Housekeeping thread

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
166
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www.slatebrookfarm.com
I was just reading a thread about a foreclosure & the people (gasp) had been washing dishes by hand. I wash dishes by hand about 1/2 the time. The dishwasher is only a convenience because I don't like to dry dishes & don't like to leave them out.

Anyway, tips for cleaning? I'll start:
I've cut back tremendously on how much I spend on cleaning products. Other than laundry soap, dishwasher detergent, and dish soap, I go very generic.

Big bottle of ammonia is only $1. Mixes with water. Enough to make multiple gallons. I don't waste money on windex & crap, because it cleans just as well. If I'm cleaning through a lot of the house, wiping down woodwork, etc., I'll mix it with a gallon of warm water in a bucket. Otherwise, I just use a spray bottle. Newspaper works great on most surfaces, works better than paper towels (which saves about $1 per roll) or cloths because it's lint free.

Orange Glo. Smells nice. People with stainless steel appliances always complain about how hard it is to keep fingerprints off. We used to purchase special stainless steel cleaner. The orange glo works at least as good, if not much better. It also polishes up granite surfaces really well, saving me from getting those special wipes for that. I'm happier with the results.
 

guyver01

Lifer
Sep 25, 2000
22,135
5
61
family-guy-consuela.jpg


Housekeeeeepeeeng?
 

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,502
136
Freshly brewed black tea is an excellent wood cleaner. For preserving wax finish, use Orange Glo or other orange-based cleaner (most work fine).

Vinegar solution works well on stuff like porcelain, glass and metal. Combine with baking soda and let sit for a few minutes for tougher jobs. Plus, it's fun to watch it fizz :)

Mineral spirits work best for polished metal like fixtures and rusted/tarnished surfaces, as well as stainless steel.

For delicate glass and plastic surfaces, or ones used near/on electronic items (such as LCD screens) use high percentage isopropyl alcohol solution.

For regular plastic and for most household uses (like washing dishes) standard liquid soap + water.
 
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lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
58,544
8,826
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I wash dishes by hand, so dish washing liquid. I do most of my other cleaning with vinegar and baking soda.
 

deadlyapp

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2004
6,638
726
126
I believe you'd find that using a dishwasher ends up being quite a bit more economical if you fill it up before use.

Some roomates of mine refused to use the dishwasher even after we quoted multiple sources indicating that it is much more efficient to use a dishwasher than washing by hand, unless you use litterally zero water.
 

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,502
136
I believe you'd find that using a dishwasher ends up being quite a bit more economical if you fill it up before use.

Some roomates of mine refused to use the dishwasher even after we quoted multiple sources indicating that it is much more efficient to use a dishwasher than washing by hand, unless you use litterally zero water.

It's more efficient at conserving water, but it doesn't clean dishes as well as doing it by hand.
 

HappyPuppy

Lifer
Apr 5, 2001
16,997
2
71
I believe you'd find that using a dishwasher ends up being quite a bit more economical if you fill it up before use.

Some roomates of mine refused to use the dishwasher even after we quoted multiple sources indicating that it is much more efficient to use a dishwasher than washing by hand, unless you use litterally zero water.


It depends on how you wash 'said' dishes.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
58,544
8,826
126
It depends on how you wash 'said' dishes.

Yea, I don't think I use a significant amount more than a machine does, but I don't leave the water running the whole time either like some people do.

Edit:
The gap closes when you consider most people rinse the dishes before putting them in the machine. If you're gonna do that, you might as well finish the job and wash them properly.
 

deadlyapp

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2004
6,638
726
126
It's more efficient at conserving water, but it doesn't clean dishes as well as doing it by hand.

I dunno. Most of the newer ones are pretty damn good if provided a good hot source and whatever you put in them doesn't have nasty foodstuff caked on.

lxskllr - Usually a quick rinse and swipe with a sponge is enough in my experience, but I agree, if you get liberal with rinsing it before even putting it in the dishwasher, you lose any potential benefits.

