Seven Cleaning Myths: What’s T & F

Sometimes making your own cleaning concoctions can make you feel a bit like a chemist. You want to find that right balance and that right method of making your house look and feel fabulous.

However, I should warn you that when you start to research different cleaning methods and DIY cleaning products that there are a lot of cleaning rumors and myths out there on the Internet. Bored bloggers’ theories and generations of old wives’ tales litter the sea of the blogosphere. Today, I’m going to dispel a few of these cleaning myths, and tell you which ones are legitimate.

Cleaning myth # 1: “You can clean silver with toothpaste.”

I would have to deem this one as TRUE. Although you may need to test it on a small piece of your particular set of silver, this is actually a very effective and inexpensive way to clean silver.

Cleaning myth # 2: “You can get carpet stains out with toothpaste.”
This one is most certainly FALSE. Please do not clean any carpet stains off with toothpaste. You will have one big blob to clean up, which could end up costing you even more money. Leave all the carpet stains to the professionals.

Cleaning myth # 3: “You can clean greasy clothes by adding some Coca-Cola in with the wash.”
Even if this were true, why would you want to dump a sugary brown liquid on your clothing? I’m going to say this one is FALSE.

Cleaning myth #4: “You can clean a toilet bowl/ bathtub with Coca-Cola.”
Although this is kind of disgusting, it is TRUE. However, I would heavily advise you NOT to do this.

Cleaning myth # 5: “You can clean mirrors with vodka.”
This handy little tip is absolutely TRUE. The best part about it is that you don’t have to buy the expensive vodka to do the trick. The cheaper the vodka, the better the clean. Mix the vodka in a spray bottle with some water and spray all over your mirrors or windows. The smell of the alcohol will fade once the surface is dry.

Cleaning myth # 6: “Vodka disinfects bathroom surfaces.”
Although this cleaning myth is TRUE, I would advise against using this unconventional cleaning method. The overpowering smell of vodka is enough to not want to clean your entire bathroom with it.

Cleaning myth #7: “Lemon flavored Kool-Aid cleans toilet bowls.”
Unfortunately, this is TRUE. The citric acid in the powdered drink mix effectively cleans scum and grime inside a toilet bowl. Though this unconventional cleaning method may work, it will definitely make you think twice about stopping at a small child’s lemonade stand from now on.

Although these cleaning methods aren’t conventional, they do work. However, I think you should go with more natural cleaning agents such as vinegar or baking soda if you’re going to clean with a DIY mixture.

I hope I didn’t ruin anyone’s afternoon caffeine fix!