and work toward the bottom. Clean
the slats with a terry cloth towel, your rubber-gloved fingers, or a small soft-bristled brush for nooks and crannies. Use a trigger spray bottle filled with warm water to spray away dirt and other grime from the slats. Using a dry cloth , dry the slats one at a time. You can reach hard-t-dry areas with a rag wrapped around the handle of a wooden spoon.
Cleaning outdoor shutters is basically the same operation--with a few refinements. Remove the shutters from the outside walls and lay them flat or prop them against i a sawhorse or other secure support. wet down the shutters with an all-purpose cleaner or a spray bottle of water
with a squirt of dishwashing liquid added. Leave the cleaner on for a few minutes. Then use a screwdriver, wrapped in a towel, to attack hard-to-reach spots. Rinse with a garden hose, using as much water pressure as your hose can muster. Dry the slats with a towel. Let them finish drying in the sun.
See also Louvers.
Siding
It's one of those curious little ironies of life that shutters--hung to gussy up the inside or outside of your house--often become more unsightly than decorative as the dust and grime accumulate.
Regular maintenance will keep your indoor shutter-cleaning chores to a minimum. Dust every month on both sides with the of soft brush attachment of your vacuum. In between sessions with your vacuum, touch up the shutters with a microfiber cloth or feather duster.
To clean indoor shutters, remove the shutters from their hinges and put them somewhere level-- a workbench topped with a white towel, for instance. Spray the shutters with a gentle all purpose cleaner, such as Fantastik or Formula 409, taking special care to penetrate the cracks and crevices. Allow the cleaner to sit on the shutters five minutes before rolling up your sleeves. Pull on some rubber gloves and start cleaning at the top of shutters and work toward the bottom. Clean
the slats with a terry cloth towel, your rubber-gloved fingers, or a small soft-bristled brush for nooks and crannies. Use a trigger spray bottle filled with warm water to spray away dirt and other grime from the slats. Using a dry cloth , dry the slats one at a time. You can reach hard-t-dry areas with a rag wrapped around the handle of a wooden spoon.
Cleaning outdoor shutters is basically the same operation--with a few refinements. Remove the shutters from the outside walls and lay them flat or prop them against i a sawhorse or other secure support. wet down the shutters with an all-purpose cleaner or a spray bottle of water
with a squirt of dishwashing liquid added. Leave the cleaner on for a few minutes. Then use a screwdriver, wrapped in a towel, to attack hard-to-reach spots. Rinse with a garden hose, using as much water pressure as your hose can muster. Dry the slats with a towel. Let them finish drying in the sun.
See also Louvers.
Siding
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Like window screens, siding attracts all sorts of gunk--everything from tree sheddings, dust, and mildew (especially in shady spots) to pollution, pollen, and rain. Sometimes torrential rain cleans your siding. Other times, it just makes matters worse. Here's how to clean any kind of siding--aluminum, vinyl, or wood.
To remove dust and grime on your windows, just dampen a cloth, sprinkle on a little baking soda, and wipe the dirt away.
If your siding needs only light cleaning, try this once a year: Squirt with the garden hose and scrub the siding one section at a time, using a soft-bristled, long-handled brush. A long car-wash brush attachment on your hose. is a good tool to use, letting you get to hard -to-reach areas. Don't miss the underside of the siding slats, where dirt loves to accumulate. Hose again to rinse.
If your siding is really soiled, use a siding and deck cleaner, such as Jomax House Cleaner and Mildew Killer. This concentrate contains mildew retardants and detergent and can be combined with bleach (see package directions) for extra cleaning powder. Mix, spray the cleaner onto the siding, and rinse. A pressure washer hooked up to your garden hose is also an effective way to blast away the dirt on your siding.
