Commercial Cleaning Industry News, Tips, Guide and Checklist

Have you ever taken a look underneath your stove’s hood and checked out the exhaust fan filter? If you have never done this or it has been a while since not commercial cleaning it, you may be in for a big surprise.

A rangehood filter’s primary purpose is to collect grease and grime from your stove’s exhaust fumes. If working correctly, a rangehood filter can effectively keep your kitchen clean from grease build-up. 

However, over time ickiness and grease may affect the filter significantly, essentially making it lose its effectiveness. That is why it is imperative to clean these filters periodically so that your kitchen remains clean and hygienic. 

In today’s article, you learn how to clean your range hood filter and discover how easy it is to wash. You will also clean the filter in your sink with good degreasing dish soap, baking soda, and boiling water. 

Your rangehood filter can also be cleaned in the dishwasher, but we don’t recommend jumping to that method first unless it was recently cleaned. If too much grease and grime end up in your dishwasher, you may have another problem at hand, meaning your dishwasher may now require a thorough cleaning. 

Without further ado, let’s get started on learning how to degrease rangehood filters so you can have a stove that runs effectively.

What You Need to Clean a Rangehood Filter

With the following items, you can have your rangehood filter clean and shiny in no time. Most households contain these items, so you can be sure there won’t be any extra expenses coming up during a clean.

• Dishcloth or paper towels
• Non-abrasive scrubbing brush
• Baking soda
• Degreasing dish soap 
• Boiling or very hot water

Instructions on How to Clean Rangehood Filters

Below we show you the most common and most straightforward method for cleaning rangehood filters, plus some tips for washing them.

Remember it’s important to keep this area of the kitchen clean as grease build-up can leave your kitchen smelling bad and could hinder the performance of the extraction fan. 

Step One – Remove the Filter from the Hood

First, you need to remove the filter from the hood. You can do this by popping or sliding it out from the underside. Some filters include a metal loop that can be grabbed to push the filter up and slide it out.

Step Two – Fill a Bucket or Sink with Boiling Water

It’s now time to fill a bucket or the sink with boiling water. Please note that hotter water temperatures tend to be more effective when cleaning your rangehood filter. Hot water from the tap may be good enough, but we recommend boiling water in your kettle and then pouring it into the sink. 

Step Three – Pour in Dish Soap and Baking Soda

Next, you should pour in dish soap and baking soda to begin the degreasing process. Be sure that the dishwashing liquid includes a degreasing agent; otherwise, you may have trouble removing the grime from the rangehood filter. 

Add ¼ cup baking soda into the hot water and swirl it around with a brush (because the water will be too hot for your hands) until the mixture the lathery.

Step Four – Place Greasy Filters in Water

Ensure that all greasy items are submerged in the water. If you need to keep it under the water, make sure to put a heavy object on top of the filter. This gives the rangehood filter time to soak so that the liquid soap and baking soda can do their magic. 

Step Five – Let the Filter Soak

Allow the filter to soak for a minimum of 10 minutes so that stubborn grease and grime can be removed effectively. If the rangehood filter is highly greased, we recommend adding more boiling water to the mixture or starting the process with new ingredients. 

Step Six – Scrub the Filters

Once your rangehood filter has soaked enough, it’s time to scrub it. Use a non-abrasive scrubbing brush and thoroughly clean the filter. If you require more dish soap during the cleaning, adding more to your scrubber while scrubbing is recommended.

Step Seven – Rinse and Dry

When your filters are spick and span, you need to rinse them thoroughly with hot water. Make sure not to leave any leftover soap or baking soda residue as they can start to turn to mould at a later stage. You want to avoid mildew and mould at all costs, as it can lead to yucky smells and unsanitary conditions in the kitchen. 

Step Eight – Replace the Filter and Repeat as Required

Once everything is cleaned, it is time to put the filters back into the hood or repeat the process if required. It is a good idea to clean your rangehood filter once a month as part of your routine home maintenance. 

By maintaining a clean filter, you get unrestricted use of your stove all year round and keep your kitchen free of grease plus grime.

Tips for Keeping Your Rangehood Filter Clean

It’s good to note that specific cooking methods can result in oilier residue appearing on the rangehood filter and the exhaust fan. One of the worst cooking methods for aerosolizing oily fumes is stir-frying because it not only sticks to your rangehood filter but around the stove too.

Try to cook a meal “low and slow” to reduce the amount of grease and oil splattering around the stove plus into the air. This often produces better food and leads to less oily clean-ups after using the kitchen. 

Another tip is to use a pressure cooker when making a meal for the whole family. It can keep the oil in and only leaves you with one place to clean after making dinner.

Conclusion

Greasy rangehood filters can cause your kitchen to smell bad and hinder oil fume extraction. These filters can get clogged up with grease and grime and struggle to perform at an optimal level.

With regular monthly maintenance of your range hood filter, you keep your kitchen sanitary and let kitchen equipment perform how it’s supposed to.

The mouse pad is simultaneously one of the most important elements on your desk and one of the most forgettable. When it’s doing its job, you are very likely going to forget it’s even there. However, when it starts getting old or too dirty, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

For the former, it’s a good idea for you to replace it. However, a dirty mouse pad can be clean according to your previous mouse pad. Once done commercial cleaning properly, it feels as good as new. Mouse balls are not as common as they used to be, so dirty pads have less of an effect, but even laser mice can experience restricted movement with certain kinds of build-up.

