Household tips and tricks! - Are you having trouble getting the wine stains out of your carpet? Do you clean your cookware with something extraordinary? Come share!

Sink strainers in every plug hole. They catch most hair, food, and even help dilute thicker liquids (think toothpaste spit) and prevent most blockages from forming.

I like these: https://www.target.com/p/oxo-silicone-sink-strainer-with-stopper/-/A-13567834 for the kitchen.

And those post-shower sprays that you don't have to wipe or rinse away afterwards are useful for keeping grime/mold from building up between proper cleanings.

I've heard rubbing alcohol is a good substitute for those sprays.

If you have the space, but two of everything you use up frequently. When one runs out, buy a replacement. Do this a little at a time so it doesn't hit your pocketbook all at once. If you keep up with it you'll never find yourself out of coffee or mayo or whatever again.
 
Splurge and get real linen sheets. Expensive but sooo worth it, they’re cool when it’s hot, warm when it’s cold and get softer with every wash. They last way longer than cotton sheets as well.
Go one better: 100% bamboo sheets are where it's at.

I have teh autisms and sensory issues, so I need a soft, smooth, high thread count sheet that won't pill. I was laying serious money down on high thread count cotton sheets, and then one day I randomly decided to give some (comparatively) cheap 100% bamboo sheets a go. They're amazing, you don't even have to have a high thread count because the threads themselves have a satin texture. They're soft, they're smooth, they're satiny without being greasy. They're excellent in summer heat, they don't cling the way cotton does if you're sweating. Cost is also a bonus; they are much cheaper than a linen sheet that would have the same properties. They also don't fray.

Another issue that affects performance for me is that I have pet rats and they will chew everything that I love. One of them went for a set of bamboo sheets I had on the bed and made decent-sized holes in the base of the fitted sheet and the cover sheet. Those holes have been there for about three years now and there has been no fraying or unraveling or tearing. I still use those chewed sheets and they are only coming to the end of their useful lifespan now. About the only problem I have is that my white set of sheets has yellowed slightly with age but there's a simple fix for that: I won't buy white bamboo sheets again.

Honestly, bamboo sheets, I can't sing their praises loudly enough.
 
I have a question for you: how do I get mould stains out of a white cloth shower curtain? There is also a slight problem in that asthma has been giving me gyp lately,
Bin it. Mould never really goes away, you can nuke it but it grows INTO substances. It’s also one of the big triggers for a lot of peoples asthma. New shower curtain.
Hey you guys sound like you might have a fix for this. One of my roommates had pot in his pants when he ran the dryer and now everything that goes through it smells like dope. How do fix the landlord won't fix it? I hate the smell and just want my clothes to smell good.
Pull out the lint filter and wash it. Wipe around the door and anywhere you can rea h with white vinegar. Soak it in white vinegar diluted in water for an hour or so then rinse again and put it back. Pull out the condenser and wash it. Then get an old bath towel, completely soak it in a sink with a cup of white vinegar and water. Put it in the dryer and dry it. It’ll smell like a chip shop for an hour then air it out and it’ll go
 
Drain the water out of the toilet. Use sand paper and go hard. Fill the tank with white house paint. Flush.
I know someone who did this
1. Don't do on a septic tank. 2. Don't do at all. Only piss, paper and poop should go down a toilet. If it's that stained, fecking replace it.


Skirting boards and painted woods on walls can come up lovely with hot water and a tiny bit of fabric softener.

Keep a pile of old towels for stuff like defrosting iceboxes, spillages, etc.
 
1. Don't do on a septic tank. 2. Don't do at all. Only piss, paper and poop should go down a toilet. If it's that stained, fecking replace it.
I don't understand why people say that BP have no sense of humor. Yeah obviously don't do that, the result is a disaster, but I know someone that did. Older man, married for a long time, recently divorced, had to find solutions to household problems he's never had to pay much attention to and solve them using the skills and tools he understood.

Problem: Toilet crusty, toilet brush not working.
Solution: Get sandpaper.

Problem: Toilet is all fucked up by sandpaper.
Solution: A bucket of paint will replace the enamel.

Problem: Toilet internals is clogged up with dried paint.
Solution: New toilet.
 
I don't understand why people say that BP have no sense of humor. Yeah obviously don't do that, the result is a disaster, but I know someone that did. Older man, married for a long time, recently divorced, had to find solutions to household problems he's never had to pay much attention to and solve them using the skills and tools he understood.

Problem: Toilet crusty, toilet brush not working.
Solution: Get sandpaper.

Problem: Toilet is all fucked up by sandpaper.
Solution: A bucket of paint will replace the enamel.

Problem: Toilet internals is clogged up with dried paint.
Solution: New toilet.
The worst one of all is boiling water down a loo. I know soda crystals can be used if it's super blocked and I've known more than one person tip boiling hot water straight from the kettle into the pan. At like 5pm on a Sunday.

