Household tips and tricks! - Are you having trouble getting the wine stains out of your carpet? Do you clean your cookware with something extraordinary? Come share!

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NOT Sword Fighter Super said:
God I hate that texture. It’s almost impossible to clean and dust bunnies always cling to it.

I’ve used the spray to patch a water damaged area and it came out ok, but definitely doesn’t match the rest.
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Popcorn ceilings and their consequences have been a disaster for the human race.
 
Aunt Carol said:
Popcorn ceilings and their consequences have been a disaster for the human race.
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I had a poorly ventilated bathroom with a popcorn ceiling... I couldn't even touch the ceiling with a broom to sweep the dust off because it used to crumble at the slightest touch. I always worried that I'd end up with severe mould infestation because there was absolutely nothing I could do to clean it off. Popcorn texture is horrible stuff.
 
Yeah I loathe the popcorn, I planned to scrape it all off some day, but the ceiling hole showed me just how damn thin the stupid ceiling is. Thank you all for the help though! I'll look into these kits and buy a bucket when I have the money.
 
A Beached Whale said:
Yeah I loathe the popcorn, I planned to scrape it all off some day, but the ceiling hole showed me just how damn thin the stupid ceiling is. Thank you all for the help though! I'll look into these kits and buy a bucket when I have the money.
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It's literally a cheap and shitty way to hide imperfections on the surface.

I guess you could also call it sound-deadening, but it's not super effect at that.

We have a partially pitched ceiling in our bedroom and I've grazed against the popcorn surface a few time and it's drawn blood at least once.
 
Using only borax and baking soda for washing towels changed my life. Super clean and absorbent.
 
TrainWreckSpotter said:
Hydrogen peroxide for blood and red wine stains is a miracle. Remember this tip for carpets, which can't be put in the wash.

Also, when my dog has an accident on a carpet, I spray it with white vinegar, put some paper towels over it, then put something heavy (like a stack of books or magazines) on top. (Put a piece of Saran wrap between the paper towels and the heavy object so it doesn't get ruined if the urine soaks through). Leave for about a half an hour, then repeat as necessary.


I have a clogged upstairs toilet right now. The clog is obviously deep, but the downstairs toilet directly below still flushes fine, so it's not THAT deep. I tried Power Plunger (which always works for slow or clogged bathtub drains), a pressurized air gizmo, baking soda and vinegar, and a product called Green Gobbler. I can't use a caustic drain opener because I have and old house with cast iron pipes (learned that the hard way). I do not want to call a plumber if I can possible avoid it. Any advice? (I still have to remember where I put my drain snake.)
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Only option you really have, is a toilet auger. I definitely wouldn't recommend using a whole bunch of chemicals since you have a septic system. Additionally, as much as it sucks, only
 
Aunt Carol said:
Popcorn ceilings and their consequences have been a disaster for the human race.
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Just about everything that was done in the 1970s was a bad idea. Another one was carpeted kitchens. Why would anyone think that was a good idea? I lived in two apartments that had them and both were soaked in grease.
 
TrainWreckSpotter said:
Just about everything that was done in the 1970s was a bad idea. Another one was carpeted kitchens. Why would anyone think that was a good idea? I lived in two apartments that had them and both were soaked in grease.
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My grandparents got their kitchen carpeted in the 1990s. I was a kid but even back then I couldn't figure out wtf they were thinking. And yes, the carpet ended up did manky despite my houseproud grandparents' best efforts.
 
Stripped screw hole? Put toothpicks in it so the threads have something to grab onto.

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Foxymophandlemama said:
Going shopping for cleaning products tomorrow, what are the best ones to clean your bathroom? Help a Kiwi to survive her first apartment.
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Clorox wipes, 409, Scrubbing Bubbles, or Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Though I wouldn't combine them.

Magic erasers are also great for getting marks off the wall, or stains off of hard surfaces.
 
You'll need a general cleaning spray, a glass cleaning spray, a floor detergent and a toilet cream (like Jif, if you have it in your country). A surface disinfectant is also a good idea; generic bleach will work fine. If you need to be save your dollars, you can get by with just a general cleaning spray and dish soap, but having the five I mentioned will make your life a little easier. Also get some cleaning cloths, I recommend microfibre if you can get them. I also prefer using nonscratch scourers to help get rid of soap scum between tiles. You will need a bucket, a mop and a dustpan and brush.