So, why are you here today? Well, most likely you want to know what’s the best way to clean your mouse pad while preserving it. You wouldn’t want to have the thing disintegrate in the process, would you?

You’ve come to the right place! There is a simple four-step process to getting this done detailed below. Additionally, there are a couple of FAQs tackled too! You probably came here with these same questions on your mind, so it helps to get the answers you want.

Before getting started, you’re going to need a sink, tub, or comparable washing area, a mild soap, a soft sponge or brush, and a thick towel.

Step One

To begin, you want to place your mouse pad in your washing area. It’s fine to tailor it based on the size of the mouse pad. You simply want to be able to comfortably wash the mouse pad in whatever you choose.

So, a sink should be perfectly fine for a smaller one, but you may want a tub if the one you use is on the larger side.

Lightly dampen the mouse pad with a mixture of mild soap and water. You don’t want to completely soak it at this point.

Step Two

Next, you bring your sponge or your brush into the mix. While the whole pad is probably dirty, you are going to notice that some spots are way dirtier than others. Your scrubbing is meant to focus on these.

As you do this, ensure that you are using a circular motion. While you may think that you’re being optimal and covering surface area by using stripes, you end up cleaning things less than optimally, and you probably miss some very important areas.

Please ensure that the brush or sponge that you choose is soft, as rougher, and more heavy-duty products can end up damaging your mousepad’s material. The gentler the item you choose, the more pressure you can apply to the mouse pad without ruining it. Nevertheless, you never want to be too rough with it.

Step Three

At this point, your pad should be moist and layered in suds from your mixture and your scrubbing. Now, you’re going to rinse it with some cold water. For reference, hot water damages most materials that mousepads are made of, so you never want to use it.

If you notice suds or soap remaining after you rinse, then do a second rinsing to get rid of it all. If you have a movable shower head, then using it for your rinsing is a very good idea here.

Step Four

Now, it’s time to remove some of the moisture from your mouse pad. This is where you grab your towel. Gently pat dry the pad. Under no circumstances should you be rubbing the towel’s material across it.

Alternatively, you can rest your towel on a flat surface, put the pad on top of it, fold the edges of the towel over the mouse pad until it’s fully covered, and apply a bit of even pressure to help speed up the drying process.

As you’d expect, you are not going to achieve full drying by doing this, so it’s going to need to be supplemented by an air-drying process. More than likely, you are not going to be able to use it until the next day, but you can attempt to speed things up by giving it greater access to airflow. You can achieve this by putting it near a window or having a fan blow on it.

FAQ

The straightforward process above should adequately outline the process to you, but there are a couple of questions that people often have that supplement this information. Hopefully, these answers are satisfactory if you fall under that category.

Can I Use a Washing Machine to Clean My Mousepad?

Typically, you don’t want to throw your mouse pad in a washing machine, as it may be susceptible to damage. Still, some materials, such as nylon, polyester, acetate, rubber, and polyurethane are washer safe.

However, you still need to take precautions with them, because the washing machine can still cause a bit of damage. 

You want to ensure that you use a mild detergent. Hot water is still your enemy, so don’t use it when washing. Use a light cycle to minimize the potential for damage.

Many people would tell you that the process outlined above is unbelievably easy to get through. It takes no time at all, making it seem like a waste to use the washing machine for it, but weigh your options and decide on your own.

How Often Should You Clean Your Mousepad?

Ideally, you want to clean your mouse pad every three or four months. However, depending on where you are and how heavily you use it, the rate at which it gets dirty may see you needing to vary this frequency.

If you can visually see that the pad is accumulating a lot of dirt, then it may be a good idea to clean it. Additionally, if any unexpected events happen that lead to something spilling or contaminating the mouse pad, then clean it immediately.

Final Remarks

That’s all there is to say about keeping your mouse pad clean. The process is straightforward and provided you carry it out enough, you should never have the visual of a filthy mouse pad ruining your desk’s visual.

Your hairbrush is a fundamental item in your daily routine, specifically when it comes to your hygiene. Nonetheless, many people neglect it; thus, it accumulates dirt and grime. This guide helps you step-by-step commercial cleaning get rid of all that, so read until the end.

Why You Should Clean Your Hairbrush

Your hairbrush is an essential item you need to keep your hair free of tangles, but it also acts like a sponge, regardless of how often you use it. In other words, it absorbs dirt and many other residues from your hair and the products you use.

The brush, for example, absorbs all the dead cells your hair sheds. Additionally, the gels, shampoo, conditioner, and any other product you use also stick to the hairbrush’s bristles.

Everyone sheds hair – it’s completely normal. Thus, it can accumulate in your brush as well. Other particles from the environment like dust and all kinds of dirt can settle in your hairbrush, especially if you’re already used to using products for oily hair since it makes it easier for the particles to stick there.

If your brush is dirty, it means one thing: it probably can’t do its job right. Therefore, keeping it clean is essential. Brushing your hair with a dirty hairbrush might mean that all the dirt in there is sticking to your hair as well, and you definitely don’t want that.

