Baby wipes

To get rid of dust, crumbs, and stains on the keyboard, all you need to do is shake it all off and wipe the keyboard. The result is great. Just make sure your laptop is off.

Fabric softener

You can prepare a special solution to remove dust from surfaces and make the effect last longer. 1 part fabric softener, 4 parts water

Pour the mixture into a sprayer and use it to clean anything you want, including mirrors, glass tables, and showers. It’s also beneficial to your laptop or television screen.

Fabric gloves

Cleaning delicate surfaces can be aided by a pair of common housework fabric gloves. Chandeliers, lamps, glass accessories, and statuettes, for example, are simple to clean. The fabric collects dust, making cleaning much easier.

Soft brushes

If you want to clean some hard-to-reach places, brushes with natural bristles can make it easier for you. For example, you can use them to clean furniture accessories.

Old socks

You can quickly clean the window blinds by putting a clean old sock on your hand. It’ll also be easier to get rid of dust under beds and furniture if you put it on a mop.

Toilet paper tube

This is a super necessary thing for cleaning. If you replace a nozzle with a paper tube, you can clean even the hardest-to-reach places. The cardboard bends, so you can change its form and clean all you need. It’s much more comfortable than using a flat seam nozzle.

Clean from the top down

Wipe from the top down to prevent dust from falling from one surface to another. Cleaning will take less effort and time if you do this. Dust ceiling fans first, then moldings, upper parts of doors, and finally a nightstand.

Level of humidity

To avoid dust accumulation in big quantities, it’s often enough to maintain the balance of humidity at about 40-50%. You can buy special measuring instruments and humidifiers to help with this.

Alcohol for bulbs

You can remove dust from bulbs using alcohol. Just wipe them with a soaked cloth, and let them dry. You’ll see the difference.

Microfiber

A good microfiber cloth can work magic. It not only collects the dust from surfaces, it doesn’t let small particles into the air again. You can use this cloth for any surface, from floor to ceiling. Use an elastic band to attach it to a mop.

Wooden Instruments

Musical instruments can be tricky to clean because they are made from lots of different materials. But similar to how wood floors can get damaged if cleaned with water, wooden instruments can as well. Tyler Harris, who runs a New Jersey-based luxury residential cleaning company, says that cleaning your wooden instruments with water can cause areas of discoloration and splits and cracks in the wood.

Silver

If you try to clean your tarnished silver with water, it will just create more tarnish. The best thing you can do is use silver polish, says Kathy Turley, Director of Marketing at Home Clean Heroes. If you don’t have silver polish around, Turley recommends using ketchup. “The mild acidity of ketchup will help get rid of the tarnish,” she says. Let your silver soak in ketchup for 5-10 minutes, rinse off the ketchup with water, and buff with a cloth. “Why is it safe to use the water later in the step? Because you are rinsing the ketchup off and already gotten rid of the tarnish,” explains Turley.

Silk

“Using water on silk, whether it’s your curtains or a shirt, can cause water spots and permanent discoloration,” says Turley. “Better leave it to the professionals, like your neighborhood dry cleaner.”

Leather

If you try to clean leather furniture, bags or clothing items with water, it will cause streaks and will eventually cause the leather to crack over time. “There are specific leather cleaners designed for leather, which will not have these problems,” says Smith.

Gas Range Burners

“Don’t clean the burners on your gas range with water. The igniters on your gas range are very sensitive to water,” says Smith. “If they get wet they will not turn off when the range is activated and your range will click over and over again as the igniter keeps going off.” Sometimes, this issue will correct itself once the igniter dries out, but cleaning your gas range burners with water can also permanently damage them. “As a result, never spray a cleaning product directly into your gas range burners. Spray the cleaning cloth then wipe down the surface.”

Wood Furniture

Similar to wood floors, water can also ruin your wood furniture. Just think about what happens when you leave a glass on your wooden table without a coaster. “The best course of action is to regularly dust your wood tables and furniture (we recommend a microfiber cloth) and you can use wood polish or lemon oil to protect it,” says Turley.

Velvet

You should never use water to clean velvet or other fuzzy fabrics such as suede or microfiber. “When the fibers on these fabrics get wet and then dry, they can get stuck in their new position,” says Laura Smith, owner of All Star Cleaning Services. “This could mean you will have a swipe pattern permanently on our furniture as a result.” Smith recommends hiring a professional cleaner for fuzzy fabrics. They will clean it but also use a special brush to make sure the material looks good as new.

