20 Cleaning Tips From Grandma That Are Still Helpful Today

By: Lydia Iseh | Last updated: Nov 18, 2023

We all have so much to learn from those who have gone ahead of us. Grandmas especially know so much and are often willing to share their tips. One thing about grandmas is that they also hate messy rooms, and that’s why everything always has to be squeaky clean when they are around.

Thankfully, we have compiled 20 helpful tips that we’ve learned from grandma over the years. Let’s get to it.

Remove Glass Scratches With Toothpaste

Guess you’ve never thought about this. But those annoying scratches on glass surfaces seem like they’ve come to stay forever. To grandma, they aren’t a problem. Toothpaste can get the job done.

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Source: Reddit

Non-gel toothpaste – that is. Simply plaster and spread some paste on the scratched area. After that, wipe it off with a wet cloth first and then a dry piece. The scratch should disappear to your amazement.

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Clear Out Rusts With Lemonade Powder

Rusts are a pain in every home. From the garden shears that are no longer open to the outdoor chairs that you aren’t proud to let your visitors see, rust causes lots of damage. 

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Source: Metal Porch Glider/Pinterest

Thankfully, grandma has a way out, and that’s lemonade powder. It’s simple. Just rub it on the rusted surface and watch the rust wear away. The citric acid crystals in the mixture aren’t friends with rust.

Wash Your Walls Bottom Up

While this may sound wrong to our young minds, we know better than to argue with grandma’s wisdom. When you remember those annoying lines of water that run down your walls when you wash them, grandma’s advice makes more sense.

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Source: Pinterest

When we wash from the bottom of the walls to the top, we avoid cleaning streaks, especially with painted walls. Want to enjoy cleaning your walls? Grandma is sure that this will help.

Grandma Knows A Faster Way to Dress Your Pillowcase

Grandma even has a better way to help your pillow case put on its clothes. She says to turn your pillowcase inside out with your arms inside. 

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Then with your hands, hold both ends of the pillow and let the pillowcase fall to cover the pillow. This method is faster than the conventional style. Try it out, and you will see.

Get Gum Out of Hair With Peanut Butter

While you enjoy your tasty peanut butter, don’t get too carried away. You should save some for other purposes, like detaching gum from hair. 

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One of the hardest things to deal with is gum on the hair. But grandma says it’s no problem. Instead of cutting off that lovely hair, cover the gum with peanut butter and wait. The gum should begin to detach from your hair in a few minutes.

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Use Flour Sack Towels for Your Cleaning

Paper towels aren’t bad cleaning materials. However, grandma advises that you make the switch to flour sack towels. Paper towels don’t last and – in the end – are a waste of money. 

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Flour sack towels are cheaper, and if you buy them in bulk, even better. Flour sack towels don’t stain easily, they last long, and won’t fill up your trash as quickly as paper ones. Don’t forget that they help the environment, too. 

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Clean Brass Hardware With Ketchup

If you watched grandma closely, you probably would have noticed her cleaning brass hardware with…wait for it, ketchup! All grandma does is pour and spread some ketchup on the brass surface. Then, she waits for, say, five minutes. 

Source: Pinterest

If your hardware is pure brass and not just brass coated, you can soak it in a bowl of ketchup and leave it for a while. Then scrub out your ketchup, rinse your hardware with some warm water, and wipe it dry with a cloth. Your brass pots and pans should look shiny and new. 

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Dust Your Surfaces With a Damp Cloth

Dust doesn’t go away when you flog your furniture surfaces with a dry cloth. They migrate to the floor, and the problem fails to completely go away. 

Source: BuyDallasHomes/Twitter

Grandma uses a damp cloth to do her dusting instead. The damp cloth traps the dust instead of sending them to the ground. The dust on the cloth stays with it and is easier to get rid of. 

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Grandma Cleans Ceiling Fans With A Pillowcase

Many times, while we clean dusty ceiling fan blades, we end up with lots of dust on the floor and furniture. There is a smarter way. Grandma only needs a pillowcase. 

Source: BobVila/Twitter

She wraps the fan blades with the empty pillowcases and traps the dust with them. Now, the fans are clean, and no one has to worry about soiling the ground.

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Use Stainless Steel Scrubbers

As effective as these are, not many people know about them. Stainless steel scrubbers were grandma’s helping hands with stubborn kitchen utensils. 

