Top 22 Easy Tips to Clean Household Items for the Lunar New Year

Just like dishes, cups, glasses, and mugs are often pulled out and cleaned in preparation for receiving guests during Tet. However, long storage in cabinets can result in unpleasant odors from insects like cockroaches or mice. Don’t worry, a little toothpaste can easily remove these odors.

How to do it:

• Take an old toothbrush, apply toothpaste, and scrub the inside of the cup, mug, glass, or teacup.
• Rinse with water.
• This method will quickly get rid of any unpleasant smells and is much safer than using harsh chemical cleaners for your cups.

If you're wondering how to clean wooden furniture in your home for Tet, here's a simple tip. Normally, a damp cloth can do the job, but for stubborn dirt, scrubbing can be labor-intensive and you might worry about scratching the surface. Mytour suggests an easy trick using green tea.

How to do it:

• Use strong brewed green tea that has cooled down.
• Dip a soft cloth into the tea and wipe the wooden surfaces.
• A few gentle passes will restore the shine.
• If there are cracks on the wood, apply cod liver oil, leave it for 24 hours, then wipe it off with a damp cloth.
• To extend the life of your wooden furniture and prevent rot, clean it with a solution of diluted salt water.

Fabric or velvet upholstered sofas can be difficult to clean. However, Mytour has a simple yet effective method for you to freshen them up.

How to do it:

• Dip a brush into diluted alcohol and gently scrub the sofa with it.
• Then, use a hairdryer to dry the fabric.
• To lighten any stains on the sofa, mix baking soda with water and use it to wipe down the surface.

Cleaning mirrors and glass is not too challenging when you have the right method.

How to do it:

• Simply mix a little lemon juice or vinegar with warm water in a basin,
• Then soak a soft cloth in the solution and use it to wipe down your mirrors and glass surfaces.
• The citric acid in the lemon and vinegar will break down dirt and grime, leaving your glass and mirrors sparkling clean.

Walls can quickly become dirty, especially in households with young children. For stains from alcohol, simply use a warm damp cloth to wipe them away.

How to do it:

• For grease stains or pencil marks, use diluted dish soap or laundry detergent to clean the wall.
• For crayon marks, turn on the hairdryer to its highest setting,
• Directly heat the crayon stain until the wax starts to melt.
• Then, use a damp cloth with soap to wipe it clean. The stain will disappear in no time.

If you don't clean it regularly, your fridge can accumulate stains that are harder to remove over time. With the arrival of the new year, you may be wondering how to clean your fridge and get rid of unpleasant odors.

How to do it:

• For tough, long-standing stains, apply a small amount of toothpaste and gently wipe with a soft cloth.
• For hard-to-reach corners, use an old toothbrush to scrub away dirt and dust.
• Additionally, placing a few slices of lemon or a piece of bread inside the fridge will help neutralize any unpleasant smells.

Here's a helpful tip for cleaning glass items like vases, bottles, trays, or even your blender.

How to do it:

• For all glassware in your home, simply take some aluminum foil or thin sheet metal, dampen it with a little dish soap, and use it to clean the glass items.
• This trick will remove any stubborn stains on glassware in no time.

Cleaning pots, pans, and cookware is essential for a tidy kitchen during the New Year. Don't worry, salt can come to the rescue. It’s not just for cooking—salt makes an excellent, safe cleaner for your kitchen essentials, keeping them looking like new.

How to do it:

• Regularly scrub cast iron pans with salt to maintain their shine and cleanliness.
• Wrap a little salt in a cloth and use it to clean tough stains on the edges of cabinets or on cast-iron and copper cookware—this method works wonders.

Showerheads and bathtubs made of white porcelain can become yellowed with time, and cleaning them can be quite a challenge.

How to do it:

• Simply apply a bit of vinegar to the areas you want to clean,
• Let it sit until it dries, then scrub it clean with water.
• This will completely remove any buildup and mold.

Just like bathtubs, cleaning a bathroom sink that has been used for a long time may seem like a tough task. But don't worry, we’ve got a great solution to make your sink sparkle again.

How to do it:

• Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda, a bit of dish soap, half a cup of vinegar, and a cup of water to create a cleaning solution.
• Pour this mixture around the sink and scrub it well.
• Stubborn stains will disappear, leaving your sink looking shiny and new.

Drainpipes accumulate dirt and debris over time, leading to unpleasant odors. To start the new year fresh, don’t forget to clear these smells from your pipes as part of your cleaning routine!

How to do it:

• Pour some dish soap directly into the drainpipe.
• Wait 30 minutes before flushing with water.
• This will help clear the buildup and eliminate the bad odors.

