Hey there Hive friends! Today I got my cleaning on, and I thought I would share a few tips and tricks to make cleaning easier (and non-toxic!).
The Power of Vinegar
If you have mineral buildup on your faucets, or even if you just question if they are really clean (lately I've had smelly water a few times coming from the sink so I wanted to clean it out good), all you need is a plastic bag, rubber band, and some white vinegar. Pour some vinegar in the bag (I'm reusing one that I've already used several times for other things) and strap it on to the faucet with the rubber band so that it soaks. Leave it there for several hours (I often will do this overnight), and your mineral buildup will be gone by morning!
Similarly, if you're getting white spots on your dishes even though you have Jet Dry type rinse aid in your machine, take a little cup the size of a shotglass and put it upright in the top rack of the dishwasher. Fill it with white vinegar just before you turn on the machine. The vinegar will get splashed around and you won't have spots on your silverware! The cup will be full of dirty dishwater when the load is done, so be careful to pull it out and rinse it, but I just kept one in there permanently when this was an issue in Old Apartment and it really helped. You don't want to put the vinegar directly in the rinse aid compartment as it will eat away at the seals, so I have heard, ergo the cup.
To Clean Your Clothes Washer
They sell separate cleaner things to clean out your washing machine, but you can do this for much cheaper just by running an empty cycle with a dishwasher tablet inside the drum. Cleaning the machine in this way helps to prevent mold and mildew or any kind of buildup. :)
Lemon Juice to the Rescue
Did you have cheese splatter and spill in your microwave? Put a small cup of lemon juice in there (I just used a plastic scoop from a whey protein jug; about the size of a shotglass) and heat it for 30 seconds (perhaps longer if your microwave is not very powerful). Pour a little onto the big splatters, and they will come off easily (and just heating it in the microwave will make the little spots on the walls wipe right off)!
What about that crumb tray from the bottom of your toaster oven that you possibly haven't cleaned since the first millennium BCE? 🙄 Heat up another little cup of lemon juice and pour it on. Let it soak for just a minute and then scrub with it, keeping the juice on the tray as best you can. I could have probably heated up more and given it a second scrub, but I called it good after one pass. :) Progress, not perfection is how I get anything done. The warm lemon juice has acid in it, so it helps to cook off the grime, in a sense.
I hope these tips help you make cleaning and upkeep a little bit easier! Have a wonderful day! :)