How Often Should You Clean Your Hairbrush?

It all depends on the products you use, the type of hair you have (oily, dry, long, short, etc.), and on how often you use them.

People who use a lot of gels, hairspray, styling creams, etc., should prioritize cleaning their hairbrush at least once a week. These products are often oily or contain ingredients that stick to the brush and make it easier for grime and dirt to settle at its base as well.

If you don’t use gels or hair products regularly, then you could clean your brush every two weeks. At the same time, removing the hair that settles at its base is an essential tip to keep the brush clean, and you can do that every two or three days.

Guide to Clean Your Hairbrush Step by Step

Cleaning your brush is a very straightforward process and it doesn’t take much time. Consequently, once you learn how to do it, you can do it again by yourself.

To begin, you need water (preferably in a bowl, but you can use the sink in your bathroom as well), some shampoo (a gentle one), an old toothbrush, and scissors. Optional items include baking soda and a rat tail comb.

Some people might wonder if the method is different depending on the type of brush they have. If your brush is made of wood or plastic, for example, you may ask yourself if the process varies.

Even though it has certain variations, the method to clean your brush is essentially the same. Therefore, once you have the previously mentioned items, you can get started. Follow the next steps to get rid of all the dirt in your hairbrush:

Remove Hair

Firstly, you have to remove all the hair that has accumulated there. In this step, you have to use the rat tail brush – tug from the base to the top and get rid of the hair.

If you don’t have a rat tail brush, you can use any pointed object, for instance, a pencil or a pen. It doesn’t really matter as long as it serves the same purpose.

In some cases, you might have trouble removing tangled hair. Therefore, you can use the scissors to cut it off, and then grab your rat tail brush or your pointed object to get it off the brush.

Dip the Hairbrush, then Shake it

Grab your bowl and fill it with warm water (complete this step in the sink if you don’t have a bowl nearby). Add a couple of drops of your gentle shampoo. If you want a more powerful mix, add one or two teaspoons of baking soda.

Stir the mix well, and then dip your hairbrush in it. If you have a plastic brush, you can completely submerge it, but if it’s made of wood, don’t do that because it can damage it. Instead, submerge the bristles and make sure you’re keeping the pad dry.

Once you’ve submerged the brush for a few seconds, get it out of the water and shake it. Then, repeat the process a few times.

When your brush is not that dirty, this method can help get rid of most of the oils and dust that settle in its base.

Use a Toothbrush

Sometimes, your brush may be extra dirty. If that’s the case, no need to fear – grab an old toothbrush and gently rub it against the hairbrush’s base to remove the accumulated dirt or grime.

In this step, you must start at the base and go upwards from there. The most important aspect is to guarantee you’re cleaning each bristle because if you’re not, then parts of your brush may still be dirty once you finish.

Rinse the Brush and Dry it

You can rinse your brush with cold water once you finish cleaning it. Alternatively, you could spray some water on it, or sprinkle the hairbrush with water at its base before you let it dry down.

Place the brush with the bristles facing down, preferably on top of a towel or a clean cloth, and leave it to dry.

If you’ve done all the steps correctly, this should be enough to guarantee your brush is completely clean. It shouldn’t have hair or particles stuck to its base, so examine your hairbrush as soon as you can and try to check if you missed something.

Keynote Takeaways

Cleaning your hairbrush is essential since this item keeps your hair tangle-free – it’s a crucial part of your hygiene.

Although neglecting this item is easy, you should clean it regularly to guarantee that oils and dirt don’t stick to its base.

If you’re like many people who are struggling with their front load washers, you probably came here because there’s an undesirable smell coming from your unit that you’d very much like to get rid of.

People often have a “set it and forget it” mentality where washing machines are concerned. If you happen to be one of those people, there is no time like the present to learn that you should indeed be commercial cleaning your front load washer at regular intervals.

Why? Well, not only do you contribute to its running efficiency, but there are also the benefits of keeping wash loads smelling fresh and preventing mould build-up, which would likely require more than just cleaning.

So, the idea here is to take a quick look at the seven steps of cleaning your machine, as well as some other useful insights to get you going. You don’t need any expensive equipment to get the job done and it certainly isn’t going to take too long to follow this guide!

Cleaning Steps

Before jumping into the steps, note that this process is something that you are expected to undertake once a month. If not, you make the job harder for yourself when you do take it on.

Step One – Prerequisites

There is more than one way to clean a front load washing machine, but this is certainly one of the most efficient. It’s the vinegar (distilled white) and baking soda method.

Beyond those two ingredients, you’re going to need about three or four pieces of microfiber cloth, a measuring cup, a toothbrush, and a spray bottle. Gloves are optional, but it doesn’t hurt to have them. 

Step Two – Vinegar Application

What you want to do is pour your white vinegar into the spray bottle and start spraying around the inside of the drum. Afterwards, begin to wipe around with your microfiber cloth, ensuring that you get the entirety of the surface area that you can reach. 

The significance of choosing white vinegar is to be able to cut through grease, water stains, as well as other forms of residue or build-up. This is likely not the first time you’ve heard of vinegar being used in a cleaning process and there’s a very good reason for that, as it’s one of nature’s almost “magical” cleaners.

