35 nearly forgotten house cleaning tips from the past

For dusting under furniture and hard-to-reach places, reader Deanna Thomas says, “I slip an old sock onto a fly swatter and sew it securely into place. It’s very handy.”

Don’t miss these other brilliant uses for old socks.

Reach into the fridge for this handy hint. L.E. Ford says, “Patent leather handbags and shoes can be quickly brightened with a polish of milk. Apply with a soft cloth and rub into a shiny new finish.”

Reader Milton Olson says, “Fill a paint roller with your favourite wall washing solution and use a clean paint roller to wash your walls. Rinse with clear water. It goes much more quickly than sponging.”

Don’t fret when you accidentally get hairspray on a mirror. Reader Ann Peardot says you make the glass spotless again by rubbing the mirror with a sponge or cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol.

To keep shower doors shiny and clear, Mildred Sherrer says to use a soft cloth moistened with baby oil. “It prevents scum build-up from dirt and soap, and hard water spots won’t appear for several months.”

Here are 22 bathroom mistakes you never knew you made. 

Reader Maureen Beaver says wadded up aluminium foil makes a great kitchen scrubber. Use it to tackle tough stains and baked-on food.

Here are 9 more amazing uses for aluminium foil.

To preserve the bright shine of brass, reader Lucile Trent says, “Clean it with Worcestershire sauce. It does an unbelievably good job!”

Avoid a tangled mess in the laundry. Katherine Kalmbach says, “If you button shirt cuffs to the front of a shirt before putting it in the washer, the sleeves won’t knot and tangle in the wash.”

If you break a plate while making a sandwich, grab some extra bread. Reader Carolyn Robinson says, “Clean up slivers of broken glass without hurting yourself by pressing a slice of fresh bread lightly over the area, then immediately disposing of it.”

Clean two messes at once. Reader Marge Harold says, “If you have a small plastic wastebasket in your bathroom, empty it and use it as a bucket when you clean your bathroom, so it gets cleaned, too.”