A CLEANING fan has praised a 10p trick to help get your home spotless.
With the cost of living holding a tight grip onto people’s purse, this trick might be really helpful as you’ll probably already have it in your kitchen cupboards.
It can often feel like a massive chore having to clean your home – especially when you’ve run out of cleaning products.
To make your spring cleaning jobs easier and budget friendly, Nancy Emery, cleaning expert at Tap Warehouse, has pulled together five items in your cupboard and fridge that can be used to target spills, stains and dirt.
From tea bags to lemon juice, these items you already have in your cupboards can help make your home look spotless again.
Cleaning your home doesn’t need to involve purchasing multiple cleaning products and using harsh chemicals on your surfaces. Instead, you can clean your home with items you have in the cupboard and fridge.
Here, Nancy Emery revealed cupboard staples that can be used to target troublesome areas in your kitchen.
Coffee on your countertops
If you’re an avid coffee drinker, then you may want to think about reducing your intake from four to two cups a day.
This is because you can use instant coffee grounds to remove tough stains on your countertops.
Nancy says: “simply sprinkle a teaspoon of instant coffee grounds into a half cup of hot, soapy water and use this solution to get rid of the stain.
“Coffee works to help cut through grime because of the acidity, which makes it the perfect everyday item to help keep your homes spotless.”
Tea bags on oven dishes
For all the tea drinkers, it’s not just coffee you can use to remove stubborn stains, but tea bags are also a great natural product that can be used as part of your spring cleaning routine.
Nancy says: “To get rid of burnt stains and grime on oven dishes and other non-electrical appliances, soak them in the sink overnight with a few tea bags and this should help bring back that gorgeous shine they once had.”
Rather than having to break your fingernails and having to scrub your dishes and containers harshly, the tannin’s in the tea bags help to naturally degrease and loosen the food grime.
Lemon on your taps and kettle
Many of us would have heard about the benefits of using lemons when it comes to cleaning, but here are a few tips for removing limescale on your taps and getting rid of stains.
Did you know that you can also use lemons to descale your kettle?
Nancy Emery
Nancy says: “To get rid of limescale on your taps, you’ll need to make up a 75/25 solution of lemon juice and water.
“All you need to do is use a soft sponge and gently scrub the solution, leaving it on the tap to dissolve the limescale deposits for 30 minutes. Once the time is up, rinse thoroughly with water.
“For special finishes such as brushed brass, matt black or chrome, it’s especially important to avoid using harsh chemicals such as vinegar when cleaning.
“Lemon’s are quite acidic, so make sure you don’t let the lemon juice solution sit for longer than two minutes.
“When you’ve rinsed with water, dry your taps with a microfibre cloth as this will help to prevent limescale.
“You should also clean the aerator regularly, which is where you’re likely to see most of the limescale build up.
“Use a toothbrush and your lemon juice solution to gently scrub away.
“Did you know that you can also use lemons to descale your kettle?
“Start by cutting a lemon in half and put them inside the kettle with half to three quarters full with water. Once it’s boiled, let it sit for 10 minutes and then boil again.”
Mayonnaise on wooden furniture
A much less well known cleaning aid which can be found in your fridge is mayonnaise.
Not only does it work great in a sandwich, but it also works wonders to remove ring marks on wooden tables left from cups and glasses.
Nancy advises: “Squeeze a pea size amount of the condiment onto a piece of kitchen roll and place it on the stain.
“Apply a small amount of pressure before leaving it on the stain for 20 minutes. Once you’ve done this, buff the area with a clean cloth.”
Ketchup on copper
Not only is mayonnaise a great fridge staple for cleaning, but so is ketchup. Use this to bring back and buff up your stylish copper cookware.
Nancy adds: “Apply ketchup to a clean cloth and using a circular motion, scrub the tarnished areas of your pots and pans.”
Whilst this is a very effective method, you may want to get your rooms smelling of something other than ketchup.
For Nancy, citrus is the most beneficial scent in your kitchen.
She adds: “Citrus is one of the best scents to use in the kitchen as it has uplifting properties, but is also quite strong smelling to help mask unwanted cooking smells.”