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The trick to removing a stain from any surface

When it comes to household tasks there’s one in particular that makes everyone shudder. I’m referring, of course, to cleaning. No one likes to clean and no matter how often you clean your home it’s never fun. But that doesn’t mean it has to be difficult. The following guide will teach you the best way to tackle stains on any household surface. Carpet stains While some people may opt to hire a carpet cleaner, there are actually very few carpet stains you can’t clean yourself. Add a splash of vinegar to the stain and dampen a cleaning cloth. Gently pat at the stain and rinse the cloth at regular intervals. Repeat this process until the stain lifts. Then sprinkle bi-carb on the damp area and work it into the carpet a little. Once the bi-carb dries, use a vacuum to clean it up. If you like, sprinkle some lemon juice to freshen things up. If you’ve done everything right you’ll be left with clean, fresh smelling carpets. Tile and hardwood flooring Add vinegar to a bucket of water and use it to mop up as much of the stain as possible. Apply more vinegar directly to the stain. Combine with bi-carb and wait a few minutes for a chemical reaction. You will notice some bubbling and frothing. Gently scrub at any marks with a brush until clean. Finally, use clean water to either wipe or mop the area again to finish things off. Bathroom surfaces Bathrooms are tough to clean but this mixture makes mould and mildew a thing of the past. Combine 1½ cups bi-carb soda, one cup of liquid soap, ½ cup of water and ¼ cup of vinegar together in a bucket. Use this to clean shower screens, remove mildew and scrub tile grout. For maximum effect use a coarse sponge or hard bristled brush. Kitchen benchtops Most modern kitchen benchtops will not stain due to the materials they are made from. However, anyone with a kitchen knows they still require constant cleaning in order to stay hygienic. Use a cleaning cloth and vinegar to keep benchtops sanitised. You can use bi-carb anytime if something more abrasive is needed. This could be useful for things like dried cereal or food stains. If the vinegar smell becomes too much, deodorise with lemon juice. Concrete and garage floors The same ingredients can be used to make a powerful degreaser. This will clean any oil or scuff stains from concrete and other robust surfaces. Simply add one cup of vinegar to a few teaspoons of bi-carb, along with a drop or two of liquid soap. Add this to a spray bottle and fill to the top with warm water. Shake to combine the ingredients. Use the spray bottle to apply the mixture to any stubborn stain you wish to remove. For the best results, apply liberally and wait several minutes before scrubbing with a hard bristled brush. If you have one available you might also wish to use a pressure washer. Written by Michael Brooke. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domain.com.au</a>. Image credits: Getty Images

Home Hints & Tips

How to remove stains at home 101

If you every had a tricky stain to get rid of in the home and asked for advice from your nearest and dearest, you will likely know that when it comes to ridding stubborn marks, everyone's got an opinion. From removing red wine stains from carpets to food smudges on the couch, here we show you how you can ensure your linens, fabrics and furniture leave no trace of marks that were once there. Carpet Red wine stains would have to be among the most common to dirty carpets – that along with dirt walked in from outside. To remove red wine from carpet, first place paper towel over the stain and absorb as much moisture out of it as you can by standing on it. Then, sprinkle the stain with a small amount of bicarb soda and tap it with your fingers. You will find that the stain goes pale grey. Sponge the bicarb soda out with a cloth wrung out tightly in white vinegar. With heavy stains you may need to do this several times. Sheets To ensure your crisp white sheets stay exactly that, you first need to know what type of fabric you are dealing with. For polycotton, soak your sheets with a small amount of methylated spirits and warm water first, the place two-dessertspoons of Vanish NapiSan into a 12L bucket of hot water and soak overnight. Washing the next day and hang them to dry in the sun. For cotton sheets, simply place two dessertspoons of Vanish NapiSan into a 12L bucket of hot water and soak overnight. Washing the next day and hang them to dry in the sun. Tablecloths and cushions When it comes to tablecloths and cushions, prevention is better than a cure, so simply spray hairspray over the surface of your tablecloths and cushions. Spills can then be wiped away with a paper towel and the hairspray will come out easily in the wash. Outdoor furniture To clean canvas and outdoor furnishing fabric, saturate them with a heavy salt solution (try 1 kilo of un-iodised salt per 9L bucket of water) leave to dry and then just brush off. As the salt water dries the crystals regrow expanding in the fibres and pulling the mould spore out of the fabric with them. Firmly brush the crystals off for a lovely, clean, mould- free finish. Image credits: Getty Images

