Dusting not only makes your home look nice, it can remove potential allergens from inside your home that could be making you sick.
Dust to Combat Springtime Allergies
Allergens run wild during the spring and this is due to trees, grasses and weeds releasing tiny grains called “pollen” which wreak havoc on your immune system when inhaled. Pollen can cause sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, runny noses and other symptoms. And pollen is not just outdoors; it can make up part of the dust that collects on your home’s surfaces.
Dust is another allergen and the dust inside your home could be made up of pet hair, dust mites, mold and pollen. Surprisingly, allergies could flare up AFTER dusting, because dust particles get stirred up and moved around during cleaning. To prevent this, wear a mask while dusting and use a tool like Continue reading Control Springtime Allergies By Dusting
Make cleaning kitchens and bathrooms easier with these tips used by professional cleaners.
Start from the Top and Work to the Bottom
That means start with dusting high areas like the tops of cupboards or kitchen cabinets or the bathroom vanity. Use a microfiber duster to trap dirt and dust and not just knock it to the ground, or on to lower counter tops or shelves.
Whether you’re using your boat on the lake, or in the ocean, you will want to make sure you keep it clean, especially before winter storage. Salt or other forms of grime and scum can build up and damage your investment.
Spray Down Your Entire Boat with Water
Spray your boat down with water starting from the top and working your way down. If there is salt, give it a few minutes to let everything dissolve after spraying with water. Then, hose it down again. It is best to have your boat lifted in order to get to the undersides as well and spray down the engines. A pressure washer works wonders.
As for cleaning products, there are plenty of commercial boat cleaners on the market. Just make sure to check that they are suitable for your boat’s material. Apply using an absorbent sponge or soft scrub brush.
Clean the Livewell or Baitwell
The livewell or baitwell is sure to have gathered some nasty stains and smells throughout the season. For the interior, a non-toxic cleaner is best as it will not be detrimental to any fish or bait placed inside the livewell. Baking soda and water will help neutralizer any odors and is a great non-toxic cleaner. Use an eraser sponge with a scrubber pad from SpongeOutlet.com to scour any stains or water scum from the interior. Be sure to rinse well.
Clean Vinyl Seats and Consoles
Eraser sponges can also be used for detailed cleaning without harsh chemicals on vinyl seats and plastic consoles. Use them to remove scuff dirt and grime and scuff marks. For cleaning larger areas, consider using SpongeOutlet’s Giant Sized Boat Eraser Sponges.
Be sure to protect vinyl seats from the UV rays of the sun, by using a protective seat cleaner. Protective cleaners will help prevent any cracking or discoloration caused by sunlight. Wipe off cleanser with a microfiber towel.
Sponge Outlet is your source for boat eraser sponges, microfiber towels and other cleaning supplies.
Now is the time to test and clean your oven in preparation for Thanksgiving Day. Cleaning takes time and it’s not something you want to put off.
Why Should I Clean My Oven?
According to appliance manufacturer Whirlpool, a clean oven cooks food more evenly and smells better versus a dirty oven. Grease and food spills can gather inside of the oven’s interior, darkening it and making the oven work harder to evenly cook food. Any spills can start to smoke and produce unpleasant smells. These smells might affect the taste of any food you cook inside it.
How to Test Your Oven Before Thanksgiving Day (Easy)
If you have not turned on your oven in several months, make sure it is working properly by baking something simple like a frozen pizza or cookies. Thanksgiving is already a very busy time for appliance repair businesses so if something is not working right; you want to know as soon as possible in order to schedule an oven repair.
Using an Oven’s Self-Cleaning Cycle
If you are planning on using the self-cleaning feature of your oven, do it a few weeks before Thanksgiving. A self-cleaning cycle reach’s incredibly high temperatures in order to incinerate food particles, dirt and grime inside your oven. The cycle takes a long time to run and the oven door locks as a safety precaution. Self-cleaning cycles can also produce smoke and smells that might linger inside your home. Be sure to open windows and keep the room well-ventilated when running the self-cleaning cycle.
