Dirty Talk

After seeing Kim use a pumice stone to remove lime scale from a toilet bowl, I tried the same technique on the hard water buildup on the tiles in my shower. It worked!

Use a natural bristle shoeshine brush to remove dust from ornately carved furniture.

The lazy person's approach to cleaning light fixtures: Remove the glass globes from your light fixtures, place them in the top rack of your dishwasher, and run them through a normal cycle. Don't try this with antiques or lead crystal globes as the dishwasher powder might cause etching.

Some doggie toys can be safely cleaned in the top rack of your dishwasher. Fabric dog toys can be thrown into a lingerie bag and cleaned in your washing machine. Don't use fabric conditioner, though! Regular washing will keep harmful bacteria from building up on the toys, possibly infecting Fido's teeth and gums.

Don't forget your pets! I clean my pet's supper dishes at least twice a week to avoid cross contamination of bacteria, etc. Also, if you feed your pet canned food, serve it on an old crockery plate instead of in a pet bowl. Plates are so much easier to wash up, so you won't be tempted to put doggie's dinner on a dirty plate. Woof!

If you use an electric toothbrush, run it through a normal dishwasher cycle every so often to kill any germs that might be lurking on the handle and brush.

Keep your fluff filter clean: If you use fabric softener/conditioner in your laundry, be sure to clean your filter regularly. Conditioner adheres to the filter over time which restricts air flow. As a result, your dryer will have to work harder and hotter, resulting in longer drying time, higher energy bills, and can possibly damage the heating element or thermostat. Every month or so, pull out the filter and wipe off the fluff. Put a few drops of water on the filter. If the water doesn't trickle straight through, then your filter is clogged. A quick bath in washing up liquid and warm water (don't forget to rinse) will remove any buildup.

Have you ever run your finger along the bottom inside edge of your dishwasher door? I recently checked mine, and, EEEEK! The scum is easily removed with an old toothbrush and some dishwasher powder dissolved in hot water.

To clean an extractor fan filter, place the filter in a shallow washtub or pan, throw in a handful of dishwasher powder, and add boiling water. Let it soak for an hour or so. In most cases, you can just rinse it clean after soaking.

WHEN STEAM CLEANING CARPETS: Always be sure to vacuum thoroughly beforehand. Also, I have found that a mild vinegar and water solution will remove dirt, dust and allergens just as well as a carpet shampoo will. Plus, there's no shampoo residue left over to attract more dirt! If you're not keen on the smell of vinegar, add a few drops of essential oil to the vinegar/water mixture. Lavender and bergamot are my favorites.

HOW TO CLEAN A GLASS OVEN DOOR: I recently helped my mother in law prepare her home for a showing, and she thought I was a genius when I came up with this idea: Clean the inside of your oven door the same way you would clean a glass cooktop. First, scrape the inside of the door with a glass scraper, then put a small amount of cooktop cleaner on a cloth and buff the remaining stains away. I have also done this with the glass inserts in gas fireplace and woodstove doors. The cooktop cleaner does a wonderful job removing creosote stains and the like.

If your laminate work surfaces are worn from too much scrubbing, apply a light coat of stainless steel polish and buff dry (after cleaning, of course!). Stainless steel polish is made to be used on food preparation surfaces, so it's non-toxic. The polish keeps your work surfaces smooth and easy to wipe down. Plus, stains won't set in as quickly!