Also, do remember to get bug spray! If you don't have it, you will absolutely miss it.
 
glass_houses said:
My grandparents got their kitchen carpeted in the 1990s. I was a kid but even back then I couldn't figure out wtf they were thinking. And yes, the carpet ended up did manky despite my houseproud grandparents' best efforts.
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One time I tried to iron a shirt and ended up with a big stain on it. It turned out my dumbass roommate saw a bug crawling across the kitchen carpet and slammed the iron down on it, thus transferring the grease from the carpet to the iron to my shirt. With permission from the landlords, I pulled up the carpet and put down cheap peel and stick tiles. I did the same with the other other apartment I lived in that had a carpet in the kitchen. In the second apartment, the landlord was so cheap they wouldn't pay for it, so I ate the expense. I got the ugliest, cheapest tiles possible, but I was willing to do it because it bothered me so much.
 
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I had some black scuff marks on my tile floor that I was having a hard time removing for a while. I made a paste with baking soda and water, put it over the scuff marks, scrubbed over it with a towel (a microfiber cloth would also work, but I didn’t have one on hand), and the marks came off easily. It’s like they were never there now. I strongly recommend it to anyone struggling with a similar problem.
 
Foxymophandlemama said:
Going shopping for cleaning products tomorrow, what are the best ones to clean your bathroom? Help a Kiwi to survive her first apartment.
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I'm an ex-poor with hippy taste, so I recommend:
  • Non-toxic all purpose cleaner (not the "kills all germs" stuff). You can even make it yourself.
  • Rags/reusable cleaning wipes (Paper towels are only for really gross messes)
  • Toilet cleaner and a toilet brush. Just squirt some in once a month and rub it down and you'll never have to scrub the bowl with a pumice stone.
  • Wee vacuum/dustpan so you can clean up little messes without taking out the big version

Meat Target said:
Clorox wipes, 409, Scrubbing Bubbles, or Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Though I wouldn't combine them.

Magic erasers are also great for getting marks off the wall, or stains off of hard surfaces.
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Clorox wipes = Germ-killing cleaning wipes
409 = Oil/grease-dissolving spray cleaner
Scrubbing Bubbles = Bathroom cleaner
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers = Basically a sandpaper-sponge DO NOT USE ON GLASS OR WOOD OR NICE SURFACES

glass_houses said:
You'll need a general cleaning spray, a glass cleaning spray, a floor detergent and a toilet cream (like Jif, if you have it in your country).
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Not this Jif
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glass_houses said:
A surface disinfectant is also a good idea; generic bleach will work fine. If you need to be save your dollars, you can get by with just a general cleaning spray and dish soap, but having the five I mentioned will make your life a little easier. Also get some cleaning cloths, I recommend microfibre if you can get them. I also prefer using nonscratch scourers to help get rid of soap scum between tiles. You will need a bucket, a mop and a dustpan and brush.

Also, do remember to get bug spray! If you don't have it, you will absolutely miss it.
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You can make a bug-trap for fruit flies with water, soap, and balsamic or apple cider vinegar.
Mix the soap, water, and vinegar together. The soap breaks the surface tension of the water and when the flies fly in to check out the vinegar they fall in and drown.
 
Magic erasers are great but if you just look for 'melamine foam' wherever you sop online you can get it much cheaper in bulk.
Wetting a red wine stain on cotton all slathering it with Dawn will work wonder. Just let it sit a few minutes and know you may need to repeat the process.
Replace your washer hoses every five years. It's a trivial cost and can prevent disaster.
They make pumice stones with handles that are perfect for scrubbing hard water buildup off porcelain and work great for getting up inside a toilet rim. Makes it easier to keep clean.
 
I seek help from the council. My dishwasher cleans like shit. I've done a bunch of troubleshooting steps and it's still garbage, leaves a gross thick white residue on everything and has gotten moldy despite me frequently cleaning it

1. cleaned the filter - small improvements but still shit
2. switched from dishwasher tabs to dishwasher powder, citrus booster, rinse aid - minor improvement, still shit
3. tried to do a dishwasher cleaner with a wax seal - didn't melt the wax seal
4. tried some dishwasher cleaner that was just a powder - still shit
5. checked heating element - appears to be okay, water is steamy which is more than it gets out of the tap
6. turned up water heater temp because it was pretty cold - no improvement

facts worth knowing - I use well water and live in a damp, swampy area.

Any sage advice? My next troubleshooting step is to put it on the street corner and let the local tweakers sell the metal in it for meth and buy a new one.
 
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