The detergent drawer of the washing machine is a mystery to many people – the right-hand compartment in particular is often misunderstood or not used at all. What belongs in it, and what is it for? In fact, the layout of the compartments is very structured and each compartment has a clear function. Here you can find out what the compartments are for and how to use them correctly.

The correct layout of the detergent drawer

Modern washing machines usually have a detergent drawer with three compartments. The correct use of these compartments is as follows:

1. Left compartment (often labeled “II”)This compartment is used for the detergent for the main wash cycle. If you do not set a pre-wash cycle, this is the most important compartment, as the detergent for the regular washing process goes in here. You can fill it with powder detergent, liquid detergent or even washing powder capsules (on some machines).
2. Middle compartment (often marked with a flower or star symbol)This compartment is intended for the fabric softener. The fabric softener is only added in the last rinse cycle to soften the fabric and give it a pleasant fragrance. Caution: Pay attention to the “MAX” mark, as excess fabric softener could leak out prematurely.
3. Right compartment (often marked “I”): This is where the detergent for the Prewash inside. The prewash cycle is an optional step that is useful for heavily soiled laundry, such as work clothes, baby clothes or sportswear. If you have not set a prewash cycle, this compartment will remain empty.

The order of these compartments – in particular the position of the main wash, fabric softener and prewash – is the same for most washing machine manufacturers. However, there are some models with a different arrangement, so it is always worth taking a look at the operating instructions for your washing machine.

When should you use the right-hand compartment?

The right compartment is only used for washing programs with prewash. This is useful for:

• Extremely soiled clothes, such as muddy outdoor clothes or greasy work clothes.
• Laundry that has strongly absorbed unpleasant odors such as sweat.
• Bed linen or towels that have been stored unused for a long time.

For everyday, lightly soiled laundry, however, you don’t need the prewash cycle, which is why the right-hand compartment can remain empty for most washes. Modern detergents are powerful enough for normal soiling to ensure clean results without a prewash.

This is what happens if you use the wrong compartment

It is more common for the pre-wash compartment (i.e. the one on the right) to be filled with the main detergent. Another mistake is that liquid detergent or fabric softener is used incorrectly and ends up in the wrong compartment.

If you put the detergent in the wrong compartment, this is not too dramatic at first. If the fabric softener ends up in the main compartment, for example, the laundry will probably have to be washed again as the detergent will leave a greasy residue on the textiles and will not clean them.

If the detergent is poured into the right-hand compartment even though no prewash is planned, it will remain there unused. The machine then washes without detergent and, in the worst case, the wash cycle has to be repeated because the laundry does not get clean.

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How to clean the detergent drawer properly

Over time, detergent or fabric softener residue can build up in the detergent drawer. This can form mold or impair the functionality. Pull the drawer out completely at regular intervals (by pressing lightly on a release button) and clean it thoroughly with warm water and a brush. Pay particular attention to small corners and the area through which water flushes the detergent into the drum.

So, the matter should now be clear: The right-hand compartment in your washing machine is for the pre-wash cycle and is only needed for particularly dirty laundry. And even if something goes into the wrong compartment, that’s no problem. In the worst case, simply wash again. It’s all pretty simple, isn’t it?

Source: myhomebook

Stainless steel pots and pans in particular tend to burn in residue over time, making them almost impossible to remove. A sponge and washing-up liquid will get you nowhere. However, there is a simple and ingenious trick for cleaning a burnt pan, and that is with baking soda! You can find out exactly how it works here.

Stubborn incrustations: This is how easy it is to clean a burnt pot with baking soda

If your pots and pans show brown or black residues, the cause is burnt-on fat, leftover food and excessive heat. If you’re not careful, the pan will get too hot and the contents will burn into the stainless steel. It’s best to reach into your cupboard to remove the stubborn stains with a simple baking ingredient.

You need:

• 1 small cup of vinegar essence
• 2 teaspoons baking soda (alternatively 2 packets of baking powder)
• 1 cup of water
• 1 dishcloth or dishrag

And off you go:

First, pour enough water into the pan to just cover the bottom. Then pour as much vinegar essence as water into the pan and bring the mixture to the boil on the stove. As soon as the first bubbles appear, reduce the heat again.

Then comes the big entrance of the baking soda (or baking powder). Take the pot or pan off the heat and let the baking soda trickle in.

Be careful: It might bubble a little! But really only very briefly.

Leave the mixture to work again briefly and then pour it off. Rub immediately with the dishcloth, as the deposits are now perfectly loosened and can be easily removed with one wipe.

For particularly stubborn spots, you can then mix up a special paste: Mix baking soda with a few drops of water and then use the paste like scouring milk. Guaranteed to help!

