Life is tough enough as it is; what with work commitments, bills to pay and responsibilities to meet. If you are a homeowner, you have the added pressure of building maintenance, which comes with the territory and in this article, we offer a few cool home maintenance hacks that will surely make life that little bit easier.
- Blocked drains – The best solution is to call a contractor that handles blocked drains in Castle Hill and let the professionals identify the blockage and remove it. A kitchen sink might benefit from pouring boiling water down the sink, otherwise, this is a job that’s best left to the guys who know what they are doing.
- Cleaning hacks – Cleaning is one job that you can’t put off; the best way to clean chrome is to use lemon juice, which miraculously removes most things. Baby oil is another product you can use when cleaning chrome, silver and stainless steel, which brings the metal out in a nice shine. Vinegar is great for removing stains on faucets; simply soak a few paper towels in vinegar and wrap them around the bathroom or kitchen taps and leave for 10-15 minutes.
- Floor maintenance hacks – Floors get dirty really quickly for obvious reasons; you could adopt an Asian tradition and have everyone take off their shoes when entering the home; we do drag dirt and grime on the soles of our shoes and wipe your feet on the mat isn’t going to remove it. You don’t have to remove dirt if it gets left outside in a shoe rack placed conveniently by the door. Grout lines can be very difficult to clean, get an old toothbrush and apply a little bleach gel to restore the grouting to its original colour, making the room feel fresh. Scratches on a hardwood floor stand out; get a few walnuts and rub them over the scratch and the soft outer pith will fill the cracks and blend with the floor. Click here for some end-of-lease cleaning tips.
- Appliance hacks – Household appliances are not exactly cheap and we want to extend the lifespan if we can. Descale your dishwasher with a vinegar cycle by simply putting a glass of vinegar on the top shelf and running a cycle. Do this once a year and your appliance will always be ready for work. The fridge has thick rubber seals around the door and the frame, use a cleaning solution to clean inside the channels, making sure all grime is removed; such an environment is a magnet for pests! The seal will always be 100%, which will save a little energy.
- Window hacks – Chipped glass is annoying, as it breaks up that shiny, smooth line; forget calling a glazier, simply dab some clear nail varnish into the affected area, adding layers until it reaches the surface and a wet finger to smooth the varnish! Cleaning Venetian blinds is complex; get a pair of tongs and put a thick sock over both sides, then use this to rub between the slats, you will have to rinse the dirt out of the sock periodically, but it will leave the blinds looking like new.
Owning a house brings with it a level of responsibility and by learning from others, you can find some great hacks to keep cleaning to a minimum.