Home & Garden

How to remove permanent marker from any surface

There’s something heart-stoppingly terrible about seeing a pair of little hands drawing on your walls or floor. It just gets worse when you notice that they’re not using the kid safe textas you gave them – but the permanent marker they found goodness knows where. But never fear, there is a solution to this problem – here are ways to remove permanent marker from just about anything. Not so permanent anymore, is it? Carpet If you have a synthetic carpet, dampen a cloth with a solvent like acetone-free nail polish remover. Lightly dab the stain with this cloth and then leave for about 15 minutes. Then dab the stained area with warm, soapy water and wait for another quarter of an hour. Blot the area dry with a clean cloth or towel, and then blot once more with warm water. Dry again. If there’s still stain remaining, let it dry and repeat the process one more time. If your carpet is made of natural fibres, the process is very similar, but you need to use a consumer-grade dry-cleaning solvent. Make sure you read the instructions carefully before you begin. Walls Use warm, soapy water and your favourite all areas cleaning spray to have an initial pass at the stain. If that method doesn’t work, get out your trusty rubbing alcohol and dab the stain with a cotton ball or paper towel. Use a little water to clean the area once the stain is gone, and then pat dry with paper towel. Ceramic tiles You want to start by wiping the stained area with warm, soapy water and then apply some rubbing alcohol with paper towel or a cotton ball. Wipe the alcohol off with more soapy water, then rinse and dry the tile. If the stain persists, try drawing over it with a whiteboard marker and then rubbing it off. Stainless steel Just like with tiles, you can use a whiteboard marker to draw over the permanent marker before wiping it off with a soft, dry cloth. Failing that, use a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball or paper towel. Cotton upholstery If marker has stained your cotton upholstery, gently blot the affected area with rubbing alcohol until it has completely come up. Make sure to test the alcohol in an area that can’t be seen in case the colours of the fabric run. Cotton fabric Place the stain face down onto a couple of layered paper towels. Use a small sponge to apply rubbing alcohol to the back of the stain and you should see it leaching out onto the paper towel. Rinse the fabric with cold water when you’re done to make sure the residue from the marker and the alcohol is gone. Do you have a great cleaning tip for removing pesky stains? We’d love to hear about it in the comments. Image: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

“Works awesome!”: New cleaning hack will get rid of tough shower stains

A new shower cleaning hack has gone viral, much to the delight of people who clean around the world. The new trick sees people using a magic sponge with a dishwasher tablet inside the sponge which helps remove tough stains. One mum shared her impressive results with the popular Facebook group Mums Who Clean. “My husband is a mechanic, so our shower cops a lot from all his hand washes to get the grease off,” Lauren said. “I tried the magic sponge and dishwasher tablet. Five minutes and not much effort!” She revealed her technique, explaining that she lets the magic sponge get very wet before removing part of the sponge and inserting the dishwasher tablet into the sponge. Lauren explained that she removed the “power ball” part of the dishwasher tablet. <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836176/body-shower.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c465a27f9a174cbaa03c3359a3a28a69" /> Other group members excitedly revealed that they had tried the hack with exciting results. “I did the same thing tonight! Amazing results here too!” said one. Added another: “Works awesome! Did mine today with the same trick, it’s never been this clean before!” Wrote a third: “I gave it a go and worked a dream. Didn’t even have to scrub hard.” Said one more: “I used this as well on shower I had scrubbed with everything. Worked like a charm.” Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/mumswhoclean/" target="_blank">Facebook / Mums Who Clean</a>

Home Hints & Tips

$1.25 ALDI find deemed “miracle worker”