Step Three – First Wiping

The first wiping procedure focuses exclusively on your rubber gaskets, which are the seals that you find around the door. They may not look like much, but beyond their sealing properties, they form quite the harbour for the build-up of the kind of stuff you don’t want in your washing machine.

This grouping includes mildew, scum, potential mould, and even hair. Don’t try to rush this process and take care to get your cloth everywhere.

Step Four – First Wash Cycle

Now, you are going to run a cycle to get things on the cleaner side. To do this, pour two cups of your white vinegar into your washing machine’s detergent area. Choose the longest cycle available and allow the machine to run using the hottest water available.

Step Five – Second Wash Cycle

Now, you are going to be repeating the previous step with a bit of a twist. Sprinkle half a cup of your baking soda into the drum for the second cycle.

Step Six – Second Wiping

Once the wash cycle is done, you are going back into wiping mode. Again, get your spray bottle and spray some of that white vinegar onto a microfiber cloth, ensuring to clean both the inside and outside of the door. You want it to get as shiny as possible.

Additionally, wipe the knobs, external surface, and control panel if you have one.

Step Seven – Drying Phase

There are two ways to allow things to dry. One is quicker but requires more effort, while the other is slower and requires no effort. The former requires you to get a dry microfiber cloth and use it to start drying all the moist areas. 

Alternatively, you can simply open the machine, leave the door ajar, and let it air dry on its own.

Cleanliness Maintenance Tips

Though you are being advised to undertake this process every month, you are expected to do a bit more in between to truly maintain the cleanliness of your washer.

By taking a few easy steps whenever you use your machine, you give yourself even less work when cleaning time comes around.

First, as soon as a wash cycle is over, remove the clothes from the machine, to prevent any odours or build-up. Next, if there is any moisture on the gasket, lid, or in the drum when you are done, wipe it up as soon as possible.

In between loads when the machine is not operating, leave the door open, and allow some air to pass through the drum. Finally, pay attention to the amount of detergent you are supposed to be putting into your machine and stick to it. On that note, remove your detergent tray when done to allow it to dry.

If you follow these recommendations, your once-a-month cleaning process will look much more straightforward than it would be otherwise.

Final Remarks

The information above would have provided you with a series of easy-to-follow steps that should help you keep your front load washing machine clean, once you carry them out every month. 

Additionally, you now have some very useful insights that you can put into practice every time you use your washing machine, which helps you even further to keep things clean.

One of the recurring themes that you may have noticed is that you’re being encouraged to always keep things dry.

That’s because mould, which is one of your worst enemies in a washing machine, requires moisture to grow and thrive. By drying various areas, you make them less inhabitable for mould, which not only makes cleaning easier but also contributes to the longevity and functionality of your machine.

With all this useful information, you should never find yourself overwhelmed by a filthy machine again, assuming it has happened before.

Everyone has brass at home. You may have it on lamps, vases, or even flatware. Brass has been known for being one of the most stylish items to have, but it’s also known for getting tarnished quickly.

If you don’t take care of dirty brass correctly, it may lose its shining properties after a while, which can be a bummer. Thankfully, there are some easy methods you can start applying today to clean and polish your brass so that it looks as shiny as ever!

Regardless of the brass item you currently own, the following commercial cleaning methods apply for all of them. Keep in mind that not all of the methods may work as efficiently on all brass pieces, though. 

In case you don’t want to take your brass items to a professional cleaner, here’s a guide on everything you can do to clean brass correctly!

Why Does Brass Get Tarnished?

Brass items have particular properties that make them react differently to different materials. In essence, brass items can lose shine as water, oxygen, and other factors corrode the metal.

Overall, brass is considerably affordable since it only includes zinc and copper in its materials. However, that makes it also easy to get damaged. Under good conditions, brass can look beautiful due to its golden colours.

Things to Consider Before Cleaning Brass

The first thing you must verify before cleaning brass is whether the item that you’re going to clean is truly brass. Some items are brass-plated and are zinc, cast iron, or steel.

You can try the magnet method to verify if you’re dealing with brass rather quickly. Place a magnet on the item; if the magnet sticks, it’s not a brass item but rather a brass-plated item. Brass-plated items can be cleaned with soapy water instead of harsh materials like polish.

Another vital thing to take into account is whether the brass has been lacquered or not. Keep in mind that most brass items come with lacquer, which has the purpose of preventing tarnishing. 

In case you can easily notice tarnish in your brass, the chances are that it hasn’t been lacquered yet. On the other hand, if you notice that there’s a small, thin coat coming off from the item, it may have been lacquered. In these cases, it’s much better to take the item to a metal refinisher.

What You Need to Clean Brass

If taking your brass to a professional cleaner isn’t an option for you, you may still consider one of the following cleaning methods:

• Ketchup
• Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Soapy Water
• Toothpaste

As you can see, all of these items are common household items, so you don’t need to worry about rushing into a store to buy anything. Still, if you want to achieve a more thorough cleaning, you may also get a third-party brass cleaner, such as a metal/brass polish.

You may try any of these methods to clean your brass, but if these don’t work for you, you may need to consider taking your items to a professional cleaner.

Ketchup Method

It may sound weird, but ketchup is an excellent option to deal with tarnished brass! This is due to ketchup’s properties including tomatoes, vinegar, and spices. 

