Merry Maids tests five popular DIY cleaning hacks

The expert cleaning franchise recently put some homemade hacks to the test, sharing the results in a blog post on the Merry Maids website.

In the words of the cleaning franchise, “In recent months, there has been a lot of talk online about so-called cleaning ‘hacks’. Earlier this year, consumer experts Which? asked the British public to submit their favourites.” The favourites, put to the test by Merry Maids in this blog to determine whether these hacks were true (fit for cleaning purposes) or false (not the best option), were as follows:

• Using dishwasher tablets to clean the washing machine (instead of washing machine cleaner) - According to Merry Maids, “It is true that tablets and cleaners have similarities and contain some of the same ingredients. But, dishwasher tablets lack the proper ingredients and are not as suited to cleaning a washing machine. In this case, you are better off using a machine cleaner for a better result. This one is: FALSE.”

• Using bicarbonate of soda to remove stains - This hack is 100% TRUE, and it’s actually something that Merry Maids often recommends. A common ingredient in many cleaning products, sodium bicarbonate in water can form “a mild alkaline solution”, affecting the charge of stains and “causing them to dissolve faster”.

• Using peanut butter to get gum out of the carpet - There’s science behind this hack, which is TRUE. Chewing gum is made out of resin, wax and elastomer, and it’s not soluble in water. Peanut butter “contains reserves of natural oils” which may soften the gum and make it easier to remove. (Although you will then have a carpet covered in peanut butter, so maybe try using a neutral smelling alternative, like mineral oil?)

• Using laundry detergent to remove burnt-on food marks from pans - “Laundry detergent contains enzymes [...] that make it useful in cleaning away grime. Burnt-on food will more often than not contain a combination of fats, carbs, and proteins. Enzymes can help degrade these, making them easier to get rid of. So, this myth is also TRUE.” Be sure to clean your pans thoroughly if you use this hack, leaving no residue.

• Using a lemon juice and olive oil solution as a wood cleaner - This one’s a complicated one. Lemon juice CAN act similarly to bicarb on certain stains, while olive oil CAN act as a varnish/aid “in the removal of fat-based stains due to its hydrophobic nature”. But, because lemon juice is corrosive, it’s not advised. Merry Maids said, “Over time, lemon juice and similar acidic products like vinegar can corrode wood if [overused].”

Find out more about Merry Maids, and a potential franchise investment with the expert cleaning brand, via its profile page, which you’ll discover linked above.