Creative Cleaning Tools

By

simona99

Old toothbrush is a good idea.

By Kim (Guest Post)

I was going out of my mind trying to find something that would get all of the dust/hair that had accumulated in the bathroom radiator. I wanted to eventually paint it. But first I had to clean it!
After a frustrating afternoon I hit upon an idea.
I took a metal skewer (the kind used for BBQing shish ka bobs) and folded up a piece of the green scotch brite pad and stuck it through the hole on the end. Presto! It was slim enough to get to the back and fit in all of those skinny spaces.

By Jim (Guest Post)

Don't forget about your chemical tools.
Be careful with the chemicals you use in your cleaning.
If you can't drink it safely, then it really isn't safe to inhale.
Inhaling toxic chemicals can lead to all sorts of chronic
ailments, including cancer.
Better to use non-toxic products such as those sold
by wellness companies, then those having known cancer,
asthma, and skin problem causing chemicals.
Keep your home toxic free. Cleaning with vinegar, water,
baking soda, and tea tree oil never killed a child.
Have a look at these sites for toxic chemical alternatives.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17966376/
http://healthycleaning.com/whycleanhealthy.html
http://www.optionsproducts.com/kids.html
And my site.
http://kaj.advancingwithus.com/

By cj (Guest Post)

the mesh bag that you buy onions in makes a great scrubbie

By (Guest Post)

I thought the electric toothbrush sounded like a good idea until I really thought about it. I think it would be more frugal to reuse your toothbrush for tooth cleaning, with a new head, and use an old normal/denture brush for cleaning. Using an electric model requires the purchase/replacement of batteries, expensive where I live, and not good for the environment.

Regards

Jo

By

ThriftyFun

A cheap battery toothbrush works great with household cleaner to scrub corners, tile grout, windows, shower doors, and around faucets. Just be sure to keep your cleaning toothbrush separate from your personal one!

By Bobbie

By

ThriftyFun

Re-use old toothbrushes to clean behind your sinks and your tile.

By Karla Knechtel

By

Mr. Thrifty

A regular soda straw Taped to a vacuum hose can get into very small places with a heck of allot of suction
A paper clip end can with a little piece of paper towel or fabric can clean very small crevices

A bottle cap can scrape burnt food out of cast iron or aluminum pans

A soda bottle with a dishwashing soap lid can be used as a power sprayer behind kitchen and bathroom sink faucets

Use baggies or cereral bags for emergency gloves to mix chemical ,or clean toilets

to unclogged a Vacuum hose drop pencil or pen in the hose a shake it out the other side.

Use an old hairbrush to brush out your dustmop

an old comb to comb out your dust pan brush

A cue tip to polish hard to get crevice areas

By

Barbwire

Better than a toothbrush is a DENTURE brush!
Has really sturdy bristles and a smaller pokey brush on the other end, good for getting into small spaces

By

Jo Bodey

Face flannels/washers are very cheap, or can be picked up for cents in a charity shop. They make good absorbent cleaning cloths but my favourite use for them is pinned over the head of my Sabco microfibre pad mop. They spare the pads which are expensive to buy. Cut/torn up old flannelette sheets also make very good, lint free cleaning cloths.

Green Scotch Brite pads, (the cheaper one's never seem to be as good), are handy for all sorts of jobs besides pot scouring - light wood sanding to remove a bit of paint, paint stripping after the application of chemical stripper, removing labels, stuck on gunk on the floor, etc. Use cut into 2 or 4 pieces of course!

A chop stick and a dust buster, (hand held vac), make short work of the insect and dust collecting tracks of aluminium, (aluminum), windows and doors.

Regards

Jo

By

ThriftyFun

Do you have a sock without a mate? Don't throw the sock away. Instead use it for dusting your furniture! Just put your hand inside the sock and dust away!

By Robin

By

ThriftyFun

Recycle an old hooded sweatshirt by cutting the hood off with the strings still attached. Tie it over a mop or broom and use it to dust ceiliings and walls. The hood can be washed and used over and over.

By June S.

By

ThriftyFun

Save old nylon hose with runs in them, wash them and use them to "dust" silk/polyester flowers. Old dryer sheets work as well also, and will give the petals/leaves a nice scent.

By Carlabw

By

ThriftyFun

Keep a window squeegee in your bathroom. After every shower use it to remove excess water on walls. It helps greatly to reduce mildew.

By SueKaf

By Iridescentcold (Guest Post)

I always keep my film canisters, and lately I have used them to store Trident gum in my purse. They could also be used to keep a few Tylenol in your purse.

By

ThriftyFun

To clean behind faucets, can-openers, around sink trim or any small hard to get to areas I use a denture brush. This is very handy and inexpensive.

By Cindi G.

By Linda (Guest Post)

I keep an extra toilet brush (just for this use) in the bathtub. I can then clean the tub without the bending and reaching. Its good for any little spider webs I might find in the bathroom, too.