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Jul 18

9 Fast Tricks to Clean Your House While You Sleep

Some chores can take care of themselves while you snooze.

Mineral deposits can clog a showerhead and affect its pressure over time. To clean, fill a plastic bag with vinegar. Place the bag around the showerhead, submerging it in the liquid. Secure the bag to the neck of the showerhead with a twist tie and leave overnight. The vinegar will break down the buildup by morning.

Quick cleaning tips include soaking a shower head overnight

 

Remove stains on pots and pans

If a batch of cookies left your baking sheet gunky, let a dryer sheet clean it overnight. Place the sheet on the pan and fill with warm water. Cleaning agents in the dryer sheet will help loosen stuck-on grime and stains. In the morning, easily wipe off with a sponge.

Roasting pan stains

 

 

Polish stove grates

Cleaning greasy, food-splattered stove burners can be a tiresome chore. Before you go to bed, seal each burner in a large plastic bag with ¼ cup of ammonia. The overnight soak will make it easy to wipe off the surface with a sponge the following day.

Stove grates

Banish rust on tools

If your rusty tools have seen better days, fill a tray with Coca-Cola. Submerge the tools, allow to soak overnight, and scrub clean with a stiff brush in the morning. The soda’s phosphoric acid will help loosen the gunk.

Rusted tools

Eliminate wet messes

If your sofa or carpet became the victim of an icky, wet mess (say, vomit or urine), mix a paste of baking soda and water to soak it up. Use a spoon to spread the paste over the soiled area. Allow to dry overnight, then vacuum in the morning.

Brown old-fashioned leather sofa

Descale a kettle

Limescale can build up from calcium carbonate deposits in water, leading to an off-white, chalky deposit in your kettle. To clean, cut a lemon into large slices, place in the kettle, and add water. Bring to a boil, then take the kettle off the heat and leave overnight. The lemon’s citric acid will loosen the limescale. Toss the fruit and water mixture in the morning and rinse before using your newly cleaned kettle. Got other lemons lying around?

Clean bath toys

To make grubby rubber duckies, boats, and other bath toys new again, mix one gallon warm water with ¾ cup vinegar. Soak the toys overnight. Rinse thoroughly and allow to air dry.

Make diamonds sparkle

Quickly polish a diamond ring by filling a bottle cap with Windex. Soak the ring overnight and dry with a soft cloth in the morning to remove grime and add shine.

Close-up of diamond ring

Remove red wine stains

If red wine marked up your favourite garment, sprinkle the stain with salt and cover with club soda. The salt absorbs the stain while the club soda’s carbonation and sodium helps lift it. Leave overnight before laundering.

Red wine spill on white carpet

 

 

BY KELSEY KLOSS, RD.COM

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