Blankets – If your blankets are non-wool they can usually be washed in your washing machine. However you need to keep in mind that your machine at home may not be larger enough. If this is the case, the machines at your local laundromat will be bigger and have a larger capacity. If your blankets are woollen they will need to be dry cleaned.

Curtains – Either wash your curtains or have them cleaned at least once a year. Remember to follow the manufacturers instructions. Make sure that you remove any weights or hooks before washing. If the curtains are lined take extra care to ensure the ‘weakest’ fabric does not shrink. If the curtains are made of a delicate fabric then you should wash by hand.

Duvets – If your duvet is filled with a synthetic fibre then it can either be washed at home in your machine (if it has a large enough capacity) or in a larger machine at your local laundromat. If your duvet is feather filled you can wash it at home on a short, cool wash (again this is dependent on the capacity of your washing machine). Alternatively there are specialists who can clean your feather filled duvets for you. If you wash your own, you should fluff it up as it dries, this will help ensure that it keeps it’s shape and does not become lumpy.

Feather Pillows – These can be cleaned by placing them in a bath of tepid water with some washing soda crystals. You can rinse them by lifting out and allowing the water to drain. Repeat this lifting process 3 or 4 times in cool clean water.

Woollen Items – Some woollen items will be machine washable (check the label) but others will not be. If they are not then you can wash them by hand in warm water. To remove excess water, squeeze the woollen garment in your hands and then lay them flat to dry. This will ensure that they dry in shape.

Lace – These items should be washed as seldom as possible, but when they do need washing you should soak them in warm water and then wash them carefully by hand in hot water. If you have lace of different colors, do not wash them together. Really delicate lace items cannot even be hand washed and should be pinned to a clean board and dabbed clean gently with a sponge and soapy water. They should be left pinned to the board until they are dry. Do not use bleach or any products containing bleach on delicate lace items.

Soft Toys – These should be washed often in warm suds and rinsed thoroughly in clean cool water. To help drying you can wrap in a towel and soak up excess water. They can then be hung by the ears (if they have ears) to dry.

Musty Towels – To clean towels which have gone musty use bicarbonate of soda with boiling water. Boil the towels for five minutes and then wash as you normally would.

Shower Curtains – These can be washed using a cool cycle using a small amount of detergent and bleach. If you have them, place 2 old white bath towels in with the shower curtain, as these will help protect the curtain from getting damaged inside the machine. Do not spin dry your shower curtain.

White Cotton Socks – If you have heavily soiled white cotton socks you can soak them for around 5 minutes in boiling water with a slice of lemon added.

1) Load the machine correctly. – By this I mean do not overload the machine. If you place too many clothes inside the washer, the clothes will not be able to move around during the wash cycle and thus will not be cleaned efficiently. So never be tempted to fill your washer full in an attempt to get away with only washing one load, you will inevitably end up washing it again anyway.

2) Select the right program. – Modern clothes washers have a vast selection of programs, and these coupled with spin or drying options result in a large combination of options for you to choose from. Choosing the wrong option could easily damage your clothing so it is most important to read the washing guides on the garment labels and then select your washing program accordingly.

3) Too much detergent. – Do not be tempted to use too much detergent in your clothes washer. Many people think that using extra detergent will help to clean heavily soiled clothes. This however is not the case. If you use too much detergent the clothes or fabrics will be left feeling soapy after the wash cycle has completed. Any leftover detergent in the fabric will attract even more dirt. As a guide it is a good idea to use slightly less than the manufacturers recommended amount. If you do think that there is still soap in your fabrics after the wash has finished, you can put them on another rinse cycle.

4) Use a fabric conditioner. – Fabric conditioners are normally added during the final rinse and the idea is to leave your fabrics feeling softer. Many fabric conditioners are also scented, or if you prefer, you can opt for a non-perfumed conditioner. Fabric softeners are a great idea for babies clothing, towels and other soft garments which are worn next to the skin. Fabric conditioners/softeners also make ironing easier and help prevent the build up of static electricity in your clothes.

5) Add salt to your wash. – Adding a dose of salt to your colored wash will help to prevent the dyes from running. There are commercial ‘color catchers’ available which are designed to help stop the colors from one garment running into and dying other garments. Plain old salt will do the same job at a fraction of the cost.

