12 Cleaning Tips from Grandma (You’ll Wish You’d Known About Sooner)

Credit to image used in pin goes to Ethan and Yardensachs. – Changes were made to the original image.

When I was younger, whenever we visited Grandma’s house, there were always fresh baked cookies, lots of stories, and an immaculate living space. In fact, I remember exactly how she taught us to keep things neat and tidy. From the kitchen to the bathroom up to the bedrooms, she had cleaning insights for all parts of the house.

And for today, I’ve decided to share some of the best cleaning tips for keeping a clean house.  So check them out and let me know what you think.

Renew Stained Table Linens

Whether it’s Thanksgiving or a holiday dinner, table linens play an important role in making things feel like an occasion. They compliment any silverware and add instant style to your table. But over time, chances are yellow stains will start ot show up. To easily renew your stained linens, Grandma suggests that you toss them in a hot water and add four black tea bags. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and remove from the mixture. Let dry to set, then wash in cold water and voila, brand new looking linen.

You’ve Gotta Clean as You Cook

If you’re someone who loves to cook like me, you know the pain of cleaning after every a meal. Lot’s of the dirty dishes and mess on the counter that needs attention. It’s easy to skip cleaning as you go but chances are you’ll feel tired after your big stint of cooking and your belly is full.  Then it just sits there, cluttering the space and your mind.

Make it a habit to always clean as you cook. Throw anything that you won’t need like vegetable peels, empty cans, seeds and declutter and wipe down the countertops.

Refresh The Dishwasher

Your dishwasher’s function is to clean, so it makes sense to always keep it clean, right? To keep your dishwasher sparkling clean and odor free, pour 1 cup of white vinegar into the bottom of your empty dishwasher and then run it through a cycle of running water. You can also sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda into the bottom of your dishwasher and leave it overnight. In the morning, run an empty cycle and then enjoy the cleanness!

Freshen the Air Naturally

I’m sure you would love to go home and have the place smell inviting. And by using a natural air freshener like vanilla extract, your place will smell amazing. All you have to do is soak a cotton ball with vanilla extract, rub over a light bulb and when it heats, the room will smell great.

Make Your Own Cleaning Products

It’s easy to get store-bought cleaning products but usually, these cleaners are not safe and have toxins. Instead of buying commercial ones, why not make your own and make Grandma proud?  There are plenty of cleaners that only need ingredients from your pantry. They’re easy to do, effective and comes super cheap. Whether it’s for your kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, or mudroom, there’s a natural cleaner that you can have. They’re better than anything you’ll find in the store and you’ll save so much money.

Clean Your Toilets Overnight

Another tip from Grandma to help make your bathroom clean again. Sprinkle some borax in your toilet bowl and spread white vinegar over it before you go to sleep. In the morning, give the toilet a scrub with your toilet brush and flush. The borax will loosen any grime or deposits and make it easier to scrub away!

Keep Your Rags

My grandma was so thrifty and so resourceful. She never threw worn out, old clothes. Instead, she used them as rags for cleaning her home. Why not do the same thing?  It’s cheaper and more environmentally friendly than using store bought rags.

Make Your Countertop Sparkle

Want to know Grandma’s secret to make your countertop sparkle? Slice a grapefruit or any citrus fruit in half and then sprinkle plenty of salt on top and rub away the dirt and grime. Rinse away with hot water and then sponge. The juice of the citrus fruit naturally clean your countertops and leaves a fresh, refreshing scent.

Get Rid Of Stains On Pots And Pans

With use, pots and pans get stains and are sometimes hard to make clean and new looking. Give them a nice clean bath and make them look new again. How? Just apply a mixture of three parts baking soda to one part water, and leave it on the bottom of the pan for about 10 minutes. Scrub with a non-scratch sponge after and it’ll look bright and clean again. Use the same tip to for your burnt pots or scorched pans.

Clean Your Walls From Top to Bottom

For so long time, I used to start cleaning your walls in the bottom instead of from the top. But then I was taught that if you start at the bottom and get it clean, there will be dirt running down the wall onto the clean part as soon as you get the part above it wet. And you’ll have to clean the bottom parts over and over again. Time-consuming right? Change the habit and clean your walls from top to bottom. You’ll want to thank Grandma later.

Put Dryer Sheets in Your Linen Closet

Nothing beats sleeping in a bed made with fresh sheets or wrapping up in a towel that’s laundry-fresh. But no matter how you keep your stuff and linens, keeping them fresh scent can be a bit of a challenge.

Luckily, you can easily freshen things in your closet by adding a bunch of dryer sheets. You’ll be surprised how they smell amazing. Just be mindful to keep the dryer sheets out of the reach of children and pets – they have chemicals.

Practice an Ounce of Prevention

And that leads us to this last Grandma tip. Seriously, if you make it a habit to clean your place even with just a little effort, it can prevent bigger messes that can add up to make things feel cluttered and hectic. Give your floor a nice sweep throughout the week and get rid of all the dust.  Place a doormat outside your front door and wipe your feet. After you brush your teeth, wipe the bathroom sink to avoid toothpaste drying in place – little habits like this add up and the more of them, the better. These simple tricks that you can do that can ease the pain of deep cleaning.

It’s no secret that Grandma has all the best cleaning tips for making things feel clean and homey. Apply them and enjoy the results.  Don’t forget to leave a comment and let me know what you think.  Also be sure to add any tips your grandma gave you that were left out!

Silas & Grace

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Chasing Foxes was started in 2016 as a way for Grace and her husband, Silas, to start traveling. However, they started to realize that they had a passion for improving themselves, and wanted to help others level up their lives as well. So whether it's with cooking, travel, or staying healthy, they want to help you better your life bit by bit, as they do the same.