Monday, 21 November 2016
Saturday, 29 October 2016
How to Clean Chandeliers and Light Fixtures
Biggest Challenges
1. Hard-to-reach cobwebs
2. Filmy crystals, dusty bulbs
3. Dingy lampshades
Fastest Fixes
1. Wipe out webs. Dust and cobwebs seem to disappear when it's dark, so to nab the pesky problems, turn the lights on before you start cleaning. Either use a long-handled duster or make one: Wrap a yardstick or broom handle at the end __with a dampened dusting cloth or old sock; secure __with a rubber band. Starting with your hanging fixtures, run your duster around each light's ceiling attachment and along the chain. Next, carefully work the duster through the fixture to catch any webs dangling inside. For less-intricate globe overhead lights, a gentle whisk around the glass cover should nab any dust or debris.
2. Get crystals (and bulbs) clear. Taking down and hand-washing chandelier crystals one by one is the definition of chore. Instead, give yours this speedy, two-fisted approach. For the low-hanging dining room fixture, arm yourself with a microfiber cloth in one hand and a premoistened glass-cleaning wipe in the other (or make your own by spritzing a paper towel with glass cleaner). Turn the lights off, since liquids plus electricity equals a bad idea, then wipe and dry each crystal from the top of the fixture down, so you won't smudge already-clean crystals by reaching over them. To avoid damaging the cord and connections, don't spin the chandelier; instead, move yourself around it. If possible, push the table out of the way or use a step stool for better access. Next, the bulbs: Using your microfiber cloth, wipe each one, giving a gentle twist to be sure it's secure in its socket. When using your step stool, you'll need to reposition it a few times to work your way around — or, if you don't see any burned-out bulbs to replace, just skip the high-wire act entirely and do your best from the ground with your long-reach duster.
3. Fix a shady situation. For pleated shades on floor or table lamps, grab a clean paintbrush to quickly whisk dust from inside each pleat, working from top to bottom all the way around the shade. Run the same brush over the bulb and the wire that holds the shade in place. Nonpleated shades don't gather as much mess, so a once-over with a duster, microfiber cloth, or even a lint roller should do it. Use a duster or microfiber cloth to spiff up the lamp's base.
Make It Easier Next Time
- Invest in an extendable duster, like the Oxo Good Grips Microfiber Duster ($15). It has a pivoting head to get dust from any angle.
- When buying new shades, choose smooth, not pleated, ones for easier maintenance.
- Not looking to replace your shades? Whether they're pleated or plain, just give them a spritz (with the light turned off) of Static Guard ($4 for 5.5 oz.) when you're tidying up. It will help loosen and even repel future dust for easier cleaning.
A Fresh Couch, Fast!
Biggest Challenges
1. Hard-to-remove pet hair
2. Dusty, crumby cushions
3. Stains on the fabric
Tools You'll Use
- Rubber gloves
- Vacuum cleaner __with attachments
- Dishwashing liquid and water, or solvent-based spot remover
- Soft cloth
Fastest Fixes
1. De-hair the chairs. If it takes a moment to notice that the cat or dog is not, in fact, sitting on the couch, recliner, or upholstered chair, de-fuzzing is your first priority. Don't waste your time __with a lint roller; it's ineffective for a large task like this. Instead, don a pair of clean rubber gloves. Run your hands over the arms, seat, and back of the furniture, gathering and tossing the fur as it balls up. For water-safe upholstery (which doesn't change or transfer color when blotted with a damp cloth in a hidden spot), wet the gloves for better pickup.
2. Conquer crumbs. Even with a no-food-on-the-sofa rule, dust and debris somehow make their way into seat crevices. The most effective tool for this mess is — no surprise — your vacuum cleaner with the upholstery attachment. Run it over the cushions, top to bottom, left to right, then behind and underneath them with the crevice tool (pocketing any spare change, of course). Or try this attachment-not-necessary cheat: Shake out or brush crumbs, etc., onto the floor, and vacuum them up there.
3. Spot-clean stains. The downside to debris-free furniture: finding a spill or mark you didn't know was there. For water-safe fabrics, squirt a bit of mild dishwashing liquid into a cup of water, and whisk up a lot of suds. Dip a clean cloth into just the suds, and dab at the stain until it's gone; rinse the cloth, wring well, and blot out any soap when done. For fabrics that aren't water-friendly, like silk, go with a solvent-based remover, such as Guardsman's Afta Dry Cleaning Solvent and Spot Remover, available in a bottle with a handy applicator tip ($3 for four ounces).
Make It Easier Next Time
- Apply a static-eliminating spray, like Static Guard ($4 for 5.5 ounces), to fabrics to make pet hair and dust easier to remove.
- Try 3M's Scotch Fur Fighter ($10) — a GH VIP Award winner — with disposable sheets that grip and remove embedded hair from fabrics.
- Cover the arms and seats of the sofa or frequently used chairs with a washable throw to help keep the upholstery itself cleaner.
- Stash an absorbent microfiber cloth in a nearby drawer to soak up spills before they stain.
6 Genius Tricks for Wrinkle-Free Clothes
Laundry day is a project (the sorting, the pretreating, the care-tag reading, the folding — ugh), and wrinkles are the thorn in a completed load's side. So we asked Carolyn Forte, the director of the Cleaning Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, for best ways we can all spend less time stooped over the ironing board.
1. Try the wet washcloth trick.
We couldn't live without our trusty irons, but when you're staring at a pile of wrinkled shirts on a super-busy morning, you wish the whole ironing thing could be a little more automated. That's where this trick comes in.
Throw your rumpled outfit into the dryer __with a damp washcloth, and run it for about 10 or 15 minutes. The steam emitted from the washcloth __with smooth the garments' wrinkles — and offer you a few extra minutes to eat breakfast.
