Helpful Hints

• Always keep an all-purpose cleaner and a sponge in the guest bath so you can sneak away and clean up when unexpected company shows up.
• Keep a squeegee in the shower so everyone can wipe it down when they are done (this will help prevent mildew).
• Steam helps to loosen build-up so why not clean while you're in there?
• Disinfectant can be used on everything in the bath except the mirror.
• Don't forget doorknobs and switch plates.

• Easy Bathroom Cleaning

  Clean after a steamy bath or shower. The walls, fixtures, etc., will be much easier to clean because the steam will have loosened the dirt.

  Cleaning the Sink

• For light stains, rub with a fresh cut lemon.
• For dark stains (like rust) rub with a paste of borax and lemon juice.

Bathtub Rings

• To avoid bathtub rings, don't use oily bath preparations. Use a water softener if you live in a hard-water area. Rinse the tub immediately after bathing.
• If a ring does form, wipe it off with undiluted ammonia (wear rubber gloves) or a wet sponge generously sprinkled with baking soda. Rinse clean and wipe dry. For a more stubborn stain, scour with automatic dishwashing detergent or rub with a cloth dipped in vinegar.

Cleaning with Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol will clean the caulking around bathtubs. It also shines chrome and glass. Liquid chlorine bleach (1/4 cup to one gallon) will also clean caulk.

Cleaning Toilet Bowl

• Clean the toilet bowl while you're away by pouring in 1/4 cup bleach and leaving it until you return.
• Keep the toilet bowl ring-free by pouring a half-gallon of white vinegar in it once a month. Let it soak overnight before flushing.
• Don't use bleach if you're already using a tank-held cleaner that's released when the toilet is flushed. The two may react chemically.
• To avoid clogging and odors, pour one cup baking soda down the bowl weekly.

Getting to Dirt in the Corner

Can't get to that dirt in the corner? Make a pointed tool by cutting an old whisk broom at a 45 degree angle.

Small Bathrooms

If you have a small bathroom or a tile entrance and don't have time to bother with a scrub bucket, just use an all purpose spray cleaner and a damp sponge for quick clean up.

Mildew

To remove mildew from the corners of the tub, dip cotton balls in bleach and let them sit, when you finish cleaning the bath, remove cotton and rinse well. The mildew will be gone.

Disinfectant

Clean with a disinfectant to kill germs. Everything in the bathroom except the mirror can be cleaned this way in just 3 or 4 minutes a day. Keep cleaners in bath for a quick job when unexpected company drops by.

Shower Tile

Remove soap and hard water buildup on shower tile with tile cleaner. Then apply a good paste wax and buff with a dry cloth to deter future water spots.

Air Freshener

For immediate air freshener in the bath, place a fabric softener sheet in the wastepaper basket or add a dab of fragrance on a light bulb. When the light is on, the heat releases the aroma.

Freshen Drain

To freshen drain, pour 1/4 to 1/2 box of baking soda down the drain, add 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Cover drain tightly for a few minutes and flush with cold water.

Shower Doors

• Rub glass shower doors with a white vinegar-dampened sponge to remove soap residue.
• To clean shower track door, pour full strength vinegar into the track, let soak for a few minutes, then rinse.
• A coat of acrylic floor finish gives new shine to fiberglass shower doors and makes water spots disappear. Club soda will give new shine to your counter tops.

Cleaning Shower Curtains

• Before hanging shower curtains, soak in salt water solutions to prevent mildew.
• To remove mildew, wash in hot soapy water, rub with lemon juice and let the shower curtain dry in the sun.
• For plastic curtains, clean with laundry pre-wash spray. Spray along the top, letting it run down to cover the curtain. Allow it to sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off.

Sparkling Sink

Wipe

Wood Floors

It's always a good idea to check with a flooring specialist for information on cleaning wood floors because certain treated flooring requires specific cleaning methods. However, one general wood-floor cleaner is a solution of 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water. Use a soft cloth with most of the moisture squeezed. Get on your hands and knees and wipe the floor without getting it wet. Then buff with a soft dry cloth to bring out the luster.

