You learn a lot from Grandma—from how to make her famous recipes to the importance of hand-written letters. Grandmas have some of the best suggestions for keeping things tidy. Here are ten cleaning tips we picked up from Grandma.
Lemon Works as a Natural Whitener
Forget the bleach! To make your linens whiter, try using lemon-like Grandma would. Just squeeze the juice of one lemon into a gallon of hot water and let your laundry soak for up to two hours. Then run the item through a rinse cycle and hang it out to dry.
Clean with a Pillow Case
When it comes time to clean those dusty ceiling fan blades, reach for an old pillowcase. Grandma would slip the pillowcase over the fan blade and slide it down the blade to collect the dust inside the pillowcase. Just be sure to wash it before using it on your pillow!
Credit Card Scraper
Grandma used an old, expired credit card to scrape food off pots and pans. Just keep a card next to the kitchen sink to help clean pans without scratching them.
Keep Garbage Bags Handy
How many times have you gone to toss something in the trash only to find whoever took the trash out last didn’t replace the bag? Grandma would keep new bags at the bottom of the bin so there was never a reason to not replace the old ones.
Invest in Tea Towels
Instead of buying paper towels, just stock up on tea towels. Since they are 100-percent cotton, you can use them to dry glasses, let dishes dry on them and wipe down the kitchen counters and stove.
Practice Seasonal Cleaning
Grandma knew that when it came to the changing seasons, it was time to do some deep house cleaning. In the spring, wash your windows, deep-clean your carpets and flip your mattress. In the fall, be sure to wipe down trim and baseboards, purge your closet and change your furnace filter. Do a deep clean on various parts of your home every three to four months.
Go Old School
There’s a reason you can still find the cleaning products Grandma used to use—it’s because they work! Borax can be used to clean tile, sinks, and greasy cabinets. Old English works great to dust furniture. Use Bar Keepers Friend to polish stainless steel.
Use Salt for Stains
If you spill juice or coffee on your favorite shirt, take Grandma’s lead and reach for the salt. While the stain is fresh, pour some table salt on it and let it sit. The salt will help soak up some of the stain and make it easier to get out.
Baking Soda for Carpets
Baking soda can help deodorize carpets. Just sprinkle some on the carpet before vacuuming.
Coffee Grounds for Odors
Don’t put those coffee grounds in the compost bin just yet! Grandma taught us that coffee grounds work as a natural deodorizer. Just place them in a small cup or bowl to rid a room of bad odors.
