How to Clean Grout Like The Pros

In your kitchen, bath, and just about anywhere else in your home, tile provides a very durable and stain resistant covering. Unfortunately, tiles are separated by grout, and grout is not nearly as stain resistant. Since grout is generally white, or at least a very light color, every stain shows up immediately. With our simple tricks, we can make cleaning grout a very simple task.

Some Tricks to Become the Best Grout Cleaner

If you have tile floors, the grout is definitely going to become stained at some point of time. Surface stains can be removed easily with sandpaper. Fold the sandpaper, and work the crease back and forth in the grout. If the grout is too soft for the sandpaper you can also use a normal pencil eraser. If the sandpaper or eraser doesn't do the job or the grout still remains discolored, you can create a solution of one part bleach and four parts of water. Saturate the grout with the solution and scrub with a small brush. A toothbrush is ideal; just throw it away when you’re done. Rinse well with clean water and let dry.

In your kitchen, your tile is constantly assaulted by food and spills of various natures. If you do not like using a lot of harsh chemicals around your kitchen, we have a great natural cleaner for you. Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and about 6 cups of water in a spray bottle. This cleaner really gets under those dried-on food stains and leaves the grout looking like new. Spray on your grout liberally, and scrub with a soft bristled brush or a toothbrush.

If your tile is heavily stained around your kitchen or bathroom, work in a little Soft Scrub with Bleach with your finger. Let it work on the grout overnight. By morning, even the toughest stains will have disappeared. Rinse with warm water and dry with a clean towel or paper towel. No need to scrub the grout with a toothbrush any more!

As a quick cleaner, wipe down your grout with hydrogen peroxide. This keeps your grout white and kills off all of the bacteria that can be living in it.

Make sure that you do not ever mix any cleaning products made with bleach with any products made with ammonia! The two combine to form chlorine gas, which is extremely dangerous. Rinse away all cleaners thoroughly after you have used them.

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Best Tricks to Clean Tile Floor

When you think about the easiest types of flooring to maintain, most people think of tile. Tile floors are extremely durable, easy to clean, and can resist most major stains. However, without some simple maintenance, even tile floors can lose their luster and can develop stains, usually starting in the grout. Grout is porous and sucks up liquids and materials easily and, thus, can grow all kinds of bacteria and mold. Luckily, there are some simple tricks that will help you to clean tile floor.

The single best trick to clean tile floor is to clean up all spills and messes immediately!

The first trick to keeping your tile floors clean and glossy is to clean up all spills and messes immediately. Letting spills site on the surface will only allow them to infiltrate the grout and dry, dulling the surface of the tile. Even water and mud tracked in on shoes should be cleaned up immediately. The particulates in the water carried in on your shoes can scuff the surface and the moisture can feed any bacteria in the grout.

Make sure that you seal your tile as soon as possible after the tile has been installed. If you did not install the tile yourself, you must have the tile thoroughly cleaned and sealed to guarantee its longevity. To clean the tile you can use a commercially available cleaner of you can make your own cleaner. To make your own natural cleaner, mix 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and about 6 cups of water in a spray bottle. Spray liberally over your tile floor and scrub with a dry Swiffer scrubber or a lightly damp sponge mop.

Once you have thoroughly cleaned your tile, let it completely dry. Seal the tile with the sealer recommended by the tile manufacturer. Follow all of the directions carefully; too much sealer will cause the tile to become cloudy.

If your tile floor becomes scaly, or yellowed with too many layers of wax, you are going to have to strip the floor. You can use commercially available strippers, just make sure to follow the instructions and wear protective clothing! A good homemade wax stripper can be made from 1 cup of vinegar, 1 cup of ammonia and a gallon of cool tap water. You may have to reapply the stripper if there are many different coats of wax. Once you have all of the wax up, clean the entire surface with clean tap water. Let it dry completely, and reseal with a new coat of wax.

Tile floors can last a lifetime, if you just do some routine maintenance! It is time consuming, but will make your floors look great and repel stains!

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Cleaning and Caring For Diamond Jewelry

Diamonds are said to be a girls best friend. I don't know about that, but they are one of the hardest materials on earth. Because they are so hard, you have to be careful when storing them. Diamonds can scratch other jewelry and other diamonds, so be sure to store them separately from other jewelry.