Tip: Avoid steel wool, metal sponges and harsh cleaning agents with chlorine – these could scratch the surface.

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Conclusion

Who would have thought that a simple ingredient from your pantry could make your pots and pans shine again. Why not give it a try! It’s really easy to clean burnt pots and pans – with baking soda and a little vinegar! You probably haven’t seen your cookware this clean for ages.

Source: imgur.com

Fried bacon, chocolate cake or sizzling onions are food smells that whet the appetite for more! However, if the smell of cauliflower, meatballs & Co. lingers in the air for hours after eating, it can be quite unpleasant. If airing out your home doesn’t help, you can remove the smell of food from your home with a simple household remedy. Find out here how to get rid of unpleasant odors quickly and effectively.

Vinegar: Neutralizing odours in the home

We’ve all been there: you cook something hearty – but even though you air the room thoroughly afterwards, the smell hangs in the apartment like a sticky veil. But nobody should ban certain dishes because of this! Because for many generations, there has been an effective household remedy for penetrating and lingering food odors: vinegar.

Vinegar has the ability to neutralize odours. Like a magnet, the vinegar molecules attract odors and soften them. This means you don’t need to buy special air fresheners. The home will smell fresh again within a few minutes in a completely natural way.

Boiling vinegar against odor

Of course, it is not possible to capture every odor molecule in the air with a cloth and moisten it with vinegar. The trick is much simpler:

• Mix one part vinegar with two parts water.
• Boil the vinegar water in a saucepan.
• Let the pot steep where the stench is most persistent.

The vinegar vapor absorbs strong odors. If the odor is particularly strong or several rooms are affected, simply place several pots of vinegar water on top.

The best thing is: this household remedy also helps against the smell of cigarette smoke or burnt food. So whenever ventilation alone doesn’t work, you should bring a pot of vinegar to the boil in future.

The smell of vinegar itself disappears in no time at all. If it bothers you, it’s best to leave the room for the few minutes of the procedure. Or you can use citric acid as an alternative. It smells more pleasant, but works in the same way as vinegar.

Source: merkur

Parental and children’s understanding of “tidiness and cleanliness” are rarely in harmony. With all the toys on the floor, you may not have seen the floor of your child’s room for a long time. Yet your child is convinced that they have just tidied up thoroughly! Why is it so difficult for children to keep things tidy?

With these tricks, your children will also learn to keep things tidy

Even though chaos encourages creativity and learning through play, a child’s room should be tidied up occasionally. After all, a certain amount of order also gives structure to life. However, when tidying up and keeping things tidy with children, mistakes unfortunately creep in time and again, making the process a daily ordeal for both child and parent.

Here are 11 typical things you should therefore avoid, as well as practical tips on how to make keeping things tidy easier in the long term:

Tidy up bag

Tidy-up bags are a great thing – at least in theory: you spread out a blanket for the child to play on, then pull a string and everything is tidy. In reality, however, many parents are annoyed because such tidy-up bags restrict the play radius enormously, so that you end up having to dig everything out from behind shelves and from sofa crevices.

Conclusion: Instead of spending money on superfluous things, it is better to teach children as early as possible how to tidy up their toys afterwards.

Too many toys

You have to decide when there is too much stuff in the children’s room. This depends, among other things, on the size of the children and the room. However, the basic rule is: too many play stimuli overwhelm children. They won’t be able to concentrate on one thing and will pull one toy after another off the shelf. What’s more, when tidying up, they lose track of where things need to go. This can frustrate children. A few, easily accessible boxes that are labeled with pictures help to make it easier for children to keep things tidy.

Tidying up “play”

Tidying up can also be fun: The child becomes a digger driver who shovels away the Lego bricks, or you roll the dice to see how many objects each person has to clear away in turn. The only important thing is that the purpose – that it’s about tidying up – remains recognizable. Otherwise the child will not learn that sometimes it has to be done without an accompanying entertainment program.

“One out, one in” rule

Keeping things tidy could be so easy for children if every time a toy was taken out, another one disappeared back onto the shelf. Unfortunately, children’s brains work chaotically: what was just needed could become part of the game again later. So if you want to avoid frustration, you should only apply the “one out, one in” rule cautiously, for example with board games where there are several small pieces that belong together. Even small children will understand this.

Keep things tidy: Rummage boxes for children’s toys

Some parents want to make it easy for their children to tidy up and therefore rely on large toy boxes into which everything is simply thrown. However, children should learn that it is good for everything to have its own place, as this makes it easier to find it again. Rummage boxes also create a mess because the child literally has to rummage through everything until they find what they want.

