Cleaning answers for every machine
Short, practical guides for the machines in your kitchen and laundry room. Straight answer first, details after.
Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets: BLITZ vs Affresh
BLITZ costs $1.04 a clean (24 tablets for $24.95) against $3.25 to $4.00 for Affresh at regular Canadian prices on October 20,...
Black Shower Caulk and Grout: Remove the Stains or Recaulk?
Black on shower caulk and grout is usually mould staining the surface, sometimes just mildew or soap scum that washes off. Scrub...
Mould on a Front-Load Washer Gasket: How to Remove the Black Stains
Black spots that stay on a front-load washer's rubber seal after a wipe are mould stains, fed by water and detergent residue...
Septic Tank Cleaning Products: What to Avoid, What's Fine and When to Pump
Normal cleaning at the label dose is fine with a septic tank: Québec's environment ministry asks you to use household cleaners in...
Toilet Bowl Ring by Colour: What It Is and How to Remove It Safely
Hard white, grey or yellow is limescale; orange or brown is iron, hard black is manganese (both common on wells) and blue-green...
Spring Cleaning Checklist: Room by Room, Appliances Included
Start once nights stay above freezing, usually late April to late May in southern Québec. Go from the front door to the...
Garbage Disposal Cleaner vs Drain Cleaner: What Each Does, and What to Use When
No. Don't pour a chemical drain cleaner into a garbage disposal: InSinkErator, Moen, GE and Waste King all say lye and caustic...
How to Store a Countertop Ice Maker for Winter, a Trip or a Move
Between uses, toss the ice and drain the reservoir if the machine will sit more than a day. For winter or a...
How to Clean a Front-Load Washer Gasket: Folds, Drain Holes and a Weekly Routine
Once a week, empty the drum, press the rubber fold down all the way around, pick out hair, lint and coins, and...
Why Does My Dishwasher Smell? What Each Smell Means and How to Fix It
A smelly dishwasher is almost always holding rotting food and grease: in the filter, the spray arms, the door seal or water...
Coffee Maker Cleaning vs Descaling: What's the Difference?
Cleaning removes what the coffee leaves behind (oils, grounds and residue) from the parts it touches: basket, carafe, pod holder, brew head....
Citric Acid vs Vinegar for Cleaning Appliances: The Chemistry and What Makers Say
Citric acid: it's the stronger acid, it has no smell, and it binds the calcium it dissolves. BLITZ tablets (washer, dishwasher, coffee...