Cleaning Diamonds
Diamonds are fairly easy to clean. Most can be cleaned with a mixture of 1 part ammonia and 6 parts waters. Soak the diamond in the mixture for a few minutes then brush off with a soft brush, a small artist's paint brush works well. Since diamonds can be set in different metals, be sure the mixture won't harm the metal. For example, silver shouldn't be exposed to ammonia. These pieces can be cleaned with a steam cleaner like the Scunci Steam Cleaner. Just hold the jewelry with a pair of pliers wrapped in microfiber and shoot it with the steam from all angles. Rinse in warm water and pat dry with a microfiber cloth. An ultrasonic cleaner filled will water will also work well for diamond jewelry, but be sure to check all settings before and after. The vibration can shake the diamonds loose.

You should have your diamond jewelry checked and cleaned by a professional jeweler at least once a year. They will be able to clean the stones and verify the security of the settings. Many jewelers will do this free of charge.

Homemade Carpet Shampoo

Carpet Shampoo is the best cleaner to really deep clean your carpets. Buying it in the store can get pretty expensive. We like to use a 1/2 cup of laundry detergent, 1 teaspoon of ammonia, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and about 4 cups of hot water. Mix the ingredients into a medium size bowl with a whisk until it makes a nice lather. Use a sponge to lightly rub the lather over the carpet. Once the lather has dried completely, vacuum and enjoy your fresh clean carpets. It works best if you vacuum before spreading the lather. If you have a foaming spray bottle you can also use it instead of the bowl.

Homemade Concrete and Brick Cleaner

To make your own concrete or brick floor cleaner, combine 1 cup of ammonia, 1/4 cup of all-purpose cleaner, such as Simple Green, and 1/2 gallon of water. Use a sponge mop and work the solution into the floor. Make sure to wear gloves and work in a well ventilated area or wear a ventilator. Rinse well with clear water and allow to thoroughly dry. When completely dry, apply a new coat of sealer to protect the surface and reduce the need for future cleaning!

How to Clean Wicker Furniture

Wicker furniture has always been difficult to clean, especially if you use it outside on a patio or deck where the dirt just loves to get into every little crack. First you need to remove the dust and loose dirt. To do this, vacuume with the brush attachment. To clean off the dirt and grime, make a solution of 2 tablespoons ammonia in 1 gallon of water. Using a soft bristled paintbrush scrub down the furniture. Rinse well with clean cool water. Let air dry completely and quickly vacuum to remove any left-over dirt.

Organic Stains on Granite Counters

If you have a granite countertop you know just how durable they are. They do stain, however. If you get an organic-based stain, from such things as fruit or even coffee, basic cleaning will not be enough. To remove the stain create a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and a couple drops of ammonia. Work the mixture into the stain and let sit for a few minutes. Wipe up the mixture and clean the surface as usual. The stain should be gone, if not, a second application may be required.

A Faster Way To Clean Your Microwave

Patter516 submitted the following tip:

I've read the tips of heating a cup of water in the microwave to loosen "stuff" and make it easier to clean, but I take window cleaner (commercial) and spray all the surfaces and run the oven for 20 - 30 seconds. This heats the cleaner and makes cleaning a breeze.

This is a great idea, as the ammonia in the glass cleaner will loosen the "stuff", but it won't get too hot. This can save you a lot of time since you don't have to wait for the bowl to cool down.
If you have a tip you would like to share, please send it to us.

Fruit Drink on my Carpet!

Ever notice how the lighter colored carpets attract the red fruit juices? It's almost like they need each other. The best way to break these two up is to get to the stain as quickly as possible. Fill one container with a cup of warm water and 1/4 teaspoon of clear dish washing detergent. Fill a second container with just warm water. Working from the outside of the stain into the middle alternate the detergent solution and the water, changing towels between each change. Once the stain is removed, blot dry with a final clean dry towel. If the stain has had time to set and the detergent/warm water doesn't completely remove the stain, make two more containers of solutions. Fill the first with 2 tablespoons of ammonia and 1 cup warm water and the second with 1 cup white vinegar and 2 cups warm water. Now alternate working the stain with each of the two new solutions each time followed by working the stain with just the warm water. Use a clean towel each time you change solutions. Finish with the warm water and blot dry.

