### Author:  [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/41 "2004-05-24T20:39:11Z")
What does the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser look like? I have SERIOUSLY rusty water, which grunges out the tub in 3-4 baths. Does it clean that up easily?
---
### Author:  [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2004, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/42 "2004-05-24T21:23:04Z")
I find that the Works toilet bowl cleaner cleans just about anything. It will knock soap scum off the shower and clean the grout at the same time. It’s pretty strong stuff, so make sure to ventilate if you decide to use it anywhere but the toilet.
---
### Author:  [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/43 "2004-05-25T02:31:49Z")
> [@MrFantsyPants](#):
>
> For those nasty toilet stains, turn the water supply off, empty the bowl as much as possible, and give it a quick squirt of hydrochloric acid.
Have you tried just dumping a bucket of water into the bowl? That makes it flush and you don’t have to turn the water off.
---
### Author:  [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/44 "2004-05-25T02:32:55Z")
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers look like white sponges. They have a very fine grit impregnated in them, I think. They are wonderful! But don’t use them on furniture or other things that have a high polish to them. You’ll ruin the shine. They are especially great, though, for cleaning the drip pans under your stove’s burners and they make cleaning the bathroom a breeze!
My most favorite tip is for cleaning hair clogs out of the sink or bathtub. Buy a package of the longest bamboo skewers you can find. Break the sharpened end off of one and insert the now ragged end down the drain as far as you can. Twist it and pull, twist again and pull it out. The gross blob of old hair will cling to the skewer in a tight lump, making disposal simple. I haven’t use Drano in years since I discovered this.
If you’ve bought new glasses or bowls and are having trouble getting the stickers off, rub them with a little hand lotion. That will keep the glue from smearing around and helps it peel off easier. Granted, some glues need a little more encouragement than others, but you will still have an easier time of it with the hand lotion.
If you have set-in stains on your Formica counters, use just a pinch of Comet cleanser , wet and rub. Most stains come out instantly.
---
### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/45 "2004-05-25T04:33:27Z")
> [@Trunk](#):
>
> \The hint is: get the necessary cleaning things for EACH bathroom. You’re not wasting money – you’ll use them each half as fast as you used to.
>
> That might be insanely obvious to EVERYONE else, but it took me years to realize it after I finally got a place with 2 bathrooms.
It’s probably insanely obvious to people who read this tip from me earlier in this thread. 😃
---
### Author:  [@litost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/litost)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2004, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/46 "2004-05-25T06:58:14Z")
What does one do with plastic/resin shower curtains that start showing stains and turning yellow? I normally replace them but it doesn’t sound like a long-term solution. I have tried the bathroom cleaner thingies and spray them on the curtain but it doesn’t seem to have any effect.
---
### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2004, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/47 "2004-05-25T10:16:32Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#):
>
> What does the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser look like? I have SERIOUSLY rusty water, which grunges out the tub in 3-4 baths. Does it clean that up easily?
Ahh, but for you my special friend we deliver to your doorstep the newly patented **Mr. Clean Spousal Magic Eraser** for erradicating and correcting impolite disrespectful spouses. An immense bald slab of a man; a leviathan; a doorway darkening god of retribution will show up at your home and straighten that man’s sorry ass right out for once and for good.
All for six convenient payments of $ 19.95.
😃
Cartooniverse
---
### Author:  [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2004, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/48 "2004-05-25T12:00:42Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#):
>
> What does the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser look like? I have SERIOUSLY rusty water, which grunges out the tub in 3-4 baths. Does it clean that up easily?
I bet it would clean it up easily. I had these gray/tan stains around my tub drain that had probably been there for years and years, and with a little scrubbing with the eraser, they’ve started to come out little by little. Everything else comes out right away, but even a little at a time is 1000% better than _everything_ else I’ve tried.
---
### Author:  [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2004, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/49 "2004-05-25T12:46:50Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#):
>
> Ahh, but for you my special friend we deliver to your doorstep the newly patented **Mr. Clean Spousal Magic Eraser** for erradicating and correcting impolite disrespectful spouses. An immense bald slab of a man; a leviathan; a doorway darkening god of retribution will show up at your home and straighten that man’s sorry ass right out for once and for good.
>
> All for six convenient payments of $ 19.95.
>
> 😃
>
> Cartooniverse
Heh. I doubt the dweebs would recognize a leviathan god if it kicked their asses. But I think I’ll order one anyway. Can you overnight him?