You squirt a bit of ketchup on the brass. Let the ketchup sit for a few seconds, and then wipe it clean with a damp cloth. If this process worked out for you, you may repeat the same process with the rest of the brass piece and clean everything up with proper rinse and a clean cloth.

While the ketchup method seems to be the most convenient one at the moment, it may not always work, so make sure you try the rest of the methods in this article if this one didn’t work out for you.

Vinegar Method

We’ve mentioned many times in our articles that vinegar is an excellent cleaning agent for many things. Overall, vinegar has particular acids that help to dissolve stains.

In this method, you may take a medium-size bowl, add a teaspoon of salt, and finally, ½ cups of vinegar. You may stir everything up until all the salt gets dissolved in the mix.

Once you’re done, you must add some flour to the mix to make a consistent paste. Finally, take a bit of the paste and place it into the brass object. Let it sit for approximately 10 minutes so that it takes effect. 

After the 10 minutes have passed, rinse the object, wipe it clean, and take a clean, dry cloth to finish it up.

Baking Soda Method

Here, you can take baking soda and half a lemon into a bowl. Then, add one teaspoon of baking soda and mix everything up. Once you’re done, make sure to rub that mixture onto your brass object.

It’s important to note that you may need to repeat the process a few times until you deal with everything. Finally, wipe away any residues with a wet rag and dry it with another cloth.

Soapy Water Method

This method is straightforward, so you may try it out in under a few minutes. Take a container and fill it with warm water. Then, take a few tablespoons of soap and mix everything. 

Soak the brass into the mix for a few seconds and use a microfiber cloth to take care of any leftover stains. If this doesn’t work out, you may try adding some elbow grease to deal with the rest of the stains.

Once you’re done, you may rinse and get a clean cloth to dry the object. Unfortunately, the soapy water method may not work as well for items that can’t be soaked easily, such as doorknobs.

Toothpaste Method

Finally, the toothpaste method is the easiest one to try out aside from the ketchup method. Here, the only thing you need to do is take a bit of plain, white toothpaste and apply a small layer to your brass item. 

Let the toothpaste sit there for a few minutes, and then, use a clean cloth to take care of the residues. You can repeat this process as many times as you consider appropriate. 

Once you’re done cleaning and polishing your brass, rinse it with water and dry it with a clean cloth.

Bottom Line

Cleaning brass is easier than most people think. If you have a few free minutes, you can easily make most of your brass items shiny again!

Remember that if you want to take your cleaning to the next level, you may consider getting a brass cleaner. These items aren’t that expensive and do a much more efficient job here.

Although you may not pay them much attention, walls are some of the most crucial puzzle pieces to keeping a clean and sleek aesthetic going. People tend to overlook them when they’re cleaning, but once the walls start to look less than stellar, suddenly, the whole internal visual starts heading on a downward spiral.

Do you clean your walls regularly? Have you ever cleaned them before? If not, at least the fact that you are reading this means you are interested in getting started and you’d like to know what you need to do.

By taking on this cleaning exercise, you fight dust, dirt, grime, mould, or anything else that could potentially build up. The commercial cleaning process used here consists of six easy steps for you to follow. 

Note that there are other ways to go about cleaning walls, but this one is incredibly effective.

Step One – Preparation

Preparation here is two-fold. First, there’s the matter of wall accessibility, and second, you need access to various supplies. Don’t get into the habit of cleaning only the visible and easily reachable parts of walls. If you do that, whenever you do decide to clean the rest of it, it may become impossible for you to do a good job.

Move whatever furniture and other obstructions you have away from the walls so you can clean them freely. Second, grab a bucket, liquid soap or vinegar, towels, sponges, dust gloves, a broom or a vacuum cleaner, a ladder, and some dust cloths. Gloves are not a necessity, but wearing them is never a bad idea.

Step Two – Dusting

Before you apply any liquid treatment, you want to remove any loose dust and dirt, as it makes for a much smoother experience. You want to use your broom or vacuum cleaner here and pay attention to the corners. This is also a good time to get rid of any cobweb build-up that you may notice.

When you’re finished with your broom or vacuum cleaner, go over things with one of your dust cloths.

Step Three – Cleaning Solution

If you are using vinegar, you want to get a gallon of water and mix five tablespoons of your white distilled vinegar with it. If you’ve chosen liquid soap, then get half a bucket of water and mix in five drops of the soap.

Note that if you are so inclined, you can also go the route of purchasing a pre-done cleaning solution. 

Once you have your solution, you want to do a bit of a test. Dip your sponge in it and test it on a single spot. In doing so, you are looking for two things. First, you want to ensure that it’s effective at cleaning the walls, and second, it should not be so strong that it causes any discoloration or damage.

When you do your spot test, wait for things to dry before you draw any conclusions.

Step Four – Spot Cleaning

This is probably going to be your least favourite part of this whole process. Though you are cleaning the entire walls, there are going to be spots where there are stains, handprints, and other imperfections. 

Doing a general wipe is not the most effective way to get rid of these, so you are going to have to start by spot cleaning them. Get a towel or soft cloth, dip it in your solution, and gently scrub away the stains.

