Cleaning Tips put to the challenge

[Akasully2]

Feeling more like Cinderella than Domestic Goddess, I tackled the detested job of cleaning the enormous and plentiful windows at the Oz rental. We have a house inspection in a few weeks so I thought I would get a head start and do the jobs that can be done in advance.

 

The last time I cleaned them, I used my Kercher steam cleaner with the squeegee attachment. It took ages and I got frustrated, as I had to keep pulling it along behind me, cables and hoses every where, and I still needed to use a cloth to mop up the dribbles. So today I approached this monumental task with an analytical angle.

 

I decided to test a range of methods/products to see which worked best.

 

1. I started with a bottle of Windowlene. It promised a streak free clean. I applied and then wiped with a lint free cloth (old t-shirt). Looked good until you viewed it from inside and I realised it looked smeary, foggy and rubbish.

 

2. Returned to 'cleaned' windows with a microfibres cloth to buff them. Much elbow grease later and it still wasn't much better.

 

3. Remembering my nan's method of using vinegar in water to clean them, followed by a screwed up piece of newspaper to dry them, I gave this ago. Something about the ink in the print that is meant to make them shine. Should have been white vinegar but only had brown malted, so the place smells like a fish and chip shop! The results were still not pleasing. The newspaper didn't actually dry the glass, just moved it around.

 

4. With an aching arm, I now used the vinegar water to clean them, followed by a squeegee to dry them.....very good! Tried the flash, side to side swirling action, proper window cleaners use but ended up with thin trails of water going horizontally. Instead I ended up dragging it down vertically with a microfibres cloth ready to wipe to trails formed at the far sides of the squeegee. It works! It was also the quickest method.

 

I am now having a well deserved cuppa and viewing my handiwork. The windows look perfect. I decided to go back and re-clean all the other windows that I wasn't happy with. So, to conclude, I have put the methods to the test and found out what works. It made my Cinderella moments more mentally challenging and less dull.

 

So, any tips of your own that you can share?

 

If anyone can recommend a washing powder that actually cleans, that would be good too. I'm using Radiance and quite frankly, I question whether if it would look any different if I had just not bothered to put the liquid in.

 

Also, oven cleaning....next on my list. Any tips please?

 

Looking forward to reading your tried and tested tips!

[louisef]

Grrrrh - just got my rent inspection letter today - thought I was getting away with it. Not looking forward to it as don't know much about cleaning windows or ovens but I am liking OMO washing power at the moment - seems to clean fine and it smells lovely - even the garden smells nice and fresh when the washing is on the line - but have only bought it when its been half price on special offer ; ) x

[Deb]

OMO what I use get it when half price the nearest I have found to Ariel.

Found Gumption good for marks on walls also when we moved in got black marks off the shower.

Windows hate cleaning them use water in work then a microfiber cloth brings up good

Need something good for oven

[Akasully2]

Good tips, thanks.

 

After feeling very pleased with myself after cleaning the last set of windows, I reached up to get a spot slightly out of reach. I was standing in the flower bed at this point. As I over stretched, I lost my balance and grabbed at the fly screen to save myself from ending up in the bushes/rockery. I stuck my thumb through the fly screen and now it has a hole in it. Grrrrrr.......!

 

So by trying to impress the agent with a clean house, I have in fact caused damage which no doubt I will be charged for. Really p'd off. I did a bit of research and found you can buy repair patches that you stick on. Good but the still show up. Did consider sewing the gap up.

[JenPen]

Oh no how annoying!!! Good tips though thanks! Hope you're okay and didn't hurt yourself!?

 

I used detergent powder and white wine vinegar on bright pink lipstick that had been smeared all over our new cream carpet and scrubbed like made!!! it came up perfect xx

[portlaunay]

If anyone can recommend a washing powder that actually cleans, that would be good too. I'm using Radiance and quite frankly, I question whether if it would look any different if I had just not bothered to put the liquid in.

 

Make your own. It's really very easy, extremely cheap and effective. There are lots of recipes around but this is one without borax. You can google lots of other options http://frugalandthriving.com.au/2012/homemade-laundry-liquid-revisited-no-borax-recipe/

 

We mix a small amount of basic detergent with water in a spray bottle and use that for more or less everything. For something more hardcore we add some lemon juice and bicarb if we need something abrasive.

 

This site is quite interesting to better understand what's in all those chemical cleaners;

http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resources/chemistry-in-your-cupboard/index.php

 

One thing I do know it that when Mrs p's company have to refurb a costume with yellow armpit stains they use vodka. Comes up a treat apparently.

