If your household surfaces have become coated with a layer of dust, you know it’s time to clean them and restore their original lustre and appeal. Stay with us as we discuss how to clean household surfaces, ranging from ceramic tiles, wooden furniture, and stone countertops to glass tabletops, plastic laminates, and stainless steel furniture legs.
How to Clean Household Surfaces Like a Pro?
There are several different types of materials that make up our interior furnishing. Each surface demands a different level of care and attention, so it is important to know how to clean each surface to enjoy a cleaner residence. Check out the list we’ve compiled below:
- Ceramic
- Wood
- Stone
- Glass
- Plastic
- Metal
Now, let’s tackle one household surface at a time as we explain how to make it shine like new once more.
Ceramic
Ceramic tiles are the most commonly found household surface out of the ones we’ve listed above. Primarily used because they provide a cooler surface underfoot, especially keeping Pakistan’s summer heat in mind, the ceramic tiles will eventually gather dust in their embossed designs and in any crevices left behind by missing grout. It is, thus, vital to clean ceramic tiles from time to time.
Irrespective of whether you have a tiled floor, countertop, wall, or decorative artwork, here’s how to gently clean ceramic surfaces without causing them any further damage:
Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need
- Water
- Mild all-purpose cleaner
- Soft cloth
- Floor mop
Method to Follow
- Apply the cleaner to the dirty tiles with a soft cloth.
- Rinse them with water after a few minutes.
- Dry the tiles using another soft cloth thoroughly to eliminate water spots.
Additional Tips
- Create a solution with a three-fourth cup of bleach in a gallon of water if you have discoloured grout.
- Dip an old toothbrush into the mixture and gently scrub the discolouration to clean the stained filling.
- Rinse the grout after 10 minutes.
- For persistent stains, make a paste with baking soda and water and apply it to the grout.
- Let it sit overnight before you scrub in with a brush and rinse it off.
Wood
Looking for the best techniques to clean household surfaces, including the wooden cabinets, furniture, tabletops, and bookshelves? Well, here’s how to clean wooden surfaces around the house to keep them in top condition for longer:
Wooden Furniture
Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need
- Water
- Sponge or old rag
- Dishwashing soap
Method to Follow
- Use a wet lint-free cloth to wipe down the furniture in your house.
- Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to a bucket of water to create a mild solution to wipe down your wooden furnishings for a thorough cleaning.
- Avoid using rough fabrics, steel wool, scouring pads, or harsh cleaning chemicals to clean the furniture as it can damage the polish.
Wooden Flooring
Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need
- White vinegar
- Warm water
- Mop
- Broom
Method to Follow
- Begin with sweeping the floor and collect all the dust and debris from the floor.
- Add a cup of vinegar to a gallon of warm water.
- Mop the wooden floor with this solution for cleaning as well as disinfecting the space.
- Do not forget to dry the floor after you mop it as wood can rot in moist environments.
- You can turn on the ceiling fan to dry the floor or use a dry mop to do the job.
- Tough stains can be tackled by scrubbing the spot with a nylon cloth that’s been dampened with dishwashing soap.
Additional Tips
- You can also clean the wooden countertops with either of the methods shared above.
- A paste of water/lemon juice and baking soda can be used to remove stubborn food stains from wooden counters.
- Avoid using a vinegar-based solution for stone flooring as it might damage the surface or stain it due to its acidic properties.
Stone
Marble and granite are two of the most common stone surfaces found in Pakistani homes. Both stone floors and countertops should be sealed adequately once installed, but here’s how you can keep your stone surfaces clean:
Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need
- Dishwashing liquid
- Water
- Sponge or soft cloth
- Mop
Method to Follow
- For stone flooring, sweep the floor before mopping it with water mixed with a few drops of dish soap.
- Avoid using any cleaners as they may stain or dull the shine of your floor.
- Make sure to dry the floor after mopping to avoid any accidents as stone floors often become slippery once they are wet.
- For stone countertops, wipe them with a clean cloth before spraying them with a mixture of dishwashing soap and water.
- Use a sponge or cloth to clean the surface and use a damp cloth to wipe it before letting it dry.
Additional Tips
- You can follow the method mentioned above for all your granite and marble floors as well as countertops.
- You should also wipe up any spills immediately to avoid staining the stone surface permanently.
- Reseal your stone surfaces from time to time to avoid staining them.
Glass
You can use mirrors in some amazing ways at home, but you also need to maintain the shine of your mirrored or glass surfaces to retain the appeal they bring to your interior. While you can consider some dedicated mirror cleaning tips, here’s how you can clean all kinds of glass surfaces at home, including glass tabletops, mirrors, windowpanes, and more, when you begin to clean household surfaces:
Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need
- Water
- Microfiber cloth
- Vinegar
- Glass cleaner
Method to Follow
- Wipe the glass surfaces with a wet cloth every day to remove the layer of dust that’s settled on top.
