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Tips for Getting Your Home Ready for the Holidays (or to Sell)

Whether you're getting your home ready for the holidays or ready for sale, I'm hoping the 10 tips and tricks below will help make preparation quicker and easier. In addition, all of these tips are green, so they are much healthier for your family than using the alternative, chemical-based products.

1. Clean your glass windows, doors and mirrors with a mixture of white vinegar and water and wipe with newspaper for a beautiful, streak-free shine.

2. Freshen your garbage disposal by putting a lemon wedge in and running the disposal. This will neutralize odors and create a fresh, lemony scent. Fresh lemon can also be used to scrub kitchen counters and salt can be added as an abrasive for stubborn stains.

3. Remove crayon from walls with toothpaste (not the gel type). Simply put a small amount of toothpaste on a damp sponge and wipe gently, then wipe away any remaining residue with a clean sponge.

4. Refresh watermarks on wood surfaces by rubbing in a little mayonnaise and then buffing out the mark.

5. Remove candle wax from fabric by hardening it first with an ice cube and then by chipping away the hardened wax.

6. Repair small, noticeable scratches on hardwood floors with wood stain magic markers, available at most hardware stores. Be sure to choose the stain color that most closely matches your current floor stain color, fill in the scratch with color and buff with a soft cloth to blend. Wax pencils in many wood stain colors are also available for repairing similar scratches on wood furniture.

7. Shine stainless steel appliances with a small amount of olive oil. Simply rub a little on a soft cotton cloth and polish to a shine.

8. Remove soap residue in your dishwasher by running a wash cycle with a cup of white vinegar added.

9. Clean stains on your sofa fabric with a small amount of club soda on a dry cloth. Some stains can be more difficult to remove. If the club soda does not work, make a paste of 3 Tablespoons Baking Soda and 1Tablespoon of club soda and rub a small amount on the stain with a soft cloth. Gently rub the cleaner off with another clean soft cloth dipped in a small amount of warm water. Once dry, vacuum off any remaining residue.

10. Remove oil and grease stains from concrete driveways or garage floors by sprinkling the stains with baking soda or another absorbent substance such as cornmeal or sawdust. If the stain is dry, be sure to wet it first to create a paste and then scrub with a stiff brush. If this is unsuccessful, try using automatic dishwasher detergent, leave it on for a few minutes and then pour boiling water on it and, again, scrub with a stiff brush.

Good luck...I'll be sharing some more tips in the future!

Comments

  1. Its so beautiful.Staging the living rooms and kitchens will also help to sell the home. Buyers love living rooms, which is why you should always make sure that the living room is the center piece of your home, and decorate it accordingly.So for this you should hire a professionalHome Stager.

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