[Plimthing]

Alcohol, port, no pun intended, is a great cleaning product! we use isopropyl alcohol at the airport all the time. Its a bit friendlier than the old tryc baths and MEK we used in the good old days. However, MEK is the best cleaner/degreaser by far, and it finds all the small paper cuts you never knew you had! Unfortunatley it melts a lot of things too.

[Arwen]

I use OMO too with a scoop of napisan in with my whites.

[Akasully2]

Oh no how annoying!!! Good tips though thanks! Hope you're okay and didn't hurt yourself!?

 

I used detergent powder and white wine vinegar on bright pink lipstick that had been smeared all over our new cream carpet and scrubbed like made!!! it came up perfect xx

 

@JenPen I have very naughty thoughts of how you ended up with your lips rubbing all over the cream carpet. Slap on my wrist, too rude!

[Akasully2]

Make your own. It's really very easy, extremely cheap and effective. There are lots of recipes around but this is one without borax. You can google lots of other options http://frugalandthriving.com.au/2012/homemade-laundry-liquid-revisited-no-borax-recipe/

 

We mix a small amount of basic detergent with water in a spray bottle and use that for more or less everything. For something more hardcore we add some lemon juice and bicarb if we need something abrasive.

 

This site is quite interesting to better understand what's in all those chemical cleaners;

http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resources/chemistry-in-your-cupboard/index.php

 

One thing I do know it that when Mrs p's company have to refurb a costume with yellow armpit stains they use vodka. Comes up a treat apparently.

 

That was interesting. I read up what was actually in it too. I could relate to much of it.

 

I used to make my own soap from scratch using olive oil, coconut oil, lye and essential oils. It was amazing to see something that was so caustic initially, change into a bar of soap that was so gentle, all because of the saponification process it goes through as it cures.

[JenPen]

@JenPen I have very naughty thoughts of how you ended up with your lips rubbing all over the cream carpet. Slap on my wrist, too rude!

 

ooooh you naughty little minx!!!! Haha!

[elfie]

7 cups of water 1/2 cup of baking soda 1/3 cup of lemon juice 1/4 cup of vinegar in a spray bottle brings up the grout lovely bit of elbow grease involved just spray it on and leave it for 10 mins then good old fashioned scrubbing brush and elbow grease big improvement. Done both showers and all the tiled floors in the house. With the floors I used a patio scrubbing brush on a handle like a broom worked wonders. Mopping just does not get the dirt out of the ripples in the tiles.

[JenPen]

Good tip - will be trying that this week [emoji4]

[elfie]

Jen it really works on grout my showers were sparkling

[FOL]

In Perth we hardly had any dust on our furniture or dust flocks anywhere. That was amazing. Anyway just some random things;

 

- our monster steam mop is fantastic! Except when there is something really really sticky on the ground. Wouldn't want to miss it.

- use paper (only the newspaper kind of paper) to dry your windows (just the last bit - when it's already nearly dry). Make it a lump and then dey the window in circles. Make sure the paper gets hardly wet otherwise get a new one. This way you don't get lines on your windows.

[louisef]

STOP PRESS .... OMO on offer at Woolies this week - Liquid and Power.

Top Tip .... 2 LTR Bottle great for squashing cockroaches

 

Also did one else's hear on the radio this morning that in a small mining town in WA that people leave a box of OMO outside their house as a sign that their other half has gone to work - On My Own ( wink wink ) or Old Man Out ( nudge nudge ) - so make sure you leave yours safely under the sink !!

[Shirleyt]

STOP PRESS .... OMO on offer at Woolies this week - Liquid and Power.

Top Tip .... 2 LTR Bottle great for squashing cockroaches

 

Also did one else's hear on the radio this morning that in a small mining town in WA that people leave a box of OMO outside their house as a sign that their other half has gone to work - On My Own ( wink wink ) or Old Man Out ( nudge nudge ) - so make sure you leave yours safely under the sink !!

Right off to stock up on OMO, my husband works long hours..............

[Shirleyt]

Right off to stock up on OMO, my husband works long hours..............

On a building site and find OMO is the only thing to get the washing clean!

[Rossmoyne]

Sully I love Enjo http://www.enjo.com.au/ Enjo is expensive to initially purchase, but the fibres last for years, and I save on not buying all the supposed products the manufacturers think I need to use. I rarely use commercial cleaning products, apart from occasionally Planet Ark or Method sustainable Biodegradable products.... Water, Bicarb and White Vinegar are my thing, along with microfibre cloths and Enjo....