Elbow Grease is one of the cleaners that took the country by storm after hearty endorsement from the much-loved cleanfluencer Mrs Hinch.
The degreaser is known for its powers of cutting through grease and grime like nobody’s business, as well as being a bargain at 89p in B&M.
Although it’s touted as all-purpose, there are plenty of uses for it that you might not have heard of before.
Although you always have to be careful with the solvent-free cleaner, as it’s not meant for painted or varnished surfaces and can strip colour, if you’ve got a stain, it can normally see to it.
As will any cleaners, always make sure to use it in a well-ventilated space, never mix it with other cleaners, and do a patch test if you’re not sure.
Worktops
If you’ve been cooking up a storm over the last few weeks, you might be surprised to see just how much grime can come off your worktops.
Spray the Elbow Grease on, leave for around two minutes, wipe, and rinse (you can also use a separate disinfectant afterwards if you like).
Cupboards also come up a dream with the same method.
Ovens
Scraping the over door and getting the racks clean is one of the more thankless household tasks, but it’s made much easier with Elbow Grease.
Spray it around your oven – including on the door – and leave to sit for up to 30 minutes (depending on how much burnt-on gunk is stuck on the inside).
Then, take the trays out and pop them in a tray or bag and spray all over. Some people even put them in the bath as there’s more room.
Once that’s all percolated, use a scraper or oven-safe scourer to get rid of the dirt and a clean, wet cloth to remove any residue.
Toilets and baths
Many people who live in rented houses know the problem of moving into somewhere and finding a stain below the waterline in the toilet that just won’t seem to go.
Black Harpic is a brilliant product for this, but if you only have Elbow Grease to hand, a few sprays that are left to soak can remove water stains. You might need a couple of goes to get rid of stubborn marks (as well as a decent scrubbing brush).
Any unsightly limescale or watermarks on baths can also be removed, leaving your bathroom looking brand new.
Patios
Most patio transformations require a steam cleaner, but you can get the job done with some elbow grease and a stiff broom.
Once you’ve done any weeding, spray the patio and leave for up to an hour. Using a stiff brush and some water, rinse and scrub until all oil and paint stains are gone and the stones look bright once again.
Clothes
Grease stains not coming off your clothes? Deodorant marks ruined the armpits of your fave white tee? Baby bibs seen better days?
Give the fabric a spritz with Elbow Grease. You can either leave for a while then wash or put in the machine straight away, depending on the severity.
Particularly tough stains like turmeric, mustard, or curry are a thing of the past with this stuff.
Carpets
Use this one high-traffic areas of your carpet or when you have a big spill that just won’t budge.
Elbow Grease, water, and a scrubbing brush is all you need. Some people have said it’s even removed eyelash glue and acrylic nail gel.
One woman used it to completely revamp her stair carpet. Just makes sure you do a spot-test beforehand (ideally in a place no one sees) and keep pets and children away from the area until it’s totally dry.
Suede shoes
Suede is extremely absorbent which is why it takes on every fingerprint and particle of grease it comes across.
Spray an old toothbrush with Elbow Grease and gently scrub to remove stains on your suede shoes.
After a quick rinse and once being left to dry, they’ll be back to their former glory.
UPVC
When was the last time you gave your UPVC windows and doors a clean? Don’t worry, we’re not judging.
Even the cleanest of these can be easily dirtied by scuff marks which Elbow Grease can make light work of.
Even UPVC catflaps can come up a treat and are safe for your pets once they’ve been left to dry.
Just be sure not to put it on painted or wooden door frames so it doesn’t dull the finish.
Shower screens
For those in hard water areas, glass shower screens can be plagued by limescale and drip marks.
Standard window cleaners shine up the glass but can’t quite take on the lime.
Before using these glass cleaners, spritz over a film of Elbow Grease and leave for half an hour or so. Use a kitchen scrubbing pad to lift off the marks and rinse.
Then buff it up with some newspaper and vinegar or your glass cleaner of choice.
Wax melt burners
If you’ve got hardened wax in your burner, the best way to get rid is using two methods.
Firstly, pop a lit candle into the tealight area and leave for a few minutes – not long enough to melt all the wax, just enough so you can slide it out and into the bin.
Once that’s done leave the burner to cool and pop it into a basin before spraying over plenty of Elbow Grease and leaving for around ten minutes. Use a toothbrush or small scrubbing brush to get rid of the wax and rinse in warm water.
Now it’s ready to get your home looking and smelling fresh once again.
Irons
If you’ve ever burnt the bottom part of your iron, you might think it’s now fit for the bin.
However, you can revive it with Elbow Grease. Make sure it’s unplugged, off, and totally cold.
Don’t spray too liberally with the cleaning fluid as you don’t want it soaking, just give it a light film. Leave for a few minutes and use a damp cloth to remove any residue.
Mugs
No matter how much you soak and scrub, some mugs still have rings and coffee or tea stains.
A spray of Elbow Grease, some time to soak, and a good rinse is all you need to leave them as ghosts of cuppas past.
Car parts
From hubcaps to engine parts, the degreasing power of Elbow Grease is ideal.
