Save Time with These Oven Cleaning Tips

Save Time with These Oven Cleaning Tips

Saving time cleaning does not always mean cutting corners, sometimes it means cleaning wisely, or prepping the area before you clean to save time later. Here’s how to clean a kitchen oven quickly.

Save Time Oven Cleaning Tip: First, Check What the Oven Manufacturer Recommends

Most major appliance manufacturers have websites that include the care and cleaning of their appliances. Find out your client’s appliance brand ahead of time and check the website for the best way to clean their oven. You can even ask for a model or serial number located on the appliance and enter this information into the website to pull up a PDF copy of the oven’s owner’s manual.

Save Time Oven Cleaning Tip: Cover the Floor Around the Oven and Oven Door

All that greasy grime from inside the oven can spill over the door and drip in-between cracks, leaving a messy floor that you now need to clean. Avoid this by placing either a plastic garbage bags or an old towel to protect the floor.

Save Time Oven Cleaning Tip: Remove the Warming Drawer

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Room-by-Room Fall Cleaning Checklist for Inside and Outside the House

Room-by-Room Fall Cleaning Checklist for Inside and Outside the House

Get your home prepared for the upcoming holiday season and beyond with this helpful Fall Cleaning Checklist for inside and outside the house. This list may seem overwhelming, so complete similar tasks together, or go room-by-room.

For the sake of simplicity, this list will assume that daily cleaning tasks like mopping or vacuuming floors, wiping counters and washing dishes gets done daily, so those items will not be included. Instead, we are including items that are not cleaned so frequently and that you may be overlooking.

If you plan on hiring a professional to deep clean your home, or clean your carpets, make sure you schedule them as early as possible. Cleaners cannot always fit you into their schedule on a last minute basis and are very in-demand leading up to the holiday season.

Kitchen Fall Cleaning Checklist

  • Clean the oven, then test it.
  • Empty the pantry and dispose or donate any unwanted items. Clean the shelves with a Non-scratch scrub sponge like our non-scratch Monster Scrub Sponge or Non-Scratch Cleaning Pad.
  • Clean or change-out any over the oven range hood filters. Greasy dirty filters cannot do their job properly and let cooking smells linger in the kitchen and home, so be sure to either clean them or change if your filter is disposable.
  • Clean out the refrigerator and freezer disposing of any expired foods. Remove and wash shelving. If your kitchen sink is not large enough, fill a bathtub with warm water and add a few drops of dish soap. Use a non-scratch scrub sponge to clean all shelving. Dry with a microfiber cloth and return shelving and food to the fridge.
  • Vacuum refrigerator’s condenser coils. Doing this will help allow your refrigerator to work efficiently and could extend the life of your appliance.
  • Clean garbage cans using an outside hose and scrub sponge.
  • Deep clean the dishwasher.
  • Degrease and clean cabinet doors and backsplashes. Use a flexible microfiber dusting wand to dust the top of cabinets and walls.
  • Use an eraser sponge to remove any dark scuff marks, dirt and grime from walls, doors or baseboards. Save your back and use our Eraser Sponge and Extension Handle Kit.
  • Make sure you’re stocked up with extra cleaning supplies for cleaning up from any holiday gatherings and meals.

Continue reading Room-by-Room Fall Cleaning Checklist for Inside and Outside the House

Kitchen and Bathroom Cleaning Tips Used By Cleaning Pros

Professional Cleaner tips for cleaner kitchens and bathrooms

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.

gloved hand wiping bathroom counter with microfiber cloth

Wipe Left to Right Using an “S” Pattern

After dusting, use a microfiber cleaning cloth to clean counter cabinets and handles, or use it to clean a bathroom mirror. Be sure to wipe left to right in an “S” pattern. Using an “S” pattern insures all Continue reading Kitchen and Bathroom Cleaning Tips Used By Cleaning Pros

Cleaning Your Oven for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day Turkey Cooked in oven

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.

Cleaning Your Dishwasher with Eraser Sponges

Cleaning dishwasher with Sponge Outlet

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.

Find out more about the “Advantages of Microfiber Towels for Cleaning,” on our blog post.