If when you hand wash you fill up the sink and use that all for your washing, it probably is more efficient, but I hate using dirty water for cleaning.
 

ahenkel

Diamond Member
Jan 11, 2009
5,357
3
81
It depends on how much dishes I have to wash. I do tend to pile em up and just toss em in the washer on Fridays. Its never had a problem getting off the crusted egg yolk from Monday though.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
58,544
8,826
126
If when you hand wash you fill up the sink and use that all for your washing, it probably is more efficient, but I hate using dirty water for cleaning.

I fill the largest dirty pot I have with soapy water, and put it next to the sink. I use that as my clean container, and the dirty dishes go in the sink. As I wash/rinse the dishes, the ones in the sink get pre-rinsed, and the "clean" water stays fairly clean.
 

FelixDeCat

Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
30,099
2,457
126
I rarely use the dishwasher, except to use it as a place to sit things overnight to dry. Then items go to the cabinets and drawers when I get a chance.
 

gar3555

Diamond Member
Jan 8, 2005
3,510
0
0
get wife?





i keed, i keed.

We don't even have a dishwasher, we do them all by hand. Have been for the last 4 years, not a huge deal.
 

dfuze

Lifer
Feb 15, 2006
11,953
0
71
I was just reading a thread about a foreclosure & the people (gasp) had been washing dishes by hand. I wash dishes by hand about 1/2 the time. The dishwasher is only a convenience because I don't like to dry dishes & don't like to leave them out.

Anyway, tips for cleaning? I'll start:
I've cut back tremendously on how much I spend on cleaning products. Other than laundry soap, dishwasher detergent, and dish soap, I go very generic.

Big bottle of ammonia is only $1. Mixes with water. Enough to make multiple gallons. I don't waste money on windex & crap, because it cleans just as well. If I'm cleaning through a lot of the house, wiping down woodwork, etc., I'll mix it with a gallon of warm water in a bucket. Otherwise, I just use a spray bottle. Newspaper works great on most surfaces, works better than paper towels (which saves about $1 per roll) or cloths because it's lint free.

Orange Glo. Smells nice. People with stainless steel appliances always complain about how hard it is to keep fingerprints off. We used to purchase special stainless steel cleaner. The orange glo works at least as good, if not much better. It also polishes up granite surfaces really well, saving me from getting those special wipes for that. I'm happier with the results.
When you use newspaper, do you have to worry about the ink bleeding off the page?
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
71,334
30,874
136
Dishes => hand wash, bleach in the rinse water

Laundry => All Clear - no dyes and more importantly no perfumes, line dry

Bleach is my best friend.
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
17,484
33
86
Orange Glo. Smells nice. People with stainless steel appliances always complain about how hard it is to keep fingerprints off. We used to purchase special stainless steel cleaner. The orange glo works at least as good, if not much better. It also polishes up granite surfaces really well, saving me from getting those special wipes for that. I'm happier with the results.
Health food stores have similar products to the old stuff (I actually found an old Orange Glo bottle in a closet, recently, and my newer stuff works better :)), in concentrated form. A $6 container last about a year, even though I mix it 2-3x stronger than it says to.
 
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mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
9,734
54
91
I was just reading a thread about a foreclosure & the people (gasp) had been washing dishes by hand. I wash dishes by hand about 1/2 the time. The dishwasher is only a convenience because I don't like to dry dishes & don't like to leave them out.

just for the record, I was not ripping on anyone for washing dishes by hand, I was just merely stating once you are at the point where you can't afford to run the electricity to run appliances, you are hitting rock bottom and it's going to be tough to find any other corners to cut spending



Usually the only dishes I wash by hand are pots/pans that (I think) teflon doesn't do well with in the washing machine, and of course the giant things like pizza pans.

Friend of mine thought I was crazy washing my pizza pan, saying I was ruining the "Seasoning"
 

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
24,326
68
91
I agree that warm water works on most everyday cleaning.
Water is the universal solvent.
A touch of dish soap helps tremendously and dish soap is extremely inexpensive.

Germs need a substance to congregate to (food particles or liquid).
As long as the surface is clean of debris and dry, there is no need for antibacterial soaps, etc.