Many people believe that the old ways are the best, particularly when it comes to cleaning our homes, and those people just might be right…
- Eliminating dust, the old-fashioned way:
Our grandparents used to dust with a damp cloth, making it far quicker and easier to pick up dust and remove it, rather than simply shifting it from one place to another. Wooden surfaces need to be dried off afterwards with a cloth to prevent watermarks, but generally this technique works well and apparently always has done!
- Getting rid of stains:
Our old timers used to use methylated spirits to get rid of unwanted tea and coffee stains from fabrics by simply diluting it in water first, leaving it to soak into the fabric, and then washing it as you would normally. Spot tests for certain delicate fabrics are recommended, but this age-old technique is usually effective. Blood stains are notoriously hard to remove, but an old tried and tested method is to soak the stained article in water that is highly salted, and then wash it normally.
- Drain cleaning how it used to be done:
Our old-fashioned favourites, bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar, work fabulously well at unblocking drains, and doing it regularly helps to avoid your drains from becoming blocked in the first place. Tip a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda down the drain and follow it with a cup of a white vinegar. You’ll hear or see the two substances fizzing together, and once the fizz has died down, pour some boiling hot water down the drain and wait for it to become unblocked in seconds. Tried and tested!
- Cleaning chopping boards how our grandmothers used to:
The technique for cleaning and sanitising wooden chopping boards couldn’t be easier or cheaper; scrub the surface of the board with coarse salt and rub half a lemon over the top before rinsing it off with boiling water. The best way to get it completely dry is to leave it in the direct sunlight, and your chopping board will smell better, look better, and be safe to use. The old tricks are the best!
- Banishing mildew:
Our old favourite white vinegar is back in use, and this product alone is fantastic at removing mildew from tiles and walls. Simply mix 1 part of white vinegar with 3 parts of water into a spray container and soak the affected areas with the mixture. It’s best to leave it on for at least 10 minutes before wiping it off.
- The old method of cleaning your toilet:
Borax and vinegar are the weapons of choice for fans of old fashioned cleaning when it comes to the toilet bowl, and simply sprinkling borax around the bowl followed by a half cup of vinegar, usually does the trick. You must leave it overnight before flushing, for it to work properly though.
- Preventing your refrigerator from ponging:
Fans of old fashioned cleaning techniques swear by coffee grounds or bicarbonate of soda for eliminating nasty smells in fridges, and a bowl of either substance left in the back of the refrigerator should soak up any nasty or strong pongs.
- Smelly sneakers?
A tried and tested method of getting rid of any nasty whiffs emanating from shoes, is to pop them into a plastic bag and bung them in the freezer. If, however, your freezer is fit to bursting, you can always fill some old socks with a mixture of fragrant herbs and spices and leave them inside the affected shoes when they’re not in use.
Some of us may use these techniques today and not realise just how long they have been in use for, but when it comes to cleaning, the old methods tend to be the best, and no amount of expensive chemical cleaning solutions can ever be a replacement for good old vinegar and borax!