Vinyl Floors

Sweep and damp mop using a gallon of water and a dash of dish washing detergent, regularly to keep abrasive soil off the surface. Scrub as needed with a white nylon backed sponge to loosen stubborn, ground in soil. Nothing cleans as well as doing it on your hands and knees when you have time. Even no-wax floors eventually need waxing, this will help to prevent further deterioration.

a stainless steel sink with vinegar or a touch of oil on a cloth to make the sink sparkle.

Minimize the mess
Cleaner pets mean a cleaner house. Bathe and brush your pets regularly to minimize the amount of pet hair and pet dander, and to help with odors. Keep a lint brush or damp sponge handy to quickly pick up loose pet hair. Unless your pet has dietary restrictions, a light mist of spray-on cooking oil on your pet's dishes will make them easier to wash out and will add shine to his or her coat.

Removing pet hair
On carpeting, use a vacuum with a good beater brush or brush roll. Plain vacuums don't generate sufficient lift to pick up all the pet hair from the floor.

Speed removal of pet hair from fabrics and upholstery with a pet rake, a brush with crimped nylon bristles. Use light, even strokes to remove the hair. Velour brushes, tape rollers and even tape wrapped around your hand also will work. Both pet supply and home stores sell "pet sponges," which are used dry on both upholstery and carpets. They can be an especially good option for hard-to-reach corners and edges where hair tends to collect. As long as dampness won't harm the fabric, you can also use a slightly dampened sponge or even the rubber bottom of a clean tennis shoe.

Lifting stains
To remove a pet urine stain, dilute the spot using a cloth dampened with water. Then, clean the area with an acid solution consisting of one quart water mixed with one teaspoon white vinegar.

If necessary, you can apply a pet bacteria/enzyme digester according to the directions. You can find these products at any pet store; they effectively counter both the stain and the odor. Even if the stain has disappeared or our human noses can no longer smell anything, a pet will repeatedly return to the same spot if he can still smell his own odor. Here are some other hints:

• Be sure to use enough bacteria/enzyme digester to penetrate the carpet and pad.
• Keep in mind that digesters work well but slowly. Leave the solution on as long as indicated.
• After applying the solution, cover with plastic and step on the spot several times until the area is well saturated.
• Keep the plastic on the entire time the digester is working to make sure the spot doesn't dry out.

Older stains
If the stain is older, it may be nearly impossible to remove, but try the digester. If the site has seen multiple accidents, the bacteria breaking down the stain may actually create a super alkaline state that interferes with the digester's intended action. In this case, follow these steps:

• After the bacteria digester has been working for about four hours, neutralize the spot by mixing a solution of one cup of vinegar to a gallon of warm water.
• Rinse the area with the vinegar solution.
• Apply a fresh batch of bacteria/enzyme digester solution.

You might also try buying a hypodermic needle from your local pharmacy and filling it with your favorite perfume or potpourri. You'll need to inject both the carpet and the pad for it to work. If you still have a problem, have the carpet cleaned by extraction. It may even be necessary to replace the pad underneath.

Stomach trouble
If your pet has an upset stomach on your carpet, cleanup may be trickier. The extremely acidic nature of vomit can cause the acid dyes in the carpet to move, permanently damaging the carpet. Dyes in your pet's food or medicine may also combine with the strong stomach acid to stain your flooring. That's why it's essential to neutralize or at least dilute the acid as quickly as possible to minimize damage. To bring the carpet back to a neutral pH:

• Treat the affected area using a professional carpet detergent.
• Rinse the area with clean hot water.
• Extract the soiled solutions away from the carpet.

If the stains cannot be removed, carpet dyeing may be a good option. While not as permanent as factory dyeing, spot dyeing will solve the problem of bleached carpet.