5 Things You Should Clean Regularly in Your Home

Cleaning your home with eraser sponge products

Our homes can get very dirty without us even realizing it. Over time, there are several areas that can gather bacteria and other germs rather quickly. Sinks, bathrooms, and kitchens are just scratching the surface. These areas of your home and more need to be cleaned regularly to ensure the bacteria does not spread to other surfaces in your home.

Here are 5 things you should clean regularly:

Kitchen Sink & Countertops

The kitchen is used frequently to prepare and cook food. Your stovetop, kitchen sink, countertops, oven, microwave, and other surfaces can easily gather leftover food, crumbs, and other debris. Bacteria and other germs can gather in these places. To combat these germs, Sponge Outlet’s eraser sponges will do the trick!

Bathrooms

Your bathrooms can also gather germs. Believe it or not, the bathroom sink can get just as dirty as the toilet bowl. Cleaning the bathroom is very important. You have to make sure you clean every area around and inside the toilet, bathtub, walls, sink, faucet, and much more. Our dual melamine eraser sponges and scouring pad can get to the bottom of the grime.

Doorknobs & Handles

We touch our doorknobs and door handles constantly at our homes. Coming in from a long day outside in the summer can bring in germs on our hands. These germs can stick to the handles. Bacteria can build up if we don’t clean them regularly. Besides our eraser sponges, we can provide you with microfiber towels and more to quickly clean off these areas!

Cabinets

Cabinets around your home can gather crumbs, dirt, grime, and dust at any point in the year. Cleaning your cabinets regularly with a microfiber towel will allow you to quickly dust off the debris for a cleaner home. For the hard-to-reach places, simply use our dusting wand!

Laundry Room

This is an important one to clean. The laundry room is consistently being filled with dirty laundry. Germs and bacteria can build up on the countertops and floors. Make sure when you’re washing your clothes in the washer to clean the areas around them.

At Sponge Outlet, we can provide you with high quality cleaning products clean every area of your home inside and out.

Keep Hand Sanitizer in Your Home for the Winter Months

Hand sanitizer for home use

As we approach the winter months, we’d like to make sure you understand the benefits of keeping hand sanitizer in your home for extra sanitization and cleanliness. The COVID-19 Pandemic is still among us, which means the winter season will bring all sorts of sicknesses. To protect and prevent against all viruses and germs, make sure you have hand sanitizer for you and your family.

The Benefits of Hand Sanitizer

At Sponge Outlet, we provide a variety of cleaning supplies for your home and office space. We can provide you with hand sanitizer that will help prevent and kill germs during the seasons where most people get sick.

  • On the Go Germ Killer
  • Helps to Keep Your Hands Clean and Germ Free
  • Stops the spread of germs to others
  • Portable for All situations
  • Less Risk for Disease

You won’t always have access to a bathroom where you can thoroughly wash your hands to kill those germs, which is why hand sanitizer helps. It is much quicker than washing your hands, and it gives you the opportunity to sanitize your hands when you’re out and about. You protect yourself from the chances of catching diseases on your hands throughout the day.

Why Choose Sponge Outlet for Your Cleaning Supplies?

Coming from an area where cold weather brings germs, we understand the importance and need of a clean-living space. We can provide you with a wide variety of cleaning products, as well as hand sanitizer to make sure you and your family stay clean this winter season. Contact Sponge Outlet at 877-776-6430 today or visit us online for more information!

 

Monster Scrubby Duo Sponge for Cleaning Dishes

Pile of dirty dishes

Do you always have a difficult time choosing which sponges or scrubs to use to wash your dishes? If so, you don’t have to stress over choosing anymore. The easiest choice is to go with the Monster Scrubby Duo Sponge from Sponge Outlet!

The Downside of Using Cellulose Sponges

Your biggest concern with cleaning your dishes is making sure they’re cleaned thoroughly without leaving any stains or dirty marks. Many times, when you’re using other sponges like cellulose sponges, they won’t get the dishes as clean as you want.

Cellulose sponges have a problem with cleaning because they trap residue and particles in the sponge, which means it will be difficult to rinse out after you’re done cleaning. They usually break down easily because they’re inexpensive, and they tend to start to smell bad after a few uses. Especially when raw egg or raw meat is involved, you definitely do not want to be cleaning with these sponges.

The better choice is a monster scrubby duo from Sponge Outlet!