6) After bleaching or after a color wash you should put your clothes washer on another rinse cycle. This will help to stop your next load picking up any dye or bleach.

7) Keep your clothes washer clean. – This might sound obvious, but you would be surprised at how dirty the insides of your washer can become if you do not clean it regularly. After each wash is is a great idea to unplug your machine and give it a good wipe inside and out. You can buy cleaning products that clean the insides of your washer by using them on an ‘empty cycle’. A cheaper alternative to these is to use soda crystals.

Following these simple steps will ensure that you get the best cleaning results from your clothes washer every time you wash.

Many washing machines have a spin capability built in, or you can purchase a separate spinner. Generally the faster the spin speed the more water will be removed from your washing. As a rule of thumb look for a spin speed in excess of 1000 rpm.

Clothes dryers are a great way of drying your clothe sand fabrics, but there are a few points you should be aware of.

1) Clothes dryers generally use quite a lot of electricity, so it is important to remove as much of the water beforehand to reduce drying time and therefore drying cost.

2) Do not overload your dryer. – The clothes will not be able to circulate properly and the drying process will take longer.

3) Take your clothes out as soon as the dryer has finished. – This will ensure that many garments will not need ironing and those that do will only require minimal ironing.

4) Read the care labels in your garments. – Do not dry acrylics at hight temperatures in your dryer, also never dry wool items in a dryer as they will quickly shrink.

5) Using a dryer can cause static electricity to build up in your clothes. This can result in the clothes clinging to your body. A good tip to help prevent the build up of static electricity is to run your dryer on a cold setting for around 10 minutes at the end of the drying cycle.

6) Do not leave your dryer on overnight or when you are away from your home. Although rare, there have been occurrences of dryers catching fire.

7) Make sure and vents and filters are kept clean and free of dust build up. If you do not, your dryer will not work efficiently and could even overheat.

Just follow these simple steps to ensure you dry your garments as efficiently as possible and you will soon wonder how you ever managed without a clothes dryer.

Though it might be true that if you rush through your cleaning, you may not get things as clean as they should be, it doesn’t mean that you can’t clean quickly and achieve satisfactory results. This is an important thing to discover, because with work, family, friends, and tons of other errands always requiring our attention, we just don’t have that much time to devote to house cleaning anymore.

Indeed, every surface does still need to be dusted, wiped, or otherwise washed in order to make it fresh again. However, there are some techniques that make the work much faster and easier while accomplishing the same goal.

For example, if you start from the top of a room or a task, and make your way downward, you’ll be working in the fastest possible way. This will stop you from dirtying areas you’ve just cleaned and either leaving a mess behind, or having to re-clean the same area twice. To accomplish this, you’ll need to think of the big picture. Start on the upper floor of your house, dust things that are high up before dusting the lower things, clean your mirrors and other glass surfaces wiping from the top to the bottom.

Though this doesn’t seem like much, if you stick to it, you’ll actually be saving yourself a staggering amount of time. Just by changing the order in which things are cleaned, and the direction in which you clean them, you can shave a great deal off the length of time that you spend cleaning your home.

Furthermore, there are lists of other techniques and tips that you can use to save even more time, until you find that you’ve actually cut your cleaning time in half. They can all be found within The Ultimate Guide of Speed Cleaning Secrets, so Click Here and download your copy NOW.

Health threats? Yes, the very products you use to clean your home and freshen the air can make your pets sick- really sick! Think about it: Household cleaning products and air-fresheners are made with chemicals, or combination’s of chemicals. Most of the labels tell us they are harmful if swallowed, or if they get in your eye, open cuts… Granted that is not likely to happen, but what about constant exposure to their fumes? Illnesses like frequent headaches, loss of energy, dizziness can all be attributed to inhaling toxic chemicals. Individually they “may” be safe, but in most homes pet are being bombarded. “How much exposure is too much?”