No one likes a stain they can’t get out, whether it is mud at the bottom of our jeans or makeup clinging to our shirt collars. Thankfully, one woman believes she has found a “miracle” saver at ALDI for just an unbelievable $1.25. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7831819/aldi-di-sanz.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f22cd448415a48af808b24324c92748f" /> The ALDI Di-San stain remover is proving to be a hit, and is causing a stir online with people posting incredible before and afters of stained and dirty clothes looking fresh off the shelf! A woman said she was shocked at the outcome of her white pillowcases after she sprayed them with Di-san and left it for five minutes. After soaking the linen in warm water for about an hour, she says the results shocked her as the items came out sparkling white. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7831818/aldi-di-sanz-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a60383e3340d4d54ae1425db0e5d9788" /> She also wrote the Lectric washing soda from Woolworths added to the water makes her pillowcases even whiter. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmichelle.calabresebrown%2Fposts%2F10158904170804012&width=500" width="500" height="731" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> People on Facebook took to the comments to rave about their own experiences with the penny pinching product. “This is brilliant I have a bottle in the kitchen for the floor tiles grout, lifts the dirt straight out. It lifts the oil stains out of hubby work clothes. Love all of Aldi laundry products,” one person said. “Best thing ever! Has helped me with so many problems I couldn’t figure out on my own,” another wrote.

Home & Garden

6 hacks to remove water stains from wood

Grab any of these household products and you’ll be able to buff out those water rings, easy. 1. Baking Soda Get those white marks—caused by hot cups or sweating glasses—off your coffee table or other wooden furniture by making a paste of one tablespoon baking soda and one teaspoon water. Gently rub the spot in a circular motion until it disappears. Remember not to use too much water to remove water stains from wood. 2. Petroleum Jelly Your most recent party left lots of watermark rings on your wood furniture. To make them disappear, apply petroleum jelly and let it sit overnight. In the morning, wipe the watermark away with the jelly. 3. Toothpaste You leave coasters around, but some people just won’t use them. To get rid of those telltale watermark rings left by sweating beverages, gently rub some non-gel toothpaste with a soft cloth on the surface to remove water stains from wood. Then wipe it off with a damp cloth and let it dry before applying furniture polish. For even stronger cleaning power, mix equal parts white toothpaste and baking soda. Rub the paste parallel to the wood grain, wipe it off, and then polish with lemon oil. 4. Salt Make watermarks left from glasses or bottles disappear by mixing one teaspoon salt with a few drops of water to form a paste. Gently rub the paste onto the ring with a soft cloth or sponge and work it over the spot until it’s gone. Restore the lustre of your wood with furniture polish. 5. Car Wax Someone forgot to use a coaster and now there’s an ugly white ring on the dining room table. When regular furniture polish doesn’t work, try using a dab of car wax to remove water stains from wood. Trace the ring with your finger to apply the wax. Let it dry and buff with a soft cloth. 6. Vinegar To remove white rings left by wet glasses on wood furniture, mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply it with a soft cloth while moving with the wood grain. Use another clean, soft cloth to shine it up. To get white water rings off leather furniture, dab them with a sponge soaked in full-strength white vinegar. Did you know that vinegar can not only remove water stains from wood but also remove blood stains? This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.ca/home-garden/cleaning/how-to-remove-water-stains-from-wood/">RD.com</a>