Hardwood and Laminate Floors

Even though there is a water-resistant finish on hardwood and laminate floors, it wears off over time, and cleaning them with water could cause damage. If water gets into the wood it can cause it to swell and turn black. “The proper way to clean a wood or laminate floor is to use a flat microfiber mop and spray-on cleaning solution with a spray bottle a little bit at a time,” says Smith. “Most flooring manufacturers make specific recommendations on which product they recommend on their flooring.”

Electronics

This should already be known, but electricity and water do not mix. “For the most part, you should only dry dust electronics,” says Smith. “If you do have to clean something that will not come off with a dry cloth, get your cleaning cloth just slightly damp with a light-duty cleaning product then clean the electronics. Never spray any liquid directly onto electronics.”

Contact Lenses

This might seem like an obvious item that you shouldn’t clean with water, but a surprising number of people think it’s OK to store their contact lenses in water overnight. “The proper contact lens cleaning solutions all have antimicrobial ingredients that discourage bacterial growth. A contact lens stored in water may have a small amount of bacteria on its surface after a day of use,” says Jonathan Wolfe, an optometrist at Ardsley Eye Care. “The water only encourages this bacteria to multiply, and when the patient inserts the lens again the following day, that colony of bacteria is given the opportunity to move onto the cornea and cause ulceration.” Also, tap water is not sterile like contact solution and it could contain bacteria, fungi, or parasites that will make their way onto your contact lens if you let them soak in water.

Light Fixtures and Outlets

“This might be a no brainer, but using a wet cloth to clean an outlet cover or light fixtures can lead to risk of electrocution or fire,” says Nasutsa Mabwa, president of ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons. “Instead, use a dry duster or dry cloth to clean outlet covers and light fixtures, or unplug the light fixture before attempting to clean it.”

Brick

Surfaces that are porous, such as brick, have a protective sealant, and when cleaned with water it can be removed or damaged, says Harris. He recommends using a soft brush to wipe away grime and then cleaning with a soft cloth.

Marble

Similar to brick, marble is also a porous material that can be damaged by water. If you used water to clean marble it can remove the protective sealant on it, potentially damaging any grout of caulking, says Harris. Just like with brick, us a soft brush and cloth to get it clean.

source: tasteofhome.

Freshen Your Stinky Shoes

Do you dread taking off your shoes when at your friend’s house? Yep, stinky shoes can be quite embarrassing, and for many people suffering from athlete’s foot, they are an insecurity.

In fact, many people deal with this issue; since you do not have to be a genius to make your footwear noticeable to your olfactory system. A single day out and about without socks can give your favorite sneakers distinguishable aroma.

On top of that, shoes and boots made of non-breathable materials are especially prone to retaining moisture and funkiness. But no worries, your trusty hiking boots can be easily freshened with the help of fragrant essential oils.

HACK: Dab your favorite essential oil onto two cotton balls, one drop on each. Place the cotton balls in your shoes and let the aromatic essence do its work. If the smelliness is caused by the athlete’s foot, try using oils that are known for their antifungal properties like lavender, lemongrass, and eucalyptus essential oils.

Perfumed Pillows

Perfumed pillows help you sleep calmly and, the oil and herbs can stimulate or calm your senses.

Ingredients:

• Square shaped cloth
• Herbs ( your choice )
• Essential oil ( your choice)

Directions: Make a pillow with any material, remember to leave one side open. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil on the dried herbs and place them inside the pillow and sew the opening.

You can effortlessly freshen up your pillows by a few drops of oil on the outside.

Anti-Spider Spray

If you ever find yourself in such compromising position, or if you would simply like to keep creepy crawlies out of your house, try using this anti-spider spray for your defense.

HACK: Add 10 drops of peppermint essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water. Add few drops of dishwashing liquid to the bottle to emulsify ingredients. Shake well and use the spray around your house, especially around nooks and crannies where spider may be coming in. Feel free to use this spray while on your camping trip as well.

Remove Cigarette Smoke Odors 

Fun fact about the cigarette odors is that they stick to your clothes until wash. Now this not healthy or desirable to anyone, therefore we use this essential oil spray to neutralize the odor.

Concoct a mixture of rosemary, eucalyptus and tea tree essential oils in a spray bottle.