Even if you have never experienced any of the a fore mentioned symptoms, what about your pets? Their exposure is 5-7 times greater than your own. Keep in mind your pet’s nose is thousands of times more sensitive than yours, and that one of our years is the equivalent of 5-7 of theirs! Unfortunately, they can’t say “Hey, something is burning my eyes, my nose, my mouth, or my paws!” or, “All of a sudden I’m not feeling good!” Their likely reaction is to move to a different resting place, or to sleep more than usual.

Household cleaners can be very toxic, but the tendency is to use a more concentrated cleaner for the areas your pet frequents in an effort to protect your pet and your family. People who are unable to keep pace with pet odor, often place multiple air-fresheners near their pet’s bedding and resting places. When they finally get around to cleaning, they are far more likely to use highly concentrated products.

Imagine you are your pet. You spend most of your home life at floor level, where fumes and germs are the most concentrated. Toxic chemicals used in cleaners, disinfectants, and air-fresheners can burn your lungs, and eyes. They can cause the pads of your feet to burn. In response, your pet licks their pads (often incessantly), not only are they burning his mouth, he (or she) is ingesting them. This is often an unknown cause of diarrhea, vomiting, and numerous misdiagnoses!

The good news is that you can make your pet areas clean and germ-free without exposing your family or your pet to toxic chemicals. I personally use colloidal silver mixed with 3% hydrogen peroxide to disinfectant everything that comes into my house. Colloidal silver has many scientifically proven medicinal uses, but it is expensive. You can buy
a relatively inexpensive colloidal silver generating machines are available that will produce all the colloidal silver any size family needs. But here is an inexpensive technique that will give you the peace of mind that the areas of concern are germ free and smell fresh.

Susan Sumner, a food scientist at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, developed a cleaning and sanitizing combination consisting of 3% hydrogen peroxide (available at the drug store), and white vinegar; each was placed in separate spray bottles.

Highly Effective In tests performed on heavily contaminated food and food surfaces, the combined strength of the two mists killed virtually all Salmonella, Shigella, or E. coli bacteria, making this spray combination more effective at killing these potentially lethal bacteria than chlorine bleach, or any commercially available kitchen cleaner!

The best results came from using one mist right after the other- collectively being ten times more effective than using either spray by itself, or than mixing the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in one sprayer.

When cleaning fruit or vegetables, liberally spray with both the vinegar and the hydrogen peroxide, leave for 2 minutes, and then rinse under running water, preferably filtered, alkalized, or purified. Either the vinegar or the hydrogen peroxide may be applied first. There is no after taste, or toxic residue.

Buying in bulk saves money. Gallon jugs of concentrated hydrogen peroxide are available from beauty supply stores, but must be handled with gloves, and carefully diluted with distilled water. Exact measurements are very important to achieve the proper 3% dilution. If you make a gallon at a time, you can use some to mop floors, put some in a spray bottle to disinfect food and water bowls, litter boxes, the air, bathroom and fixtures, door handles, counter tops, sponges, fruits and vegetables, cutting boards, sponges, bedding, walls, remote controls, cell phones… Fill another spray bottle with plain white vinegar to use as a cleaner.

1) Care Labels – These days clothes are manufactured from many different materials ranging from natural fibres such as wool, linen, cotton and silk to a myriad of man made fibres such as nylon, polyester, viscose, lycra etc. Many of your clothes will actually be made from a mixture of these fabrics, so just ow do you know how each item of clothing should be treated when it comes to washing ? Well the simple answer is read the care labels. Since 1986 all clothes should have a fibre content label which will tell you what fibres at what percentages it is made of. In addition to the fibre content label most clothes will have care labels that tell you if an item of clothing is washable and if it is, it should tell you how it should be washed, (for example at what temperature, type of cycle, should you spin etc). The care labels also tell you if an item should be ironed and if so at what temperature. Basically there should be four symbols on a care label, and they represent instructions for washing, bleaching, drying and ironing.

2) Before washing any item you first need to prepare it for washing. This may include: Fastening buttons, zips and hooks and eyes – (if left unfastened these can easily cause damage to other items in the same wash cycle.), Check any pockets and remove any items found, fasten any ribbons, tapes or cords, brush off any loose dirt, mud or animal hairs (if the animal hairs will not brush off, you can use a strip of sticky tape to pull them off), re-sew loose buttons and mend any small tears (if left buttons could come off in the wash and small tears could easily get larger), place socks together in pairs with a sock clip or place all socks in a laundry bag.