Art

Experts reveal: What you SHOULD and SHOULDN’T buy from ALDI

Over the years, ALDI has built a cult following for its affordable prices and various specials which offers massive savings to shoppers. However, as the supermarket chain continues to grow in popularity in Australia, leading consumer advocacy group Choice has found out what products are worth spending your money on – and which aren’t. While there are many gems to be found at the beloved ALDI, there are a few items you can skip out on throwing into your shopping trolley. Here is what you should and shouldn’t buy from ALDI. What to buy 1. Stain remover and dishwasher tablets ALDI has a number of top performing cleaning products, and the Di-San Oxy Action alongside the Enzymes Pre-Wash have proven to be two effective sprays that will get the job done. At $1.25, what can go wrong? Alongside those items, you can throw in ALDI’s Logix dishwasher tablets. 2. Nappies If you’ve got a tiny tot you’re babysitting anytime soon, then it is best to stock up on the Mamia range of nappies – not only are they some of the most affordable on the market, they are very popular based on Choice reviews. The reviews completed by experts tested each nappy brand for absorbency, leakage and strength. 3. Ski gear ALDI’s annual ski gear sale is coming up on May 18, and so many fans of the German supermarket are thrilled to be able to get the opportunity to get their hands on some bargain-priced, well-made snow goodies. 4. Premium ice-cream If you’re looking for a reason to treat yourself, let the fact ALDI’s Monarc Indulge Vanilla Opulence gourmet ice-cream be the one. For just $4.49, the sweet item is one of the cheapest gourmet ice-creams on the market, and according to Choice customer reviews – it will NOT disappoint. What to avoid 1. Televisions Denis Gallagher, TV expert for <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.choice.com.au/shopping/everyday-shopping/supermarkets/articles/aldi-best-buys-and-things-to-avoid" target="_blank">Choice</a>, said despite the reasonable prices for the electronic item, there may be better options out there. “ALDI has offered pretty good value on TVs over the years, but these days there's more competition and prices are coming down across the board. “You're better off going with a branded product – the ALDI TVs we've tested in the past have had variable results,” he explained. 2. Capsule coffee machine It may have sold extremely well and is a popular product among shoppers, but Choice experts say satisfaction based on taste was at just 45 per cent. If you’re looking for a cheap alternative for a coffee machine, the $120 ALDI Expressi multi-Beverage Capsule Machine 595 could be a good option but may not fulfil all your coffee-loving desires. 3. Liquid laundry detergent for top loaders If you have been shopping for laundry detergent from ALDI, it may be best to think again, as items such as Trimat Advanced Laundry Liquid Sensitive, and Almat Laundry Liquid Concentrate did not perform well based on customer reviews. If looking for a better alternative, try Trimat Advanced Laundry Liquid Regular, although keep in mind it did not perform much better than its competitors.

Money & Banking

No scrubbing necessary! Genius way to remove stains from stainless steel pots

Unfortunately, dirty pans and pots with impossible to remove stains are sentiments we know all too well in the kitchen. After a few uses or even after one bad mix up in the kitchen, our stainless steel appliances can become scorched and stained, and require a muscle workout to get them looking sparkling clean and brand new again. However, there is a solution that has become extremely popular on social media that has proven to work wonders – and the best part is the cleaning trick requires no elbow grease and zero scrubbing! To get a pot or pan back to its glorious original condition, all you need is a dishwashing tablet, a little time and boiling hot water. By placing a dishwashing tablet in your dirty pot with boiling hot water, the dirt, grime and hard-to-remove stains will lift and instead be replaced with a sparkling, unscratched surface. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7826196/dirty.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/666454068f4e41649065b66095be0cab" /> Dishwashing tablets have proven to be a magic trick in the kitchen – and not just for the dishes. Not only are they reported to do wonders on your stainless steel kitchen appliances, cleaning whizzes say they're also able to transform a dirty oven door and also your clothes as a replacement for laundry detergent. Will you be using this simple trick in your kitchen anytime soon? Let us know in the comments below.

Home & Garden

Homemade carpet cleaner for pet stains

Keeping carpets stain free can be a challenge when your pets are allowed inside. Katrina from <a href="https://theorganisedhousewife.com.au" target="_blank">The Organised Housewife</a> has shared her homemade carpet cleaner recipe to rescue your home from unexpected incidents. Ingredients: <ul> <li>Paper towel</li> <li>1 part water and 1 part vinegar in a spray bottle</li> <li>Bicarb soda</li> </ul> Method: 1. Use a paper towel to pick up as much solid particles from the mess as you can. If the mess is a solid, vacuum up whatever is remaining. Remove the attachment from your vacuum and use the nozzle to go over the area, left to right, back and forward, several times. 2. To remove the odour, sprinkle the mess with bicarb soda and then spray with the vinegar solution. Do not overspray the solution as the bicarb and vinegar will react together. Leave it to sit for 30 minutes to a few hours. The solution will then bring the colour to the surface, making it easy to vacuum away. 3. Vacuum up the powder from the carpet and if you can still see a hint of stain, spray again with the vinegar solution and dab a paper towel over the surface to absorb the vinegar. Repeat until the stain is fully removed. Make sure you do not rub the area but only dab/blot it. What are your tricks for removing carpet stains? Let us know in the comments below.