Step Five – Wet Wipe

With the stains out of the way, it’s time to do this comprehensive wet wipe. Dampen your sponge and squeeze all excess water. From here, you simply start wiping the wall from top to bottom. You don’t want to bring the dirt from one area of the wall to another, so rinse your sponge regularly.

If you are concerned about dripping water on the floor, ensure to set something up to catch any excess drops. This could be cloth, towels, newspaper, etc.

You may notice water running down the walls, particularly if your sponge is not dry enough. If this should happen, grab a towel or cloth to wipe away the streaks, as they create the perfect storm for staining.

Step Six – Drying

Excess water does not always appear in the form of water streaks. Sometimes, a wall may appear to be fine but may have too much moisture on it. Once you are finished with your wiping process, grab a cloth or a towel and soak up any excess.

Once you’ve done this, you can let the air-drying process take things over. To this end, you want to open doors or windows. If you want to help things along even further, you can turn your fan on to speed things up. Naturally, ceiling fans are the most effective at this kind of process.

Quick Wall Cleaning Tips

Safe Cleaning

Remember that moisture makes some areas more dangerous than others, especially when electricity is in the mix. A good idea may be to turn your circuit Breakers off before you clean our own them and other electric implements.

Pay Attention to Finishes

You are expected to tailor the process based on the kind of finish you’re working on. Saturn, flat, and eggshell finishes are more delicate and require a softer approach. Scrubbing these too hard could remove paints, so don’t forget to be careful.

Regular Maintenance

This is not a process for you to do rarely. Ideally, you want to clean your interior walls at least once a month. However, if you find that impractical, then at least ensure you do so every two months.

Give high-touch areas the necessary focus. These include your doorknobs, light switches, mirror frames, etc.

Final Remarks

Now, you have a much better idea of what it takes to effectively clean your walls. Remember that the more you do this, the less you have to worry about stubborn stains taking shape.

If your interior appearance matters to you, then there is no better way to tie all your other efforts together than to have consistently clean walls. It can feel a bit mentally daunting to get into the frame of mind to pull this process off but think about the reward to get yourself going.

Your computer screen needs maintenance from time to time, and cleaning it is one of the essential tasks you have. This guide offers what you must know about the subject, including everything you should avoid.

What to Avoid

Even though using a wet rag, cleaning fluid, or rubbing your monitor might sound like tempting options at first, there are some things you should avoid to preserve your screen’s integrity. Here is what you shouldn’t do:

Never Spray Cleaning Fluid Directly onto the Monitor

Most people use different types of cleaning fluid to take the dirt off various surfaces. It’s very efficient, and it helps you both guarantee great results and make sure you save time.

However, you should never do that when you’re cleaning your computer screen. Since most of today’s monitors are so thin, the fluid is probably going to get under the top layer and damage your display.

Sometimes, you might think that just because water or cleaning fluid dries out, you can use it on your monitor. Nonetheless, you should keep in mind that by the time that happens, the damage is already done, and there’s no going back.

Avoid Rags and Paper Towels

Abrasions are likely to happen if you use paper towels or common rags. None of these items are designed to clean your computer monitor, and they can do serious damage.

To clean your monitor properly, avoid rags, general-purpose cloths, and similar items. They might be too harsh on your screen.

Never Use Rubbing Alcohol or Window Cleaning Fluid

One of the worst mistakes you could make when cleaning your monitor is using window cleaning fluid or rubbing alcohol.

Using either rubbing alcohol or window cleaning fluid actually damages your screen’s reflective layer, stripping it off the monitor. If you continue to repeat the process, you might strip more and more layers away, causing irreversible damage.

What to Do

Although it may seem like cleaning your computer screen is a very challenging process, it’s something you can do at home if you know the correct steps to follow. Take a look at what you should do:

Consider the Type of Screen You Have

The first aspect to keep in mind is the type of screen you have. There are many different options, and you should be aware of your monitor’s characteristics if you want to guarantee that your actions don’t damage it.

Overall, you shouldn’t use alcohol, rags, paper towels, general-purpose cloths, or cleaning fluid on any screen type. However, to properly take the dirt off the specific kind of monitor you have, you need to check the manufacturer’s manual or do some research.

Turn the Computer Off

This might sound like an obvious tip to many people, but others are not aware of its importance. Cleaning a computer screen while it’s still in use might cause you to damage the monitor forever.

Therefore, putting your computer to sleep is not the best idea. You need to turn it off and unplug it from the power source.

Use a Microfiber Cloth

A microfiber cloth is a tool you need to properly clean your screen. It’s not abrasive nor harsh, and it can help you quickly get rid of all the dirt on your monitor.

At the same time, there are many microfiber cloth options available and a lot of them are very cheap, which is immensely convenient if you are looking for a budget-friendly alternative.

Microfiber cloths have a positive charge, so when you use them on your monitor, they attract dust and dirt and get rid of them. However, they are not abrasive, which is why they are the ideal tool to clean screens.

Gently Wipe the Screen

Just because microfiber cloths are safe to use when you’re cleaning your computer screen doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful. After all, monitors are still delicate devices, especially if you have a touchscreen laptop, for example.

Therefore, gently wipe your monitor with it without applying too much pressure. If there’s only dust on your screen, it should be enough.