And that's how you end up with no toilet, haha.
 
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Regardless of your own opinions, keep some scented room spray in a very visible place in the bathroom. Guests might feel bad about their poops and you want them to be able to make themselves comfortable.
Childhood memories of the smell of shit mixed with Glade lilac scent still haunt me.

Did you know you can make a DYI version of Poo Pourri? https://wondermomwannabe.com/diy-poo-pourri-spray
 
For anyone that was on the edge on their seats re: my laundry misadventures, I came to report that I managed to be near the machine at the end of a washing cycle and....literally there's no water on the sink and no sign of black anything for that matter. Fucking thing isn't even damp.

I can't even.

Not looking forward to the conversation I'm going to have with this person.
 
1. Don't do on a septic tank. 2. Don't do at all. Only piss, paper and poop should go down a toilet. If it's that stained, fecking replace it.


Skirting boards and painted woods on walls can come up lovely with hot water and a tiny bit of fabric softener.

Keep a pile of old towels for stuff like defrosting iceboxes, spillages, etc.
I've taken your advice and poured paint down my toilet. I have white paint seeping out into the yard from the field lines now.

Why would you tell me to do this?
 
I guess this qualifies as cleaning in the context of plants/gardening:

If you suffer from mold in houseplants or anywhere damp earth/soil is involved, go to a reptile store or shop online for "Trichorhina tomentosa". You will receive a small container with soil and little whitish clusters, which you simply add to the pot/soil. After a few days, you'll see your new personal anti-mold army start to appear.

These are small (think 1/10th of an inch or about 3mm) white roaches that have no interest in living outside damp earth (in fact they will die within hours) so they never leave the pot and mostly just bury into the soil. They do not attack rootstems or leaves, and feed solely on dead matter but most importantly mold fungi.
As the amount of mold decreases, so will the roaches, but it's essentially like having a tiny force of mold exterminators in the soil. If the mold returns, so will the tiny roaches once you've built up a base amount in the soil.
I had about 5 gallons of soil covered in mold - it took a month, but they ate it all and my soil is completely mold-free. Every now and again I'll see one of them wandering on the surface, looking for mold to kill, before burrowing back down. Semper Fi, little roach.

------

Similarly, if you find your soil is bringing forth lots and lots of tiny annoying flies, which are in fact called "fungal gnats" you can buy a species of "nematodes", tiny tiny ringworms, which feed on the larva of said gnats in the soil, stopping their reproductive cycle. You can also buy hundreds of matches and stick them in the soil (tip down) to kill the larva with sulphure, but I prefere the nematodes as they don't impact the chemical makeup of the soil itself and just murder what needs murdering.
 
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Don't use woollite on hand wash items. Especially wool. It will actually damage the fibers and break down the fabric quicker. In short Woollite is shit. You want a good no-rinse wool wash like Euclan or Soak. A bottle will last you for years and years. I bought mine at a local yarn store, but you can find them online.

For natural fibers a tiny bit (like a teaspoon in a gallon of water for normal soil) of hair conditioner also works, but you do need to rinse it well. Be careful to use cold water and as little friction as possible to avoid any felting that might occur.

Tidy Cats Slide litter is the best clay litter on the market. It actually clumps and stays clumped as you're scooping. If the clump goes all the way to the bottom of the box, because the litter level is a little on the low side, the clump lifts out smoothly and cleanly. It is hands down the only litter I'll use. Well worth the extra money, because you don't end up with broken off clumps in the clean litter causing the whole mess needing to be dumped out, so it probably saves money long term.

Chewy is the best place to buy animal supplies if you don't have a pet store near you. The shipping is never more than two days unless it's backordered or inclement weather. They only sell food by the case, but if your pet eats one can and then refuses the next, you can return what they didn’t eat. Tons of selections too. We found a high-quality, low phosphorus cat food our ancient, incredibly picky, cat with kidney disease loved there. Can't recommend them enough.
What is the cat food? I have an older, extremely picky cat who is too skinny, no kidney issues, just skinny. Her tastes can vary meal to meal in the same day and I love that bitch so much I'll try whatever I can buy to get her to eat more.
Anyone in this thread knows how to get rid of cat pee stains? A few days ago I found out that some fucker cat peed on the cushion of my armchair. I cleaned the stain with vinegar and soap, but it's the smell that won't go away.

Enzyme sprays made for pet stains. We keep several bottles around the house for the piss, vomit, and skidmarks that our lovely cats leave. Anything that can go in the washer I use a shit ton of vinegar, baking soda and laundry detergent. The one we like best is called Out! but any enzyme pet stain targeted spray should work.

_____

I don't have much advice to add on here as I am also a huge advocate of vinegar, baking soda and harsh chemical based cleaners. I use common sense and apply each one as the situation dictates. I wash mildewy shower curtains in hot water, bleach, and a white towel to help scrub it.

