funny "cleaning" tips?

[Befferz]

Jan 16, 2011 23:52:40 GMT -5 2kids10horses said:

Make sure you don't have a skunk in your dryer vent.

LOL, I'm pretty sure there's no skunk...although that does remind me that I need to check on the vent outlet on the side of the house. My dryer gets really cold after the cycle ends, and even lets cold air into the basement. I keep the door shut on that all the time, but I don't remember any other dryer getting so cold, so I'm thinking the vent is capped wrong or not at all. Too bad there are drifts 5'+ high on that side of the house, so I can't get over there right now.

Thanks for the other advice, everyone. I'll clean the rubber seal and run a bleach cycle tomorrow and see how that works. I don't think there's a drain, but I'm really not sure. I'll have to see if there previous owner left a manual, or if I can find one online. I guess I could have looked before I posted, but oh well.

[steff]

Tide has a "cleaner" that you run thru front loaders that takes care of the mildew smell. And it's very affordable. Check in the laundry soap aisle at the grocery store. I got a box of 5 for around $7 I think. Use it once a month, leave the door open once you are done with laundry & wipe down the seal around the door & tub. The soap tray should be removable & you can just run it thru the dishwasher and it will clean it right up.

[Sammy]

Magic sponge: Cleans those anti slip strips you find built into the surface of your tubs. Great for dirty finger prints on painted surfaces. Removes scuff marks on floors.

Micro Fiber cloths: Black glass stove top? Removes streak marks from cleaning. Same with mirror and clear glass. Don't know why, but micro fiber is fantastic for surfaces that are hard to keep streak free.

Bug bites: Try non gel tooth paste. Dab a bit of toothpaste on a bug bite and the itch is immediately gone. Don't pay for a tube of anti bug itch stuff .... just get your bottle of ammonia out and dab a bit onto a bug bite (avoid using it on kids) The main ingredient in those anti itch bug bite tubes is ammonia.

Rain-X: I agree it works great on glass shower doors. (careful to keep it off of the bottom of the tub) Also can be used on headlights. I use the wipe on, let dry, wipe off style of Rain-X, but I've also used the stuff you use for your wipers.

Sewing: Thread pulls out of the cuff of your slacks...... use clear duck tape to hold the cuff in place until it can be re-sewn. Great for a temporary fix on many things. I carry a small roll of the clear duck tape with me when I travel.

Soap scum: Avoid using solid bars of soap and switch to liquid bath soap. Pour a tiny bit on one of those net bath poofs and you have enough suds for the entire shower...... and NO soap scum to clean.

[kimber45]

Great Tips everyone, I will have to try some of them

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Diaper wipes get food stains out of clothing. Baby oil gets blow outs out of baby clothing (I dabbed with a cotton ball and then rinsed, pulled it right out). Diaper wipes get spit up stains and odors out of your brand new recliner.

Diaper wipes are gentle enough to clean stains off of hardwood floors.

Also make great toliet bowl rim cleaners.

[marjar]

Regarding the HE washer - the fabric softener dispenser can get yucked up. If possible, run an empty load with vinegar in the dispenser, or Greased Lightning. The residue is like a petri dish for mold and mildew.

[whiskmav]

To clean the wheels (not tires) on my car......use oven cleaner.

[kent]

Jan 16, 2011 23:50:13 GMT -5 Apple said:

Dammit!!! Right now I wish I could access the old boards since we just went through all this on SS a few months ago! Here is what I can remember from that thread...

Make sure you wipe out the rubber seal--the water doesn't completely drain and it stays damp so it gets icky.

Do no use regular detergent! Some washers can handle it, some can't. Because regular detergent "suds up" so much it leaves a lot of residue behind that will get mildew-y. Use either homemade laundry soap or soap specific to HE washers.

Leave the the door propped open so that it can dry out.

Run vinegar or bleach through an empty cycle (or throw in a couple towels) then run plain water throw it a few times. I know a packet of Kool-aid Lemonade flavoring (or tang, but tang is more expensive) can help clean up a dishwasher so it might clean a regular washer also.

Pull out the soap tray and make sure you clean up back there--mold/mildew will grow behind it.

Hmmmm.....thinking, thinking........can't remember anything else right now.

All good points. We've had our front loader for about 13 years now and all we can do is keep wiping it down, running a cleaning solution through it and leaving the door open to air it out. As soon as this thing starts having even minor problems it will be replaced with a top loader - we've got better things to do than screw around with trying to keep the "stink" out of our washer.

OK, I feel better now.

[Deleted]

One I thought of this morning, you can get deoderant marks off of a shirt by rubbing it with panty hose. The panty hose can also be used to do a quick buff on polished shoes (between polishings).

[KaraBoo]

Okay - this tip is probably TMI, but I had to add it.

I love long, hot showers (I know, not frugal), but always felt guilty just standing there as I knew I was "wasting" water. No amount of justifying to myself that the steam was helping my sinuses (very bad allergies) would help with my guilty feelings of wasting water.

One day, I got the bright idea to clean the shower while I was soaking under the hot water - after all, I was just standing there doing nothing. For me, it works like a charm!

I discovered I no longer get mad for being totally dry, trying to wipe down the walls, accidentally hitting the water lever and getting myself soaked. I no longer have to contort to keep myself from getting cleaner all over myself - if I do, I just wash it right off. I can take my long, hot shower and no longer feel guilty for wasting the water as I'm using it for something more than sinus relief!