On some occasions, your monitor might have a few stains that don’t come off after you wipe it. When that occurs, you have to dampen your microfiber cloth.

Being confused is expected at this stage since you are probably wondering why you should use a damp cloth to clean your monitor if that’s supposed to damage it. Nonetheless, you should consider that your microfiber cloth should never be dripping wet – the key is to add a bit of water to help dissolve the stains your screen has.

Clean the Frame

Now that you’ve taken care of the screen itself, you can relax for some time and work on the frame, which is much easier.

Since the frame’s composition does not include the same materials as your monitor, there is less risk of damaging the screen. Thus, you can use the same slightly-wet microfiber cloth to take all the debris or dust off it.

Use Compressed Air

Compressed air is many people’s favorite option to clean computers because using it means you don’t need to apply any potentially harmful substances.

To properly use compressed air, you need to make sure you are at least a foot away from your screen. Otherwise, the force of the air might cause damage to your monitor, which can be as bad as applying abrasive substances to it.

When in Doubt, Check the Manufacturer’s Guidelines

If you’re not sure whether or not you should try a specific method to clean your monitor, there is a simple solution: check the manufacturer’s guidelines.

As the guide previously stated, each screen is unique, and cleaning it correctly depends on the model and the monitor’s specific characteristics.

Conclusion

Cleaning your computer screen is essential, especially if you want to guarantee your device lasts a long time. However, you need to know what you should use and what you must avoid. Otherwise, you might cause irreversible damage. Fortunately, you can properly get rid of the dust, debris, and stains on your monitor at home!

Be honest with us, when was the last time you cleaned your AirPods? It is usual for people to go months without even bothering about checking how clean their AirPods are. However, this is a bad habit that we should fix today.

Firstly, it’s extremely unhygienic. AirPods tend to accumulate dirt, earwax, germs, and all kind of nasty stuff in them. Second, not cleaning your AirPods could cause damage in the long run. People have spoken out about their AirPods lowering their sound quality after a long time without being cleaned.

If we’re being completely honest, cleaning these devices isn’t a difficult chore. It is only going to take you about 20 minutes, and afterward, you’re going to be able to enjoy that high-quality music you know and love.

That’s why we created this handy guide on how to clean your AirPods in an efficient and entirely safe way. Don’t worry about damaging anything; follow the steps, and you should be good to go.

When to Clean Your AirPods

If you find yourself wondering whether you should clean them up or not, the answer is probably yes. That’s because no matter how hygienic we are with our ears, there’s always going to be a wax build-up in our AirPods.

However, there are some crucial moments when you should clean them. Some of them are:

• If you want to re-sell them
• Every couple of months
• If they don’t sound the same as when you bought them
• When you see the wax building up inside of them

Materials

Now that we’re ready to begin with the cleanse, we are going to need several materials to make sure our AirPods end up as clean as possible. Make sure to write them down:

• Cotton swabs
• 70% isopropyl alcohol
• A toothpick
• Lint-free cloth
• A small air pump (optional)
• Toothbrush (optional)

Clean the Case

We’re going, to begin with the largest part of the set, which is the case. Firstly, you need to take the AirPods out and put them aside while we’re working on the case.

Then, damp up the lint-free cloth with a bit of isopropyl alcohol and rub it all over the case, making sure you clean any trace of dirt that might be stuck in its cracks.

Afterward, dampen a cotton swab and gently rub it against the insides of the case to loosen up the wax. Apple recommends against poking the charging holes with a pointy end, but there shouldn’t be any problem if you use a delicate q-tip. Do that until you see the wax starting to come off.

The next step is getting your toothpick and delicately scraping off any residue of wax that might be too stubborn to come out with just the cotton swab. By all means, do not poke the charging hole at the bottom with the toothpick. It could permanently damage the connections.

Then, you can take your manual air pump and blow some pressured air on the difficult spots you might find all over the case. Finally, wipe it all with your cloth, and it should be as good as new.

Clean the Pods

Now we can dive into cleaning the actual pods. In order to do this, you need to be extra meticulous to make sure you don’t damage the grids; otherwise, you would have to say goodbye to your wireless friends.

Something that you should be aware of is that you shouldn’t be getting your AirPods wet, no matter the circumstance. Hence, if you’re going to be using any liquid, please use small amounts, and do it at your own risk.

Loosen up the Wax

This is the moment when we’re going to be using our cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol. Make sure you don’t oversaturate your q-tips with alcohol to avoid damages. If you want to be safe while doing this, you can take an alcohol prep pad and wipe your cotton swab with it.

Next, you’re going to gently wipe all the entrances and try to loosen up all the accumulated wax you can find. However, in most cases, using a cotton swab isn’t going to be enough to get these pods clean.

Get Rid of the Wax

Now it’s the time for the deep cleanse. In this step, you have two main options. However, you can use both if you want to ensure the best of results.

The first option is getting your toothbrush and using it to brush away all the remaining dirt and wax that you can find inside your pods. Preferably, use a new toothbrush that isn’t going to be used on any living being afterward.

However, the second option is a lot more meticulous. It consists of using a toothpick to scrape off all the wax residue you can. If you want to use this option, please be extremely careful, as you could easily break the membrane in the pods.

