Best Home Remedies for Cleaning Glass Surfaces

Who says you need to spend a lot of money on cleaning products to get your windows and other glass surfaces sparkling and crystal clear.

Sometimes the best and the most efficient things are actually free so you might find some of the most powerful glass cleaning substance at home. Just look around and you’ll be surprised how many things useful for cleaning the glass surface you already have, and how much time and money you can save by using them instead of the aggressive and often expensive chemicals.

Cleaning experts at White Lilac Cleaning share a few handy, convenient and economical glass cleaning solutions (the pun intended).

Good Old White Vinegar

This is maybe something you already know, but it repeating doesn’t do any harm either – vinegar diluted in hot water does miracles for window, mirrors and other glass surfaces.

This is an old recipe confirmed by the generations before us and it can still be used as an economical, home-made option for cleaning different types of glass. It is no worse than ammonia when it comes to the results, and it leaves no harmful fumes behind.

Unlike ammonia, vinegar is completely safe, harmless and non-toxic and can be freely used around children and pets, not to mention it is far cheaper. So there’s no reason not to switch to it from harmful, irritating and quite expensive ammonia-based products.

If you are concerned about the smell of vinegar which most people dislike, you can add a splash of essential oils which you like. The cleaning power of vinegar and the pleasant smell of essential oils is probably the best combination for window cleaning.

Rubbing Alcohol

This is another cheap and convenient solution which can be used for removing stains throughout the whole household, not just for glass surfaces.

It should be diluted in hot water and used with a microfiber cloth or the cloth particularly meant for window cleaning.

It can do wonders for the glass in your house, even when it comes to the most persistent spots. It leaves no marks nor streaks. It shouldn’t, however, be used on window tent as it will destroy it.

Besides rubbing alcohol, any other transparent spirit with a high percentage of alcohol, such as cheap vodka, might do just as well.

Lemon Juice

This might start sounding like a recipe for a cocktail, with vodka and everything, but these ingredients really are super effective for glass cleaning. Use a combination of the juice from one lemon, or approximately three tablespoons of it, 2 cups of hot water and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar.

All these solutions, including this one, are best put in a spray bottle. That is probably the most efficient way to apply them. If you are a fan of citrus fragrances, this combination will not only provide you with the pleasure of having the squeegee clean glass surfaces but also of your home smelling magnificently fresh, which can’t really be said for the two aforementioned suggestions.

Dish Soap and Water

Makes sense, right? It cleans the glasses you drink from, so why wouldn’t it work on bigger glass surfaces?

It is, however, very important to dilute it significantly so it wouldn’t leave streaks. It is probably better to use distilled water if possible, in the ratio 2 cups of water, and a few drops of the dish soap.

You can also combine some of the previously mentioned options and add vinegar to this recipe. Instead of microfiber cloth, which is also acceptable, you might want to use old newspapers as they will leave the glass absolutely spotless and streak-free.

Just like the lemon juice, it should also leave your house not just looking clean, but also smelling really nice.

Post-New Year’s Cleaning

If you hosted a New Year’s party this year, chances are that your home looks like a riot site rather than a home right about now.

However, life goes on, and you have to clean the place up and keep living your life really soon.

Cleaning is usually one of the least favorite things to most people, so replacing the euphoria and joy of a New Year’s party with the tediousness of cleaning becomes even more difficult.

Fortunately, experts at Mythical Maids of Berkeley are willing to share their tips on the most time-saving and best cleaning tips after a big party. So you can use this tip now and any other time you throw a party.

 

Glasses First

Depending on the type of party you had, there are a lot of glasses or plastic cups all over your place. Getting these out of the picture is a great place to start. Just remember to pour the contents of each cup before you throw put them away.

If you have actual glasses, you can put them all in one designated location and wash them at some later point, whereas plastic cups can be thrown into the trash immediately.

The same goes for other containers you may have had around, like snack plates or bowls. If they are your actual kitchenware, put them away for later washing, and if they are disposable, you can trash them easily.

Trash

If you have started collecting the used cups and plates into the trash, you can continue by discarding all of the bottles and cans and taking out the trash.

It would be ideal if you could separate the trash and recycle it, especially if you do it anyway. Don’t be lazy and separate your trash into the new year as well.

Vacuuming

Once the dishes are out of the way, chances are that the biggest source of mess would be snacks that someone knocked over, confetti, and similar things that found their way to the floor.

Fortunately, vacuuming can help you get rid of the vast majority of these kinds of problems very quickly. The noise from the vacuum cleaner might not agree with you, but it is the quickest and the simplest way to clean everything up.

Stains

If people spilled coffee or wine on your carpet or sofa, the best thing to do is to clean it up immediately. However, if you didn’t see it during the party, there is still a chance that you will be able to clean up the majority of stains even a day or two after they have been made.

You will need some warm water which you should put on the stain, to soften it up. Take a cloth and blot the dampened stain. Don’t rub the stain because you will only drive the stain deeper into the material.

If you don’t have a store-bought carpet cleaner (most people don’t), you can make it yourself. Adding some dish soap in some warm water and some vinegar creates a strong detergent which will not damage your carpet or sofa.

Do Your Dishes

Once the majority of things have been cleaned away and put back in their place, you can start to do all of the dishes that you have.

Washing dishes is generally low-key chore and you can do it as a cool down chore because you still have one important task to do.

Clean the Floors

Professional cleaners tend to leave cleaning the floors as the last task since everything else can fall on the floor and make all of the effort cleaning them useless otherwise.

