Top 5 Tips For Safer Cleaning

The most important reason behind cleaning is making your home a safer place. But, if you don’t do it properly, you may not achieve this result and that can put you and your family to risk. We at Helpling – SG always make sure that this doesn’t happen and that your home is safe for eating, touching, breathing, in one word – living. Also, we wanted to help you even when we are not there – so, we provide you with some tips on how to clean your home the safest way possible. Let’s start!

1. Baking soda is not just for baking

Here’s the first item on the list. Sodium bicarbonate, or commonly referred to as baking soda, is primarily used in baking as a leavening agent. Besides that, baking soda is incredibly useful when it comes to cleaning. You won’t believe the universal efficiency of this substance until you try it… That’s why we will mention some examples of using the baking soda in cleaning, so you can see how it works, and apply the knowledge afterward. Baking soda can be used for cleaning your toilet – simply add 1/4 of soda to the bowl, swirl and then scrub. Besides other amazing properties of the baking soda, this substance is also not toxic, actually, it is edible. That means you can use it to clean some things that otherwise would be very risky when using standards detergent – your children’s toys, pet’s bed (even your pet’s teeth), basically everything that you once worried about when treating your loved ones. You’re having a clogged drain, or you just want to deodorize it? Baking soda solves this too. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a 1/2 cup of vinegar (these two, soda and vinegar, are an awesome combo), then cover it with a wet cloth (this is optional), wait about 5 minutes and finally flush it with hot water. The drain will be good as new! Extra greasy dishes and pans are no problems when you’ve got soda – dial up your dish detergent’s power with it. You can use it to clean and freshen-up your dishwasher or coffee maker simply by running an empty cycle with baking soda. Options are limitless – be creative and know that you can’t make a mistake with baking soda. And don’t forget to combine it with vinegar, together they make wonders!

2. Vinegar, you amazing liquid…

Another 100 % safe item. Vinegar is a liquid consisted of about 5-20% acetic acid, which makes it perfect for cleaning. Like we said, it is great for cleaning when combined with the baking soda – but also when used independently. Both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar are excellent in cleaning endeavors. Burnt-on grease? Mineral deposits on your spigot? Vinegar can easily solve these problems. You can even use it to steam-clean your microwave – just put a glass bowl filled with a solution of 1/4 cup vinegar in 1 cup water inside, turn on the microwave for 5 minutes on the highest setting. After the bowl cools down, use the remaining liquid to dip a sponge or cloth in it – and swipe the microwave in order to remove stains and splatters inside the microwave. The other example of vinegar being extremely efficient in cleaning is when used on mineral deposits on your bathroom sink. Wrap the sink in some cloth, soak it in vinegar, leave for a few minutes – and enjoy the view! Many cleaning products (that also aren’t completely safe) don’t get this effect, so always keep some vinegar in your home.

3. More than just lemonade

Well, you use lemons to make the lemonade and you put them in your favorite liquor, so, obviously, it is perfectly safe to use in cleaning, too. And if you love lemons, you will love them even more now! Due to the citric acid they contain, lemons are another cleaning wonder. Let me tell you how you can easily clean wood cutting boards just with one-half of a lemon and a bit of coarse salt. Firstly, sprinkle the cutting board with some salt. Then, use the lemon to rub the surface of the board – downside, of course, squeezing slightly to release the juice. The lemon you are using doesn’t have to be freshly cut one, a mostly squeezed lemon will do just fine. After you’ve finished scouring, let the cutting board sit for about 5 minutes. Next, grab a bench scraper and scrape the dirty liquid off the board. Finally, rinse the surface with a clean wet sponge. That’s it, go now and make yourself some lemonade, you deserve it!

4. Safe storage and safe usage

You know this one, but do you act accordingly? If you don’t (or at least you don’t follow these rules fully), start taking notes and put them to use, right away. First, never mix products. Chemicals can have dangerous reactions when combined – for example, bleach and ammonia together create poisonous fumes. Also, always make sure you store cleaning products (especially commercial ones) out of your children’s and pet’s reach. We recommend ventilating, using gloves and other precautions. Your home can never be safe enough.               

  5. Practice safer cleaning techniques (especially in bathroom and kitchen)

We’ll give you an example: when cutting vegetables and meat, always use separate cutting boards and also wash the meat cutting board in the dishwasher. The sponges you use in your kitchen need to be replaced frequently – it may look clean, but don’t forget that the high temperatures in your kitchen, food on your dishes and water in your sink create a heaven for the bacteria. Also, make sure you wring them out to keep dry. You can disinfect your sponges at least weekly by boiling them in water for three minutes or microwave them for a minute. Always wash your hands after using the bathroom.

Don’t forget to stick to these tips (and all those you already know) and your home will be a lot safer place for you and your loved ones. What is more important than that?