Air Pump the Remains

This step is pretty straightforward; now that you have cleaned everything as best as you can, you can take your manual air pump and use it to make sure all the particles are off the surface of the pod.

You can even go ahead and use it to clear out the charging hole without any probability of damaging it.

Let the AirPods Dry

The final step is simply to make sure the alcohol isn’t going to cause a shortcut in the pod’s system. All you have to do is lay your AirPods face down for a couple of hours, and they’re all ready to use.

Bottom Line

Remember that the most important part of any cleaning process is doing it regularly to prevent it from getting worse over time.

Also, let us give you a quick tip. If you did all of this and your AirPods are still sounding weird: blow on them as hard as you can. Several people have reported that this trick has magically worked for them. Hence, it might work for you too.

Don’t hesitate to check out the rest of our website for more cool articles on how to clean things!

Electric kettles are useful devices for heating water, other beverages, or even food. However, as time passes and you keep using them, mineral deposits start forming and causing limescale that clogs the kettle. This residue can fall on the tea or food and cause the kettle to heat water more slowly.

Moreover, it is difficult to notice how dirty the kettles are due to their design. That’s why you should clean them at least once a month to remove any dirt or debris that accumulates inside.

Although most old-fashioned tea lovers consider that cleaning your kettle is a mistake and that a good rinse with water is enough, it is an essential and hygienic practice that must be done every once in a while.

That’s why we created this handy step-by-step guide with everything you need to know to clean your kettles.

Make a Vinegar Solution

Fill up your kettle with a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar until it is half or three-quarters full. This handy liquid helps to descale kettles and removes all the residue. Remember to let it sit overnight for better results.

You can use any vinegar; however, white vinegar has delivered the best results over time. Additionally, you could add a couple of spoons of lemon juice, which has fantastic cleaning properties due to its acidic components. The sour lemon juice is meant to mix with the boiling water and vinegar solution.

Boil the kettle with the solution until you see bubbles. This is what is going to clean the inside and remove scale stains. If the kettle has a lot of limescale inside, add more vinegar to the mixture and boil again.

When the kettle has boiled, turn it off and unplug it. Let the solution cool down inside for about 20 minutes and empty the kettle. If it has a lot of limescale, leave the liquid inside for a little longer.

Then, scrub the inside of the kettle with a non-metallic sponge or cloth. Do this after leaving the vinegar solution to soak for a long time. Be sure not to scrub the bottom, where the electrical heating system is located.

Rinse the kettle with water several times to remove the vinegar odor; otherwise, you would end up with vinegar-flavored tea. Afterward, wipe the inside with a cloth and let dry.

Boil water again and empty it if the kettle still tastes or smells like vinegar. This should be enough to make the odor disappear. You can repeat this process several times if the vinegar scent or taste is too stubborn to go away.

Alternative Solutions

If the manufacturer of the kettle indicates that you should not use vinegar to clean it, you can use lemon instead. Prepare a solution with lemon and water by squeezing a lemon in water, then cut it and place the pieces inside. Fill the kettle with this solution.

Afterward, boil the water and let it sit in the kettle for an hour, then drain the water and rinse the kettle. You can use both yellow and green lemons.

Another wonderful cleaning option is to prepare a solution with baking soda and water. All you have to do is mix one teaspoon of baking soda in water, pour it into the kettle, and bring it to a boil.

Let the solution sit for 20 minutes, then empty the kettle and rinse it with cold water. This is meant to remove the limescale inside the kettle and make it look as shiny as ever.

An expert tip is to use soda as a homemade alternative method. You simply need to fill the teapot with soda, boil it and then let it cool for about 45 minutes. Then, pour out the soda and wash the teapot as usual. It should be sparkling!

If you want to use a commercial cleaner, you can look for one online, at a home improvement store, or the supermarket. You should dilute the cleaner with water according to the directions and boil the solution inside the kettle. Then, rinse it as you usually do and scrape any excess with a soft brush.

In extreme cases, when kettles have been stained for a long time, and we have not treated them properly, you can apply a little bleach diluted in hot water and let it act on the surface. However, it is not advisable to put them in the dishwasher, as you could potentially damage them.

How to Take Care of Your Kettle

The first thing you need to do is clean the outside of the kettle with regular dish soap and then wipe it with a damp cloth. Do not let soap get inside the kettle, or it could get damaged. You should do this every other week.

Please, do not place your kettle into the water, as it has an electric system that you could ruin if you do.

If you have a stainless-steel kettle, you should polish it to keep it shiny. In order to do this, you can place some olive oil on a soft cloth and wipe the outside of the kettle. Rub gently to prevent scratching the outside surface.

However, the most important step is to clean the kettle regularly. The inside of the kettle fills with residue as you keep using it. This can cause unwanted remains to fall into your tea or coffee and cause delays in the heating process. If you want to keep the kettle working properly, clean it every couple of months.

Bottom Line

Hopefully, your kettles are a lot cleaner after reading this article. On the other hand, remember that there’s no better feeling than the one you get after doing an excellent cleaning job.

This is not only about looks but about protecting your health and the people around you. You can even get some delicious tea in the process.

If you loved this article and want to learn more about the different ways of cleaning any device you can think of, just go check out the rest of our page. Happy cleaning!