Home & Garden

3 ways to remove coffee stains

Coffee spills always tend to happen at the most unfortunate times, whether that be when you are already running late or in the middle of an important conversation. Here’s what you should do to remove the stain. If you spill it on your shirt Sponge the stain with cool water or soak the shirt in cool water for half an hour. You can pre-treat the shirt with a prewash stain remover and then wash as usual. If you spill it on your couch If you’ve got a stain on your couch, mix one tablespoon of liquid dish soap with two cups of cool water. Using a clean cloth, sponge the stain with the mixture. Continue doing this until the stain disappears and then once it is removed, sponge once more with cold water and blot dry. It you spill it on your carpet If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation where you have spilt coffee on your carpet, blot up as much of the coffee as possible with a paper towel. Then create a mixture of one tablespoon of liquid dish soap, one tablespoon of white vinegar and two cups of warm water. Use a clean cloth to sponge the stain, only applying a little bit of the mixture at a time. Blot with a dry cloth until the stain is gone. Then sponge with cold water and blot dry. What are you secrets to removing stains? Let us know in the comments below.

Home & Garden

The one-ingredient solution for getting rid of hard water stains

If your sink, basin, showerhead, tap or toilet is suffering from a build up of lime scale or mineral deposits, help is at hand. It’s very common in areas of ‘hard water’ for this build up to occur when water dries, leaving the calcium and magnesium behind which is hard to get rid of using bathroom cleaning products. The good news is that hard water stains are actually quite easy to get rid of with one economical product – white vinegar. Get a big bottle from the supermarket and a few old cloths and set to work. Taps Give the area a good clean with traditional bathroom cleaning products. Place cloths in a bowl and cover with white vinegar. Wrap the cloths around the stained areas and leave for 1-2 hours (add more vinegar if the cloths dry out). Remove the rags and see if the deposits have dissolved. If so, scrub with a clean scouring pad. If not, add more vinegar and soak the area for another hour. Shower head Remove the showerhead if possible and soak in a bowl of vinegar for one hour. Rinse the head under a hot tap and towel dry. If you can’t remove it, attach a strong rubber band to the shower head, and then fill a plastic bag (or ziplock bag) with white vinegar. Attach the bag to the shower head securely and leave for an hour to soak. Rinse the vinegar off by turning the hot tap on, or pouring some water onto it. Towel dry. Toilets Empty the water out by turning off the water and flushing the toilet a few times. Place cloths in a bowl of vinegar to soak, and then transfer them to the affected areas of the toilet. Leave for 2-3 hours, adding more vinegar as the cloths dry out. Remove cloths and scrub with a toilet brush. Turn the water on again and flush to rinse off the vinegar. Have you successfully tried any other methods for removing hard water stains? We would love to hear your tips in the comments.

Home & Garden

Simple trick to remove food stains from your plastic tubs in minutes

Have you ever stored red pasta sauce or Bolognese in some Tupperware and then found it was stained orange even after you washed it? There’s no need to chuck it out - there is a very simple way to remove the stains for good. All you need is some baking soda and a little water. Mix it up into a thick paste and smear it all over the affected area. Use a scouring brush to give the stained container a good scrub. Rinse well in hot water and you should find the marks have vanished. Got a stubborn stain that the baking soda paste can’t handle? Try this – fill the container half way with hot water and then add half a capful of food safe bleach. Fill all the way up and leave in the sink overnight to soak. Did you know that baking soda can be used all over the house for cleaning? Whether it’s for <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/2017/05/10-ways-to-deodorise-smelly-shoes/" target="_blank">cleaning your oven</a>, making your <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/home-garden/2017/06/homemade-weed-killers-that-work/" target="_blank">own weed-killer</a>, or for <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/home-garden/2017/08/how-to-clean-your-oven-naturally/" target="_blank">deodorising smelly shoes</a> – this is a product you need to have on hand. Have you tried this tip? Did it work for you?

