clean - Laundry In Louboutins

Domestic

Spring Cleaning – Don’t Forget!

May 1, 2014

I used to think my college living scenario was clean until my mom came to visit. Somehow she could spend a day scrubbing what I thought to be a clean space. As I’ve come to take care of my own home (and learned from her cleaning sessions along the way), is the most most used/obvious areas in your home, often are the ones that don’t get cleaned. Yes, we remember to “clean the toilet,” “mop the floors,” etc. but I have a few tips of the places you forget to think of (unless you’re my mom)…

NationalGeographic.com

Door Knobs: Just clean them with antibacterial wipes. Also, while we are on the topic of knobs, don’t forget to clean your stove knobs (sorry for that HORRIBLE segue). Just pop them off, wash them in soapy, warm water, let dry and put back on!

BHG.com

Cutting Boards: If I am cutting meat I ALWAYS pop it in the dishwasher afterwards. No matter what you are cutting make sure to wash it with hot soapy water and rinse. Also a disinfecting spray (ie bleach solution) is great to spritz on after each use. If your cutting board has too many deep grooves/cut marks in it – get rid of it (bacteria harbors in there and it is not pretty).

Flickr.com

Ice Maker: Ice absorbs odors, so once a month it is recommended that you empty the bin and start a fresh batch.

Love Vintage Finds

Pillows: I have a confession. I don’t wash my pillows. Well I didn’t. When I started researching/brainstorming for the post, I realized I have a million “How to Wash Your Pillow” pins on Pintrest and never once used them. That being said… I had to give it a go – for the blogs sake! Apparently if you can fold your pillow and half and it stays, it is time to wash it. Some say twice a year… either way, wash 2 pillows at a time (helps with balancing your machine?!) with mild liquid detergent (no powder!). Dry on low (not high heat) with tennis balls in socks (or just clean tennis balls) to help fluff them up. Note: I do wash my pillow case on a weekly basis.

TheGadgetFlow.com

Faucets: Another easy fix for a potentially destructive germ-harboring zone = antibacterial wipes. If you haven’t realized this, I’m a huge proponent of them. You can buy them in bulk at Costco, or here. Just stock up on them… they make kitchen clean up SO much easier.

Domestic

Spring Cleaning – How to Clean a Cooking Sheet

April 24, 2014

I am going to start a little series called “Spring Cleaning” (original huh?) with some of my favorite cleaning tips I’ve picked up along the way… First up? How to de-gunk your baking sheets.

I always forget to line my baking sheet with foil, thus eliminating the need to clean it 99% of the time. So if you are like me, your cooking sheets may be a little grimy if you’ve had them awhile…

Have no fear! In a few easy steps you can have your sheets (almost) like new!

Place gunky baking sheet in sink.
Top with a Bounce dryer sheet and fill with warm water.
Let soak overnight.
Remove dryer sheet and wipe clean with a sponge.
Rinse well.

*Note: You don’t want your sheets looking like how they did when you bought them… a well seasoned baking sheet is important, but that being said chunks of food (for lack of a better phrase), or stubborn stains can be off putting, so this method helps with getting rid of some surface stains without removing the yummy seasoning you have worked hard to create!

Click here and here for more cleaning tips!

Domestic

Holiday Stain Removal Guide

December 12, 2013

We’ve all experienced the red wine spill on your gorgeous silk blouse, spaghetti dripping on your white tee… but by the time you’ve figured out how to treat it, it’s soaked in a ruined your outfit! Well look no further – memorize this chart and be ready to defend yourself against any holiday cocktail party mishaps!

*with dry clean only items, try to contain the stain from spreading by absorbing liquid with a clean cloth or sprinkling with cornstarch (brush away powder of absorption). Take to a dry cleaner as soon a possible.

Tip: If you are accident prone – think about packing a travel sized bottle of diluted detergent in your purse… never hurts to plan ahead 🙂

Domestic

How to Clean a Stove Vent Filter

November 14, 2013

So this isn’t a very glamorous post, but one that I knew nothing about until recently. It all started when I was noticing a large droplet (of what I later learned was oil/grease), in the same place on my stove. I eventually looked up and noticed the filter in my stove hood seemed to be leaking/dripping… so I unscrewed it to see nothing worrisome on the other side. What I did notice is that the filter was completely coated in grease (gross I know).

At this point I had no idea how to remedy this situation, so I tried running it under water. When that did nothing (because the grease build up was so bad, and the water was just running over it), I decided to consult Google.

The filter on the right was untouched, and the filter on the right is one i tried to scrub with a rag (the rag is now in the trash can sadly).

After reviewing multiple suggestions, here is what I did:

1. Bring your largest pot of water to a boil.

2. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda… Add it slowly because it will boil over quickly!

3. Add filters to water and let boil for 5 minutes.

4. Watch as the grease boils away! Gross… but nice to know this is doing something!

5. Pull out the filter and see the difference in the side that was submerged and the side that wasn’t…

6. Dump the water out (I recommend your yard… not your sink!) and repeat steps 1-5.

7. Let filters dry overnight and replace into your clean stove hood! Cook away!

Domestic

How to Get Gum Off Your Clothes

October 3, 2013

image by Micheal Moebius

I was leaving an amazing dinner with my sister and hubby, and what does my sister notice on my brand new jeans?! GUM. The worst thing anyway… or so I thought… One call into my mom later and I was all set… here is what I did (for denim)!

1. Take an ice cube to the gum stain. You want to freeze it through (if you are working with a smaller garment you can put the whole thing in the freezer if you prefer).

2. Use a butter knife (or the backside of a dinner knife) to scrape the gum off. It should come right off!

3. Repeat steps 1-2 until the stain is removed.

4. Run item through the wash with the hottest water the material can handle.

5. Make sure gum is totally removed from article of clothing before putting in the dryer (unless you air dry your clothing).

It will be good as new!