Rylie Horrall |  Lifestyle Editor

Since most people are spending quite a bit of time at home, some might find themselves cleaning more than they normally do. While cleaning can be a satisfying task, it can sometimes be a grueling one — a stain that won’t come out, a tub that doesn’t look clean no matter how much it’s scrubbed or multiple surfaces that no longer shine. Here are some tips and tricks to help polish up the house.

For pans that have gotten particularly dirty and involve a lot of scrubbing to clean, try using a dryer sheet instead. Put the dirty pan in the sink with some dish soap, warm water and a dryer sheet, and let it sit for an hour or so. According to bestlifeonline.com, the grime should come off easily, afterwards.

To get stains out of clothes, there are a couple methods to try; the stain can be spot treated with laundry soap beforehand, or a mixture of dish soap and baking soda can be used. Baking soda will help lift the stain, and dish soap just helps with cleansing the spot. This can also be used comparably on carpet stains, but with carpet cleaner rather than dish soap.

Similar to the previous hack, cleaning a bathtub can be done in a few ways. To scrub away grime, try using a grapefruit or lemon with salt — the salt will create an abrasive texture and the citric acid found in the fruits will assist with stain lifting, as stated by bestlifeonline.com. According to nbcnews.com, baking soda and vinegar mixed with hot water is another easy way to make the tub pristine. After letting that mixture sit for about five minutes, fill part of the tub with warm water and sit for an additional five minutes. This method can also be used on the toilet to freshen it up.

Following the trend of baking soda, vinegar and citrus fruits, all of these things can be used to make a sink clean and shiny. Sponge the surface with a baking soda and vinegar concoction, rinse, and then use the peel of a lemon or orange to deodorize. Finally, buff the sink with some sort of rag, sponge or paper towel and olive oil, which will repel water and keep the sink shiny for a while before it needs to be cleaned again.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Photo by Rylie Horrall