Home & Garden

How to remove takeaway food stains

There is nothing quite like the convenience of ordering takeaway food on a night where you just need to take it easy. However, these delicious meals can easily stain your furniture and clothes if you are not careful. Follow these tips from the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute to remove the toughest takeaway stains. 1. Curry sauce If you are ordering Indian takeaway, you will find turmeric in your bright yellow curry. If curry sauce gets spilled on furniture, the experts advise absorbing what you can with paper towels first. Then blot the stain with methylated spirits on a paper towel and leave for 10 minutes. Continue blotting until there is no longer colour transferring onto the towel. If the stain is on your clothes, put the garment in the washing machine at a high temperature and use a biological detergent. 2. Fish and chips Fish and chips is a favourite among many but it can leave you with greasy fingers that leave greasy marks around the house. If there are greasy marks on any furniture, treat with talcum powder or cornflour. Leave for five minutes and then brush off. If the mark is on clothing, rub some washing up liquid on the garment and wash. 3. Soy sauce Experts advise that soy sauce stains can wash out if you act quickly. Blot any excess and then splash the stain with some cool water. If it’s on your clothes, rub the stain with some washing up liquid and leave for a few minutes before machine washing. 4. Pizza If you make a tomato stain, scrape off any solids with a blunt kitchen knife and then blot with a paper towel. Add a few drops of detergent solution to the stain and massage in, and then apply some cool water. If you have a pizza stain on your clothes, treat with a stain remover and wash. If the stain hasn’t come out, then the experts recommend soaking the item in a colour-safe bleach. 5. Chilli sauce To remove a chilli sauce stain on your clothes, apply a stain remover product according to the packet instructions and wash as normal. What are your tricks to removing stains? Let us know in the comments below. To find your home essentials <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/?utm_source=over60&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_medium=in-article-link-o60shop&utm_content=over60-shop" target="_blank">head to the Over60 Shop for high-quality offerings</a>. <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/living?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=in-article-banner-living&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_content=over60-shop" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.oversixty.com.au/images/EditorialAddon/201706_Shopnow_EditorialAddon_468x60_Living.jpg" alt="Over60 Shop - Living Range"/></a>

Home & Garden

3 tips to clean tough stains from baking trays

It may be one of your least favourite jobs but cleaning your baking trays is an unfortunate necessity. Burnt food, grease and grime can accumulate quickly on this kitchen workhorse, especially if you’re leaving it awhile between scrubbings. Sadly, a dishwasher just can’t apply the same kind of focused pressure that a manual scrubbing can. Fortunately, you can return your trays to their former glory with a little bit of elbow grease and some cleaning know-how. Here’s our top three tips for removing tough stains. <ol> <li>If you’re dealing with a greasy tray or burnt and blackened food, ensure you remove any big clumps from the tray with paper towel. You don’t need to scrub, just remove as much grease or loose soot as possible.</li> <li>For a greasy tray, fill your kitchen sink with piping hot water and add a good squirt of a concentrated dishwashing liquid. Pop the tray in and soak for a couple of hours or even overnight. Once the grease has softened, use a soft sponge or cloth (for a non-stick tray) or a more robust sponge or scourer (for a regular tray) to remove remaining grease and oil. Once you’ve done the hard yards, pop into the dishwasher to remove any last traces of residue.</li> <li>For a charred tray, the best technique uses baking soda and hot water. Boil your kettle then fill the sink with the hot water. Add a cup of baking soda and wait for the bubbles to subside. Pop your tray into the sink and leave for an hour or longer. Once the crusts have softened, wipe away with a dishcloth or sponge then pop into the dishwasher for a sparkling clean tray.</li> </ol> Do you have a no-fail method for cleaning crusty baking trays? Share your tips with us in the comments below. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/09/things-you-didnt-know-your-rice-cooker-could-do/">7 things you didn’t know your rice cooker could do</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/10/ways-to-use-hot-glue-around-the-house/">5 genius ways to use hot glue around the house</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/08/easy-trick-to-whiten-yellow-pillows/">The easy trick to whiten old pillows</a>

