Cleaning Secrets I Learned From Working at a Restaurant

I used to be a server/waitress at a restaurant a few years back and I learned a thing or two to get things clean that I would have never thought of otherwise. Restaurants want their places clean and they want it done efficiently and quickly. Not to mention, the servers want to get it done so they can go home. I learned a few tricks that gets things cleaned fabulously and quickly. It saves my time so that I can do other things.

It is the simplest things that really make such a difference. Just a few household items around your house like salt, vinegar, ketchup, water and little salt can go a long way and also helps to save me money.

Be sure to check out all five cleaning secrets.

Clean Your Stained Coffee Pot

To remove coffee stains from the inside of a glass coffee pot, add 4 teaspoons salt, 1 cup ice. Crushed ice works the best. And 1 tablespoon water. Gently swirl until clean, then rinse. Coffee pot should be at room temperature before cleaning. Do not use if pot is cracked or chipped. If your coffee pot is really stained, try adding a couple of squeezes of fresh lemon and swirl away. You might have to repeat a couple of times, but it will eventually come clean.

*Do not use cleaner.
*Make sure the water you rinse with is cold or it will cause the glass pot to crack.

Clean and looks like new!

Ketchup To Clean Brass

This tip was a big surprise to me, but works like a charm. This also will work on cleaning gold too. Squirt a spoonful of ketchup onto a clean dry cloth. Work it onto the brass or gold surface. Let a thin layer of ketchup dry on the surface. Wet your cloth and wipe the surface clean. Use another dry cloth to buff the brass or gold until polished to a shine.

Coffee Filters for Streak-Free, Sparkling Glass

We would only use coffee filters to clean glass. They are fantastic for removing fingerprints and water stains. They do not leave fibers or streaks like cloths or paper towels can. If you have a mark that is stubborn, try boiling a pot of water and use the steam from the water vapors to help the coffee filter clean to an awesome shine. Be careful not to burn yourself.

Remove Grid From Flower Vases 

After your flowers have been sitting in your vase for a couple of days, it can create a ring or leave a grity residue at the bottom of the vase. Just mix 1/3 cup of salt and 2 tablespoons vinegar to form a paste. Apply to inside of vase. Let stand 20 minutes, scrub, and discard paste. Rinse vase and dry. For a large vase, double or triple the quantity of paste.

Salt for Wine Stains

It happens, sometimes a little wine will fall onto your shirt, or a guest might spill a little red wine onto a white cotton linen. Immediately pour enough salt directly on the stain to soak up the liquid. Immerse the fabric for 1/2 hour in cold water. Wash as usual in your washing machine.