Managing a household is not as easy as it seems at first glance. You need to have certain knowledge and skills, and also have proven life hacks in your piggy bank that will help you put your clothes in order, clean the kitchen or bathroom, remove old stains and do other household chores in a matter of seconds. Novate.ru gives valuable tips that will help both novice housewives and professionals.
Tip 1: Rub your cutlery with lemon
Even cutlery made of high-quality materials fades over time, and some even rust. It is clear that it is unpleasant to use such forks and spoons even yourself, not to mention offering them to guests. If you do not plan to buy new cutlery in the near future, we recommend that you upgrade the old one. To do this, take a lemon, cut it into two parts and rub it well with half a citrus spoon or a fork that has lost its attractive appearance. Leave the lemon juice for a while, then rinse the devices under warm water and polish them with a soft cloth. There will be no trace of rust, and they will shine like new. Cutlery that does not have severe contamination can be soaked in potato broth. Therefore, do not pour out the water in which the potatoes were boiled – it is better to use it to clean forks and spoons. Half an hour is enough to clean the contaminated areas. After the time has elapsed, remove the utensils from the broth, rinse them in a bowl of warm water and dry them thoroughly.
Tip 2: Remove odors from plastic dishes with mustard or coffee
Plastic has one unpleasant property – it absorbs odors. That’s why we change food containers so often – as soon as we notice that the aroma has eaten into the container and is not removed by any household chemicals, we immediately throw it in the trash and get new dishes. In fact, it is not necessary to change the containers every few months. Try to remove the smell with mustard. It is an excellent absorbent, so the method is really effective. Pour a few tablespoons of mustard powder into a container and shake it well. After that, rub the container with detergent, rinse with warm water and enjoy the result. Instead of mustard, you can also use coffee. It also has excellent absorption properties and can put plastic in order in a few minutes. Pour a few spoons of ground coffee into the container, close the lid tightly and leave it for 24 hours. The second option is to generously grease the container with coffee grounds and put it in the freezer overnight. A great solution against unpleasant aromas.
Tip 3: Fill the lids with hydrogen peroxide
Housewives who think that the most difficult thing is to clean pans from grease and soot, probably have not yet encountered dirty lids. Usually all the dirt accumulates under the rim, and it is not possible to reach it even with a special narrow brush. In this case, ordinary hydrogen peroxide, which is in every first aid kit, comes to the rescue. Take the lid, pour hydrogen peroxide into it, wait 5-10 minutes until the reaction starts and the antiseptic “eats away” the fat, then rinse the lid with warm water. Peroxide is a powerful cleaner and, in addition, an antiseptic, so you can put the lid in order in no time. And to make the cleaning agent as effective as possible, mix a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide with two tablespoons of baking soda until a thick gruel is obtained. Pour boiling water over the lid to soften the dirt a little, then apply the paste on it (it is more convenient to do this with a dishwashing sponge or toothbrush). Leave the paste on for 15 minutes, then brush the lid again and rinse it with hot water
Tip 4: Use foil instead of a metal sponge
We are used to using foil exclusively for cooking, but it has other useful uses that many housewives do not even suspect. For example, you can roll a ball out of foil and use it to wash dishes. This life hack comes to the rescue at the moment when you threw away an old metal scraper, hoping that there was another one in the drawer, but it was not there. In terms of efficiency, foil is in no way inferior to conventional metal sponges, easily copes with grease, soot and other contaminants. However, it should be noted that it cannot be used to clean dishes with a Teflon coating, as there is a risk of damaging it.
Tip 5: Wash your acrylic bathtub with grapefruit
Some of the most popular bathtubs on the market are acrylic bathtubs. They are relatively inexpensive, have a pleasant smooth surface, are easy to repair, lightweight and warm to the touch at room temperature. But at the same time, such plumbing has disadvantages, the main of which is the difficulty of care. An acrylic bathtub can be easily damaged if you do not know what kind of cleaning agents can be used. We immediately advise you to abandon aggressive household chemicals. It is better to use natural remedies, such as grapefruit. Cut it into two parts, pour a small amount of sugar on one half of the citrus and wipe the floor and walls of the bathroom well. In addition to the fact that the fruit perfectly removes impurities, it also gives a pleasant, refreshing aroma. We recommend that you immediately after cleaning take a full water bath and relax with relaxing music.
Tip 6: Remove scratches on the pan with milk
Over time, small scratches appear on the pan. Some remain after aggressive cleaning with metal sponges, some after forks and legs with which we turn pieces of meat, fish and other products during cooking. Be that as it may, these scratches spoil the appearance of the dishes and are very annoying, you just need to pay attention to them. If the scratches are small and shallow, try to eliminate them using the following life hack: heat a pan on the stove, pour milk into it and heat it. Due to the protein structure of milk, a film forms on the bottom and walls of the bowl, which fills the damage and makes it less noticeable.
It’s no secret that kitchen towels suffer the most in the house. There are all kinds of dirt on them: greasy stains, traces of food and drinks. That is why most housewives do not even try to buy expensive textiles, because it is very difficult to wash them. It is easier to buy a new set in a month or two than to try to restore the original appearance of the old one. However, there is a secret ingredient that can greatly simplify the washing process and increase its effectiveness. Try to soak dirty towels in a vinegar solution for about 20-30 minutes, then put them in the drum of the washing machine and select the appropriate washing mode. Due to its composition, vinegar is able to destroy greasy stains and other contaminants, which are also the cause of an unpleasant odor. In addition, it softens the fabric, so it washes better.