Category: CLEANING & ORGANIZING

How do you get rid of a rat infestation in your home?

Rats can be a menace in any home. Last week, I experienced firsthand the havoc that they can cause. In this article, I outline the steps you can take to protect your home, appliances, and health of your family from these deadly rodents. It was 1:13 a.m. I woke up to the sounds of someone working the lock. I tiptoed across the bedroom mindful of not waking up my husband. I checked the lock of the balcony and brushed the curtain an inch to look outside the window for any movement. Nada. Everything was in place. Assured, I crept back into bed. There was a nagging thought because the neighbors were not in town. Five minutes ticked by. The sound of rustling of the locks…

CLEANING & ORGANIZING

The Quickest Way to Clean Chimney Filter (Thank Me Later)

Bookmark this cleaning hack. It will save you 500 bucks that the chimney baffle filter service guy would have charged you. You can thank me later. I’m going to list super-simple two alternatives to clean your greasy kitchen filters at home. And, no elbow grease. Yes, you read it right – no scrubbing, no harsh chemicals. But, what you’ll get after an hour are these squeaky clean chimney filters. Method 1: Pop it in the dishwasher It’s as simple as that but most people are not aware that you can remove the plates and put them in the dishwasher through a hot water cycle along with your other dishes. I usually run it in the 70 deg cycle which ensures that all the grease is…

CLEANING & ORGANIZING

5 Ways to Organize Under the Kitchen Sink Cabinet

Raise your hand if you do not dread that dark area under the kitchen sink, and you have my admiration. When I had just begun to work years ago, I once rented a 25-year old home. What was I thinking? Affordable rent. Every night was a nightmare. The minute I would switch on the light, all I could see on the floor were generations of roaches that came from under the sink. Maybe because: 1) the kitchen was dark 2) the pipes leading to the gutter underneath were ill-fitted 3) it was hard to access for cleaning, and 4) the trash can was kept there. No matter how clean the area was, it did not deter the roaches. Sound familiar? I am sure many…

CLEANING & ORGANIZING

Watch the pros shine a hard-water stained bathroom: cleaning secrets revealed

This post is sponsored by a deep cleaning company. A sparkling, shining bathroom is the mirror of a well-run home. It’s been a little over two years since we moved into the new home; the signs of wear and tear, ageing are beginning to show. The dirt accumulating along the grout lines, the stubborn build up of hard water stains or the faint water marks on the faucets narrate a story. They are what remains of the several evening soirees, casual tete-a-tetes over tea with the neighbors, and a house teeming with kids poring over board games in the summer. Yes, while memories are made, immovable objects do take a hit. While we like to believe, that the most well-kept homes have a secret or…

CLEANING & ORGANIZING

Pest Control: How To Get Rid of Cockroaches From Your Kitchen

Roaches. Those creepy little things that give you goosebumps anytime you spot them. I wonder why they were created in the first place. Nothing makes me squirm as much as these dirty little things. They are not only creepy to look at, but quite unhygienic and hazardous health wise to have in a home. The tricky question is how do you exterminate roaches? The answer is : Pest Control. How often have you switched on the kitchen lights in the middle of the night to find the creepy little dirty insects moving about freely? Do you tip-toe into your bathroom like a detective carefully inspecting the corners behind the door before stepping inside? I doubt I would be so scared of any other creature on…

CLEANING & ORGANIZING

Eight Ways to Get a Sparkling Bathroom

The easiest way to clean bathroom wall and floors tiles, faucets and taps without elbow grease. Use the right products.

CLEANING & ORGANIZING

Secret Revealed: I Use This Awesome Product For a Spotless Bathroom

Gross alert: there’s a lot of stomach-churning description in this post. So, in jest, please be warned that this is not for the faint-hearted. this post talks about how to remove hard water scales and shine your bathrooms with one awesome product. Bonus: No elbow grease. Strands of hair. Ewwww…. Lime scale build up. Not a pretty sight. Discolored tiles: disgusting! Dirty foot marks. Gross and wet. Slimy! Not a tough one to guess what part of the house you will be cleaning today. Today, as we clean one of the nastiest parts of the house, I realize this is also one I find the most pleasure in after it is done. One of the delights of a vacation is to wake up each morning to a shining bathroom, and…

CLEANING & ORGANIZING

Day 11: Shine the brass/copper/silver

A big part of Diwali festivities is the copper, silver and brassware that comes out on display. In many homes, this has been passed down generations. For me, they hold a special significance as these were given by my parents during our wedding. For years, I kept them tucked away in a loft. Now they are on display adorning corners and console tables in the house; in many ways, it’s a remainder for me from where we come and a reminiscent of the past. Things you’ll need: Tamarind or lemon or vinegar. I use tamarind. Salt A chrome polish of your choice. I use Autosol metal polish (furtively, of course) that my husband uses for his bike. Gloves, if you are using commercial cleaner. Microfiber cloths…

CLEANING & ORGANIZING

Day 8: How to deep clean bathrooms

The routine of cleaning bathooms is more mechanical and methodical than the remaining parts of the house, and one that you need to do regularly. There are 4 bathrooms in the house that I take turns through the week to ensure they are clean. Only two of them are used extensively on a daily basis. The biggest enemy in your bathroom is that one factor which is used the most: water. If you let water sit, it will lead to limescale buildup and dirt accumulating in the grout. Ensure the bathroom is dry after every use. My tricks to keep it dry: a floor wiper near the shower area for anyone who takes a shower to clean the water. a glass wiper to run down…

CLEANING & ORGANIZING

Day 5: Let’s make the windows squeaky clean!

The favorite feature of my current home: floor-to-ceiling windows and wall-to-wall glass windows. This ~ translates to a flood of natural light. But, that also means tough deep cleaning once in a while. it’s quite a task to keep the shine on large glass windows. They looked the best the day professionals from MyBlueBottle cleaned the windows. Within weeks, dust and grime formed a layer on the tracks and the shine became muddy. I took it upon myself to periodically clean all the windows to keep the shine on until the next time they are deep cleaned.. What you’ll need to clean the tracks: Vaccum Old socks A sprayer filled with equal parts vinegar + water + two drops of liquid soap Old toothbrush Microfiber…