“Tidy up your room!”

If you ask your child to do this in passing, don’t be surprised if the room looks just as untidy after fifteen minutes as it did before. “Being heard” and “getting through to the child” are two different things. Make sure you have your child’s full attention before you make any announcements. These announcements should also be as specific as possible – even for schoolchildren, the request “tidy your room” is still far too general.

Subsequent tips

When the children have tidied up, the praise should also be specific: “Great, the cuddly toys are all back in their place now! Great that you thought of the CDs too.” The more details you acknowledge, the prouder your child will be of their achievement. On the other hand, subsequent comments such as: “But that could have been done quicker” are counterproductive.

Rewards for keeping order: The wrong way for children?

While praise and recognition are very important to motivate little ones, rewards can have the opposite effect. Children do not learn that it is part of their household chores to look after their own things. Rather, it feels that it has made a sacrifice for which it is now entitled to something in return. This is the wrong way to teach independence.

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Wrong time

Children learn in contexts. So if it’s always their turn to tidy their room at the same time – before dinner, for example – it’s all the easier for them. Also, always allow enough time: If it takes a little longer for the three-legged friend to get out of the kink, you can then remain consistent without having to look nervously at the clock. After all, once you’ve asked them to tidy up, you shouldn’t give in and do it all yourself because you’re short of time!

Seeing the household as a burden

Keeping a household with children in good shape is a challenge. But if you only see it as a burden and make a face at the same time, you shouldn’t be surprised if your children only associate it with negative things. So keep your demands to a level where you still feel comfortable.

Tip: Clean with music if you like that, or use practical tricks to help you keep your everyday life tidy.

Lose heart

Once the children have reached puberty, parenting measures often don’t get you very far. But don’t take the mess in the room to heart. At this age, a messy room is often a sign of separation from the parents. At some point, it will become clear that all the years you spent teaching them to be tidy have not gone by without a trace.

Conclusion

What looks like a battlefield to parents is a perfectly organized creativity center for children. The tips presented here show wonderfully that the theory of a tidy children’s room and the practice are often worlds apart. While parents dream of Instagram-ready children’s rooms, real life unfolds between rummage boxes and futile cries of “Tidy up at last!”.

Tidiness isn’t everything in life. However, if you teach your children early enough to help out around the house and at least treat their own things with care, it will be much easier later on. In the end, the comforting realization remains: even if the children’s room today looks like an explosion in a toy store – at some point, even the smallest chaos artists will grow up. And then they will probably look at their own children in despair and say: “How many times have I told you to tidy up?” The cycle of life in its most beautiful form!

Source: sueddeutsche, meinespielzeugkiste
Thumbnail images: ©pinterest.com/P’kolino © pinterest/OpenSky

A cozy home doesn’t just include a table, chair and bed, but also individual decorations. Curtains, picture frames, candlesticks and flower arrangements are what make a home feel homely. But not all of us are lucky when it comes to choosing these things. To avoid ruining the cozy atmosphere of your home with ugly decorations, it’s better to get rid of the following decorative items.

Ugly decorations for the garbage can

To save money, people sometimes try to conjure up something beautiful from the things they have at their disposal. Unfortunately, this often backfires and the ugly decorations disfigure the living space. You should remove the following decorations as soon as possible:

Postcards on the shelf

Postcards may be loved by family and friends, but let’s be honest: you never look at them more than once. Instead of displaying them on a shelf, it’s a good idea to keep them in a box as a memento. After all, they often don’t fit in with the color scheme of the rest of the decor in the home, so they fall out of the pattern and create clutter.

Unusual picture frames

Unusual picture frames draw attention to themselves in a room – away from the actual photo. However, if you want to highlight the photo itself, you should opt for neutral frame colors such as black or white. Not only do they look more elegant, but they also match the rest of the decor in your home.

Bookcase with glass doors

Bookcases with glass doors were all the rage in the 1980s. Nowadays, however, they are more than impractical. Either you have open shelves so that you can reach the contents directly, or you have closed shelves to hide any clutter. Bookshelves with glass doors have neither of these advantages and have an additional disadvantage: fingerprints are much more visible on them, making cleaning much more difficult.

Plants in food containers

Plants bring a lot of life into the home and immediately create a cozy atmosphere. However, what ruins the atmosphere at the same time are food containers or buckets instead of flower pots. That looks anything but harmonious. It’s worth investing money in beautiful flower pots to display your plants. This will immediately enhance your home with little effort.

Fluffy tiger on the sofa

Back then they were on every sofa: cuddly tigers. But not for cuddling or playing with, no. Their sole purpose was to decorate the living room and make it look exotic. Nowadays, such plush tigers are completely outdated. Perhaps it’s time to sort them out or finally release them for children to cuddle. At least they still serve a good purpose.