Home & Garden

Trick to make stained cookware look new again

Cookware looking worse for wear? Before throwing it in the bin and giving it up as impossible to clean, give one of these methods a go. You might just discover your baking sheet has some life left in it after all. STAINLESS STEEL COOKWARE Stainless steel cookware can last forever if treated correctly. That doesn’t mean however that it’s immune from rust and dirt. Try a clean-up job with the following. You will need: <ul> <li>Hydrogen peroxide</li> <li>Baking soda</li> <li>Steel wool/abrasive scrubbing brush</li> </ul> How to: <ol> <li>Sprinkle on a generous layer of baking soda, followed by a layer of hydrogen peroxide, then a final layer of baking soda.</li> <li>Let sit for a couple of hours (or overnight)</li> <li>Get scrubbing with your steel cool.</li> </ol> TO REMOVE RUST You will need: <ul> <li>Pumice cleaner</li> <li>Abrasive pad</li> <li>Oven cleaner</li> <li>Plastic wrap</li> </ul> How to: <ol> <li>Sprinkle the rust with pumice cleaner.</li> <li>Use the abrasive pad to scrub away at the rust. If that works, rinse your tray and you’re done. If the stain remains, try the following:</li> <li>Spray the rust stains with oven cleaner. Wrap in plastic wrap and allow to sit overnight to heat gently.</li> <li>In the morning, unwrap the tray and place in a hot oven for 20 minutes.</li> <li>Remove bakeware and let it cool before soaking in warm, soapy water and scrubbing off any remaining rust.</li> </ol> ALUMINIUM BAKEWARE Aluminium cookware can be quite prone to staining. To restore it to its former glory, try using the following. You will need: <ul> <li>Water</li> <li>Distilled white vinegar</li> <li>A pot</li> <li>Scrubbing pad</li> </ul> How to: <ol> <li>Fill the pot with equal parts water and white vinegar.</li> <li>Bring the mix to the boil then allow it to cool to room temperature.</li> <li>Saturate the pad in the mixture and scrub the stains clean</li> <li>Rinse the bakeware with soapy water and leave to dry.</li> </ol> GLASS COOKWARE Glass cookware is extremely effective but can get messy very fast. To restore sparkle to your Pyrex try and following. You will need: <ul> <li>Baking soda</li> <li>Dish soap</li> <li>Sponge</li> </ul> How to: <ol> <li>Fill the bottom of your pan/dish with baking soda followed by dish soap.</li> <li>Fill the dish with hot water and let sit for 15 minutes.</li> <li>Empty out the dish and scrub with a regular sponge.</li> </ol> What is your most effective way to remove stains from cookware? Share your tips with us in the comments below. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/08/your-bed-sheets-could-be-making-you-sick/">Your bed sheets could be making you sick</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/08/how-to-clean-your-bathroom-like-a-professional/">How to clean your bathroom like a professional</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/08/ways-to-ripen-your-avocado-in-minutes/">5 ways to ripen your avocado in minutes</a>

Home & Garden

6 steps to a stain-free carpet

We all know the traumatising, heart-stopping moment when something – a drink, an uncapped pen, a saucy meatball – drops to the carpet. And hey, accidents happen. But that doesn’t change the fact that there’s now a tell-tale stain sitting there, serving as a constant reminder of that time. So we’ve got an incredibly simple guide to getting rid of those offensive stains quicksmart. Step one – the solution In a spray bottle, mix a quarter teaspoon dishwashing liquid with one cup of warm water. Make sure your detergent doesn’t have any moisturising ingredients, as these can create extra stains. Step two – the spray Lightly spray the stain with the solution. A spray bottle is perfect for this because it allows you to apply the solution without soaking the carpet, backing, padding and floor underneath – which can cause major damage. Use the solution sparingly – you can always add more if you need to. Step three – the blot Using a clean cloth or paper towel, gently blot the stained area. Make sure you turn the cloth to a clean surface when it absorbs the stain. If the stain is really deep into the carpet, gently work the solution into the fibres with your fingers. NEVER rub the stain aggressively, as you will distort and untwist the pile, which will cause the stain to spread. Continue to spray and blot until the stain is gone, or it no longer is absorbed into your cloth. Step four – the spray, round two Using clear water, lightly spray the carpet to rinse it. With another clean, dry cloth, gently blot the damp area until all traces of your soap solution are gone. Try not to leave any solution behind, as soap will attract more stain-causing agents like dirt. Step five – the stack Place a small stack of a few clean paper towels on top of the damp carpet. Use something heavy to weigh them down (a cast iron pot or encyclopaedia). Leave the towels there overnight to absorb any residual stain as the carpet dries. Don’t skip this step, or you may see the stain reappear when the carpet is no longer damp. Step six – the fluff After a good 12 hours, remove the towels and give the carpet a light fluff with your fingers. Then you can step back and admire your handwork – aren’t you clever? Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/at-home/2015/04/great-laundry-tips/">8 stain-removal hacks</a> <a href="/lifestyle/at-home/2015/04/great-laundry-tips-and-tricks/">6 laundry hacks</a> <a href="/lifestyle/at-home/2015/04/dirtiest-household-items/">These are the most germ-filled things in your home</a>

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6 steps to a stain-free carpet

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