Source: Imgur

The metal sponge goes hard on the kitchenware, expelling stubborn stains in record time without requiring as much soap or cleaning agents as regular sponges. This is grandma’s secret for dealing with those burnt pots and pans. 

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Whiten Your Laundry With Lemons

Grandma might tell you that if life gives you lemons, you can whiten your clothes. Thanks to these yellow citrus fruits, faded whites have a second chance at life. 

Source: annabelzeta/Pinterest

The process is simple. Start by squeezing out a lemon into a large bowl of water. Immerse your clothes and let them soak for two hours. Then, rinse and dry.

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Get Rid of Oil Stains With Flour

Don’t worry too much about oil stains on your kitchen counter or table. Flour can do the job, even if the oil gets on the floor. 

Source: thisoldhouse/Pinterest

Sprinkle some flour on the stain, enough to just overwhelm it. Afterward, wait for five minutes before cleaning the stain with a cloth. Your kitchen surface should be clear of any signs of oil stains. 

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Unblock Your Drains With Baking Soda and Vinegar

Clogs in your drains can be pretty frustrating. What’s more annoying is when they are beyond your reach. But grandma has a way out of this, too. Vinegar and baking soda can free up your drains if you know how to combine the duo. 

Source: Pinterest

But first, pour some hot water down the drain. Next, add a cup of baking soda, followed by half a cup of vinegar and half water. Leave for 10 minutes before pouring some more hot water down the drain. 

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Descale Your Shower Head

If your shower head dispenses water more in trickles than gushes, it’s probably clogged. While it is normal for your shower nozzles to host sediments after a long time of use, you have to clear these obstructions. 

Source: IT_Serpent/Reddit

Simply fill (for instance) a sandwich bag with vinegar and cover your shower head with it by tying it with a rubber band. Leave the vinegar for about three hours, after which you can scrub off the vinegar with a toothbrush and rinse. 

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Remove Sticker Remnants From Your Surfaces

Whether on our walls, doors, or windows, stickers love to leave their marks behind. Many times, we have had to put up with these sticker remnants that don’t want to go away. 

Source: adorablerebel/Reddit

Thankfully, there is an effective solution for clearing out these sticker residues. Where soap and water fail, white vinegar won’t. Just mop the sticky area with a rag that you dipped in vinegar. Then, scrape off the remnants, which will come off pretty easily.

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Onions Can Remove Rust From Knives

Did you know that onions can remove rust from knives? Yes, they can. So, whenever you return from a long trip to find rusty knife blades, you do not need to search too far for a solution. 

Source: Pinterest

Simply cut through an onion bulb, moving the knife forward and backward as the rusty section rubs against the inside of the onion. Continue for a few minutes until your knife is free from rust. 

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Use Salt to Keep Your Clothes From Fading

We all want our clothes to last for a long time and retain their attractive colors. When your clothes begin to fade, they become less useful, especially outdoors. 

Source: 360-survey-jerk/Reddit

That’s why salt can be a lifesaver. Yes, common salt. Simply add a tablespoon of salt to your washing water each time you wash, and your fabric’s colors should stay put for very long. 

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Alcohol Can Remove Ink Stains From Your Leather Furniture

Leather furniture can be quite expensive. For this reason, they must be handled carefully, even when you intend to clean off ink stains. 

Source: For Us Foodies/YouTube

Soap and water aren’t ideal. So, what is? Alcohol. Pour a drop or two of rubbing alcohol on a piece of cotton and rub the stain gently. Then, dry the area with a blow dryer. 

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Grandma Knows A More Affordable Kind of Wood Polish

Keeping the wooden surface furniture clean is a crucial part of maintaining a tidy home. But it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Grandmas know that, too, so they have found a natural formula for keeping the wood shining. 

Source: Wikipedia

This natural wood polish is easy to make. Just add some lemon juice to twice its portion of vegetable oil, and you are good to go. This chemical – when you dip a rag in it and rub a wooden surface – will bring out the shine. 

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Grandma Knows the Power of Sunlight

Sometimes, our greatest blessings are the things we take for granted. One of those is sunlight. Grandma knows how important the sun’s rays are for keeping a clean home. The mattresses, pillows, and bed linens may contain bacteria and other microorganisms. 

Source: Pinterest

But these microscopic organisms are no match for the sterilizing power of the sun. The sun will provide a natural freshness you won’t get anywhere else. 

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