Figures that don’t fit together

Whether it’s souvenirs that you receive as gifts or small figurines that you find beautiful and therefore buy: Figurines that are wildly thrown together in your home don’t leave a feeling of coziness, but instead make your home look messy. For this reason, the following always applies to figurines: less is more.

Wind chimes

Small metal wind chimes were popular for a long time. But they never had a useful function. On the contrary. They just attract attention with their clanking noises and cause tense nerves in your home.

Plastic fruit

Away with the plastic fruit! In almost every case, you can tell at first glance that it is fake. So it’s better to put real fruit in your home. Not only does it make your home look better, but it’s also good for your health as an incentive to eat it.

If you’re wondering what’s missing in your home to give it that certain something, you should first ask yourself what there might be too much of. Because less of this ugly decoration already creates a harmonious picture and a cozier atmosphere in your home.

Source: brightside
Thumbnail: © flickr/Dan Randow

Green lilies are actually easy to care for – because the “Chlorophytum comosum” makes few demands and is therefore also suitable for beginners without green fingers. From time to time, however, green lilies can develop brown tips. This detracts considerably from the appearance of this otherwise easy-care houseplant. Find out what you can do about this and how to care for green lilies properly here.

If the leaf tips of your green lily have turned brown, you have probably done something wrong when caring for it. Here are 5 things to look out for:

The green lily is in the wrong location

Place the green lily in a bright spot near a window, but without direct sunlight. The sun could burn the leaves and cause brown tips.

The leaves of the plant do not hang freely

Make sure that the leaves can hang freely over the plant pot. If the leaves of the green lily hit the floor or window sill, this will also cause brown tips. Green lilies should either be grown in a hanging basket or on a shelf where their leaves can hang down freely.

The temperature is too low

This frugal houseplant feels most at home at a room temperature of 20 °C. If the temperature in the home falls below 10 °C, the green lily will stop growing. During the warm season, the green lily can also be taken outside for a warm summer shower.

Watering mistakes

Make sure that you only water the plant when the top layer of soil is already slightly dry. Excessive watering quickly leads to waterlogging, which the green lily cannot tolerate. This could cause its roots to rot, resulting in the otherwise robust houseplant dying. As a rule of thumb, a sip of water twice a week is enough to prevent the green lily from drying out. It stores enough water in its fleshy roots to survive longer periods of drought.

Tip: If the soil in the flower pot is noticeably dry, this could also be a reason for the brown tips. In this case, give your green lily a lukewarm immersion bath. When no more air bubbles rise from the root ball, remove the plant from the bath and allow it to drain well before placing it back in the planter.

The air is too dry

You have followed all the care instructions and your green lily still has brown tips? This could be due to the humidity. The brown tips of the shoots indicate that the air is too dry. You can easily solve this problem by spraying the green lily regularly with water.

Reading tip – The best tips for houseplants:
Curious pine cone trick saves your houseplants
These 7 houseplants survive even in dark rooms
These 3 houseplants protect your home from mold

Source: yourself

You have already thoroughly cleaned the inside of your oven and then realize with horror that you have forgotten one thing: the oven window. Over time, grease residues and other dirt accumulate here. Find out how to clean the oven window quickly and easily in this article.

The yellow-brown streaks and stains on the glass are caused by cooking and baking food that contains fats or oils. These evaporate when heated in the oven and eventually settle on the oven window.

The steam or smoke produced during cooking can also settle on the window and lead to unsightly deposits or discoloration. If leftover food ends up on the window from time to time, it could burn over time and leave further, particularly stubborn stains.

Easily remove the oven window

Did you know that you can remove the oven window in a few simple steps and then clean it very easily? Removing the window makes cleaning much easier. This is the only way to easily reach nooks and crannies as well as the edges of the door and window.

To remove the oven door, first open the oven and look underneath the hinges for the safety catch. This can usually be released by lifting the metal hooks attached to the hinge, pushing them to the side or pulling them slightly – depending on the oven model. Always hold the oven door firmly with one hand, support it with a chair or ask another person for help. Then close the door halfway and carefully pull it upwards or unhinge it. If possible, hold the door by the sides and not by the handle.

To remove the oven window from the door, first press the buttons on the sides of the door. You can then remove the strip on the top and lift out the oven window. For models without knobs, you must first loosen the screws on the strip with a screwdriver.

Hnote: Depending on the oven model, the procedure for unhinging the door and removing the window may vary. If in doubt, you should read the operating instructions for the appliance beforehand.

