We inherit many things from our parents. Genes, heirlooms and of course, habits.
Whether that’s how we eat, how we dress and yes, even how we clean our homes.
I guess this is what people mean when they say, ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’.
I don’t know about you, but growing up in my household, my parents had some rather bizarre hacks and strange tricks for cleaning the house.
Now, as an adult, I sometimes find myself following in their footsteps without thinking.
Here are some cleaning hacks I learned from my mum.
Dust Begone
We never used feather dusters growing up; Mum says it was just pushing dust around.
So, when cleaning shelves, fan blades and windows, she’d always recommend a damp rag.
As someone who struggles with allergies, this trick made sure I wouldn’t go on a twenty-minute sneeze fest that will only end in watery eyes, antihistamine pills and an afternoon depression nap.
A damp rag ensured I could safely wipe off dusty surfaces without triggering an allergy attack.
Air Purifier Magic
My parents are firm advocates of the air purifier, and I’d be inclined to agree.
Air purifiers are those R2D2 looking machines that suck up all the dust and other impurities in the air.
Having an air purifier definitely helped cut the cleaning time in half.
There was overall less dust in my room, and as a result, less sneezing.
The Hot Water Trick
Hot water and soap work amazing on stains and this trick wouldn’t burn a hole in your pockets either.
When it comes to hard-to-remove scorch marks and burnt food that’s stuck at the bottom of the pan, forget about excessive scrubbing.
A good tip my mum taught me is to boil some water in the pot with some soap. Yes, it’s that easy!
The heat will melt that grease away in no time – eliminating the need for an overnight soak.
Soap and Sponge
Cooking makes a mess, no matter how careful and meticulous you may be.
A half-moist (not dripping) soapy sponge can loosen up any oil splatters, food stains or dried up spills on countertops, stovetops and dining tables.
This will allow you to smoothly wipe up the residue without having to make multiple passes with a damp rag.
A bonus sponge-related tip involves stubborn Tupperware grease stains:
- Simply put some dish soap, water and a crumpled up kitchen towel in the plastic container.
- Put the lid on and give it a good shake. The water will foam up and loosen the oils.
Clean Up As You Go Along
My mother always reminded me to clean up while I’m cooking – something I learned from my kitchen wench days.
Even now as an adult, I can’t stand to see dishes in the sink or water on the countertops.
I always make sure the kitchen is spotless before sitting down with a plate of food. I don’t know about you, but I have no patience to deal with dishes after a heavy meal.
Cleaning Secrets for a Spotless Home
Regardless of what odd cleaning hacks you learned from your parents, some of them remain useful tricks that we’ll carry on doing throughout the entirety of our adult lives.
And we may even later pass them on to our own kids and their kids after them.
Sometimes heirlooms don’t have to be ancestral jewellery, a piece of land, or secret recipes. They can be something as simple as a cleaning hack.
So, appreciate those cleaning quirks you picked up from your parents, mums!
They may just be a life-saver during those stressful weekends where all you want is to cut the spring cleaning by half so you can enjoy the day with your family.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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