3) Sorting – you should sort out all your items for laundry into groups of the same wash code and same color. It is important not to mix colors together – especially bold colors in with light delicate colors as the chances are the darker colors will easily run and ruin the lighter more delicate colors.

4) Will this garments color run ? If you are unsure as to whether or not a particular item will run you can quickly and easily test it for color fastness. In any case it is always a good idea to test new items for color fastness as they can often run during the first couple of washes. To do this, test a small hidden area for example under the collar or at the back of the hem. You carry out this test by placing a damp cotton wool bud or tissue on the chosen area and leaving it for five minutes. If after five minutes any dye has transferred to the cotton wool or tissue then the item will run aqnd should be washed separately. If there is no transfer then the item will not run and can be washed with whites or other colors. You will often find that a new garment will initially run, but after a few washes it will cease to run and will be ok if washed with other colors or whites.

5) Remove any Stains. – For the best results when using a washing machine it is a good idea to check your clothes for any stains first. You will probably find that if left untreated they will not be completely removed during the normal wash cycle. There are various products available that are aimed at stain removal or you can use a natural method of stain removal. Whichever you use, removing stains before the wash will ensure excellent results every-time.

6) Pre-was treatments – As well as stain removal other pre-wash treatments you may like to perform are pre-washing (using your machines pre-wash program), soaking or bleaching. Many modern washing machines will have a built in pre-wash program, this is a great idea for heavily soiled items. Another alternative is soaking, which simply involves placing the items in a detergent solution before washing. The detergent does not need to bilogical as it is the actual soaking action that removes the dirt. Thirdly if you have stubborn stains affecting white fabrics then these can be bleached. Care should be taken if bleaching, as not all types of bleach are suitable for all types of fabrics.

By following the above 7 steps you will give yourself the best chance of having lovely clean fresh smelling laundry everytime.

If you keep on top of it, cleaning your fridge should be a breeze and will not require any special cleaning products.

On a weekly basis you should remove the shelves and any compartments from the fridge and wash them in warm soapy water, give them a rinse and a dry. You can wipe down the inside of the fridge with a solution of bicarbonate of soda – mix it with 2 teaspoons to a litre of warm water. Don’t forget to clean the rubber door seal, this can be dome using an old toothbrush. Finally give the door and handle a thorough wipe.

If you have any stubborn stains inside the fridge, you can remove them by mixing up a stronger paste of bicarbonate of soda and water.

About every 3 months its a good idea to move the fridge away from the wall and vacuum the cooling elements at the back. This will allow the fridge to run more efficiently.

Defrosting a freezer

These days a lot of people are fortunate enough to have a freezer which is frost free. This means that the days of chipping away at huge chunks of ice in your freezer is long gone. If your unlucky enough to still own a freezer that is not frost free, then here are some tips to help you cope.

Don’t leave it too long between defrosting the freezer, the more the ice builds up the longer the job will take and the harder it will be.

Switch off the freezer and unplug from the wall. Empty the freezer and place the contents in a cool bag. If there are any large chunks of ice that you can easily break off, then you are off to a good start. Take a bowl of boiling water and place it inside the fridge and close the door. After around 15 minutes replace the bowl with newly boiled water. Repeat this process until all the ice has melted. You will need some method of catching or soaking up the melted ice. Some freezers have a funnel device which can make collecting the water easier. Alternatively you can use some old towels and a mop and bucket.

Once all the ice has melted, ensure that the inside of the freezer is dry, replace the baskets and put the food back in. Set the freezer to fast freeze so it drops quickly to the required temperature.

Cleaning the Oven

Dirt, grime and grease can build up on your cooker really quickly, therefore its even more imperative to wipe out the oven and wipe the cooker top after each use.

If you haven’t been wiping the oven on a regular basis then sooner or later your going to have to face the task of thoroughly cleaning your cooker from top to bottom, inside and out.

To clean a badly soiled cooker is going to take a lot of effort and one of two methods – the caustic method or the non caustic method.

