Comments on: The 10 Dirtiest Things in Your Home

By: taylor

taylor — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 13:58:22 +0000

One poster mentioned covering top of fridge with plastic wrap. I live in the tropics and my fridge is bombarded by tiny insects and consequently ends up covered in flat, stuck-on poop. If I cover with plastic I am concerned that the humidity in the air will cause fridge to rust out faster than normal in the tropics. Suggestions, please?

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 23:26:31 +0000

Ever try the Swiffer cleaning cloth? Great for hardwood floors and dusting tables etc. This product is great.

By: Pat

Pat — Fri, 14 May 2010 15:58:01 +0000

Some oven cleaning products are caustic. I wouldn’t use them at all. I don’t think they are intended for cleaning showers and tubs.

By: Christy

Christy — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:57:12 +0000

I use water on a damp clean cloth to clean all glass and mirrors and I wipe immediately with a clean dry cloth to prevent streaking. I use a low cost furniture polish to clean all my stainless still appliances. Just spray it on and it will clean and polish to a beautiful shine. I use the lemon scent.

By: Luella

Luella — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:43:00 +0000

For spiders someone told me to try conkers around the house, esp entry points near skirting boards or windows. It seems to have helped a lot – so far – this autumn we collected lots at the park to tide us over. You can get sprays containing horse chestnut but I don’t think they are as good, but at least you can use them out of season.

Re: Toothbrushes; are things like detergent or hydrogen peroxide good for your teeth? Some contain citric acid, you are meant to wait 30 minutes after drinking orange juice to let tooth enamel re-harden before you brush. Any other ideas? At the moment I have an antibacterial toothbrush holder that covers the bristles.

By: Brittany

Brittany — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:44:05 +0000

Since you have it anyway, foamy shaving cream works well to clean mirrors, and in the bathroom, it prevents the mirrors from fogging too!! Just don’t use a whole bunch, or you’ll have quite a mess.

By: Al

Al — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:00:57 +0000

To prevent the bathtub from getting dirty, simply whisk away dirty water with a good shower squeegee i.e. immediately after each bath. I use a Cleret dual bladed shower squeegee which has two super soft and flexible blades which bend to the contours of my bath.

By: Katy

Katy — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:51:47 +0000

A much simpler way to clean a computer keyboard is to turn it over and shake out the crumbs. Then take it into the bathroom and place it under a warm (not TOO hot) shower for a few minutes, making sure the water runs over and through the keys. Turn it upside down, and lay it against a wall or the back of the tub. Let dry for no less than 12 hours (but it’s better if you wait closer to 24). There, done. Nothing too difficult and doesn’t require additional cleaners.

By: Haznut

Haznut — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:47:00 +0000

Spray oven cleaner in the tub let set for hour or two if it is real bad, and wipe it clean with wet rag.

By: Sara

Sara — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:30:04 +0000

There is a suggestion above about mixing detergent with bleach to create an inexpensive, all-purpose cleaner. It works fine, but you must be careful of what products you use: Do not do this using an anti-bacterial dish soap like Dawn, because bleach can react with the triclosan in the detergent to create CHLOROFORM GAS and other dangerous toxins. Read those labels carefully!

By: EngineerMom

EngineerMom — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:10:34 +0000

Please DON’T USE THEM! They don’t “freshen” the air, they just scent it, and some of us are very sensitive to the scent. My mother-in-law is a diehard air freshener user, to the point that she bought a spray container of some sickly apple cinnamon scent for OUR bathroom when they stayed here one weekend. I would much rather smell (for a short period of time) the rather natural result of the human digestive tract than that sickeningly sweet smell that makes me sneeze and stays in the air for hours.

Learn to open a window to get a fresh scent, place some fresh orange peels in a bowl, or just keep your house clean enough to avoid the mold/bacteria/pets that makes the icky smell in the first place. All those chemical scents contribute to poor indoor air quality.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Tue, 19 May 2009 02:06:53 +0000

As Greg said above, studies have be done that show that wood’s natural bacteria fighting properties back them more sanitary than plastic cutting boards. Plastic cutting boards get the same cut marks which harbor bad stuff and make them hard to clean, but don’t naturally fight off bacteria. Also, they dull your knives a lot quicker too.

By: Morty

Morty — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:11:00 +0000

I find it amusing that people are worried about ‘our insides’, whether it is because of some tip about using Coke or Tang or whatever.

People, your stomach is filled with acid that is stronger than the citric acid or whatever in those drinks. Yes, a match can start a forest fire, but you wouldn’t warn people away from throwing it into a volcano.

By: Kaye

Kaye — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:08:33 +0000

Use coffee filters – No lint, very inexpensive and no ink on your hands like when using newspaper. I buy a lot less paper towels now because I use the coffee filters that I can get 200 for less than a dollar.

By: Judi

Judi — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 02:38:21 +0000

I keep a “Mr Clean – Magic Eraser” in my tub/shower surround. After having a bath or shower – before stepping out – I wipe down all the surfaces. I never did like cleaning the tub and surround! It was hard – and messy. This is an awesome way to keep the tub and area clean.

By: Marcia

Marcia — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:20:00 +0000

Cleaning toothbrushes – I weekly put them in the silverware holder in the dishwasher and wash with the dishes. It also works great for toddler toys.

By: Jean

Jean — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:07:31 +0000

I use damp newspaper to clean my mirrors and windows. They shine and its economical. Good for the environment too.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:55:38 +0000

For windows I went into a local store and purchased microfiber cloths that are great damp to do glass, mirrors, and stainless steel. I think that they’re more available now, but I love them and use them all the time.

By: Ressab

Ressab — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:37:08 +0000

I scrub the shower walls down every time I am in the shower. I don’t do the whole bathroom but just a few spots at a time and that way my shower is easier to clean at the end of the week because I’ve been touching up spots all week.

By: Beth

Beth — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:55:12 +0000

I like using the Simple Green. It comes in a gallon bottle, is eco-friendly, can be diluted to various concentrations to clean in almost any way. Has a mild and pleasant smell. I use it on counter tops, sinks, stoves, floors, bathroom surfaces (pretty much everywhere). Lasts a long time. And for hardwoods I use Method’s “wood for good.” Has the smell of almond, is very mild, and easy to use on floors and furniture.

I agree somewhat with the last post, always best to use less harsh chemicals.