The best part about staying at home during the pandemic?
For me, it was cooking and crafting.
The worst part?
I was left to deal with a sink full of dirty dishes and a room stacked with dirt.
But, want to know the really tricky thing about cleaning? Sometimes, you don’t need to make much effort and you don’t really need all those chemical products and equipment.
If the title was enough to peak your curiosity, read on to find some weird cleaning tricks that can make your life infinitely easier.
#1. Degrease Your Pans With Newspaper
I’m the type of person who cleans when I’m stressed. But when it comes to degreasing a dirty oily frying pan? Let’s just say I’m not always thrilled to spend my Saturday afternoons scrubbing such dirty mess.
And, let’s be honest here, how many of you have actually, like me, put off washing up a greasy pan for a few hours after using it? Especially if you cooked up a storm rather than a nice, juicy steak in the kitchen.
And the best part?
The pan you’ll see in my kitchen has been sitting there for months.
So, how exactly do I clean the pan that is no match for me, my soap and my sponge?
Well, one of my friends told me to take some old newspapers and mash them up to make homemade scourers. And you know what?
It worked. Really.
First, I was able to get rid of the first layer of leftover food and grease with the newspaper (I think I got myself a new solution for removing oil) and then I finished it off with a sponge and some liquid soap.
#2. Use Salt to Clean Your Iron
Not one of my friends suggested I try salt to clean my iron, but this suggestion was sitting on Facebook and well, how could I not try it?
So, all I did was sprinkle some salt onto my ironing table and run the iron (please note that it should be on medium heat) over it three or four times.
And, bonus: all the residue came off and left it with a sparkling finish.
#3. Refresh Your Mattress With Vodka
When you want your bedroom to feel like it’s straightened up, you can’t just skip over the mattress, isn’t it?
A tidied-up bedroom is a welcoming oasis, a sort of small retreat for people to gather or rest or even reconnect after a long and tiring day of work. But, a mattress with a musty mildew smell has the opposite effect: Even if you’re just noticing it in the periphery of your vision and registering it nearly consciously, a messy mattress harboring dust mites, dead skin, dirt and sweat can be a stressor that makes you feel far from at home even in your very own house.
So, save up half a shot of vodka and combine it with some water and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Put the mixture in a spray bottle and spray all over the mattress.
One hour later, your mattress is all refreshed and reset.
Complete and total success!
And, if you want to know, it all came from the alcohol, which helps to kill the odor producing bacteria lingering in your mattress.
#4. Ammonia = Oven Cleaning Made Easy
Nothing destroys a serene vibe in the kitchen like a dirty oven poorly concealed with inefficient oven cleaner chemicals. Even in a large and posh kitchen, an oven mess can quickly make that space look cluttered and junky.
You guys, the number one secret to oven cleaning is found in ammonia.
Don’t wonder how much of this is actually going to help you. Just go for it!
The process is simple: In a bowl, pour at least 1/2 a cup of ammonia and place it in a completely cold oven. Leave the bowl overnight or for at least 6-7 hours if you can.
The next day, you can easily sponge clean the oven. And, I swear you’ll be able to see your reflection on it.
The trick is actually how the ammonia works perfectly at dissolving any grease and burnt areas.
And, if you don’t have ammonia at home, please don’t try urine (that’s what my friends suggested at first before I turned to a more decent option). You could easily get a bottle of this stuff in large supermarkets.
While they may sound a bit strange, it’s worth giving these wacky cleaning hacks a try. But, what if you don’t like cleaning itself? Well, I’m sure you don’t want to go crazy keeping it that way.
So, why don’t you check out my article on, “The Lazy Person’s Guide: 4 Tips for People Who Hate Cleaning?”
