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!

[long waters]

BUY A SECOND SET OF BEDDING.
If you have problems remembering to change your sheets, just get as second set and throw the dirties in your laundry pile. Sometimes you don't need to do the full chore of strip-wash-dry-remake with the bed. Some days all you can do is strip and remake the the washing part is separate chore.

I already have a second set. I'm just incredibly lazy about switching them. If you live alone and never have anyone over, as long as they aren't yellowing or smell in any kind of way, why wash them. Obviously, there are reasons to do so, but that is the mindset of how things end up this way.

I don't know how others handle their bedding, but I always shower either when I get home and/or before bed, and when it's summer I like to run the AC low enough that I don't sweat in the first place. I think those things probably help when you're being very lazy about changing bed sheets.

EDIT: To clarify, the recent posts have convinced me, I will be changing my sheets way more often than before.

ALSO, YES REPLACE YOUR PILLOWS. When they are visibly discolored it's time to get rid of them. Holy shit how do you people live like this? Even monkeys throw out their old bedding in the wild and replace it with new leaves.

There's nothing wrong with a little yellow pillow!... As long as the cover is nice and white, nobody needs to know.

Ever since I got the new clothes dryer, I absolutely love its bed linen drying mode. It has this fancy thing where it alternates the direction the drum spins and it really does prevent them from clumping together and getting tangled. It's great!

Also, on the topic of washing pillows, I have a feather pillow and I did very recently wash it. I then tried drying it in the tumble dryer and it came out amazing. I used it's 'Down' mode, which as I understand it is for puffy jackets. Either way, it was very fluffy and incredibly comfy when it came out.

 

[JanuaryViolet]

There are people that only own two sets of sheets??
I have an embarrassing amount of bedding, possibly enough to stock a small B&B. I admit this is a bit obsessive on my part. It's mostly vintage or higher-end because I can't stand most of the modern stuff (1970 is when it really started going downhill until they found out that people really do hate polyester), and I have an antique bed that's an odd size. Also, maybe it's a cope of some kind.
I also admit that I iron flat sheets and pillowcases.
Bring on the flying seatbelts and puzzle pieces.

So as not to double post:
"I absolutely love its bed linen drying mode. It has this fancy thing where it alternates the direction the drum spins and it really does prevent them from clumping together and getting tangled. It's great!"
Quick tip for anyone with a dryer that doesn't have this feature: Put a (CLEAN) sneaker or running shoe in the dryer with the pillow. The shoe will help fluff it up. Noisy as hell but also works for puffy coats/jackets.

 

[There She Glows]

The pillow on the other hand, although the cover is fine, the pillow itself has become rather yellow. Perhaps I should switch to at least doing it every 2 weeks?

I change my pillow case daily, which is probably much more than necessary but it's easier to remember that way.

I change my pillow case daily, but I use t-shirts as pillow cases (layered over the real pillow case) so I don't need to either own a bunch of pillowcases or do laundry every day. Does it look a little trashy? Yes, but t-shirt cotton microfiber helps my hair not get split ends and is good for skin. Plus all of my old band/sport/school/whatever shirts get some use so I don't have to throw them away.

 

[long waters]

I also admit that I iron flat sheets and pillowcases.

This sounds like psychotic behaviour to me. I would go insane if I had to iron sheets every week! (Or more often than that)

Quick tip for anyone with a dryer that doesn't have this feature: Put a (CLEAN) sneaker or running shoe in the dryer with the pillow. The shoe will help fluff it up. Noisy as hell but also works for puffy coats/jackets.

Huh, doesn't that damage the shoe? I imagine the heat isn't good for the adhesives. Plus all the tumbling would wear it down, no?

 

[Imp]

I also admit that I iron flat sheets and pillowcases.
Bring on the flying seatbelts and puzzle pieces.

So as not to double post:
"I absolutely love its bed linen drying mode. It has this fancy thing where it alternates the direction the drum spins and it really does prevent them from clumping together and getting tangled. It's great!"
Quick tip for anyone with a dryer that doesn't have this feature: Put a (CLEAN) sneaker or running shoe in the dryer with the pillow. The shoe will help fluff it up. Noisy as hell but also works for puffy coats/jackets.

I do iron flat sheets, pillow cases AND flat weave all cotton kitchen towels. so there you're not the lone loon. I use spray starch on the top hem of the flat sheet too.