If your oven is several years old, it might prove risky to run a self-cleaning cycle so close to Thanksgiving Day. During these cycles, there is a good chance that any weakened parts might break, leading to a needed repair. Thanksgiving is already a very busy time for appliance repair businesses and they may not have the part they need to fix your oven in stock.
Eco-Friendly Options for Cleaning an Oven
You may decide that cleaning your oven by hand is best. To clean your oven, first consult the owner’s manual for your oven to see what to use and what not to use when cleaning your oven. If you no longer have the owner’s manual, you can search for it online using your oven’s model number which should be located somewhere on the oven or range.
Let an oven completely cool before cleaning it. Put down towels or a plastic garbage bag to catch any drips or dirty water from cleaning and to protect your floors. Remove any oven racks. Make your own DIY eco-friendly oven cleaner by mixing together a paste of baking soda, dish washing liquid and a little water. Let the baking soda mixture sit for 30 minutes to overnight. Use a spray bottle filled with vinegar or lemon juice to spray inside the oven for added cleaning power on tough grime and grease. Scrub the walls clean using a non-scratch scrubbing sponge like the Instant Erase Super Star Scrubby or SpongeOutlet’s non-scratch cleaning pad.
Remove the oven racks and clean them by soaking them in a sink or bathtub using the same mixture. Rinse and wipe clean.
Remove any trace of your home-made cleaner before turning on your oven with a damp microfiber cleaning cloth. After your oven is clean, turn it on to make sure there is no smoking from left-over cleaner.
Microfiber is a synthetic material that has two fibers blended together- polyester and polyamide. The polyester is great for polishing, while the polyamide is super absorbent. Microfiber Towels have great advantages when it comes to cleaning in and around your home. They are gentle, versatile, durable, and reusable, which makes them great for cleaning.
What are the advantages?
The blend of these two fibers creates a unique material with qualities you won’t find in your typical towel or sponge. The way that it is constructed will absorb liquids but can also attract and pick up dust and debris.
Microfiber is lint free, so they are great for washing windows, mirrors, and other reflective surfaces.
This product is hypoallergenic. For those who have allergies or are sensitive to other materials that can be found in cloths or towels, these will not give you a reaction.
Microfiber towels are free of added chemicals, unlike cleaning wipes and sprays, which can irritate skin.
They are safe to use on any surface. These towels are soft and will not cause scratches or scuff marks. This makes them the perfect for cleaning wooden furniture, natural stone countertops and stainless steel appliances.
These towels will attract dirt and absorb oil from a surface instead of spreading or smearing them around, making cleaning easier.
Our microfiber towels can clean up messes made from dirt, soap, lubricants, dust, food spills, fingerprints, grime, residues, wax, grease, silicone, and much more.
Microfiber is super absorbent and can hold up to seven times its weight in moisture. Wow!
Microfiber materials are a good economic choice, as they last for a long time and are reusable.
As you can see, there are many reasons to invest in microfiber towels. If you’re looking for a product that can clean your home without added chemicals, are reusable and last a long time, you’ve come to the right place! Visit SpongeOutlet.com to help make your cleaning tasks easier with our microfiber towels and eraser products.
Keeping your dishwasher clean will not only will help it look and smell better, but it will help it to perform better and possibly extend the life of the appliance. Use eraser sponges to clean the plastic items inside your dishwasher without any added detergent or dish soap.
Cleaning the Inside of the Dishwasher’s Tub with Eraser Sponges
Use a paper towels to remove any large food debris from the bottom of the tub. Next, you will want to loosen any grime or leftover food. While your dishwasher is empty, place a cup of vinegar on the top rack,. Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher and then choose the cleaning cycle or a hot-water cleaning cycle. The vinegar and baking soda will help clean the dishwasher and remove any bad odors.
Some blogs suggest cleaning the inside of your dishwasher with bleach. However, if your dishwasher is stainless steel on the inside, this could corrode and ruin the finish of the dishwasher. Instead use an approved commercial dishwasher cleaner or the baking soda and vinegar method.
Next, check to see if your dishwasher has a removable filer that needs to be cleaned. The filter traps larger food particles to prevent the dishwasher’s water pump from becoming clogged. This can also be a source of bad smells if it has not been cleaned in a while. Remove the filter and wash it using warm soapy water. Use a soft sponge to wipe off any stuck-on food particles, or small stickers. An eraser sponge, like our large erasers sponges, can be used to remove grime on any plastic parts of the filter. Return the filter back to its housing before running your next dishwasher load.