Want to try this tip on a larger load? "Use a hand towel or bath towel instead of a washcloth," says Forte.
2. Do the shake.
It's tempting to toss an armfuls of wet clothes straight into the dryer in as few moves as possible. But twists in your T-shirts and bulky clumps of damp dresses might exit the dryer the exact same way — mussed and wrinkly. So give each item a quick shake before it hits the dryer.
"Separating and shaking eases fabrics back to shape after washing, and helps them tumble better in the dryer, which helps de-wrinkle them, too," says Forte.
3. Reconsider your dryer settings.
"Slower spin speeds and lower temperatures also help minimizes wrinkles — especially in cotton clothes," says Forte. "A too-fast spin can actually 'whip in' the wrinkles already there. On most dryers, the 'casual,' 'normal,' or 'permanent press' settings are designed to reduce rumpling." Check your manual for the best advice for your machine.
4. Don't let dry clothes sit idly.
To avoid time spent slaving over a hot ironing board, don't dawdle when you hear the ping of a completed dryer cycle. If clothes are left to settle, creases will quickly form. But if you'd rather not be at the beck-and-call of your machine, it might have a setting that can help you out.
"Most dryers have extended tumbling cycles to keep wrinkles from forming," says Forte. "Use this setting to keep clothes tumbling intermittently for an hour or more."
5. Spritz instead of press.
Our experts in the GHI have long loved Downy Wrinkle Releaser, which helps ease creases out of clothes, even when you're in a rush. "It relaxes fabrics," says Forte. "You spray it on, smooth and tug the fabric gently, and then let the garment hang to dry. It works best on lightweight cotton and knits — but skip it on fabrics that can get water spots, like silk and rayon."
6. Fold your shirts and sweaters into thirds.
Make like a clothing store associate when you store your favorite items. By folding them into thirds, instead of in half, you'll avoid an unsightly crease down the middle, says Forte.
4 Messes You Can Clean Up With WD-40
WD-40 is a bit of an elusive product. The ingredients are secret (but the makers do tell you what's not in it), it was first conceived as an industrial rust-prevention solvent, and now it's likely the can left idly on your workbench until a door starts squeaking.
But WD-40 is actually quite useful all over the house. The company claims it has 2000 uses, and Porch recently tried four of WD-40's tricks for dealing __with spotty, scuffed, and stuck-on messes. Carolyn Forte, director of the Cleaning Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, agrees that WD-40 can be worth keeping in your cleaning arsenal. She says she would try it on a stainless steel sink: "I bet a light coating would help water bead up and roll off to prevent spotting."
Watch the video above to learn all of the tips.
[via Porch]
The Best Way to Clean Plastic Food Containers
Plastic containers for saving leftovers are one of the great conveniences of the modern world — until you have fight __with cleaning them. Try these smart strategies for making this not-so-fun task speedier and more effective.
Banish Stink
1. Dissolve four tablespoons of baking soda in one quart of warm water.
2. Immerse the container in this solution if it's small enough, or pour the mixture into the container, soaking for about 30 minutes or until the odor disappears. Rinse, and dry.
3. Smell still there? Stuff the container __with crumpled newspaper, then put the lid on securely. Remove paper after a day or two; it should have absorbed the odor. Wash the container and lid in hot, soapy water; wipe dry.
Fight Stains
1. Mix a solution of one tablespoon liquid chlorine bleach per cup of warm water. Make enough so that when poured in, it will cover the discolored portion of your container.
2. Pour the solution into the container. If the lid is also stained, place it flat at the bottom of the sink and pour on more of the bleach mixture. Soak for about 30 minutes, until clean.
3. Wash the container and the lid in hot, soapy water; wipe dry.
Make It Easier Next Time
To minimize staining, spritz containers and lids with nonstick cooking spray before filling them with tomato-based foods
Check whether containers are microwave-safe before heating them. If they aren't, the plastic can degrade in the microwave and become more likely to stain and retain odors.
TELL US: What are your kitchen cleaning tricks?
The Fastest Way to Clean Your Bathroom
One of the busiest spots in your house, the bathroom is also the place almost every guest visits. So if you start sweating whenever someone asks, "Do you mind if I freshen up/use the toilet/secretly judge your cleaning skills?" just relax. These tricks will get the room looking freshly scrubbed in 15 minutes or less.
1. Grab a bag.
To start, hang a plastic grocery bag on the doorknob as a quick way to gather trash — the easiest way to instantly tidy any room.
2. First, flush.
Next, grab some bleach. Pour a cup into the bowl, and brush around the sides and under the rim. Let sit for five minutes, as you move on to the next task.
3. Shine up.
Fill a spray bottle __with equal parts water and white vinegar. Spritz the solution onto paper towels or a microfiber cloth, and wipe away soap drips and toothpaste spatters on faucets, mirrors, countertops, and in the sink. If you really care what your visitors think, give spotty shower doors the same spray treatment.
4. Collect dirt.
Flip over one of the same vinegar wipe and run it across the back of your dusty toilet tank, then over, under, and around the seat. Flush the bleach that's been sitting in the bowl, toss the wipe into your doorknob bag, and move on.
5. Try this towel trick.
Don't worry if you're drying used bath towels — just put out fresh hand towels. They're the only ones short-term guests use anyway. Leave the others on the bar; just straighten them.
6. Make an exit.
Now it's time for the floor. Shake out your rug or bath mat to fluff it up so it looks recently vacuumed. Next, __with a dampened paper towel, wipe the corners of the room, where most of the hair and dust collects. And don't forget to take the plastic bag with you when you leave!
TELL US: What are your speed cleaning tricks?
NEXT: 6 Things You're Cleaning Wrong »
Photo: Chuck Schmidt/Getty