What room do you spend the most time cleaning? For us it’s definitely the kitchen, and I’d wager a guess that it’s the same way for a lot of families. We spend a lot of time in our kitchens, and cooking can get messy – and since having kids, we run the dishwasher several times a week (as opposed to ONCE every week and a half when we were first married).
Have you ever experienced your dishwasher getting dirty? I’ve noticed it every once in a while, and let me tell you – taking the effort to wash my dishwasher felt pretty ironic. Well, I recently got the chance to review some products from Affresh that make cleaning the dishwasher, disposal, and washing machine a nearly effortless task. I knew when it had arrived because our mailbox smelled fresh!
I love the washing machine cleaner! I just placed the power puck in my HE washing machine, turned it on a normal cycle with hot water, and was good to go. I had actually noticed recently that our clothes didn’t seem quite as vibrantly fresh as they used to, and wondered how to clean the machine. Affresh really made an instant, noticeable difference both in the washer and in restoring the freshness of our laundry. The grit grabber sheets are great to clean the rubber seal that’s around the door of the washing machine.
The dishwasher and disposal cleaner uses oxygenated bubbles (activated by water) to circulate and remove odor. I could see and smell a difference in our dishwasher after using it, but the cleaner also reaches hoses that I couldn’t reach myself to clean. It took just a few seconds of my time to clean both the dishwasher and disposal, and I love the fresh smell it gave our kitchen.
If you’re like me and love easy cleaning, then you’ll be excited about this giveaway! THREE readers will win an Affresh prize pack. This contest is open to U.S. and Canadian readers. Entries will be accepted until midnight CST on Friday, March 4.
I love this, because I can’t wait to see what you have to share. To enter, simply comment here answering this question:
What is your favorite household cleaning tip? The more creative the better! I’d especially like to hear your favorite ideas for cleaning the kitchen.
I put vinegar in my coffee maker for a few hours to eat through the mineral build-up (we live in an area with very hard water), then I turn the coffee pot on and run the vinegar through the coffee pot. Then, I dump the vinegar out and run water through the coffee pot a few times to get all of the vinegar out. It gets rid of lots of mineral build-up and extends the life of the coffee pot!
OK, this is not a kitchen tip, but it is a great one from my mom. Mix up about 2 or 3 T of white vinegar, a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid, and about a cup or cup and a half of water. This solution works wonders on carpet stains, and I’ve even had some luck using it on our couches too. I just keep it in an old dishwashing liquid container under the sink and whip it out to do stain touch ups on our carpet when it starts looking nasty!
I make my own universal cleaning/disinfecting spray out of white vinegar, distilled water & TTO. It keeps my faucets sparkling, windows clean & streak-free along with killing any germs, not to mention how inexpensive it is to make & great for the environment! I also use TTO & hot water to clean my kitchen floor. :-)
Okay, so, you know how your sponges can get gross and smell funky after just a day or two or using them? Try putting them in a pot of boiling water and vinegar for a few minutes, then take it off the heat and let it hang out for about an hour. The boiling will kill the germs, and the vinegar will kill the smell.
I mix baking soda with a bit of water to form a thick paste to scrub down my stainless sink. It helps remove rusty areas, stuck on food and makes it sparkle and shine again!!
hmm, favorite tip? I honestly can’t think of anything innovative that I do, I’m just not creative like that. The greatest thing I’ve used for cleaning is a magic eraser. It does a great job at cleaning hard water stains off the area where you get water out at the fridge.
I like to clean my tea and coffee cups with baking soda and I use vinegar on my floors as it leaves no streaks.
have a lazy susan in the corner counter…
use a large cutting board…wooden..granite under appliances to save life of counter
less is more…think about what you ave tht can be used in other ways….i don’t use a toaster- i use my panini grill to taoast bread
Mine is to pick one room a day to focus on so you never get overwhelmed.
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill@comcast.net
My favorite tip is to use white vinegar in the washing machine to soften my clothes. Not only does it make them soft, but it smells good and takes out the static cling. I use it for all the other tips mentioned too. Cleaning my coffee pot…..cleaning windows……cleaning walls….Vinegar is just a wonderful thing!
My favorite cleaning tip is getting someone else to do it first. Hee, hee! I hate cleaning so I try to get my husband and kids to do it first, then I do the job after they do. Believe it or not, the house actually stays pretty clean that way.
Mine is more of a “prevent having to clean” tip:
I spray plastic containers with cooking spray before adding leftovers to prevent sticking and staining–this will even prevent tomato sauces from staining plastics–thus little sticking and no need to bleach.
I throw my sponges in the microwave and zap them, to get rid of bacteria
Luckily I haven’t had to use this one too often, but toothpaste gets permanent marker off of the dining room table!
My number one tip, especially for when I’m overwhelmed with the housework needing to be done, is to set the timer! I’ll usually set it for 5-10 minutes and just power through! It’s amazing what you can get done when you are racing the clock!
One a week I run vinegar through my washer and dishwasher to remove build-up.
use baking soda to clean up the countertops, get grime off of items
thanks for the give away
Let someone else clean it!! – or at least help delegate.
My cleaning tip is to do alittle everyday. Everyone in my house a task to do everyday.
In the past, I have put citrus rinds (orange and lemon) down my disposal to freshen the scent.
I spend ten minutes in each room every morning, doing quick cleaning.
It goes a long way.
I would use baking soda for severe spots that are difficult to get out. OXy clean is also great on stains on just about everything
cookster77@aol.com
For hard to remove stains use oxy clean and let it soak a while and for dishes try baking soda
cookster77@aol.com
My best household cleaning tip is to play your favorite music while you clean – I do it and it tends to make me clean longer and do a more deep clean. There’s nothing like dancing around like a fool with a duster in your hands singing loudly! Thank you for the lovely giveaway.
sewmuchstuff at ymail dot com
I use those cleaning wipes to quickly wipe up the counters, sink, etc. and the kitchen stays pretty clean that way!
I just ask my husband to do it! J/K–kind of. My tip is to do the cleaning together with someone else because it takes half the time with half the work, and is much less stressful when doing the dishes if I wash he rinses kind of thing.
solicitationsemail at gmail dot com
Soak sour sponges in lemon juice overnight. They’ll be fresh for a while.
Shaunda.Eppes at gmail dot com
I think breaking up cleaning into quick tasks is more effective. I do 5-10 minutes of cleaning each night just to keep it up so that all of the sudden you’re not swamped.
My best cleaning tip is just to do it when you see it. If you see something that needs to be done, take the few minutes and clean it/put it away right then. You end up feeling like you accomplished something and thinking “hey that wasn’t too bad” instead of waiting until ‘cleaning day’ and feeling bad every time you walk by it in the meantime. I started doing this and it’s changed my opinion of cleaning. I feel much more positive about it.
Does hiring a cleaning lady once a month to do the heavy cleaning…count as a tip?
Okay….well remember you asked for creative LOL. When I spill water or something on the floor that needs water to clean it up, I’ll get a rag and then use my foot to rub it all over. Usually that spot it so much cleaner that I’ll end up quickly “foot mopping” my whole floor. Not as good as a deep clean, but it sort of fun, can do it quickly and puts off a deep clean for another day. Thanks.
My best tip is to clean the room in a circle. Start at one side of a door, for example; then work around the room doing everything as you come to it. Always have 3 containers handy – one for trash, one for recycling or giveaways, and one for things that belong in another room. It works best on rooms other than the kitchen or bathroom because of the type of cleaning. I carry all my cleaning supplies in a divided tray that looks kind of like the top tray in a tool box. It’s deep enough so that nothing tips over and it has a handle on top for easy carrying.