These household remedies are suitable for cleaning the oven window

Place the glass pane on a suitable surface for cleaning. When cleaning the oven window, also take care not to scratch the glass pane. A soft sponge, lukewarm water and a little washing-up liquid are usually sufficient to remove light stains. For stubborn stains, you should avoid using a knife, scraper or scouring cream to prevent scratches. It is best to try tried-and-tested household remedies that are also recommended for cleaning the rest of the oven. These include

• Baking soda or baking powder
• Vinegar
• Lemon or citric acid
• Salt
• Shaving foam

To clean the oven window, either apply the household remedy of your choice – depending on its consistency – directly to the glass pane or mix it with a little water first. A mixture of baking soda and lemon and baking soda and vinegar have proven to be particularly effective. This allows you to remove even stubborn stains in no time at all. You may need to leave the home remedy of your choice to work for 30 to 60 minutes to remove all stains.

Then allow the window to dry thoroughly before refitting it properly and hanging the door. To do this, hold the door at an angle in front of you and guide the metal hooks back into the respective recess on the oven. Now close the safety catch that you released earlier and the oven door is reattached. Now you can finally enjoy a sparkling clean oven again. Good luck trying it out.

Source: utopia, chip

Almost every home has plastic windows. Initially bright and white, after a while they are no longer quite as attractive to look at. The white plastic windows become dirty and yellow. Even if plastic windows appear easy to clean, there are a few things to consider when caring for them. Their biggest enemy is dust, which sticks to them and can even cause scratches when wiped off. In this article, you will find out the best way to clean your vinyl windows and remove dust and dirt.

Remove light soiling

Light soiling can usually be removed with a microfiber cloth and water. Proceed as follows:

1. Dust and dirt should be vacuumed or swept off at the beginning.
2. Then apply lukewarm water, soapy water or a neutral cleaner to a microfiber cloth and wipe the surface of the frame. Leave the cleaning agent to work for a while and then rub the frame with water. Old toothbrushes or a butter knife wrapped in a cleaning cloth are ideal for corners and edges.
3. You should not rub the window frames dry after cleaning, as any remaining dirt particles can scratch the frame. It is sufficient to wipe again with a damp cloth after cleaning.

Tip: If you prefer home remedies, you can try a mixture of vinegar and water.

What to do with stubborn stains?

For stubborn stains, warm water or washing-up liquid is often not enough:

• To Paint or color stains you can use a little turpentine or white spirit. Or you can heat the stains with a hairdryer and try to scrape them off carefully.
• Adhesive residue from fly screens or roller blinds can be removed with cooking oil, acetone-free nail polish remover or carpet adhesive remover.

In general, if plastic windows are very dirty, pre-treat them by soaking them. This makes them easier to remove later.

Stubborn stains can also often be removed with oven spray. However, it should only be used in exceptional cases as it can attack the plastic.

These cleaning agents are prohibited

Although some cleaning agents help very well, they can attack and damage the plastic in the long term. They should therefore not be used when cleaning window frames. To the prohibited cleaners include:

• Bleaching agent with a high chlorine content: they cause the window frames to yellow more quickly.
• Scouring agentThey damage the surface and ensure that dust and dirt can settle more quickly. They can also damage the window panes if they get onto the glass.
• High pressure cleanerThey should also be avoided as they can damage the surface and seals.

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How to clean yellowed windows

Over the years, plastic windows can turn yellow and fade due to high levels of sunlight. The more dirt there is on them, the faster the process progresses. Cigarette smoke, candle smoke and water vapor can also cause the plastic frames on the inward-facing side to change color.

If the frames are already heavily yellowed, it is difficult to get them properly clean again. In such a case, there are only two options: You can carefully sand the yellowed frames with fine (!) sandpaper or polish them until their original color is visible again. If this is not enough, the only other option is to repaint the plastic windows or replace them.

Regular care is the be-all and end-all

Regular window care is essential to prevent heavy soiling and discoloration. This not only prevents stubborn stains, but also extends the service life of the windows. You should clean PVC windows at least twice a year and check them for damage at the same time. The drainage openings also need regular cleaning and should always be checked.

You should also check the seals and hinges once a year. Clean seals ensure good thermal insulation in winter. Dirty seals are susceptible to mold. Wipe them with a damp cloth and then treat them with deer tallow, silicone oil or a grease stick. Lubricate the hinges with acid-free lubricating oil. But make sure that it does not get into the seals.

With increasing age, the plasticizers contained in the plastic make the material brittle. It then requires additional sealing and more care. To keep your window frames beautiful and radiant in the long term, good cleaning is a must. Cleaning at regular intervals also means less work in the end.

Sources: fensterversand, obi