Life is messy, but with these 27 simple yet effective tips there’s no reason why you cannot clean it and add a bit of sparkle to your home, garden and car – and all for little outlay but big rewards.

1. Car –Go waterless and achieve a showroom shine with ease
2. Garden – Gardening isn’t just about flowerbeds and mowing the lawn
3. Cooker – A clean cooker can help your food taste nicer, plus it brings health benefits
4. Dishwasher – For clean pots and pans, you need a clean dishwasher
5. Windows – Never wash them on a cloudy day

Car:

8 out of 10 British drivers don’t wash their own cars, instead opting to take them to one of the many car washing sites which have popped up. But if you’re in the minority and clean your own car, make sure you’re able to get the showroom look by following the tips below.

• Give yourself time as cleaning your car isn’t a quick 10 minute job. Instead it’s something you need to give a lot of time and attention to and key to achieving a showroom finish is to concentrate equally on both the interior and exterior of your vehicle.
• As a rule of thumb, never wash your car in direct sunlight as this is likely to increase the risk of streaks occurring or the cleaning products not working to their full potential.
• Go waterless. There are a range of waterless car cleaning products available and these offer an easy and effective way to clean your car. Simply spray the cleaning products onto your car’s bodywork, lift off the grime with a micro-fibre cloth and then buff off with another cloth to produce a showroom shine.The benefits of going waterless when cleaning your car include saving money and saving time, particularly as you don’t need to switch between different cleaning products or change buckets of water as you go.
• Sticking to the traditional method of using a sponge and bucket? Use two buckets. One should hold the shampoo mix whilst the other should have clean water in and be used to rinse the sponge before dipping it back into the cleaning mixture. This will help prevent grit and dirt from being pushed around the car.
• Never use household products to clean your car, instead make sure you opt for quality car cleaning products, and if possible use different products for specific areas of your vehicle, such as an alloy wheel cleaner.

• Always start from the top of your car and work your way down, using plenty of lather to help remove the dirt. By starting at the top of your car and working your way down, you’ll prevent dirty water and residue from running across the areas you’ve just cleaned.

• Don’t leave your car to air dry, as this will result in swirls on the paintwork. Instead, use a deep pile micro-fibre towel to dry the vehicle. Not only will this avoid swirls, but it’ll prevent dust and grit from being pushed around your paintwork.

• Spend time on the interior, from vacuuming the seats, mats and boot through to wiping down the dashboard, interior side panels and steering wheel. Giving the interior of your car a thorough clean and popping in a car air freshener will help with the overall look of your vehicle.

Garden:

Keeping your garden looking neat isn’t just about cutting the grass and tending to the flowerbeds, there are other tasks which need to be carried out too.

• Clean your greenhouse. With spring here you’ll be looking at growing various seeds in the greenhouse, but before you do you’ll need to give it a thorough clean. This involves sweeping away any plant debris from the floor and surfaces, disinfecting sides and the glass and washing any pots not in use to help prevent diseases from spreading to young plants. [source: Thompson Morgan]
• Fix fences and trellises which may have been displaced by strong winds during the winter. Repairing and replacing fences / trellises as required will help to keep your garden looking tidy and aesthetically pleasing.
• Clean and sharpen all garden tools by wiping off any mud which is covering your spades / forks, wipe clean secateurs – especially as dirty secateurs can bring fungi to fresh pruning wounds – and clean your lawnmower blade and sharpen if necessary.

Cooker:

Cleaning your oven doesn’t need to involve harsh chemicals either, instead you can use a few everyday household products.

• • Bring a shine back to your cooker using nothing more than baking soda and a few teaspoons of water.Mix half a cup of baking soda with a few teaspoons of water to achieve a paste. Smear the paste over the interior of your oven (once the shelves are out) and leave for a minimum of 12 hours. After the 12 hours have passed, use a clean, damp cloth to wipe away the paste.
  • If you’ve got grease spillages in your oven, remove them with a sprinkle of salt. Simply sprinkle the salt over the spillage whilst the oven is still warm, the salt will be absorbed into the spillage making it easier to remove once the oven has cooled.

• Don’t forget the glass. Cleaning the glass will not only make it easier to see how your food is cooking, but it’ll also help make your cooker sparkle. To clean the glass on your cooker properly, you’ll need to remove the door and separate it, before rubbing the paste mentioned above over the glass and allowing it to soak in.

Dishwasher:

We rely on our dishwasher to leave our pots and pans crystal clean, and to get the most out of our dishwashers, it’s important we…

• Scrape our plates and dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. Although it is tempting not to, putting dishes caked in food into the dishwasher will result in the dishwasher’s filters being clogged and prevent your appliance from running correctly.
• Regularly run an empty wash with a limescale and detergent remover, as this will help to clean the internal components of your appliance, ensuring it continues to work efficiently. Carrying out such a wash will also help ensure your dishwasher doesn’t emit any unpleasant odours.
• Check the spray arms for any damage or dirt build up. Any defects with these parts will prevent water from reaching where it needs to be, meaning your dishes won’t come out clean. If the spray arms are damaged in anyway, it’s recommended to replace them. If they’re dirty use an old toothbrush and warm water to scrub them clean.
• Wipe the door seals down with a warm cloth to remove any dirt or bacteria which may have built up. Not only will this remove the dirt and ensure the dishwasher continues to smell clean and fresh, but it’ll also prevent the connection between the door and main body of the appliance from being compromised.
• Don’t forget the dishwasher filters. These should be emptied and cleaned on a weekly basis to ensure any food particles which have been caught are not pushed back onto dishes which are being cleaned, and that the appliance doesn’t emit unpleasant odours.
• Prevent mould and mildew from building up in your dishwasher by leaving the door slightly ajar after each cycle. This will allow it to dry naturally – and keeping mould and mildew at bay will also keep unpleasant odours at bay.

Windows:

• Direct sunlight dries them out too quickly, resulting in smears and streaks. These can easily be prevented by cleaning your windows inside and out, when the sky is cloudy. [source: HousetoHome]
• If using a squeegee overlap your strokes by roughly an inch and a half to prevent streaks. It’s also advisable to angle the squeegee so that water flows towards the wet window surface.

• Avoid cleaning chemicals on your windows. After all, when was the last time you saw a window cleaner using various cleaning chemicals? Instead, all you need to clean your windows is soapy water – and your everyday washing up liquid works a treat. [source: Selclene South East]

• Get the cleaning technique right – wipe the entire window with water and work from the top to the bottom before going side to side, without taking the blade of your squeegee off the window.

• Don’t be afraid of a good old fashioned tip. Vinegar in water wiped over your windows with scrunched up newspaper is a great way to achieve streak free windows. Alternatively, for a quicker way of cleaning your windows inside and out, use a Karcher window vac.

Each of these 27 tips are tried and tested ways to help you keep your home, garden and car clean – without spending a fortune. But we’re always interested to hear other tips and advice, so share yours in the comments below.

Tags: Car Cleaning, Cleaning Tips, Gardening Tips