For the Caustic method you will require a little less elbow grease but the preparation will take you longer. You will need to protect the surrounding floor and surfaces and will also need to take precautions with your own health. You will need thick rubber gloves and a face mask. For this method you will be using a mix of Ammonia Bleach and water, which is very strong and will give off dangerous fumes, so please ensure pets and children are kept well away. Also please do not attempt this if you are pregnant.

Firstly remove the shelves, take them outside and spray them with your bleach solution, then place them in a plastic bin bag and leave them. Spray the inside of the oven and leave for a couple of hours.

After a couple of hours take the shelves out of the bags and hose clean, then wash them in warm soapy water. Then use plenty of warm water to rinse out the oven, and hey presto, you have a nice sparkling oven.

If you prefer to use a safer solution, then you can try the non-caustic method. This uses bicarbonate of soda which you will mix into a thick paste and spread it all over the inside of the oven. You can leave this overnight and then you will require plenty of scrubbing with warm water and a scourer.

Cleaning the kitchen sink

Limescale will quickly build up on your kitchen sink, so its a really good idea to wipe it down after each use. This will really help prevent the buildup of limescale.

On a weekly basis you should disinfect the sink with a solution of bleach and warm water. Don’t forget to clean around the plughole and overflow with an old toothbrush – you dont want any nasty germs lurking in there.

The method for the removal of stubborn stains from your sink will be dependent on the type of sink you have.

For Acryllic sinks you cannot use any abrasive cleaners, these will scratch and mark your sink. You can safely use a weak solution of bleach to reove stubbborn stains.

If you have a ceramic sink you can use a cream cleaner with warm water. Any really stubborn stains can be tackled with vinegar.

You can scratch Stainless steel sinks really easily so again no abrasive cleaners, use a soft cream cleaner. If you have any stubborn rust marks you can mix a paste of bicarbonate of soda. Lemon juice is great at removing limescale from stainless steel sinks.

Cleaning your worktops

It is very likely that you prepare food on your worktops, so obviously its imperitive that they are kept clean and germ free. Wipe over the work surfaces after each use, its a good idea to use an anti bacterial spray – which will help to keep the germs at bay.

More serious clenaing will be dependant on the material of your worktops.

For laminate worktops you can use a cream cleaner or a paste made form bicarbonate of soda along with a few drops of a chlorine based bleach.

If your surfaces are solid wood you will need to apply oil on a regular basis. This will help seal the wood and stop water and other substances from penetrating into the wood.

If you have granite worktops these are extremely hard wearing and are easy to keep clean. All you will really need is warm water and washing up liquid. Be sure to avoid abrasive cleaners which will scratch the surface.

Devise your own house cleaning schedule. This will allow you to break down the cleaning of the whole house into more manageable daily tasks. With a good house cleaning schedule, keeping your home clean will not seem the daunting task it once was.
Examine each room in detail. This will help you to determine where the trouble spots are – the areas that need the most attention, or are the most difficult to keep clean.
Keep all your cleaning supplies and equipment together, this will help make sure that you have everything you need for your cleaning tasks, it will also help save time by not having to run around finding what you need.
Use Natural Cleaning Products. This can save you time and money and can also help to protect your health and that of your family.
Declutter your home. Why clean things that you don’t have to. If your the kind of person or family that hordes things, chances are you have piles of junk lying around collecting dust. Declutter on a regular basis and your home will look tidier and will be easier and faster to clean.
Play lively music when cleaning. This will help the time pass quickly and take your mind off the fact that you are actually cleaning. Try it, it really does work.
Don’t get distracted. When we are doing something that we really do not want to do its very easy to become distracted. Avoid leaving the TV on while your cleaning and try to avoid answering the telephone.
Enlist the family. Well its only fair, after all, chances are you didn’t make all the mess, so why should you clean it all up. Give family members specific cleaning duties and write them into your schedule.
Hire a Cleaning Company. If you can afford it, its a great idea to get a professional cleaning company to clean your house once a year. This can give you a great starting point to work from.
Devise a house cleaning maintenance plan. Now your house is clean and tidy, make sure it stays that way, by ensuring problem areas are addressed quickly.