One of the biggest challenges we face while playing the role of a house cleaner is – stains. While other tasks get done within a matter of time, trying to scrub a stain out of your sink or your clothes takes an endless amount of time.
Now, you may be thinking that if a stain remains, it probably means you’re not scrubbing hard enough. But that statement couldn’t be further from the truth.
If you want to get stains out efficiently, you don’t have to put in a lot of elbow grease. Instead what you really need are some tips and tricks that will help loosen and reduce the stain.
Image by Ryan McGuire
If you want to know about some efficient and low effort tips that can help you take out the toughest of stains, then keep on reading.
- Use vinegar to get rid of coffee stains – As delicious as coffee is, coffee stains are some of the worst stains ever. Getting them out is an enormous task and no matter how hard you scrub, the brown color doesn’t seem to go away. But there is a solution. All you have to do is create a mixture of lukewarm water, vinegar, and non-corrosive bleach. Blend all the ingredients in equal parts and splash some on the affected area. Wait for a while before gently scrubbing the area with a cloth or a toothbrush. You’ll see that stain is gone almost completely. Repeat the steps as many times as needed. You can do this on clothes, carpets, and other soft furnishings.
- Get rid of water stains with baking soda – The metallic gleam of your sink can get dull due to water stains, which can be a struggle to get rid of. In fact, people have a perception that it’s impossible to take out water stains. But that’s not true. You can remove these stubborn blemishes with a bit of baking soda and vinegar. Sprinkle a good amount of baking soda on the stained areas. Then, with a piece of cloth, rub the baking soda into the stain, in a circular motion. Take some white vinegar and splash it onto the baking soda-covered spots. As the vinegar fizzles, scrub the areas gently with a sponge and clean off with a wet washcloth. The stains will be gone and you’ll be left with a sparkling sink.
- Remove bathtub stains with hydrogen peroxide – Just like water stains, yellowish marks on the bathtub are also inevitable. Due to consistent use, our tubs can get quite grimy over the months. But with a few easy steps and ingredients, you can make them disappear. All you need to do is mix â…“ hydrogen peroxide to â…” of baking soda to create a paste. This will be your main cleansing agent. Then, rub the paste on the stains and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Make sure that you’re wearing gloves. Once enough time has passed, take a wet cloth and wipe the paste away. Repeat steps 1 to 3 as much as needed. Soon your tub will be just as new.
- Use cornstarch to clean out your mattress – Most of us don’t seem to realize it but our mattress can accumulate a lot of dust and bacteria over time. Not to mention a constant build-up of sweat and dead skin. As a result, your mattress can develop ugly stains. Giving your mattress a deep clean once in a while is essential. To do so, just combine equal parts of cornstarch and salt with hydrogen peroxide. Rub this mixture over the stains and let it sit till the substance hardens completely. Once it’s hard, scrape it off and vacuum up the remaining debris.
Clean out mold stains on ceramic tiles with bleach – Although ceramic tiles look great on bathroom floors, maintaining them can be hard work. They’re incredibly susceptible to the growth of mold and bacteria, which is why the tiles become black and discolored over time. Not only is it unhygienic, but it ruins the look of the bathroom and makes it look unkempt. If you want to get rid of black mold on your tiles, simply make a combination 1 part strong bleach to 9 parts water and pour it on the tiles. Wipe the affected areas with a wet cloth. This should get rid of the average stains. However, for the mold that refuses to move, create a combination of 1 part bleach and 3 parts baking soda.