I use wool balls in all my dryer loads and a can or so of clean tennis balls for pillows and down coats. I do wash down pillows, quite successfully, on delicate with down wash or something like Woolite detergent. Multi cycles on extra low heat in my gas dryer, with a turn in the sun on a rack if it's sunny.

I'm reckless with machine washing. Wool? You betcha. Cashmere? Ha, bring it on. Some silk, I'm not quite that crazy. I washed US letter jackets, wool with vinyl sleeves and they looked new again.

A quick update on my hard towel situation AKA war of hard water vs drying cloths. I am trying some chemistry experiments with citric acid in the softener slot, washing soda and citric acid in the drum and varying the amounts of powdered detergent (Persil) and the additives. Oh and baking soda. Maybe the towels are a wee bit softer? Early days yet.

 

[Aunt Carol]

Huh, doesn't that damage the shoe? I imagine the heat isn't good for the adhesives. Plus all the tumbling would wear it down, no?

"Shoe" is the classic, Hints from Heloise answer, but yeah, who has shoes that clean? Like @Imp said, either some "dryer balls" or tennis/dog chew balls that stay in the laundry room is pretty reasonable.

 

[JanuaryViolet]

This sounds like psychotic behaviour to me. I would go insane if I had to iron sheets every week! (Or more often than that)


Huh, doesn't that damage the shoe? I imagine the heat isn't good for the adhesives. Plus all the tumbling would wear it down, no?

Not if you have a rotary iron. Your great-grandmother may have had one, if she were lucky -- they were expensive appliances in their time. Mine is a mid-to-late 1950s Ironrite, works like a charm. Definitely is faster. While there is a steep learning curve, it's possible to iron shirts nicely on it. Soft, crisp, clean, ironed sheets on a summer night is like heaven, and nice the rest of the year, too.

Re: the shoe -- use an old one that's already been through the wash. Old sneakers are best. Or tennis balls work as well, as others have suggested.

Cannot quote for some reason but @Imp says she also irons flat weave kitchen towels. Me too! Especially the nice embroidered ones I've made. Also going to try the starch-the-top hem trick.

 

[Imp]

My grandmother had a mangle iron I think it was called. Maybe it was once offered to me but I had no room and no interest. I use a heavy Rowenta on the edge of cotton/linen heat with max steam. Let the weight and heat do the work for you.

No I just looked up mangle and I don't think that's what it was. I think it was a press iron like this only circa 1950

 

[JanuaryViolet]

My grandmother had a mangle iron I think it was called. Maybe it was once offered to me but I had no room and no interest. I use a heavy Rowenta on the edge of cotton/linen heat with max steam. Let the weight and heat do the work for you.

Nope. it's this: Ironrite (Caution, second degree burns are possible. Start low and slow.)


As far as I know, that's a flat/pants press in your picture. They're still available at places that have dry cleaning and commercial laundry equipment, My steam iron is from a tailors' supply. I couldn't find an old Sussman or a good clone for what I could afford at the time so I got a one that has a gravity tank and not nearly as much guts as the kind we had at the shop. My first Rowenta lasted 20+ years, when I had to replace it, the next one only lasted five, so I just went ahead and got a commercial steam iron. I find that (new) irons meant for home use do not get as hot, and they have goddam idiot auto shutoff, undoubtedly because of liability issues. And because of morons who don't unplug them when not in direct use.

I'm reckless with machine washing. Wool? You betcha. Cashmere? Ha, bring it on. Some silk, I'm not quite that crazy. I washed US letter jackets, wool with vinyl sleeves and they looked new again

Me too. If you know textiles, you know what they can handle and what they can't. ::fistbump::
I also have a similar philosophy about dishwashers -- if objects will fit in the dishwasher and survive the cycle undamaged, that's where it goes. I'd do laundry by hand, but I HATE washing dishes. (Which is why the 70+-year old Noritake very rarely gets used.)
To everyone else on this thread, thank you for tolerating the sperging.

 

[long waters]

@Imp @JanuaryViolet I had no idea those machines even existed for household use. I see they can be found in my country, but damn they are pricy! Having a yuropoor moment right here.

I thought you meant you iron the sheets with a plain hand iron that's used for normal clothes. I actually tried that when I first got them and it felt like way too much work to be worth it haha.

