Cleaning Tips

1. If you have rust marks on your baking dishes, pour some cola into the dish and let it soak overnight.

2. Hard to remove rust stains can be scoured with half a raw potato and powdered detergent.

3. When oven spills occur, mix one part cinnamon and 6 parts salt together. Sprinkle to absorb the spill and remove the burnt food odour. Wipe when the oven cools.

4. To clean a dirty microwave oven, boil a cup of water in it for a few minutes. The steam will loosen the food which can be wiped off with a dish cloth.

5. Wash your sponges in the dishwasher along with your dishes to make them last longer.

6. Use equal parts of white vinegar and salt to clean out coffee and tea stains from your china.

7. Scrub copper pots with a bit of salt and vinegar to clean.

8. Film that accumulates in your bathtub can be removed by scrubbing with vinegar.

9. Save your old toothbrushes to scrub small areas. Also ideal for cleaning your tile grout.

10. A window decal can be removed by painting it with vinegar. When it has thoroughly soaked for a few minutes, it can be wiped off easily.

11. Use equal parts of warm water and vinegar to clean windows. Dry with a soft cloth or newspaper to prevent streaking.

12. Carpets should be vacuumed once a week. Dirty spots can be cleaned with a mixture of vinegar and water. Blot dry.

13. To get rid of grease stains on your carpet, rub lightly with baking soda or cover it with cornstarch for about an hour. Vacuum or brush clean.

14. Wet mud on your carpet should be dried first, then vacuumed. Sponge it with dishwashing liquid.

15. To clean a dirty vase with a small opening, crush some eggshells and mix with water and vinegar or detergent. Pour into the vase, cover and shake until clean. Rinse thoroughly.

Other hints