Dust, limescale, dirt stains… Between the different rooms and all the surfaces of the house, the quest for a sparkling house can sometimes seem like an insurmountable task, especially since we don’t always know which household products to go for. rotate to achieve this shine depending on the materials to be processed. However, there are a myriad of simple, ingenious, practical and effective household hacks that can transform every corner of your living space into a sparkling clean haven and make every surface shine to its former glory without damaging it. . You will see that restoring shine to your interior does not necessarily require expensive products and hours of hard work!
1) To make stainless steel shine
Although stainless steel is solid, a little thing can dull its shine and beware of aggressive cleaning products which risk damaging it (bleach, scraper, chemical anti-limescale, etc.)! Whether it is a work surface, a household appliance or even a stainless steel sink , the secret to shine is a simple damp cloth soaked in a few drops of olive oil (opt for a soft, lint-free microfiber cloth). Finally finish polishing with a dry cloth.
2) Bright windows
The problem with window cleaning is that it can leave marks on the tiles, even when using a good microfiber cloth or balled up newspaper. In addition to following all the techniques to avoid the formation of marks , do not hesitate to use a Meudon white formula to maximize the shiny effect without residue. To do this, mix a glass of hot distilled water with half a glass of Marseille soap and 250 g of Meudon white. Soak a cloth with this mixture and apply everything to the windows. If you don’t have this white powder, you can try this other cornstarch recipe .
3) The combination of bicarbonate and aluminum for silverware
Whether old or heavily used, silverware can quickly lose its shine if it is not maintained with care . Once blackened and tired , your cutlery and dishes lose some of their splendor, and that’s a shame… To make up for the damage, give your silver service a facelift with a bath of hot water in a saucepan or a container in which you have lined the bottom with aluminum and added a little baking soda . A short swim of a few seconds in this water will make everything look like new effortlessly thanks to a chemical reaction that will gently renovate the silver!
4) For faucets as shiny as yesteryear
Wherever tartar is rampant, the shine is gone! This is particularly the case with taps, which must be descaled very regularly to avoid letting them become clogged. To make it shine brightly, do not hesitate to polish it with a soft dry cloth and a spray bottle to spray it with ammonia or, better yet, white vinegar, the anti-limescale effect of which is no longer in doubt. . After spraying the cleaning product of your choice, leave for an hour before wiping carefully. Whether in the bathroom or the kitchen, this special treatment will no longer leave room for white spots!
5) Each floor has its own tip to make it shine
As you can imagine, we don’t treat tiles like linoleum or parquet ! For everyone to shine, it is therefore appropriate to offer them a special treatment that will bring out all their elegance and beauty. For example, a bucket of water with black soap will be your best tip for adding shine to tiles . You can also use clay stone which you rinse before wiping well to dry the floor.
For parquet, everything will depend on its finish, but you can generally use a homemade wax made from a teaspoon of olive oil and ¼ cup of lemon juice. Finally, for linoleum, try a rather unusual secret recipe taken from our grandmothers. It consists of mixing an egg yolk with half a liter of lukewarm water , then applying it with a cloth and not rinsing (just wait until it is completely dry before walking on it again).
6) How to renovate dull wooden furniture?
As it ages, wood can lose its luster and quickly become damaged if nothing is done to nourish and maintain it. To protect it, nourish it and make it shine , mix one part olive oil with one part part lemon juice. Then, mix thoroughly to homogenize this mixture and apply it to the wood surface to be treated. All you have to do is polish with a microfiber cloth.
7) Make a dirty oven shine
Pastries, gratins… the oven is the best ally of great gourmands, but it must be taken care of to ensure its durability and shine. To do this, we advise you to infuse citrus peels (orange, lemon, etc.) in white vinegar. Although this is optional, it enhances the cleaning effect of this already very powerful liquid. Then, place a layer of sodium bicarbonate on the areas to be treated, spray with vinegar (infused or not) and leave to act for a few minutes in an oven heated to 120°C. You can also carry out cleaning on a still hot oven after preparing the meal. The key is to use heat to soften the fats and promote their elimination . All you have to do is rub with a sponge and rinse.
It is also possible to use water and soda crystals here.
8) And for the glasses, what to do?
Limescale can also be deposited on glasses, especially if they are exposed to the heat of a dishwasher repeatedly. White vinegar is again a good option , but we also have another to offer you against whitish marks. It consists of boiling a pot of water and placing the glasses over the steam . After the fog appears, use a microfiber cloth to polish them. If the lack of shine is more likely to be attributed to micro-scratches, this time we can eliminate these imperfections with clay stone or ash applied with a damp cloth to the scratched area.
9) What solutions to make gold shine?
Gold jewelry has monetary value, but also often sentimental value, which is why we like to take care of it and give it shine. There are several tips for doing this , but one of the simplest is using a dab of toothpaste on a soft-bristled toothbrush . Simply use this to polish the tarnished areas before using a cotton cloth to wipe clean.
10) Everything for a sparkling leather sofa
A beautiful leather sofa is always a strong element in an interior, but it can seriously hamper the decoration when it is not in very good condition (the fault of wear and the inexorable passage of time!). To restore all its suppleness and shine to an armchair or sofa , you can sprinkle it with talcum powder and rub with a soft cloth. Next, make a paste with one third beeswax and two thirds turpentine. Coat its entire surface and let dry. Shine guaranteed!
11) A tip for making marble shine
Marble is easy to maintain and polish as long as you know the products to use or avoid to carry out this household task. To add shine, for example, you can use linseed oil… and elbow grease ! Pour a few drops onto the marble and polish everything with a clean cloth.
12) What secrets for shiny earthenware?
Earthenware objects as well as kitchen or bathroom tiles already shine with their beautiful, bright colors. However, this is not enough and poor maintenance can leave your dishes or tiles looking particularly dull. To make this colored enamel look like new, dip a lemon wedge in coarse salt and use it like a sponge to scrub the earthenware. Leave to act and polish with a clean cloth. If the object is fragile or you cannot find this practical solution, you can also mix lemon with coarse salt.
13) How to make copper and brass shine?
These two materials are both very popular, but tend to age poorly and stain easily , hence the importance of knowing how to clean them. To remove stubborn stains on copper, you can roll up newspaper to form a pad and rub the tarnish vigorously. A bath in vinegar water or a cloth soaked in vinegar and coarse salt can also combat more stubborn stains. Just remember to rinse well! As for brass, you can prepare a bath of very hot soapy water and place the object inside. Let it soak until the water cools and use a chamois to buff it. Finally, rinse and dry well.
14) And for the crystal, how to make it shine?
Wear and limescale do no favors for this precious material which nevertheless brings so much brilliance to interior decoration. To help it regain all its shine, use… coffee grounds ! Fill your object with this brown powder and leave for at least two hours. Then rinse with vinegar water and use a soft, lint-free cloth to dry it. You will see: all traces will definitely have disappeared!
15) And to make the plastics in the car shine?