Remove Grease Stains

If you love cooking or spending time in the garage repairing your bike you have probably fallen victim to a grease stain at least once or twice. More often than not, we end up throwing our stained clothes away because chemical detergents that we used nowadays are not good enough.

HACK: Next time you see that single drop of olive oil hit your sleeve, do not panic. Instead, quickly put few drops of lemon essential oil directly on the stain and give your shirt a wash. When washed, check if the stain is still there. If the grease spot is stubborn, repeat the process once more. Few drops of lemon oil added to your soap can help you get rid of greasy residue on your hands as well.

Natural Mosquito Repellent

When we think about the most dangerous animals of the planet Earth, we usually think about sharks, lions, and crocodiles. But to many people’s surprise, mosquitoes are the biggest killers of them all. According to the World Health Organization, about 725,000 people die each year because of mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria, West Nile virus, and yellow fever.

Just because these diseases are prevalent in places where you do not live (tropical climates of Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America) that does not mean that you should be welcoming towards your local mosquitoes. You should always protect yourself, especially if you live in tropical and subtropical climate.

HACK: Keep mosquitoes at bay by diffusing a blend of tea tree, citronella, and lavender essential oils in your diffuser. The oil ratio should be 1:1:1. Alternatively, you can mix this blend of oils and a couple of drops of lemongrass and eucalyptus with fractionated coconut oil to create a mosquito repelling balm. Apply the balm on your skin whenever you are camping or exploring your local terrain.

Scent Your Lotion

The body lotion is a necessity for people with dry skin, especially during colder months. Finding a skincare product that works for your skin type and has pleasant smell is like finding a needle in a haystack. More often than not, conventional drugstore lotions are scented with obnoxiously strong fragrance oils.

If you are sensitive to these smells or if you would like to limit your exposure to chemicals, try making your own naturally scented skincare product.

HACK: All you have to do is buy an unscented body lotion that does the job, and add your favorite blend of essential oils to it. Try using essential oils known for their anti-aging effects, such as rose, geranium, frankincense, and myrrh. If you have eczema, try using anti-inflammatory lavender, thyme, and eucalyptus essential oils.

Clean Your Microwave Oven

A microwave is a handy apparatus that makes our lives much simpler. While your microwave may look sparkling clean on the outside, have your checked its conditions on the inside? Reheating spaghetti, pizza, and other greasy leftovers will leave the interior of your unit looking and smelling funky. If you do not know how to go about cleaning your microwave, just follow this quick hack.

HACK: Pour water and four drops of lemon essential oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Put the bowl in your microwave and set it on high for 5 minutes. Essential oil vapor and water steam will loosen any sticky, grimy bits from the interior. When done, safely discard what is left in the bowl and wipe down the interior of your microwave with a damp kitchen rag.

Disinfect Your Trash Cans

Bacteria and fungi love to thrive in trash cans. Not washing your hands after taking out the trash could expose you to salmonella, E. coli, and listeria. For that very reason,it is important to keep your indoor and outdoor bins as hygienic as possible. An unpleasant garbage smell should let you know that your trash can harbors some serious microflora.

HACK: Create your own trash can disinfecting spay by mixing 2 cups of water, 5 drops of tea tree and 5 drops of lemon essential oil in a glass spray bottle. Use this solution to disinfect the entire surface of your trash can.

You can take cleanliness to the next levels by placing a cotton ball enriched with both essential oils at the bottom of your trash can. The aromatic cotton ball will keep your trash cans smelling fresh and clean. You can use this cotton ball hack on your camping pop-up trash cans as well.

Get A Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep is an essential physiological function that keeps us healthy and going. A good night’s sleep is the greatest tool a survivalist can have. Well rested body is stronger and more resistant while well-rested mind thinks clearer.

Despite all that, we all know that drifting into sweet dreams can be difficult at times. Essential oils can help you aid your sleeplessness whenever the stress and thoughts get the best of you.

HACK: Lavender essential oil is known for having calming effects on the human body. Dab a couple of drops of lavender essential oil on gauze and place it inside your pillowcase. The mild lavender aroma will help you relax and fall asleep. Alternatively, you can add a couple of drops of lavender oil to the rinse cycle next time you are washing your sheets.

