A Guide on Cleaning Children-Related Messes
Children are well known to cause all sorts of messes at home. Since young ones prefer learning by doing, creating a mess during all of the daily activities they engage in seems inevitable. The chaos that children create is proof that they are active and so you should not be too mad at them. Instead, try to handle the messes they create more effectively.
Diverting your energy towards learning about and employing the best methods for dealing with children-created messes is the way to go. Here is what you can do in that regard:
- Stickers – stickers impress children quite a lot and so they want to just place them anywhere they want. This means that stickers often end up outside of the area they are designed for. If it is a hard surface the sticker is one, soak it with some vegetable oil. Then, apply hairdryer to the area, which should loosen the adhesive. If there is sticky residue, apply hot soapy water. If it is a wall, scrape off as much as possible before you start, but be gentle – you don’t want to be chipping away the wall paint. An eraser should be fine to clean the residue off the wall. If there is still some left, use soapy water.
- Gum – children are not known to turn down an offer for some gum. However, the chewy goodness may end up on the carpet, nicely tangled with the fibres there. If you find this, grab a plastic bag with a few ice cubes in it. Place it on the gum, and watch as it freezes the sticky substance. Once the gum has hardened, it will be easy to scrape it off the carpet fibres. Be very careful not to tear the fibres. If you see any remains of the gum, apply a spray-cleaner and dab a clean sponge/towel. That ought to remove the mess completely.
- Permanent markers – if your children have made it so that the ink of a permanent marker ends up on an area that is not intended for it, you need to try out a very specific strategy. It involves an alcohol-based hand sanitiser, which you should apply on the markings. Use a paper towel for this task. Cover the whole area with the liquid. Leave it for a few minutes and then dab with a paper towel. If the stain persists, repeat the process.
- Play-dough – this is a popular toy, because of the way the dough twists and assumes magical forms. Toddlers find it irresistible. Yet, when the dough ends on your carpet or the upholstered sofa, you will be less thrilled about it. The way to address the job is by allowing the dough to dry where it stands. Once that takes place, it is time to bust out the vacuum cleaner. Break down the pieces of the dough by using the brush attachment. The vacuum cleaner should be able to do the rest.
- Milk – removing a milk stain is all about mixing 1-2 cups of water with some dish soap. The potency of the mixture is strong enough to address the milk stain. Apply it with a microfiber cloth. Make sure to blot the area and not rub it or scrub. The idea is that applying gentle pressure on it will lift the stain, instead of help it set within the fabric.
Addressing all of these messes is now easier, thanks to the tips you have learned. Hopefully, the next time you encounter one such, you can keep your cool and address it like a pro. Get more tips and cleaning ideas from this page!