PS: Something like this is what my grandfolks used:

Good ol ember heated iron!

Westerners are built different with your fancy ironing machines

 

[ChompChomp]

Use a French press for your coffee? When's the last time you cleaned it?

I mean, actually cleaned it?

ONe tip is to disassemble the French press strainer. Unless you have the cheapest one on the market, you should be able to unscrew the strainer without too much trouble.

In the photos below, I cleaned mine just before making some Java and then cleaned with soap and water after. The next day, old coffee already began accumulating. Imagine that over a few months or years!

 

[Aunt Carol]

ONe tip is to disassemble the French press strainer.

Another tip is to refer to it as "seasoning" and continue as you were.

 

[glass_houses]

In search of advice:

The grout of my kitchen's ancient tiles has a distinctly grubby hue, presumably because of long term dust deposition. Wiping it down with standard cleaners makes no difference to the grime, but I am worried about the physical damage that hard scrubbing or harsher chemicals could do if I were to really lay into it. Whoever put the tiles up did not believe in quality materials. Has anyone come up against this problem before?

 

[Shig O'nella]

In search of advice:

The grout of my kitchen's ancient tiles has a distinctly grubby hue, presumably because of long term dust deposition. Wiping it down with standard cleaners makes no difference to the grime, but I am worried about the physical damage that hard scrubbing or harsher chemicals could do if I were to really lay into it. Whoever put the tiles up did not believe in quality materials. Has anyone come up against this problem before?

Scrape it out and regrout, it shouldn't take more than a day or so.. It's cheaper, less messy, and give a far better result than any remedy you might attempt now.

 

[glass_houses]

Scrape it out and regrout, it shouldn't take more than a day or so.. It's cheaper, less messy, and give a far better result than any remedy you might attempt now.

I'm in a rental. Fuck doing anymore free shit for the landlord.

 

[Wuhan Wet Market]

I'm in a rental. Fuck doing anymore free shit for the landlord.

Honestly it's not like the landlord is gonna give back the security deposit anyway. I say leave it as is unless its *that* ugly

 

[JanuaryViolet]

In search of advice:

The grout of my kitchen's ancient tiles has a distinctly grubby hue, presumably because of long term dust deposition. Wiping it down with standard cleaners makes no difference to the grime, but I am worried about the physical damage that hard scrubbing or harsher chemicals could do if I were to really lay into it. Whoever put the tiles up did not believe in quality materials. Has anyone come up against this problem before?

Have you tried the stuff labeled as grout cleaner? They contain bleach, so cover up anything you're wearing so it doesn't spot and use rags you don't care about throwing away after use. Obviously, work from the top down, and you might want to wear rubber gloves/have a window cracked if you're sensitive to the stuff. A friend swears by using a handheld steam cleaner and milder stuff, but this requires having a handheld steam cleaner (about $40). For a couple of bucks you can get cheap grout cleaner at the discount store, try that first.

 

[Friend of Dorothy Parker]

Have you tried the stuff labeled as grout cleaner? They contain bleach, so cover up anything you're wearing so it doesn't spot and use rags you don't care about throwing away after use. Obviously, work from the top down, and you might want to wear rubber gloves/have a window cracked if you're sensitive to the stuff. A friend swears by using a handheld steam cleaner and milder stuff, but this requires having a handheld steam cleaner (about $40). For a couple of bucks you can get cheap grout cleaner at the discount store, try that first.

If you want an exceptionally expensive (and so likely not worth the bother for rentals) approach to grout (and just about everything else) using high steam, I will recommend the Ladybug. Cleans and disinfects with just vapor. They have terrible marketing, but they are recommended on allergy sites, grout sites, etc. Made in Italy. I've had mine 12-15ish years, and it really is fantastic. Hasn't stopped me from buying 8 million other cleaning, disinfecting, polishing. etc., options, but it's great.

 

[JanuaryViolet]

and it really is fantastic

Oh man, at that price it better be. Looks incredibly yummy, though.

 

[long waters]

Has anyone come up against this problem before?

I had a similar problem in the bathroom, but what I did I could never recommend to anyone else because it was a rather insane idea. I used a pressure/power washer to clean it It did a good job cleaning, but there were a couple of spots where the grout chipped because of it. Also, obviously, you'd need to have a proper floor drain for all the water.

Would never recommend anyone try this. Especially so in a rental place.