Since I've started fairview place I've learned a thing or two about cleaning up old grime. A lot of the items I buy are in need of a little TLC before they hit the Etsy page. I've found a couple things that I really can't live without these days and thought they'd be a good addition to any household. So, from my cleaning supplies closet to yours!
Thrift store employees seem to LOVE packaging tape. I could be buying a canister set with lids as tight as Spanx and yet they find it necessary to use packaging tape to keep the tops on the bottoms and the multi-piece set together. I understand this might a mandatory procedure for keeping everything together, but boy does it make a mess of the product. There is so much goo left behind from the tape and sometimes the paint even peels away (the latter is just a waste of money)! This is where steel wool comes to save the day (and yes, this is actually made from steel!). On wood, glass and most metals it takes the sticky residue off in seconds. Not to mention it works wonders on rust, burnt kitchen pans and even taking black high-heel scuff marks off floors :)
My mom has sworn by this stuff for years. Any kind of oily stain you might encounter this is the product to use. A lot of the books I buy usually have the price written on them in this sort of oily, waxing crayon. A little dab of this does the trick almost every time.
Great for cleaning those hard-to-get-into places...like the inside of lamps!
This is a great drain-friendly cleaning agent that is really similar to Comet or other scrubbing powders. Just sprinkle on your stain, let sit and clean with a wet cloth. You can clean silver jewelry with a mixture of three parts soda and one part water. And it helps get rid of stale smells left in old boxes, pots and dishes.
Okay, this really isn't a cleaning tip, but I rely on my Super Glue just as much as any other product in my cleaning closet! A small amount really solves just about any small break or tear and there's no residue left behind. Plus, you can buy it at the Dollar Tree (one of my favorite places to go :).
Lastly, don't ever underestimate the power of soaking! Seems so simple, but a sink full of hot soapy water can cure a lot of pesky problems that arise for me.