The Benefits of a Monster Scrubby Duo Sponge

Staying healthy clean should be the number one priority in every kitchen. When cleaning dishes, it’s a smart decision to start using the monster scrubby duo sponge.

Here is why:

  • Non-Scratching Surface
  • Soft in Warm Water
  • Firm and Aggressive in Cold Water
  • Holds Soap w/o Drying up or becoming brittle or nasty
  • Two-sided (for dual use)

The monster scrubby duo sponge does not harden while holding soap causing particles to be trapped. They are easy to rinse out and clean because they become soft in warm water.

If you’re looking to start cleaning your dishes the right way while using a clean and healthy sponge, it’s time to purchase a monster scrubby duo sponge. At Sponge Outlet, we provide cleaning products and supplies for safe cleaning and non-toxic cleaning. Without the name-brand pricing, you can get yourself a reliable and durable monster scrubby duo sponge to clean your dishes the right way.

Contact Sponge Outlet at 877-776-6430 today!

Make it Easier for Holiday Food Cleanups

monster scrubby sponges for holiday cleanup

Holiday dinners are a joyous time, but the mess that’s made is never a fun one. The cooking and prepping of food is exciting, until you get done with that last bite, then you realize it’s time to clean the entire mess up. Here are some products that will make it easier on your cleanup process. Sponge Outlet has the cleaning products to cater to your cleaning needs this holiday season.

For the Tough Places

Often, when cooking big meals for the holidays, the stovetop and surrounding areas may get coated with food and dry out. If you have a gas stove, the grease, grime, and food can be difficult to scrub down.

But with our Grease & Grime Grabber, you will have no problem at all.

  • Remove the covers and soak them in warm soapy water while you scrub down the underneath with the grease and grime grabbers.
  • Then, you can use this cleaning product to clean the stovetop cover.

You can also use our Monster Scrubby Sponge, which works well to prevent scratches and marks on glossy surfaces. It’s a tough scrubber that stiffens up like a metallic-wool material in cold water, and in warm water, it’s plush and soft.

Countertops and Dining Table

Countertops in the kitchen will get to become a mess, especially with elaborate holiday meals. It looks like a warzone in the kitchen after meal prep. Our eraser sponges are the perfect cleaning product to clean off your countertops and dining table. An Eraser sponge will leave your surfaces looking spotless!

Sponge Outlet

At Sponge Outlet, we provide cleaning products for whatever your cleaning needs are during the holiday season. We know this time of year can get hectic with cooking big meals for family and friends, and we want you to have the best, natural cleaning products to help you get the tough job done. Contact us at 877-776-6430 today to get more information on all of our cleaning products!

Using the Monster Scrubby to Clean Your Nonstick Pans

Cleaning pots and pans with monster scrubby sponge

Are you sick of getting scratches and other marks on your non-stick pans from scrubbing and cleaning them? Well, we have the perfect product for you! Our Monster Scrubby is a non-scratching scrubby that will clean your non-stick pans in no time without any marks.

The Monster Scrubby Powers

The Monster Scrubby from Sponge Outlet is a tough scrubby sponge that has a stiff metallic-wool-like feel when it’s in cold water, but it is plush and soft when under the warm water. It is a non-scratch and durable sponge that can get those tough scrubs, as well as easy cleaning spots on your non-stick pans.

What is it applied to?

There are several applications you can use the scrubby for. It is common to use these for washing your pots and pans because of its easy cleaning powers. It is most beneficial for products you don’t want to get scratches and marks on. It is also used for bathrooms, countertops, floors, walls, mirrors, and more!

The Benefits of the Monster Scrubby

You can count on us to give you the product you need. With the monster scrubby, we can customize size, shape and color to meet whatever your needs might be. This non-stick scrubby is more durable and lasts longer than the Scrub Daddy. It is made from stronger material, which makes the cleaning routine less strenuous and much easier.

BONUS: It is environmentally friendly because it draws damaging carbon from the air with the unique manufacturing process, which ultimately protects our environment.

Check out all of our options for our monster scrubby sponges!

Sponge Outlet

Sponge Outlet provides cleaning products for all of your needs. If you’re in need of natural cleaning products for any type of cleaning, we can help you find the right product for the situation. Contact Sponge Outlet at 877-776-6430 today to get more information on our cleaning products!