I currently use “The Works” for my bathroom cleaning needs. But as stated, the fumes can be a bit much. Like I almost killed myself once. I’d like something less toxic (except for the toilet…The Works will always be my toilet bowl cleaner).
---
### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2004, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/50 "2004-05-25T12:56:56Z")
Try the vinegar:water solution that’s been recommended. If you want a foaming cleanser, put down some baking soda and spray it with the solution. It works great at cleaning soap scum.
Most non-toxic cleaners work great if you give them some time, don’t just “spray and wipe.” I wonder about bathroom cleaners that warn to use when “well ventilated.” Who has a well ventilated bathroom.
I’m pretty sure nobody ever died from using a combination of baking soda and vinegar.
---
### Author:  [@Kiki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiki)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2004, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/51 "2004-05-25T14:53:58Z")
> [@litost](#):
>
> What does one do with plastic/resin shower curtains that start showing stains and turning yellow? I normally replace them but it doesn’t sound like a long-term solution. I have tried the bathroom cleaner thingies and spray them on the curtain but it doesn’t seem to have any effect.
As posted by **kittenblue** :
> [@](#):
>
> \*\*Clean your plastic shower curtain liner by putting it in the washing machine along with a couple bath towels, the detergent and add a cup of baking soda. Then during the rinse cycle, add a cup of white vinegar. Cleans off mildew completely!
\*\*
I have done this before and it works really well. Instead of washing it along with towels I wash it along with my bath mat, toilet seat cover, and toilet mat.
---
### Author:  [@Anduin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduin)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/52 "2005-04-24T15:57:51Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#):
>
> That stuff is there forever. I now dye my hair in the basement, with old towels spread around. Learned that one the hard way, too. :o
No it’s not! You’ll need a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, CLR Bathroom cleaner, Lysol Kitchen cleaner, and Softscrub. Put the last three on the stain. Rub the last three into the stain, together. Let them sit for a while. (At least 15 minutes.) Then, use the Eraser to scrub up. I swear to you, the hair dye will come off any surface.
I discovered this in my old apartment, with the baby blue fixtures in the bathroom. I had a choice of replacing the toilet seat with a white one, and kissing my deposit goodbye, and I thought “What the heck, I have all these cleaning supplies, let’s try it!” And you know what? It worked! The hair dye came off the toilet seat, the floor, the tile on the wall, and the sink! (I never knew how messy I was when I dyed my hair!)
---
### Author:  [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/53 "2005-04-24T17:38:01Z")
> [@litost](#):
>
> What does one do with plastic/resin shower curtains that start showing stains and turning yellow? I normally replace them but it doesn’t sound like a long-term solution. I have tried the bathroom cleaner thingies and spray them on the curtain but it doesn’t seem to have any effect.
I buy several clear ones at the dollar store and replace as necessary. Even if I had to replace the curtain every other month (and I don’t), it would still be cheaper and easier than buying one ‘nice’ one and washing it.
---
### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/54 "2005-04-24T18:28:10Z")
If you’ve got blood on yourself and don’t have any meat tenderizer, your own spit works just fine. (Obviously, better on smaller bloodstains.) When I’m sewing (particularly during my brief fling with quilting) any blood droplets on the fabric were easy to get out - take one of those little bitty scrap pieces, put it in your mouth and get it good and wet, and put it on your bloodstain. By the time it dries the stain should be gone.
---
### Author:  [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/55 "2005-04-24T18:33:56Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> I wonder about bathroom cleaners that warn to use when “well ventilated.” Who has a well ventilated bathroom.
People who have fans to clear out steam from showers and unpleasant odors? Most homes I’ve been in have had those. They really are just the cat’s ass, let me tell you.
---
### Author:  [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/56 "2005-04-24T18:44:47Z")
Another way to get the shower liner clean:
Take the liner, put it in the tub with a scoop of dry laundry detergent (the granule kind, not liquid) run some warm water and get in there and dance. Cleans the tub and the curtain liner.
---
### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2005, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648/57 "2005-04-24T21:49:18Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#):
>
> People who have fans to clear out steam from showers and unpleasant odors? Most homes I’ve been in have had those. They really are just the cat’s ass, let me tell you.
Yeah, and if they work properly, the last thing you’ll **smell** is the cat’s ass, too !!!
😃
[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-household-cleaning-tips-here/246648.md?page=2)