Cleaning Tile Counter Tops and Back Splashes

We have a tile back splash and it can be pretty difficult to remove the dried on food that aways ends up there. Here is the best homemade cleaner I have found for the job. Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and about 6 cups of water in a spray bottle. This really gets under those dried on food stains and leaves the grout looking like new. I really like this cleaner because it is made with all natural ingredients. I try not to use too many harsh chemicals in the kitchen to make sure nothing I wouldn't want to eat gets into my food.

As always never mix bleach and ammonia. So if you used Soft Scrub with bleach to clean your tile, make sure you wash down the area with water first.

Homemade Oven Cleaner

For small spills, sprinkle generously with salt while the oven is still hot. The salt absorbs the liquid content. The mixture will burn and when the oven cools will scrape off with no trouble. For thorough oven cleaning, fill a shallow dish with full-strength ammonia and place inside the cold oven. Close the oven's door and let it stand overnight. The ammonia releases ammonia gas(surprise!) which is slowly absorbed by the grease. The grease will turn into a soap-like goop which can be easily wiped off. Make sure that you do not use this method on aluminum as the ammonia will damage the surface.

Homemade Glass Cleaner

Glass cleaner is one of the easiest homemade cleaners to make.  Everyone has windows in their house, or at least I hope.  So everyone can use homemade glass cleaner.   Making your own spray glass cleaner can save you several dollars per bottle, and homemade glass cleaner is much better for the environment.  Here are some of my favorite recipes.

Perfect Glass Cleaner Recipe

To make this natural glass cleaner, combine the following ingredients into a spray bottle:

• 4 tablespoons ammonia
• 1 quart water
• 1 drop of blue food coloring to make it look store bought (optional)

If you have hard water like I do, it works best to use distilled water.

Shower Glass Cleaner Recipe

Showers can provide several extra problems related to the shower glass.  Those problems include both mold and mildew and hard water deposits.  I use this modified recipe for tough shower glass.

• 6 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 quart water
  

Vinegar is great at breaking down hard water and soap scum stains.  It is also good at fighting mold and mildew because it is acidic.  You can actually use this as a cheap alternative to the daily shower sprays.


Homemade Anti Fog Glass Cleaner Recipe
For the bathroom mirrors and as a final touch to the shower doors, I use this anti-fog glass cleaner:

• 2 tablespoons ammonia
  
• 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
• 1 drop dish soap
• 1 quart water
  

How to Properly Use Homemade Glass Cleaner

For best results use a high quality spray bottle, one with a variable spray pattern works best.  I usually buy cheap spray bottles at the dollar store. After you have mixed your cleaner you are ready to get started. Be sure to spray the surfaces thoroughly.  The dirtier the glass the more cleaner you will need to use.  I like to use the finest mist setting of the spray bottle to keep the cleaner from becoming too runny.  After it has sat there for about 10 seconds, I use two separate clean towels, usually microfiber cloths. With one in each hand, I use one for washing and the other for the final drying.  Rub in circles to help reduce streaks.  Don't use paper towels as they can leave lint.

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Easily Clean Your Shower

To avoid bathtub rings, don't use oily bath products. But if you do continue to get them, make sure you install a water softener if you live in a hard-water area. Always rinse the tub immediately after bathing (don't forget to squeegy the walls). 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. To clean stains from caulking around your tub or shower, use rubbing alcohol. It also shines chrome and glass. Liquid chlorine bleach (1/4 cup to one gallon of water) will also clean caulk.

Homemade Cleaner Week

This week at Chester's Clean House we will be discussing Homemade cleaners. Here's one to get started:

Take 1/2 cup powdered detergent, 1 teaspoon ammonia and a quart of hot water. Mix these in a bowl really well. Pour the liquid into a foaming spray bottle. Spray onto carpet, enough to slightly moisten, and rub in with a sponge. Allow carpet to dry then vacuum. You can do this for a small spot or the entire carpet.

This solution worked great for me last night. Let me know how it works for you.