Removing Stains and Smells From Inside the Dishwasher Tub
After the cycle is complete and your dishwasher is cool, use an eraser sponge to remove any grime from plastic racks, utensil baskets and wash arms.
The detergent dispenser can become encrusted with old soap which can prevent it from opening during the wash cycle. Remove any excess detergent from around and inside the plastic dispenser using an eraser sponge. Test the lid of the dispenser to make sure it shuts properly.
Check the lower dishwasher spray arms to make sure the holes are free and clear of any blockages, like food particles. During your dishwasher’s wash cycle, water and detergent spray through these holes to clean your dishes, so clogged spray arms might be preventing your dishwasher from properly cleaning your dishes.
Clean the Gasket Seal Around the Dishwasher Tub. The plastic or rubber-like seal around a dishwasher tub opening helps to secure the door and prevent any water leakage. Over time, the seal can become encrusted with dirt and grim made up from food particles, soap and dirt, leading to unpleasant smells. Use an eraser sponge, or just a wet sponge with dishwashing soap to remove any dirt, grime or food particles from the seal. Be sure to dry it using a microfiber cloth or towel.
Polish a Dishwasher Door Using This Cleaning Trick!
You can polish and clean the inside and outside of Stainless Steel Appliances using microfiber cloths. To give your stainless steel appliance door a nice shine on the outside, use a drop of olive oil and rub it in using a microfiber cloth.
We love our furry family members. Our pets become a part of our household and family routines. We want them to be comfortable and have fun; but sometimes that means having a mess to clean up on a daily basis. Our pet’s activities can cause scuffs on the floors, and marks on our walls, cabinets, and doors. Dogs and cats often make a mess around their food and water bowls, like toddlers at the dinner table.
Eraser Sponges Help Clean Your Home’s Messes
As pet owners, we don’t always have time to grab a bucket, fill it with water, and wet a mop, to wipe up floors; or time to get down on our knees with a bucket full of water and a sponge to clean up scuffed cabinet doors.
The eraser sponge makes it easy to clean up spills, scuffs, and dirty paw prints in a snap. Another great thing about using an eraser sponge to clean up after your pets is that it is simple enough for your kids to use as well. It is much simpler and much less messy to teach your little ones how to help you tidy up after pets by using the eraser sponge.
Giving a small child a mop and bucket of water, can create even more of a mess that the one you were attempting to clean. Keep eraser sponges handy, and have your kids watch you clean up scuffs and marks left by your pets; then engage them in the activity with you.
After going through this process, your kids will automatically reach for an eraser sponge when your dog comes in from playing outside.
Eraser Sponges from Sponge Outlet
An eraser sponge is your all-purpose cleaning tool for households with pets. You won’t need to switch up from a sponge to a mop.
You can clean all your pet’s messes with the eraser sponge; making the clean-up process easier and quicker. Now you can get back to the other tasks on your to-do-lists.
Visit spongeoutlet.com for more information about our eraser sponges and other cleaning products for cleaning up your home.
Here’s how to make sure your home and new room is ready for baby
Clean Hand-Me-Down Furniture
Since babies grow so fast, using used or donated furniture is a great way to save money. You may also have pieces from previous children which you can reuse. Prepare any cribs, changing tables, or rockers by giving them a thorough cleaning. Be careful using cleaners with heavy scents as these can irritate the eyes, skin, nose and throat of a young infant. Use a gentle soap and hot water to disinfect any surfaces.
When it comes to cleaning furniture or walls, an eraser sponge from SpongeOutlet.com contains no harsh chemicals and only uses water and the power of gentle scrubbing to remove dirt and grime. Eraser sponges can also remove adhesive from stickers and marks from crayons from walls and furniture.
Give the Room a Through Dusting – Including the Vents
Keep allergens low and away from your new baby by giving the room and contents a thorough dusting. A damp microfiber cloth or dusting wand will help remove dust. Don’t forget to also dust any vents. Dirty vents can distribute dust and allergens from other areas inside the home. Make sure they are clean and clean any in-room vents as well.
