I’m a cleaning granny – my top six scrubbing hacks & why a 19p trick is the secret to banishing ants from your home
SHE’S the cleaning gran who has won hearts with her home hacks and adorable personality.
Internet sensation Babs, 74, who posts under Brunch with Babs, has shared a number of tips to leaving your home looking and smelling incredible.
One of the tips shared with her 2.9million followers, was how to banish ants forever using a 19p food you may already have in your kitchen.
Here are six of her best home tricks…
Make your own window cleaner with cupboard ingredients
If you want to give your home, you may wish to give your windows a clean.
Instead of forking out for a special window spray, Babs advised you can make your own using cupboard ingredients.
She said: “Step One. Vacuum the window sill.
“And if it needs a good wipe down, do that too.
“There is nothing worse than opening a window to get some good old fresh air and being greeted with a sill of dirt and grime.”
Then you need to make your own solution to put in a clean spray bottle, and she combines one cup of distilled water, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol and 1/2 cup vinegar.
She continued: “Step Three. Spray the windows, let the solution sit for a bit and then use a coffee filter, newspaper, old t-shirt or a microfiber rag to wipe the solution.
“Step Four. Make sure to wash your windows on a cloudy day or in the evening so that the solution does not dry too fast and create streaks!
“Also always wait until the pollen falls to start the job.”
Use her magical DIY solution to have perfect lawn
Babs said it can be easy to get the “best looking lawn on the block” and she makes her own DIY weed killer.
She explained: “Before you mow, take care of those weeds.
“Spray my weed solution early in the morning so the sun won’t evaporate it and make sure to target the weeds directly.
“DO NOT spray the grass or any plants or they will die as well.”
Her weed solution is one cup epsom salt, 1/4 cup dish soap and one gallon vinegar and she advises you do it before the hottest part of the day so it doesn’t evaporate.
Babs also said you should also mow your lawn every six to seven days to maintain its look.
Use essential oils to clean your mattress
Babs said you need to be on top of cleaning your mattress to prevent “bed bugs, dust mites, and dirt.”
First up, she said you should rotate your mattress every spring and autumn.
Next, you should vacuum your mattress to get rid of any dust or mites.
She said: “Three, spray your mattress with our non-toxic solution.
“Using a 1/4 cup of witch hazel, a quarter cup of water and 16 drops of each of our essential oils (eucalyptus, peppermint, and lavender).
“This acts as an antiseptic, it deters the bed bugs and it smells delicious.”
The ‘no iron’ hack
Babs also revealed how to get rid of any creases in clothes with minimal effort.
If you don’t have an iron to hand, Babs said you can add a secret “ingredient” into your dryer to make your clothes wrinkle-free.
She said: “Wrinkled dresses right into the dryer, four to five ice cubes right in.
“Try 10 to 15 minutes.”
Use oranges to get rid of ants
Are you tired of your house being plagued with ants?
Babs shared her easy solution – and you just need some orange peels.
She advised: “DIY All Natural Ant Deterrent (doubles as an all purpose cleaner)
“Fill a mason jar with orange peels
“Cover the orange peels with white vinegar.
“Make sure the peels are completely covered and put a top on the jar.
“Place a piece of parchment paper between the lid and the jar. Vinegar erodes metal and will eat away at your metal lid.
“After 2 weeks, strain the orange peels out of the vinegar and put back in a jar or bottle.”
To make the spray mix 1/2 parts vinegar with 1/2 parts water in a spray bottle.
Babs continued: “Ant deterrent: Spray around the doors, windows or cracks where ants are coming in.
“Ants hate the smell of orange and vinegar so the mixture will deter them from entering your home.
“This does NOT kill the ants.”
Use a lemon to stop your washing machine smelling
Babs revealed the key to removing your “yucky mildew smell” from your washing machine.
Babs uploaded a video sharing how the trick is to use a lemon and toothpaste.
She wrote: “Have you ever forgotten to change the laundry load and mistakenly left the wet load in the washer overnight…only to find a smelly washer the next day?
“Here is a hack to get rid of that yucky mildew smell.
“Just cut a lemon in half, remove the seeds and cover the cut side with toothpaste – about a tablespoon.
“Toss lemon halves into your empty washer and run the washer on speed wash with very hot water.
“After the cycle is finished, you have a fresh smelling washer – and for very little cost.
“You can buy expensive washing machine cleaners or…you can make your own. XO Babs.”
Babs said her DIY cleaning hack is perfect if you accidentally leave a washing load in your machine overnight.