r/CleaningTips • • 21h ago

Content/Multimedia Had a fruit fly infestation at home so I set up traps and tested the efficiency of various baits

Post image
15.4k Upvotes

Last month I had a serious fruit fly infestation at home so I set up basic DIY traps I found on the internet:

  • Fill a glass or another container with vinger with a drop of dish soap, cover it with a plastic wrap and puncture small holes into it. The fruit flies will get inside but not out and drown in the liquid

Then I decided to use various baits instead of common white vinegar recommended in tutorials. I tried distilled vinegar, wine vinegar, white wine, beer and citrus fruit syrup. I set up the traps and let them be for about 3 weeks.

Beer proved to be the most efficient, with white wine slowly behind. Vinegar seemed to work fine on its own but in presence of alternatives, it wasn't very popular among the fruit flies, with wine vinegar being slightly more efficient than distilled vinegar. I added citrus fruit syrup as well just as an idea (they're called fruit flies after all) but only two flies wandered there.

So in conclusion, this DIY trap works well with beer being the most efficient bait.


r/CleaningTips • • 11h ago

Tools/Equipment Any vacuum recommendations for people w long hair?

Post image
90 Upvotes

I have to clean this thing every month and it’s such a pain. Any vacuums made for dealing w hair? Willing to splurge a bit


r/CleaningTips • • 16h ago

General Cleaning HVAC guy blew 10+ years of soot out of my gas boiler with an air compressor. My entire studio apartment is covered in soot/dust.

139 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I really need some advice.

I rent a small 1-bedroom apartment. Today, a technician came to service my gas boiler. He used an air compressor to clean it out, and it turned out to be insanely dirty. It honestly looks like it hadn't been cleaned in over a decade. It's a miracle it was still working and that I hadn't died of CO2 poisoning, yet.

The issue is that the air compressor sent a fine layer of soot and dust all over my apartment. Everything is covered, white painted walls, wooden surfaces and furniture, plastic surfaces, and fabrics like my couch and the courtains.

I tried wiping a small area on the wall with a dry cloth, but it’s already leaving dark smudges/stains.

What is the best way (and sequence) to clean this off different surfaces without embedding the soot deeper into the paint or fabrics?

Any specific products, techniques, or "do NOT do this" warnings would be greatly appreciated!


r/CleaningTips • • 20h ago

Bathroom Did I ruin my shower door?

Post image
211 Upvotes

I’ve tried everything on this shower door:

Water, vinegar, dawn
Bar keepers friend
CLR
Bio clean

Tried using scrub daddy, #0000 steel wool, magic eraser (which may actually have scratched a little, oops)

Nothing has touched it, and actually seemed to maybe make it worse?

Do I need to give in and just replace it?


r/CleaningTips • • 19h ago

Discussion How do you get over the absolute mind-numbing despair of cleaning? Or make it fun?

86 Upvotes

Hello. This may not be the typical question, but it's serious.

I am not joking when saying this, but cleaning makes me absolutely miserable. I meticulously just try to never get anything dirty and thus barely live which is also its own misery, but inevitably .. you must clean.

I have to do everything manually for multiple people. The dishes, filling the washer, hanging things to dry, the carpet, the beds, cleaning after visitors, maintenance, food. It feels like it is my entire life.

So my question is this...

How do you, personally, make this at all bearable or fun?

Is there a ritual you do? Is there anything? This isn't personal advice question, I am just asking, what makes you personally enjoy it - if there is anyone that does.

I am trying to view it differently, so I would really like to know what stuff makes people happy about it.

Are there any tools you especially like?
A ritual you do?

Anything about your experiences would be great.


r/CleaningTips • • 43m ago

General Cleaning Any ideas how I can remove paint from a wood grain door?

• Upvotes

We have just had all new doors fitted through the house, and somehow one of my teens has managed to rub some emulsion against one of the bedroom doors, just in the corner. any idea how I can remove the emulsion without damaging the door please?


r/CleaningTips • • 2h ago

Flooring Halloween was fun, the cleanup was not

2 Upvotes

We had a little early Halloween party for the kids last weekend, and the floors were a mess afterward.
There were muddy footprints by the door, crushed snacks all over the living room, and sticky spots in the kitchen from making treats.
We're hosting another party next weekend, and I'm already thinking about the cleanup. Last time I had to vacuum and mop everything separately, and some of the sticky spots took a lot of scrubbing.
Any tips for getting this kind of mess off the floor faster?