- For stains and spots on your tabletop or mirror, you can either use a commercial glass cleaner or make one using equal parts of vinegar and warm water.
- Dip the cloth into the solution and scrub stains and spots away.
- Then use a dry cloth to wipe down the glass surface in a single movement so that it does leave streaks behind.
Additional Tips
- Newspapers nowadays have printing ink that leaks when the paper becomes wet, which is why we’d advise you to steer clear of the age-old ‘wipe the mirror with a newspaper ‘ trick.
- Wet paper towels will also tear apart and leave bits of the paper stuck to the surface, which is why a lint-free cloth works best for this cleaning task.
- If you want to clean your TV or laptop screens, use an alcohol swab or wet wipe instead of a home-based cleaner.
- Be gentle when you’re cleaning the screen as additional pressure can cause it to crack or become damaged.
- Also, wipe the screen with a dry cloth immediately after cleaning.
Plastic
Plastic furniture and plastic surfaces dominate our lives. From folding chairs to small tables, plastic furnishing is often compact and great when you need to entertain in a small space. Vinyl and laminate flooring also come under plastic, and we’ll cover how to clean all of these plastic surfaces below:
Furniture
Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need
- All-purpose cleaner
- Soft cloth
Method to Follow
- Most plastic furniture is easily washable, but if you wipe it regularly with a clean cloth, you should be able to maintain a squeaky-clean surface.
- If dirt and grime have gotten stuck on the furniture, spray the spot with an all-purpose cleaner and use a clean and dry cloth to rub the stain, dirt, and grime away.
Laminate or Vinyl Flooring
Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need
- All-purpose cleaner
- Soft cloth or sponge
- Broom
- Mop
Method to Follow
- The best way to keep laminate or vinyl flooring clean is to sweep the floor daily.
- If you want to mop it, use only water to collect dirt off the floor with a mop.
- Get rids of any stains or spots by spot cleaning the area with a spray of all-purpose cleaner.
- Rub the spot with a soft cloth or sponge until it is clean before wiping it dry.
- Avoid leaving water pooling over laminate or vinyl floors, as this can cause damage to the flooring over time.
Additional Tips
- Laminates generally stain easily, so it is best to clean up any spills immediately.
- Use only mild cleaners as harsh chemicals can damage your laminate or vinyl floors.
- You can also use a baking soda and water paste to clean plastic surfaces, but be sure not to rub too hard or your floors and furniture may get scratched.
- Adding a cup of vinegar to a gallon of water also creates a cleaning agent that is ideal for vinyl or laminate flooring.
Metal
Whether you have stainless steel legs on your furniture, aluminium outdoor furniture, or metallic door handles and knobs, all of these metallic surfaces will require cleaning from time to time. Here’s how to keep these household surfaces clean:
Stainless Steel Furniture Legs
Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need
- Cloth
- Sponge
- Dishwashing soap
- Water
- Olive Oil
Method to Follow
- Wipe the furniture legs with a clean cloth daily.
- If you think that the legs are losing their lustre, create a solution of dishwashing liquid and water.
- Dip a sponge in the solution and use that to wipe the furniture legs before drying them with a clean cloth.
- Polish the legs with a small quantity of olive oil to protect them from rusting over time.
Aluminium Outdoor Furniture
Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need
- Baking soda
- Water
- Soft cloth
- Old toothbrush
Method to Follow
- A cleaning solution of equal parts of baking soda and water is best for cleaning outdoor furniture.
- Wipe the furniture with a dry cloth first.
- Remove any stains using the cloth dipped in the cleaning solution.
- Wipe the furniture dry with another clean cloth.
Metallic Door Knobs and Handles
Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need
- All-purpose cleaner
- Sponge or soft cloth
Method to Follow
- Spray a clean cloth or sponge with a commercially available all-purpose cleaner.
- Use it to wipe the door handles and knobs.
- Avoid spraying the knob or handle directly as the liquid may enter the locking mechanism and cause it to malfunction.
- Dry the handles with a dry cloth once they are clean.
Additional Tips
- You can use the same tips for any metallic prep spaces you might have in your kitchen.
- Remember to dry all metallic spaces immediately after cleaning as metal can rust over time when exposed to moisture.
You now know how to clean household surfaces with the best cleaning agents, tools, and methods to follow. You can consider using a vacuum instead of a broom to sweep the floors if that works better for you. Long-handled brooms and mops are also ideal for people with back problems.
Please note that there are plenty of uses of baking soda, and vinegar is also a very versatile ingredient with several uses, and you’ll be able to find both used frequently in the list above. They’re both natural cleaners that can help you keep your home clean without using harsher factory-made chemicals. However, please keep in mind that cleaning household surfaces is not a one-size-fits-all job. So, use our tips in accordance with the surface you want to clean.
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