Vacuum Cleaner and Air Freshener in One

Evers since their invention, vacuum cleaners have been making our lives much more convenient. With the help of the air pump, vacuum cleaners effectively pick up crumbs and little bits and pieces from the floor. But wouldn’t it be nice if your hoover could act as an air freshener as well?

HACK: Simply put few drops of your favorite essential oil blend on two cotton balls. Place soaked cotton balls in the vacuum bag before you start your cleaning session. Aromatic vacuum air will pleasantly scent your interior. This way, your home will look and smell sparkling clean.

Clear Your Congestion

Every self-reliant individual should know a couple of home remedies for treating the symptoms of common cold. Having a jar of honey, fresh ginger, and chamomile tea in your pantry during flu season is definitely recommended.

But, have you ever tried clearing your stuffy nose with essential oils? Well, this old remedy can assist you on your way to recovery the same as an over-the-counter nasal spray would.

HACK: Add few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to hot water that you have just boiled. Lean over the bowl and cover your head with a towel to create a miniature sauna. Close your eyes and inhale eucalyptus vapor for roughly 10 minutes. If the steam is too hot slightly move your head away from the bowl. Eucalyptus essential oil should open up your nasal passages and help you release mucus.

Give Your Laundry Custom Smell

Wool dryer balls are a great natural alternative to the conventional dryer sheets. They do not only cut the drying time in half but they are also much safer for use, as many fabric softeners nowadays cause skin irritations such as dermatitis.

Arguably, the only drawback of wool dryer balls could be their lack of “mountain breeze” smell. Remember, you can always enhance the smell of your freshly washed clothes with your own unique essential oil blend.

1. Clean Laundry

A load of underwear will transfer at least 100 million E. coli bacteria-the culprit behind diarrhea to the washing machine, which becomes a breeding ground that can contaminate other clothing. With a front-loading machine, it’s worse; water settles at the bottom and creates the moist environment bacteria love. Your toilet seat, on the other hand, is too dry to support a very large bacterial population.

Clean it: Disinfect your machine by washing a load of whites with bleach first, or cleaning your washer with bleach at least once a month (pour two cups of bleach into the detergent compartment, and run empty on the hottest cycle before wiping dry; leave the door open after). To avoid spreading bacteria, wash underwear separately with hot water and a color-safe bleach replacement.

2. Cutting Board

Your cutting board University of Arizona researchers found that the average cutting board has 200 times more fecal bacteria than a toilet seat. A big culprit: raw meat, since many fecal bacteria originate in animals’ internal organs. So, the last chicken cutlet you diced? The tiny grooves your knife left on the cutting board are prime real estate for germs to get cozy.

Solution:  Wash plastic cutting boards with liquid dish detergent and water, then soak thoroughly in a solution of two teaspoons of bleach and a gallon of water. For wooden boards, do the same but use two tablespoons of bleach per gallon of water. Don’t soak overnight.

4.  Smartphone Or Tablet lean i

A leather phone case that doubled as a wallet was the biggest offender, carrying 17 times more germs than the toilet. Another uncomfortable detail: In a 2016 survey of 1,000 U.K. employees, about one-third admitted to using their phones while using the toilet. “A smartphone which is brought into a washroom will invariably end up with invisible traces of feces and urine on it,” hygiene expert Lisa Ackerley said in a report. “These will then transfer to the owner’s hands.”

How to clean your phone: Reduce your exposure to germs by cleaning your electronic screens with screen wipes or damp, soft cloth and leaving them out of the bathroom in the first place.

5. Your Carpe

Fun fact: Bacteria love munching on dead skin cells. Considering that the average person sheds about 1.5 million every hour, that turns your rugs into a fine dining experience when you add food particles, pet dander, pollen, and other bits. About 200,000 bacteria live in each square inch of carpet (nearly 700 times more than on your toilet seat), including E. coli, staphylococcus, and salmonella.

Clean it: Since your vacuum cleaner can’t reach to the bottom of the carpet, hire a company to deep clean at least once a year.

6. Your Faucet Handles

Your bathroom faucet handle can have 21 times the bacteria of your toilet seat. Even worse—your kitchen faucet handles can harbor 44 times the bacteria of your toilet seat. Drains are moist and protected from your usual cleaning products, and a study in Applied and Environmental Microbiology found that drug-resistant bacteria like E. coli can spread from the pipes to your sink and hands.

Clean it: Disinfect and clean regularly along with the rest of your sink to make sure washing your hands isn’t making you dirtier.