r/CleaningTips • • 10m left

General Cleaning I need help removing smoke stains on painted walls/ceilings

Thumbnail
gallery
• Upvotes

I have been over these walls 3 times with Tricleanium brand that’s meant to remove tough stains but it just seems it’s pushing the dirt around. I’ve moved into a new room and trying to get the walls looking better. I’m following the instructions. Making sure I do a full wall then go back over it again. Then a 3rd time with water. Has anyone got any tips to make this easier? Or are my walls and roof stuck like this? (The dark marks on photo 4 are where the paint has been removed but I need to clean around it before I can fix that)


r/CleaningTips • • 8m ago

General Cleaning Ink removal from polyester dress

Post image
• Upvotes

Hello, any tips on how to take what looks like an ink out of this Patricia Pepe dress? I already tried the Dr Beckman removal but it’s still not working

Some tips would be Much appreciated ✨🙏


r/CleaningTips • • 4h ago

Organization Judgement free 1on1 help with storage?

2 Upvotes

I wanted to reach out and ask if there was anyone willing to help me judgement free and 1on1 with some storage I’m struggling with. I only ask 1on1 because it’s kind of a lot and I have ADHD so I’ll add more than needed or go off track with the post. It was an awful depression room and I’ve gotten very far on it, but I’ve been struggling to complete it due to several mental/health issues giving me the absolute worst brain fog and having awkward storage space. I greatly appreciate anyone willing to reach out and help and completely understand if not, or if it’s not allowed to ask. Thank you and have a great and easy day!


r/CleaningTips • • 18h ago

Discussion Please help me, are these expectations realistic?

Thumbnail gallery
24 Upvotes

Help!!

Is this realistic? Would you accept this list of expectations and the length of time that he expects tasks to take?

For context, it is a massive house with 4 individuals. (3 bathrooms, two living rooms, huge kitchen, 5 bedrooms, one laundry room, two main entrances including one main closet at the front that is never organized and one back door).

Two adults and two small children live there. Nobody cleans up after themselves, general tidy is never a “tidy” bc it is always insane, including toys everywhere, clothes all over the floor. Etc.

$20 CAD an hour. 4 hours a day. 4 days a week.

Please help. I am extremely overwhelmed by this.


r/CleaningTips • • 1h ago

Laundry gave blazer/suit for drycleaning and it smells weird now

• Upvotes

To give context, I have my 3 blazers for drycleaning alongside laundry+ iron for regualar clothes and now that I've received them, they smell weird.

It is kinda difficult to describe the smell but it's a bit mossy/dusty kind of smell from the blazers. However, none of the clothes that went for wash+iron smell...

For additional info, i opened the packaging after 2 days.

Any idea what could the smell be and what can I do to remove it?


r/CleaningTips • • 8h ago

Bathroom PLS HELP Total cleaning noob, how do i go about cleaning my dorm shower?

Thumbnail
gallery
3 Upvotes

Two months ago I moved into my dorm bathroom. Luckily my university doesn't have communal bathrooms so I just share this one with 3 other girls.

When our shower curtain started to grow mold inside it, we had to toss it so now I'm seriously considering bathroom cleanliness now. We talked to our ra and had someone check in on the mold to make sure it hasn't reached an unsafe level but it's just a matter of reversing years of cleanliness neglect now from past residents. I've never been in a situation where I've had to clean a shower with years of mild dew and mold built onto it.

How can I tackle this? Any products I should buy? We have a bristle brush and bleach and stuff but is there anything else I might need. Can someone offer advice on what to do or a step by step walk through or product recommendations?


r/CleaningTips • • 2h ago

Furniture Water stain from wooden surface

Post image
0 Upvotes

Not the best photo I know, but any ideas how to get these water stains out of a wooden window sill? I think it’s from plant pots over spilling water.

Thanks!


r/CleaningTips • • 2h ago

Discussion Cold wash liquid or powder detergent for garment longevity?

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/CleaningTips • • 1d ago

Before & After Brother Hoarder Room - UPDATE

Thumbnail
gallery
2.8k Upvotes

Here is the update from this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/CleaningTips/comments/1wsli84/brother_lived_in_this_room_for_10_years_then/

This is roughly an entire week, 40 plus hours of sanitizing and cleaning. I sanitized everything there was to sanitize, scrubbed all there was to scrub and used wood bleach on the floor to (unsuccessfully) remove the stains.

Its not perfect but I'm damn proud of the results.

**Update: **

A lot of you have asked if he's going to move back in (or attempt to) and the answer is no.