If you have vacuumed your carpet, it is time to clean the rest of your floors. Take a mop and some floor cleaner and go through the whole house.

While you are doing that, check for any things you might have missed, like spills on tables, chairs or even windowsills.

Once you clean the floors, you can relax and take the rest of the day to rest. And think whether you want to host the next New Year’s party at your home.

Do You Need to Replace Your Furnace?

It’s the middle of the heating season for the majority of the country. Having your furnace break down now would be a very and thing and might be costly to repair or replace.

That’s why regular maintenance is so important and why most professionals insist that it needs to be done at least once a year.

However, there are some signs which might tell you that your furnace might need to be replaced even without an expert to tell you that.

Here’s what air conditioning and heating professionals at Action AC had to say about furnaces.

Is Your Heating Bill Increasing

If you’ve had your furnace for some years, chances are that you know how much heating costs you each year and each month.

However, if you see any discrepancies between what you expected and our actual bill, it might be that your furnace is losing efficiency and that it may need to be repaired or even replaced, depending on how old it is.

How Old Is Your Furnace

All of our devices and machines have their life expectancy. Simply put, their expiration date. After a while the material gets tired, and it cannot run as efficiently as it used to. Furnaces are no exception.

The older the system, the likelier it is that something will break on it or that it will just need to be replaced completely.

Most commercially available furnaces are expected to run anywhere between 15 and 20 years, so if your furnace is within this time period or has exceeded it, you might want to start planning to replace it.

Uneven Functioning

If your system is not functioning at a steady pace, if it heats up far too quickly and then stops working for extended periods of time, there might be something wrong.

Have a professional HVAC technician look at it, before it breaks down completely and leaves you without heating in the high season.

Another thing which might happen is that the furnace doesn’t heat the whole house evenly. The rooms closer to the furnace might be warm enough, or too warm, whereas others might not get enough heat.

Various Sounds Coming from the Furnace

Once again, if you have had your furnace for a while, you likely know how it works and will probably be able to identify if something strange begins to happen.

One of the most common things that happen when the furnace is on its last legs is the strange noises coming from it.

If you hear humming or buzzing, your problem might be electrical and you should probably turn it off and consult an expert as soon as possible. If, however, you hear banging or rattling, the problem is likely mechanical. Still, you should consult a technician and have the furnace inspected.

You’ve Had to Repair It Often

If you have invested in repairs over the past few years a lot more than you expected, it might just be your furnace’s way of telling you that it is at the end of its life.

Buying a new furnace might seem expensive, but it makes more sense than investing in a machine which is breaking down all the time.

Corrosion or Physical Damage

This is probably the last sign that you really need to have your furnace replaced. Rust forms naturally over time, and so do cracks, especially on a furnace which often heats and cools.

However, once rust and/or cracks appear, the furnace is no longer safe or economical as it used to be and it makes more sense to replace it than to wait for it to fail completely.

Having a functional and economical furnace in your home makes sense financially and safety-wise, so look into investing in a new furnace with a better rating and modern design to save money in the long run.

7 Ways To Keep Your Home Safe And Secured This 2019

2019 is finally here, and the first month of the year is the perfect time to make sure your home is safe. Some say it’s easier said than done, but we beg to disagree! Keeping your home safe and secure can be easy, just check out the following tips!

Tint Your Windows

That's right - window tinting residential homes are one simple way to add security and promote privacy. With its ability to slow down and deter an intruder's ability to check on your home easily, you're doing yourself a favor by reducing your risk of privacy intrusion. Window tinting also offers other benefits such as promoting a consistent temperature throughout your home, reduced glare cause by traditional windows, sun protection, energy saving, and efficiency, added curb appeal and more.

Get Yourself a Dog

Dogs are an excellent companion, can help reduce stress, manage depression, keeps you active and social and can help promote health and wellness. They can also be extremely territorial and protective, which means they can act as excellent security for your home. They often bark at people they are not familiar with and can help keep your property safe from intruders.

Install a Home Security System

Now, if you think that getting a dog is not for you then consider installing security cameras. You can accurately record what happens in and out of your house and burglars, and trespassers will think twice before targeting your home. You can sleep well at night or even go on long weekends without worrying about leaving your home unattended.

Good Read: Home security systems vs. smart home systems: How to choose the right DIY platform

Consider Installing Smart LED and Motion Detector Lights

By installing motion detector lights, burglars will find it intimidating since the last thing they want is to get caught. With smart LED lights, on the other hand, you can keep your home well-lit and look as if someone's always home as you have control over your lighting even when you're out of town.

Keep Your Lawn Mowed and Consider Smart Landscaping

Beautiful home with an unattended yard is one of the common targets of burglars. Why? The reason is that it usually denotes its owners are always busy and out and about. So, make sure to mow your lawn, trim your bushes and eliminate hiding spots.

Befriend Your Neighbors

Your neighbors can help keep you informed of the latest happenings in your neighborhood and even keep an eye on your home. Tight communities know everyone in the neighborhood, which means they'll instantly know if a stranger is lurking in the area. They can alert you, in case they spot an unknown man in your property during your absence. You can also have your mails and packages delivered to a neighbor you trust in case you need to be away for many days.

Be Mindful of How You Rid of Your Trash

Some burglars will target homes that often dump trails recent expensive purchases. For example, you bought a brand new home entertainment system, make sure to fold the box inside out or better yet, cut it out before dumping it in the trash. If the bad guys find you putting out boxes of pricey items, they will take it as a clue that they have a good chance of getting good loot from your home.