As you prepare for the festive season, you'll likely be cooking some time-consuming dishes like jelly meat, spring rolls, or sausages, all of which can leave a lingering greasy smell in your kitchen.

There are many ways to freshen up your kitchen, but using natural ingredients for odor elimination is not only safe but highly effective as well.

How to do it:

• Slice 1 or 2 fresh oranges into thin rounds, add a few sticks of cinnamon, and place them in a small pot of water to simmer.
• The citrus oil and cinnamon will make your kitchen smell wonderful, erasing all traces of food odors.

The toilet is one of the dirtiest places in the house, harboring bacteria. Follow these steps to ensure it's spotless:

How to do it:

• If you'd rather avoid harsh chemicals, pour one cup of white vinegar and one tablespoon of baking soda into the toilet bowl.
• After 30 minutes, scrub all corners of the toilet with a brush to remove grime and stains.

Bacteria from dirty clothes can remain on your garments and transfer to your washing machine. The temperature settings of most household machines aren't sufficient to kill the bacteria, which actually thrive in these conditions.

One dangerous pathogen commonly found in washing machines is Klebsiella bacteria. This non-motile bacterium can lead to serious infections such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, blood infections, and more.

Therefore, it's essential to clean your washing machine regularly, especially before the New Year cleaning!

How to do it:

• To clean your washing machine, simply add some vinegar to the detergent compartment and run a long wash cycle.
• Once finished, your washing machine will be as fresh as new.

Not everyone knows the proper way to clean TV and computer screens. Improper cleaning can damage the screens or shorten the lifespan of your devices.

How to do it:

• To effectively clean your TV and computer screens, use a coffee filter. Coffee filters are excellent for absorbing dust and dirt.
• After wiping, cover the screens with a cloth to prevent further dust buildup.

Door joints are notorious for collecting dust, yet they’re often the hardest spots to clean.

How to do it:

• Sprinkle a little baking soda into these hard-to-reach areas,
• Then add a bit of vinegar and leave it for 15 minutes. The baking soda and vinegar will dissolve the dirt and rust.
• Finally, use a cloth or paper towel to wipe it down, and your door joints will be spotless and fresh!

Stainless steel is a popular material for household items like dish racks, pots, and pans. Knowing how to clean stainless steel is essential for maintaining these items.

How to do it:

• Mix a bit of vinegar, lemon juice, or salt with water.
• Dip a clean cloth into the mixture and start wiping down your stainless steel items.
• For stubborn spots or burnt marks, clean in circular motions, and your pots and pans will shine like new!

Graters are incredibly handy for quickly preparing ingredients in the kitchen. Therefore, it's important to know how to clean them properly.

How to do it:

• Use a brush to sweep off any leftover food particles from the grater.
• For smoother use, apply a thin layer of cooking oil to the grater before use to prevent food from sticking to the blades.

Just like sofas, carpets tend to get dirty and stained over time, whether you like it or not.

How to clean it:

• To clean a carpet, start by using a vacuum cleaner.
• If there's gum stuck on the carpet, place a plastic bag with ice on top. Once the gum hardens, you can easily scrape it off.
• If the carpet has spilled soda or tea, sprinkle some baking soda on the stain, then vacuum it up to remove the residue.

One of the common concerns for many Vietnamese housewives during the Tet holiday is dealing with the mountain of dirty dishes. If the dishes are used regularly, it's not an issue, but if they’ve been stored in a box or container and are only brought out for Tet, they often develop yellow stains and discoloration, making them look unappealing.

How to clean:

• To save time and effort when removing stains from dishes, simply add a bit of lemon juice or vinegar to your dishwashing liquid.
• The acids in lemon and vinegar will help dissolve grease and stains, leaving your dishes looking clean and shiny.

Besides dishes, your kitchen counter also needs a good cleaning to prepare for Tet. You might be wondering how to remove those stubborn stains from the counter surface.

How to clean:

• It's simple! Just slice some radishes thinly and combine them with water to scrub the stains.
• If you don't have radishes, you can also use cucumber or carrots with similar results.
• Another option is to mix a little vinegar with dish soap for a surprisingly effective cleaning solution.

Microwave cleaning often gives many home cooks a headache. Furthermore, using harsh acidic cleaners can damage the appliance or reduce its performance.

How to clean:

• To clean food residue in your microwave, mix a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice with water in a microwave-safe bowl.
• Place the bowl in the microwave and heat it for about 5 minutes.
• The steam from the vinegar will loosen the food particles stuck inside.
• Finally, wipe it down with a soft cloth or paper towel for a fresh and clean microwave.