Keep a Cleaning Routine & Cleaning Tools on Hand
After baby comes home, it is important to keep cleaning every day. Keep eraser sponges around to safely clean up any dirt of marks on the crib or changing table. An eraser sponge with soap also has the added advantage of providing gentle disinfecting when used with hot water.
Babies are known for their ability to make a mess out of nothing, so it is important to make those messes easy to clean up. Using disinfecting wipes often combined with frequent use of eraser sponges can keep your baby’s room shining and clean, until they become a toddler. Then, you will need a larger box of sponge erasers for all the artwork they leave you!
Whatever cleaning tools or detergents you decide to use, be sure to keep them out of the reach of tiny hands. Lock them securely inside a cabinet with a baby proof lock, or store them high up in a cupboard and out of the reach of children.
As always, if you’re not entirely sure of using an eraser sponge on any surface, test a non-conspicuous area first. If you still have questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at customerservice@spongeoutlet.com.
SpongeOutlet.com is sending our Instant Erase Sponges to help out in the clean up and recovery efforts from Hurricane Ida in Louisiana. We have contacted the non-profit Second Harvest Food Bank of South Louisiana and have sent them our sponges this week. Second Harvest distributes food, water, and supplies (including cleaning supplies) to those in need. To find out how Second Harvest is helping people out, visit their Hurricane Ida Response page.
Cleaning the bathroom can be quite the chore and one that might have to be done weekly, depending on how many people live in your home. With all the nooks and crannies, tile grout, and scuff marks, it can be a real pain to clean every area. Fortunately, many of the areas can be cleaned without chemicals using an eraser sponge.
Before you start cleaning
Wear latex or vinyl gloves. Wearing rubber gloves will protect your hands and keep the skin from becoming too dry, even if you are just cleaning with water and an eraser sponge. Plus, you will be less squeamish when it comes to tackling dirty and unpleasant areas.
De-clutter Counters and Tubs. Clear the bathroom of laundry, wet towels, toys, shampoo bottles and other items to expose all surfaces that require cleaning.
Begin with the tub and shower area. If you have a separate shower stall, grab your eraser sponge and wet it with water. Gently scrub tile walls to remove any soap scum, soap residue or water stains. Clean the shower floor last so that you are not walking over it as you clean the rest of the shower area. Run the shower at the very end to rinse away any remaining dirt or debris.
If you have a tub with a shower, clean the wall tiles first with the eraser sponge, then the tub basin and finish using the shower sprayer to rinse the area thoroughly.
Sink and counters. Work top to bottom, left to right, to remove any soap scum, dirt, water stains and leftover tooth paste from the sink and counters. Run the faucet to rinse clean.
Toilet. You may want to use a new eraser sponge on the toilet to prevent any cross contamination issues. Use a sponge on the porcelain part of the toilet, tank, handle, seat and lid. Don’t forget to get behind the seat as well. Dispose of the sponge after use.
Some blogs and social media posts wrongly suggest dropping an eraser sponge into the toilet and letting it sit. Since most eraser sponges do not contain additional cleaning agents, this will not accomplish anything other than having to fish out a wet sponge from the toilet bowl. The cleaning power is the gentle scrubbing used to remove, dust, grime, soap scum, hard water stains, mold and scuff marks.
Clean the floors last
Use one of our eraser sponge mop heads to clean dirty grout tile lines on floor tiles. The replacement mop head attach to the head of a mop handle (sold separately) via Velcro. Wet the sponge first or use a spray bottle to wet the floor area before using the sponge to scrub back and forth. Rinse your sponge in a bucket and squeeze out dirty water to get a clean, reusable mop head sponge. Let it air dry and reuse again and again.
You no longer need to stress over cleaning your bathroom. Bulk eraser sponges ordered from Sponge Outlet allow you to have enough sponges on hand to clean the different areas of your bathroom without going broke. Choose from the original Instant Erase eraser sponge sold in packs of 10, 50, 210, 300 and 510. Or try the compressed extra strong eraser sponges with soap. Place your order online, today!
