Last week we focused on various ways to clean a toilet and one method that was not mentioned was sugar soap. It is effective at cutting through limescale in toilets, allowing a deeper clean as well as removing stains caused by limescale deposits. Using it to scrub, you'll soon be left with a sparkly bowl.
Sugar soap is a popular choice as a toilet cleaner – just a small amount is enough to cut through limescale to brighten a grimy loo bowl.
Sugar soap will also not kill mould lurking behind walls, under floorboards or in ceiling cavities. If you're using it in its liquid form you'll need to be very careful to avoid getting power outlets wet or letting it drip onto more delicate surfaces such as furniture and fabrics.
First, wash your tiles and grout with sugar soap using a toothbrush and scrubbing brush. We used Selley's Sugar Soap concentrate for this, mixed with warm water in a bucket – it works a treat. Use your toothbrush, scrubbing brush and some elbow grease to scrub the grout and give it a good going-over.
To use Sugar Soap, simply dilute it in warm water. Using a sponge, wash the required surface with the soapy liquid. Once the entire area has been washed go over it again with clean fresh warm water, in order to rinse off the sugar soap and remove the remaining dirt or grease.
A typical example would be around 150ml of sugar soap to 5 litres of water. But you can add a little more to get a stronger solution for stubborn dirt and grease. (Bear in mind, if you have sensitive skin wear rubber gloves.)
For ceramic or hardy metal or glass surfaces, sugar soap works a treat. How to Use It: Apply TSP to a soft cloth, rub the stain, and you should be able to remove it completely.
It may sound strange but using a solution of white sugar dissolved in water can help to soften grout for removal. This is not to be confused with Sugar Soap, which is a different substance. Add some normal white sugar to some warm water and stir it in at the ratio of approximately 1 part sugar to 10 parts water.
For stubborn stains use a non-abrasive cleaning product, sugar soap or normal house cleaning products. Do not use cleaners that have strong alkaline pH levels and thoroughly rinse the surface with clean water to remove residue.
Sugar soap is great for washing walls, but for a cheaper sugar soap alternative, dishwashing detergent and vinegar do the trick. Put some warm water in a bucket with a squirt or two of dish detergent and a splash of vinegar. With your rag, wet it in the soapy water and wring it out so it's not soaking wet.
North America
The comparable cleaning product in Canada and the US is trisodium phosphate, also known as "TSP".
It is just a mild detergent which is especially useful for preparing paintwork because, once it has been rinsed away, will not leave behind any residues that may hamper the adhesion of your new coat of paint.
As it turns out, you can actually unclog a toilet with dish soap instead of turning to a harsh, toxic bowl cleaner. Just as natural dish soap helps break down dirt, grease, and food that may be stuck on dishes and utensils, it can help break down what's in your toilet bowl.
It's pretty simple — just like they do on food particles that are stuck to your dishes in the sink, the combination of hot water and dish soap help to dissolve and break up whatever it may be that is lodged in the toilet, causing a clog. This handy tip is great should you find yourself in a pinch.
The easiest way to clean grout without scrubbing involves hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Mix the two into a paste with some dish soap and apply to the grout lines. Alternatively, you can use a cleaning solution of water, vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda.
Dawn and Vinegar Grout Cleaner
Heat a cup of 1-to-1 vinegar and water in the microwave for about a minute. Pour it into a spray bottle and add a cup of Dawn dish soap. Carefully spray the mixture on your grout lines. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes longer if you have really dirty grout.
Grout that hasn't been sealed, needs to be resealed, or is in poor shape should not be cleaned with vinegar. The vinegar penetrates into the pores of the grout, further weakening the material. Over time, vinegar will deteriorate the condition of the grout by etching or wearing it away.
Many hotels use ammonia-based cleaning solutions because ammonia readily cuts through dirt and soap scum. Because of the way it dries, ammonia also decreases the possibility of streaks on glass.
Use a mild detergent like sugar soap and a microfibre cloth to clean mould off walls, floors and tiles. Make sure to dry the area thoroughly after wiping mould off surfaces.
How do professionals clean showers? Professionals use acid-based cleaning solutions like vinegar for hard water spots and soap scum. For deep-set soap scum, cleaners will use heavy-duty detergents and degreasers. Bleach cleaning solutions are best reserved for cleaning the mold and mildew from grout.
Wipe the surfaces down, then rinse the sugar soap off with warm water. Repeat this until you are sure all grime, dirt and dust has been removed.
Let the sugar soap sit for a minute, then wipe down with a clean cloth/sponge, leave for a couple hours. Then safe to apply your fresh coat of paint. 1 hour is fine.
Using sugar soap is the most efficient way to clean your walls without leaving behind residues that could cause adhesion problems with your paint. After you clean your walls with sugar soap, you will need to wait a minimum of 1 to 2 hours before you can paint.