7. Cmputer Keyboard

Clicking away at your computer in between bites of lunch may have led to the last “office bug” you picked up. When British researchers swabbed 33 keyboards in a London office, they found that they harbored up to five times the germs of a toilet seat.

Clean it: Wash hands, and surfaces, often.

8. Handbag

It goes with everything, including germs. When British researchers studied 25 handbags, they found that the average handbag is three times dirtier than an office toilet seat. Handbags used regularly were 10 times dirtier. Handles carried the most bacteria, but even items inside the bag were grimy hand and face creams were the dirtiest, along with lipstick and gloss. Stomach flu viruses have been traced back to reusable grocery bags, too.

Clean it: Keep your bags off the ground, and regularly washcloth bags when possible. For plastic or leather bags, use disinfectant wipes.

9. Kitchen Cloth or Sponge

Not only are sponges dirtier than your toilet seat, but they’re dirtier than just about any other item in your house. When researchers investigated 14 used kitchen sponges, they found an insane 45 billion microbes per square centimeter, according to the results in Scientific Reports. Dishcloths and sponges harbor the largest amount of E. coli and other fecal bacteria in the average home, mostly because they aren’t replaced as often as they should.

Clean it: Each week, toss dishcloths in the washing machine and sponges in the dishwasher, or heat them in the microwave (while damp) for 30 seconds. Replace sponges every other week or so.

10. TV remote

It may surprise you, but your channel changer is surprisingly germy. Anything that’s been on your hands before you started surfing collects on your remote. Not to mention, your remote collects dust sitting on your couch, gets sat on, and may even have crumbs on it, if you like to eat in front of the TV. Grime can get stuck in the nooks and crannies between the buttons, so cleaning it can be a challenge.

Clean it: Every now and then, wipe down your remote using a bit of dish soap or an antiseptic wipe. Make sure to get in between the buttons.

11. Gas Pumps

If you’ve got a daily commute to your office, you probably touch this ultra-germy item on (at least) a weekly basis. A University of Arizona study sampled gas pumps and found that a whopping 71 percent of them contained some type of bacterial contaminant.

Clean it: If you don’t want to wipe down the pump before you use it, definitely keep hand sanitizer in your car so that you can bust any germs you may have picked up while filling up. Or consider wearing gloves to shield yourself from the germs.

12. Elevator Buttons

While you’re getting a ride to your desired floor, germs might be hitching a ride on your hands. A University of Toronto study found that elevator buttons in public spaces like office buildings and hospitals could be harboring more germs than toilet seats. (Find out more public places with the most germs.)

Clean it: Maybe you don’t want to stand around your office building and wipe down the elevator buttons, and that’s fair. But you’ll probably want to wash, or at least sanitize, your hands once you’ve reached your floor.

13. Fridge Drawers

A study from public health and safety organization NSF found that refrigerator vegetable and meat compartments were the top two spots in the kitchen with the most disease-causing microorganisms. It makes sense any unwrapped veggies or escaped meat juices could leave behind dangerous germs.

Clean it: Empty your fridge drawers, then pull them out of your fridge. Give them a good scrub with warm, soapy water before returning them (and your food) to their slots.

13. Toothbrush Holders

Hopefully, you’re replacing your toothbrush every three to four months, but when was the last time you cleaned out its holder? Fair warning: It’s probably filled with toothpaste gunk that dripped down after you brushed. An NSF investigation found that toothbrush holder were the dirtiest item in the bathroom. About 27 percent of toothbrush holders showed signs of coliform, compared to 5 percent of toilet seats.

Clean it: Rinse an empty toothbrush holder in hot water, then scrub with a soapy, small-bristled brush. Rinse well and let it dry before putting your toothbrushes back.

14. . Coffee Reservoir

You probably clean the coffee pot, but you’ll want to give the whole machine a deep clean every once in a while NSF data show that coffee reservoirs where you pour water are even dirtier than toilet seats and toilet handles.

Clean it: Leaving the reservoir open when you’re done making coffee will help clear out the moisture germs love. Every now and then, clean the reservoir by filling it with equal parts water and vinegar. Turn on the machine so the vinegar cleans the carafe, plus eliminates mineral buildup in the machine’s pipes. Once the pot is done, “brew” a pot of plain water to eliminate any traces of vinegar.