I got some really good advice on reddit of all places, about washing and caring for bed sheets. We invested in some solid white high quality sheets, wash in hot water with baking soda and vinegar added, a splash of bleach if there's a bloodstain or coffee stain, and sheets come out fresh, soft and smelling good. I also always wash towels, bath towels or nasty kitchen towels, in hot water with again baking soda, vinegar, and laundry detergent, and do a presoak. I haven't had an issue with stinky mildew towels since. Hot water is reserved for towels and sheets; I don't wash our clothing in hot water.

I don't fuck around with hand washing anything and use garment bags instead. Bras and nice undies go in the bag and air dry. Never, ever put bras in the dryer unless you want to significantly shorter their lifespan. There are workarounds items that are dry clean only-do so at your own risk-but do not attempt with rayon, especially viscose.

Dawn Powerwash is a magical product. It has a strong smell but melts off hard, crusty residue off pots and pans with ease. This part is gross tmi but a few years ago I had the flu, and was so sick I openly sneezed all over the wall next to my side of the bed. Dawn Powerwash removed the crusty snot stains easily and I just washed the walls with a wet rag afterwards.

A couple of summers ago one of our cats got skunked (the same crotchety old bitch mentioned above) and of course ran the stink throughout the house. I won't discuss the hell that was washing her, but dishes of baking soda and vinegar placed around the house got rid of the skunk smell in a few days. I was pretty impressed. I also bought some Nature Miracle's skunk deodorizer to spray on the furniture and curtains but honestly the dishes of baking soda and vinegar worked better. Make sure to place them in separate dishes; don't mix them.

If you get those tiny black ants in your kitchen, a mixture of Borax, sugar, and water knocks the fuckers out. Soak a cotton ball or pad in the mixture and watch them swarm and line up. Don't freak out when hundreds of them appear. They take the poison back to their nests and it kills them off. You may have to repeat a day or two but but better than squishing them. Borax is toxic so make sure you keep it away from kids and pets. Directions here

I need some advice on this: our house has textured, cheap vinyl flooring in the kitchen and bathroom that previous owners left paint stains on. Short of replacing the flooring (which we will in the near future, so if anyone has suggestions for a good budget and pet friendly material, please let me know), how do I get the stains out of it? So far I have tried steam mopping, bleaching, melamine sponge, and soaking with undiluted LA's Totally Awesome Cleaner and nothing has worked.
 
@lonelygorl15

What is the cat food? I have an older, extremely picky cat who is too skinny, no kidney issues, just skinny. Her tastes can vary meal to meal in the same day and I love that bitch so much I'll try whatever I can buy to get her to eat more.

https://www.chewy.com/whole-earth-farms-grain-free-real/dp/115617

This is the one my sick cat loved and ate mist of the time. Mr Substitute says he just now noticed it says it's no longer available. Grrrrr! Maybe it's a temporary thing, so I'm including the link anyway.

https://www.chewy.com/natures-logic-feline-beef-feast-grain/dp/127176

This one says "supplemental feeding only". It has taurine in it, but apparently it's not approved by the FDA as a "cat food". My younger cat hates this one.

https://www.chewy.com/tiki-cat-hawaiian-grill-ahi-tuna/dp/37718

This is the third food my sick cat would eat.

We would put a little bit of each on the plate when she would turn her nose up at the duck, then refill whatever she ate until she stopped eating.

Edit:

I need some advice on this: our house has textured, cheap vinyl flooring in the kitchen and bathroom that previous owners left paint stains on. Short of replacing the flooring (which we will in the near future, so if anyone has suggestions for a good budget and pet friendly material, please let me know), how do I get the stains out of it? So far I have tried steam mopping, bleaching, melamine sponge, and soaking with undiluted LA's Totally Awesome Cleaner and nothing has worked.

Home improvement stores should have paint remover chemicals. I've never used them, and you'd want to wash the floors throughly afterwards to remove residue.

As for redoing the floors vinyl plank is probably the most budget friendly option. To do my 15'x15' bedroom would cost about $700 in supplies alone, which is not bad. It's possible to DIY too without too much trouble.
 
Anyone in this thread knows how to get rid of cat pee stains? A few days ago I found out that some fucker cat peed on the cushion of my armchair. I cleaned the stain with vinegar and soap, but it's the smell that won't go away.
This stuff is magic. I've tried all the other pee killers during The Urine Wars -all of them!- and nothing works as effectively as this.

It looks like they also make a powder now too. I can't personally vouch for it, but I wouldn't hesitate to try it.
 
Someone here on the Farms shared this video about a handheld steam cleaner for hard surfaces:
and it was worth every penny, five stars would buy again. Just needs tap water to work, and works well in conjunction with your other favorite cleaning products. My glass shower doors look brand sparkling new thanks to the squeegee attachment. Great for steaming fabrics. Endless uses in the bath/kitchen, grout, window tracks, sticky floor spots. Thank you random farmer and YouTube lady!
 
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