I've also changed the lock on the door to a key only I have, on the slim possibility he did try and get back in, he's not!


r/CleaningTips • • 2h ago

Bathroom What are these thing and how can i get rid of them?

Thumbnail
gallery
1 Upvotes

I am staying in a dorm with 5 other people and they don't seem to care about the bathroom cleaning, usually I'd just scrub the inside of the sink. I was seeing these thing for a while but i thought they were just dirt, a few days ago i looked at them closer and realised they were moving, i cleaned a few of them that day and after a few days i cleaned the cabinet under the sink, it was disgusting tbh. We have a plastic bowl under the sink since it leaks, it was filled with these things too, inside and outside.

I can't seem to get rid of them fully, none of my other roommates helps me and i do really know what to do. I took this photo this morning.


r/CleaningTips • • 2h ago

Discussion Help! New carpet is too light for farm life

1 Upvotes

We live on a farm with horses, cows, dogs, cats and chickens. The carpet sample I used to select our new carpet seemed darker than what was installed. It’s gorgeous but I have no idea how I can maintain it with so much dirt and animals around. Do I just need to put rugs everywhere?

Note: I’d love to have installed hardwood but that wasn’t in our budget.


r/CleaningTips • • 7h ago

Kitchen How do I clean between these plastic spikes on my juicer?

Post image
2 Upvotes

I can visibly see build up between these spikes, but it’s a bit hard to photograph.

This juicer technically says that this component is dishwasher safe but I don’t like to put any plastic parts in the dishwasher due to the high heat. Additionally, even when I have put it in the dishwasher, it never quite gets into these tight sections between the spikes. I can’t quite get there with a sponge either. Sometimes I try to soak it in warm soapy water, but that still doesn’t solve the issue, it seems to need some abrasive movement to get clean.

Any suggestions? I’m on the verge of rehoming it to someone else who doesn’t mind this issue, and getting a simple metal, non-electrical citrus juicer instead. Although I do like this juicer option for being able to juice things that aren’t citrus, like celery, beets, apples, ginger, etc… so I would like to find a solution to cleaning it thoroughly.

Thank you in advance!


r/CleaningTips • • 3h ago

Discussion Mattress has an overwhelming chemical smell after a previous failed cleaning attempt. What now?

0 Upvotes

Title is self explanatory. last week, a vomiting incident soaked a good chunk of the mattress. It smelled rancid, I tried to act fasts followed a guide online that recommended spraying down with an enzyme pet carpet cleaner, then covering with baking soda before vacuuming. Unfortunately, in my rush to clean the mess, I grabbed a bottle of Resolve pet carpet cleaner (the urine destroyer one), thinking it was an enzyme pet cleaner, or that it wouldn’t matter. The original vomit smell is gone from the mattress, but the baking soda didn’t seem to neutralize ANY of the resolve. I tried to let the mattress air out for days, I left it exposed covered in baking soda every day at work with the windows open, but it still smells so strongly like chemicals. my cat won’t even lay on it anymore, she always used to sleep with me.

I just don’t even know what would neutralize it at this point. I feel like I’m in an old lady who swallowed a fly situation. I don’t just want to keep piling more on. Any help greatly appreciated. I know this is my fault, it’s been a rough week and I’m still sick as a dog and I just want my bed back. I’m reading vinegar might help, but I don’t know if that’s only fir organic compounds/smells


r/CleaningTips • • 9h ago

Kitchen How do I clean the stainless steel stove and the burner plate?

Thumbnail
gallery
3 Upvotes

Accidentally put the stove on 6, turned it off and poured some cold water on it.


r/CleaningTips • • 3h ago

Flooring Ink stain on vinyl help pls

Post image
1 Upvotes

As my post states this pink stain is from mail ink that was wet and stained the floor pink, need a way to get this off asap before my inspection, help 🙏


r/CleaningTips • • 3h ago

Discussion Did a robot vacuum make you pickier about crumbs?

0 Upvotes

We've had a robot vacuum a few months now and it runs every afternoon. I've noticed crumbs after dinner bug me way more than they used to, probably because the floor is clean most of the day. Three kids so there's always something down there by evening. Before the robot I swept every night and didn't think about it in between. Did having a robot make you more relaxed about the floors, or less?


r/CleaningTips • • 7h ago

Discussion Marble pebble floor scratched

Thumbnail
gallery
2 Upvotes

Does anyone know how to get rid of these etches/scratches from my marble pebble floor? It’s supposed to be shiny and black and now it’s dull and has a gray tint. Didn’t clean it the right way and now it’s like this unfortunately. Thanks!