See also Aluminum and Vinyl
Silk
Like window screens, siding attracts all sorts of gunk--everything from tree sheddings, dust, and mildew (especially in shady spots) to pollution, pollen, and rain. Sometimes torrential rain cleans your siding. Other times, it just makes matters worse. Here's how to clean any kind of siding--aluminum, vinyl, or wood.
To remove dust and grime on your windows, just dampen a cloth, sprinkle on a little baking soda, and wipe the dirt away.
If your siding needs only light cleaning, try this once a year: Squirt with the garden hose and scrub the siding one section at a time, using a soft-bristled, long-handled brush. A long car-wash brush attachment on your hose. is a good tool to use, letting you get to hard -to-reach areas. Don't miss the underside of the siding slats, where dirt loves to accumulate. Hose again to rinse.
If your siding is really soiled, use a siding and deck cleaner, such as Jomax House Cleaner and Mildew Killer. This concentrate contains mildew retardants and detergent and can be combined with bleach (see package directions) for extra cleaning powder. Mix, spray the cleaner onto the siding, and rinse. A pressure washer hooked up to your garden hose is also an effective way to blast away the dirt on your siding.
See also Aluminum and Vinyl
Silk
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When cleaning silk, you don't want to turn a silk purse into a sow's ear by using the wrong technique. Many silk garments are washable if you are careful. Check the fabric care label.
Treat stains from spills and such before you wash silk clothing, (See below for special ways to treat perspiration and deodorant stains.) On a hidden spot, apply a paste of powdered laundry starch and cold water to make sure the silk is colorfast. If it is, apply the paste to the stain, let it dry, and brush it away.
To wash a silk garment, you can either do it by hand or use the delicate cycle and cool or warm water in your washing machine. A mild detergent, such as Woolite, works best. Carefully roll the garment in an absorbent white towel to blot up excess moisture. Then either lay it flat to dry or hang it on a padded hanger.
To iron silk, use a low setting and iron on the inside of the garment only.
Perspiration and deodorant stains can discolor and weaken silk. (The salt in perspiration, and aluminum chloride and other chemicals in deodorants and antiperspirants, can stain silk.) Dry clean or wash perspiration-stained garments as soon as possible.
To treat perspiration or deodorants stains on washable silk garments, try one of these remedies, but first test it on a hidden spot to see whether the fabric dye holds:
When cleaning silk, you don't want to turn a silk purse into a sow's ear by using the wrong technique. Many silk garments are washable if you are careful. Check the fabric care label.
Treat stains from spills and such before you wash silk clothing, (See below for special ways to treat perspiration and deodorant stains.) On a hidden spot, apply a paste of powdered laundry starch and cold water to make sure the silk is colorfast. If it is, apply the paste to the stain, let it dry, and brush it away.
To wash a silk garment, you can either do it by hand or use the delicate cycle and cool or warm water in your washing machine. A mild detergent, such as Woolite, works best. Carefully roll the garment in an absorbent white towel to blot up excess moisture. Then either lay it flat to dry or hang it on a padded hanger.
To iron silk, use a low setting and iron on the inside of the garment only.
Perspiration and deodorant stains can discolor and weaken silk. (The salt in perspiration, and aluminum chloride and other chemicals in deodorants and antiperspirants, can stain silk.) Dry clean or wash perspiration-stained garments as soon as possible.
To treat perspiration or deodorants stains on washable silk garments, try one of these remedies, but first test it on a hidden spot to see whether the fabric dye holds:
- Soak the perspiration stain in warm water and a paste of table salt and white vinegar.
- Make a paste of cream of tartar and warm water and apply it to the stain. Allow the paste to dry, brush it off, and launder.
- Apply a mixture of warm water and water softener to the stained area and then rub with a bar of laundry soap. Brush it off and then wash.
- Dissolve 2 aspirins in 1/2 cup of warm water and apply it to the stain. Let it dry for hours, brush it off, and launder.
- To avoid perspiration stains in the first place, apply deodorant and then use your hair dryer to dry your underarms before you dress.
See also Satin.
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