If you do use it to clean engine parts it’s best to ensure they’re either removed from the car completely or cleaned without soaking when the car is off and everything is totally cool.
You might need to use a lubricating oil afterwards, so check with a mechanic just in case.
Cooker hoods
The hood and filters are an oft-neglected part of the cooker, and tend to harbour lots of grease.
Stainless steel hoods can come up particularly shiny with Elbow Grease, but if you have mesh filters that are washable it’s also a good idea to give it a go.
Remove the mesh filters and leave in an empty basin covered in Elbow Grease. Rinse off and leave to thoroughly dry before putting back.
Of course if you have replaceable ones then follow the instructions to do this, but you can use the fluid to give the outer parts a grease-bust.
Hard floors
On top of your usual vacuuming and mopping routine you can also do a seasonal Elbow Grease floor clean to oust stains and tarnishing.
It’s best not to do this too often on wood floors as it can take away the varnish over time, but you’re fine to do it as often as you need on vinyl and tiles.
Always rinse thoroughly and leave to dry before children and pets are in the room.
Removing chewing gum and stickers
Chewing gum and stickers invite all sorts of homemade remedies from peanut butter to blocks of ice.
Elbow Grease is a handy tool to have that won’t require further stain removal afterwards.
Obviously, don’t use this if the chewing gum is in your hair, but on most hard surfaces you can spritz on and see any sticky stuff loosen before your eyes.
Garden furniture
If your plastic garden furniture has been sitting in the shed all winter you might notice mildew or mould marks.
Liberally spray with the cleaning fluid and leave to do its magic, then give it all a good rinse down with the hose.
If your garden furniture is made of metal or wood, always spot check first in an unseen area. Many materials are absolutely fine, but best to check beforehand.
Cloths
Do you follow the Mrs Hinch routine of putting your cloths ‘to bed’ at night with a capful of Zoflora and some boiling water?
Although this disinfects and make them smell fresh, you might still notice unsightly stains.
As mentioned earlier, certain things like turmeric have major sticking power. Spritz on some Elbow Grease an hour before cloth ‘bedtime’ and these stains should be gone before morning.
Pots and pans
Save yourself scrubbing time by using this stuff on burnt-on grease.
Pop it on 15 minutes before your washing up and they’ll come up sparkling. Even the bottoms of pans and casserole dishes with seemingly unmovable stains can be given the Elbow Grease treatment.
Try it on the inner pot of your slow cooker after the next time you make a stew.
Barbecues
It’s barbecue season, but it doesn’t have to be scrubbing the grill with steel wool until the British weather turns on you season.
Much like your oven racks, give your grill a spray before scraping off the burnt bits.
Can also be used on fire pit grills or chimineas.
Stainless steel sinks
After washing up you might notice that the food waste and general grime could dull its shine.
Use Elbow Grease and a soft microfibre cloth to go over it after washing up. The draining board (with its dirt-hiding crevices) can also be cleaned with this method.
Dishwashers
Even if you use dishwasher cleaning products, dirt can still build up on the propellor or compartments of your dishwasher.
Spray around these hard-to-reach areas and leave to work for ten minutes. Then use your normal dishwasher cleaning fluid or tablets on an empty cycle.
Prepping wood for upcycling
Elbow Grease is generally not recommended for wood because it can change the finish.
If you’re doing a DIY project – for example painting an item – you can use Elbow Grease before you start to get rid of old paint or grease marks.
Much like sugar soap, this will give you a blank canvas to work with. Always leave to dry first.
Deep fat fryers
As you can see from this woman’s incredible results, Elbow Grease seems like it was made for the outside of fryers.
Those spits of oil often make it hard to clean thoroughly, instead causing you to move the grease around.
Because this cuts right through and dissolves the oil, it’s much more effective.
Trainers
Plenty of parents swear by this stuff on their little ones’ muddy shoes.
Wipe first with a damp cloth, spray, leave, then wipe again with a clean, damp cloth. If the trainers are washable you can put them in the machine afterwards.
Elbow Grease works well on the fabric part of trainers, but it’s particularly good at getting scuffs off the rubber part (like the front of Converse). Boots can also be cleaned in this way too.
Microwaves
Our top tip for cleaning microwaves is to get a microwave-safe bowl, and pop water and half a lemon in there.
Microwave on full power for thirty seconds and see grime lifted away, easily wiped off with a kitchen towel.
Sometimes though, these natural solutions need an extra helping hand, which is where Elbow Grease can be used to get more stubborn stain away.
Sofas
Although we wouldn’t recommend using Elbow Grease all over every sofa, if you’ve got an awkward spot of grease – or worse, pen stains – it could be the saviour you need.
Always check your manufacturer’s instructions and do a patch test on the back. If that’s all good, feel free to give a spray onto the affected area and wipe with a clean, damp sponge.
When the other option is buying a new couch or carefully placing cushions over the stain for the rest of its lifespan, an 89p spray is a decent last resort.
Do you have a great cleaning hack to share?
Get in touch with us at MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/30/27-uses-elbow-grease-cleaning-spray-12779062/
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