Cleaning Tips

How-to deep-dives and longer-form practical content — the pieces we’d actually print out and tape to the inside of a cleaning closet.

All cleaning tips

1307 posts
Cleaning Tips

How to Clean the Sink Overflow Hole That Smells Bad

A smelly sink overflow is a damp hidden channel full of biofilm. How to clean it properly with a flexible brush, and why foaming treatments alone fall short.

Otesse · 6 min read
Cleaning Tips

How to Clean Brass Bathroom Fixtures Without Stripping Them

Lacquered brass, unlacquered brass, and brass-look coatings need three different routines. Here is the test that tells them apart and what ruins each one.

Otesse · 6 min read
Cleaning Tips

How to Lower Your VOC Exposure While You Clean the House

Ventilation, less product, and wiping instead of spraying cut VOC exposure while cleaning more than switching products does. A practical whole-house order.

Otesse · 6 min read
Cleaning Tips

How to Clean a Flour Sifter and a Fine Mesh Sieve Screen

Why a geared flour sifter should never be soaked, how to dry brush a clogged screen, and the safe way to wash a fine mesh sieve without denting the mesh.

Otesse · 5 min read
Cleaning Tips

How to Clean Flip Flops and Slide Sandals That Smell

The footbed is the odor source in flip flops and slides. Learn how to scrub, rinse, and dry rubber and foam sandals so the smell actually goes away.

Otesse · 6 min read
Cleaning Tips

How to Clean Baby Teethers Without Trapping Water Inside

How to clean a teether: check whether it is liquid filled, never boil those, wash in warm soapy water, rinse well, and dry completely before storing it.

Otesse · 6 min read
Cleaning Tips

How to Clean a Meat Thermometer Without Wrecking It

How to clean a meat thermometer safely: never submerge the housing, wash the probe and the seam behind the tip, and sanitize between raw and cooked checks.

Otesse · 5 min read
Cleaning Tips

Why Does My Glass Cooktop Have a Cloudy White Haze

White haze on a glass cooktop is usually baked-on boil-over minerals, not scratches. The cream cleanser test that tells them apart, and what never to use.

Otesse · 5 min read
Cleaning Tips

Should You Be Home During a House Cleaning Appointment

Should you be home when cleaners come? Both choices are normal. What each option trades off, why the first visit is different, and how to prep a home you leave.

Otesse · 5 min read
Cleaning Tips

What an EPA Registered Label Does Not Promise You

Registration means the efficacy claims and directions were reviewed, not that a product is harmless. The number ties to one exact label. Here is how to read it.

Otesse · 5 min read
Cleaning Tips

How Often to Clean a Laptop Keyboard and What to Avoid

How often to clean a laptop keyboard: a weekly wipe and a monthly debris clearing. Power off first, and keep liquid away from the keys entirely.

Otesse · 6 min read
Cleaning Tips

How to Remove Paint Overspray After a Remodel Safely

Removing paint overspray after a remodel depends on the paint and the surface it landed on. How to identify both first, and when a scraper is the wrong tool.

Otesse · 6 min read

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