Cleaning the bathroom

Is grime, mould and mildew a problem in your bathroom? Read on below and discover all the tricks to keep your bathroom spick and span!

Bathtub stains
1. Rub over satin with a cut lemon and salt, then rinse.
2. For bad stains, make a paste of cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide, apply to the stain, then leave for an hour or two. Rinse off.
3. Blue/green stains caused by copper pipes can be removed by rubbing with vinegar on a damp cloth. This may have to be repeated several times to remove old stains.

Grout
1. Apply neat Domestos onto the grout and leave for about half an hour, then rinse off.
2. Brighten white grout by squeezing denture cream onto a wet toothbrush and scrubbing the grout. Rinse well.
3. To whiten grout, apply white shoe cleaner over it, then wipe off excess.

Mildew
1. To remove mildew from a shower curtain, rub baking soda on the curtain before washing in normal way.
2. Rub lemon juice over the mildew stains, add non-iodised salt and let it dry in the sun; then wash.
3. Soak the curtain in a solution of chlorine-based bleach, Then scrub of mildew with a brush. Rinse well.
4. Bicarbonate of soda can be used to remove mildew from small areas.

Toilet
1. To clean stubborn stains from the toilet bowl, squirt Domestos or household bleach into bowl and leave overnight.
2. To remove a ring inside the bowl, make a paste of borax and lemon juice and apply to the stain. Leave for a few hours then flush away.

Note: Don't use any strong, Chlorine-based bleach on tiles with flawed surface glaze, as it may cause discolouration.

Cleaning around the house
There sure to be some useful information for every house hold here, whether it be removing mould from your leather sofa or cleaning your marble bench top - all the tricks to maintaining a clean house area listed below.

Burns on carpet
For light burns on woollen carpets, rub over the affected area with a fine sandpaper to remove the brown singe marks. Wash the area with shampoo and warm water and a few drops of vinegar, then rinse away. Before attempting to remove marks from synthetic carpets, contact the manufacturer.

Carpet
Shaving cream is a good all-purpose spot remover for carpets. To remove burns, see under Special Problems.

Finger Marks
Remove dirty finger marks from walls using a pencil eraser.

Floor boards
Wipe over with cold tea to make shiny.

Glass
Clean glass windows and doors with crumpled newspaper or heavily soiled panes of glass, wash down with a warm solution of Handy Andy, then use newspaper.

Grease and oil
To remove these stains from furnishings, sprinkle talcum powder or cornstarch on the stain. Rub in well until the oil is absorbed. Vacuum off powder.

Indelible pen
Indelible pens are exactly what they claim to be. While some people have claimed to have success using methylated spirits, milk and even hair spray, the result of trying these methods can result in spreading the area of stain. If possible, contact the manufacturer to see if they can offer any suggestions.

Leather
Contact the manufacturer or any well-known leather furniture firm for the best advice.

Marble
1. Anything spilt on marble must be wiped up immediately. Wash with soap and warm water.
2. For stains that have penetrated deep into marble, a manufacturer we contacted recommended stains be treated with Exit Mould, following the directions on the container. Contact a manufacturer for suggestions on how to remove a particular stain.
3. Marble surfaces should be polished regularly with a silicone-based polish, such as Mr Sheen, to help prevent stains seeping down into the marble.

Mould on leather
Remove mould by wiping over with Dettol. When dry, rub in Vaseline, then polish with a suitable leather polish. This remedy is ideal for some shoes and handbags, but do a spot check before using it on leather lounges or other expensive items.

Mysterious brown stains
Usually brown marks which appear after washing are fruit or sap stains that have oxidised in the wash. On washable fabrics, make a paste of drive and apply on the dampened stain. Roll up and leave overnight. Wash in normal way the next day.

Paint spatters
1. On glass, such as windows, remove with nail polish remover. Allow the nail polish remover to soak into the paint, then rub off with a cloth. Clean with warm, soapy water.
2. Vinegar may also used to remove paint splatters on glass.
3. To remove old paint marks or putty stains, soak the spots with turpentine or linseed oil and wipe or scrape off.

Pine furniture
Use soapy, cold water to remove stains from raw pine.

Skirting boards
1. Wipe over with Handy Andy on a damp sponge, then rinse off.
2. Some scuff marks can be removed by a pencil eraser.
3. You can try wiping over the spot with kerosene.

Urine
1.To remove from upholstery (including wool) , mix one teaspoon softly and one teaspoon of white vinegar in one litre of warm water. Sponge and blot; repeat several times.
2. Stains and odour left on carpet from cat or dog urine can be cleaned away with dog shampoo. Test on a small area first.

Venetian blinds
Tie blinds onto clothes lines. Dilute half a cup of Handy Andy in a bucket of warm water and use on a sponge to clean each slat. Rinse well with a hose. Dry off with a chamois.

Walnut furniture
Small scratches can be removed from walnut surfaces by rubbing over scratch with a raw walnut kernel broken in half.

Water and heat rings
1. To remove rings on wooden furniture, dampen a soft cloth with water, add a dab of toothpaste and rub gently over the ring.
2. Mix cigarette ash with a little water and rub over mark.

Window and door frames
Clean aluminum or painted window and door frames using Jif on a damp cloth. This is also good for cleaning handles and trims.