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Curtains should be cleaned often as possible as they tend to accumulate dust and dirt. And with a variety of cleaning options available nowadays, there’s no excuse for neglecting them.

Take down your curtains and inspect the back side of the fabric for signs of sun-rotting by stretching and feeling. If the curtains are sun-rotted, don’t bother cleaning them, shop for new curtains instead.

Wash unlined curtains according to the instructions provided on the label.

Have lined curtains professionally dry-cleaned to prevent possibly ruining them.

Wash large curtains in your bathtub to prevent damaging your washing machine.

Boil rusty curtain rings in vinegar to rediscover their shine. Rub soap on old curtain rods to make them run smoother again.

Toss your curtains into the dryer for a quick job. Add some fabric softener to the machines air-dry setting and you’ve got fresh-smelling curtains in no time at all.

Tips & Warnings

Dust your curtains frequently using a hoover attachment. This way, you’ll keep them clean without having to periodically take them down and put them back up again. To keep your curtains from being sucked into the nozzle of the hoover, use the lowest setting and place a stiff piece of plastic screening between the nozzle and the curtain.

Over time, a sofa is like anything else, wear and tear leads it to need a good cleaning. Cleaning a sofa is rather easy once you have determined the necessities of your particular couch. The following will help you in preparing and actually cleaning the sofa.

Preparing the Sofa

Step 1: Hoover the sofa, its pillows and its cushions with the hose attachments. Do not forget the arm rests and backing of the couch. This will clean loose dust and dirt.

Step 2: Dust the wood areas with a soft rag and a cotton swab for the area between the material and wood.

Step 3: Find your warranty. If it is still in effect, the warranty may be null and void if you apply any cleaning solutions. Call the company for cleaning instructions.

Step 4: Determine the sofa’s fabric. This tag is typically found under the cushion area.

Step 5: Buy shampoo specifically for your sofa’s fabric.

Step 6: Rent a rug shampooer.

Cleaning

Step 1: Assemble the shampooer according to its directions.

Step 2: Test a small area of the sofa. The best place may be the back of the couch or under the couch if possible.

Step 3: Clean the entire couch. This will prevent watermarks.

Step 4: Allow it and all its parts to dry before reassembling the cushions and pillows.

Don’t worry, while that bright red stain on your carpet might look like the end of the world, it won’t stand a chance against these stain-busting instructions. Follow them with patience & determination and the stain will be gone in no time.

Step 1:  Soak up the spill with paper towels or a clean cloth.

Step 2:  Combine one teaspoon of carpet shampoo and one cup of hydrogen peroxide into a small bucket or bowl to create a homemade cleaning solution then soak a clean sponge into the mixture, squeeze it halfway dry and then gently soak the stain with the cleaning solution. Continue until the stain lifts.

Step 3:  Sponge the stained area with clean warm water.

Step 4:  Soak up the cleaning solution with a clean cloth or paper towels.

Tips & Warnings on Red Wine Stains

• Act immediately. The longer a stain stays on the carpet, the harder it will be to remove.

• Commercial products like Oxy Clean and Wine Away do an excellent job of removing red wine stains, but try the above steps first if you don’t have either of these commercial products in the house before rushing out to the local corner shop.

• If you don’t have any of the above in your house then white wine is a good substitute, how you do this is to sprinkle the stain with white wine, which is acidic, this neutralizes the stain, then soak it up again. Romove the remainder of the stain with a clean cloth and methylated spirits.

To help protect your carpets, you are best using doormats, one inside and one outside each door. This removes the dirt that would otherwise be walked into the carpet. Always wipe your feet and advise others to do the same. Some families have habits of removing there shoes when entering their home and this keeps the floors looking better for longer. Place casters or protectors under legs of furniture to prevent the pile from being flatterned.

The three golden rules for your advice to have your carpets looking good are:

Hoovering at least once a week and more so in heavy traffic areas.

Tackle spills and stains straight away.

Steam clean your carpets every one to two years or when needed.

In a dirty carpet, the soil which is ground into the carpet at the base gradually wears away at the strands which breaks up the carpet. So hoovering often is not enough for a clean appearance. Making sure the carpet is kept clean makes the carpet have a long life. Sweeping the surface collects the surface dirt and crumbs, while hoovering collects the dirt from further down. There are several options to choose when tougher action is called for: spot treatments, professional carpet technicians, carpet shampoos and carpet cleaning machines.

When giving the bathroom a good going-over, it makes hygienic sense to start with surfaces less likely to be contaminated with bacteria. Start by placing disinfectant in the toilet bowl and let it soak while you clean the walls and floor, basin, bath and shower. Move on to the bidet if you have one, then the outer surfaces of the toilet, finishing with the inside of the toilet bowl. Bacteria and other disease-causing organisms are often spread from hands to mouth after touching a contaminated surface. Therefore it is sensible to clean and disinfect door handles, the flushing handle and other places that are frequently touched after someone has been to the toilet.

Don’t mix toilet cleaners. Never use more that one toilet cleaner at a time, including bleach, as toxic gases may be produced.

all the outer surfaces of the toilet- rim of the bowl, seat, outside of the bowl- can be cleaned by wiping over with a solution of detergent or a cleaner of your choice. Clean the bowl with the toilet brush and disinfectant. To clean a toilet brush, hold it under the flushing water and rinse it in bleach.