Author: spongeoutlet

Importance of Household Chores

Importance of Household Chores

If you’ve got a couple of kiddos running around your house, chances are it’s a bit harder for you than it is for your friends without kids to keep the house looking spic and span at all times. Luckily, if your kids are old enough to locate their toy bin, you can usually have them help out with chores. But, the benefits won’t just be a tidier house.

Kids who grew up doing chores around the house are more confident, self-assured, and responsible later in life. So, asking your kids to do a set list of chores each week or each day, like making their beds and cleaning their rooms, or helping to take out the garbage, can actually contribute to making them more successful adults.

Teach a Work Ethic

Chores are the easiest way to instill a work ethic in your kids at a young age. If you decide to give your children an allowance when they’re old enough, without making them work a bit for the money—even if it’s just a few bucks—you’re missing an opportunity to teach them a lesson about the value of their time and money, and how to have a good work ethic.

Earning their allowance rather than simply being given their allowance will make your kids more aware of the idea of working for their money. They may spend it less haphazardly if they were working to earn a certain amount to save up for a toy. If money is just handed over at the end of the week, your kids might start to take the presence of money for granted.

Start with a chore wheel or a list of tasks that your kids need to do each week; if, at the end of the week, they successfully completed each task, dole out that allowance money. If they forgot to take out the trash, but still kept their playroom clean, doc a few bucks from their pay and explain that completing the chore list and contributing is what gets them that Friday payday.Importance of Household Chores

Build Confidence

According to VeryWell.com, having your kids do chores around the house will leave them feeling accomplished, because they contributed to the household. That sense of accomplishment is an important factor in raising a child, especially when the pressures of school and social lives can be tough to handle, even from a young age. Allowing your kids to take part in the household chores gives them something to make them part of the team, leaving them more self-assured and confident in other situations.

So much in our childhoods is outside of our control, and that’s a tough concept for many kids to grasp; but when they are in control of their own toys and are invested in certain chores around the house, they’ll feel grounded, useful, and self-assured.

Grow Resourcefulness

Doing chores around the house isn’t about making things perfect; it’s about getting the job done. Participation in household chores will teach your kids to be resourceful, and how to manage time.

For example, if your child needs to clean the playroom one afternoon, but doesn’t want to miss their TV show, encourage your child to clean up during commercial breaks or before the show comes on. Having a goal-oriented task can force your child to problem solve, be resourceful, and manage their time.

Prepare for Adulthood

It might seem like a silly concept: your 7-year-old doesn’t have to worry about being a grown-up just yet, right? But in fact, ThirtyHandMadeDays.com says chores will help your kids by preparing them for adulthood—simply by showing them how to do household chores.

As your kids get older and take on more responsibility, they’ll learn the skills they need for running their own successful household as adults. For example, you may dust before vacuuming so that any errant dust gets picked up, and use bleach products in the bathroom. Your kids will notice these things, and carry them into their own homes when they move out someday. Plus, asking your children for help with the laundry will make learning how to do their own when they’re off to college that much easier.

Importance of Household ChoresStart Now

PBS says the key to instilling all of these things in our children so that they can have a successful life is to start while they are young; while toddlers may not be able to grab the vacuum cleaner out of the closet and go to town on the living room, encouraging them to keep their space neat and tidy, and contributing to other chores, like clearing plates and cups after a meal, will get them on the right track. As soon as your kids are old enough to start to understand a rewards system, use stickers or an allowance to help keep them goal-oriented on completing their weekly tasks.

When your kids are in their teenage years, they can contribute a lot more, like by being responsible for bringing in the mail, taking out the trash, and even doing their own laundry.

No household cleaning kit is complete without a great eraser sponge; no matter how old your kids are, your home’s walls are bound to be covered in either crayons and markers or smudges of some kind! Click here to learn about the eraser sponges we offer here at Sponge Outlet, and call us today at 877-776-6430 to learn more about our products.

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Why Cleaning is Good for Your Health

Have you ever felt like a good cleaning, top to bottom, in your house just makes you feel good? It’s true that we’re supposed to clean our homes, offices and cars regularly, but there’s more at stake than just simple presentation: cleaning is actually good for your health. In fact, the Huffington Post says that there’s a direct correlation between people who have clean homes, and people who lead active, healthy lives.

Here are a few reasons why cleaning is good for your health that just might inspire you to break out the broom and mop when you get home this evening.

Burn Calories

IndiaTimes.com says that cleaning is literally and physically good for your health because it burns calories. If you’re doing light calisthenics like vacuuming and dusting hard-to-reach places, on your feet and moving around, you can probably burn about 200 calories per hour while you vacuum. That’s not a reason to skip the gym all week, but the workout while you clean will actually contribute to making your body feel good afterwards. Exercise, after all, releases endorphins which make you feel good.

So, the next time you have to do a household task like scrubbing dishes or mopping the floor, think of it like a workout. You’ll be accomplishing two things (working out and cleaning) in the same amount of time.

Reduce Anxiety

For people who suffer from occasional anxiety, cluttered and unclean environments can sometimes heighten their emotions, leading to more stress and more unhappiness. If you make a point to regularly clean and de-clutter your space, you can actively reduce the possibility that your home environment will contribute to your anxiety levels in the future. The act of cleaning reduces stress, and a clean, clutter-free space can continue to stave off feelings of anxiety or stress that may be caused by your day-to-day life.

Improve ConcentrationWhy Cleaning is Good for Your Health

Cleaning and de-cluttering can also serve to enhance your ability to concentrate. This is especially important for people who work out of their homes. Messy countertops, piles of laundry, and garbage that needs to be taken out can be distracting while you’re trying to get work done. When you take care of all of that before you sit down to tackle your to-do list, you’ll end up being more focused and have an easier time concentrating on your tasks at hand.

Improve Allergy Symptoms

Many of us suffer from allergies; no matter how many times you clear off your countertop of old bills, if you’re not dusting, vacuuming and sanitizing your home, dust can still trigger allergy symptoms for you. Regularly cleaning your space and removing harmful allergens like dust and dandruff from your pets can improve your health by reducing your allergies.

Remove Harmful Bacteria

Every day, we come in contact with bacteria. On the train while we commute to work, at the office, at a restaurant, when we’re hanging out with our friends at the movies, and when our kids have a play-date at the house down the street. When we venture back into our homes at the end of a busy day, we’re bringing with us all of the bacteria we’ve come into contact with throughout the day. Sure, it’s important to wash your hands when you walk in the door, but harmful bacteria can be spread throughout your home via the soles of your shoes, your gym bag, your cell phone, and more.

Mopping your kitchen floors and your entryway isn’t just about removing stains and keeping the wood shiny and fresh, it’s also important to remove harmful bacteria that we’re tracking inside each and every day.

Some of the bacteria that we track into our homes can make us sick, so it’s important to regularly mop and disinfect your floors, wipe down your door handles, clean the tops of your counters, and make sure everything has been disinfected.

Why Cleaning is Good for Your HealthPrevent Illness

If someone in your family has a cold, cleaning your home can keep the other members of your family safe and protected from the virus that might be going around. Taking steps to prevent the spread of germs while a family member is sick is important, and starts with using disinfectant spray or wipes on high-traffic areas like door knobs, sink handles, the handles of the refrigerator, and more.

It’s important to look after the family member who is sick—but it’s equally important to make sure that your home stays clean so that the sickness isn’t spread to healthy family members.

Supplies You’ll Need

Here at SpongeOutlet, we offer everything you need to keep your home, office space and even your car clean and sanitary, so that you can maintain your good health. Click here to shop our products, and make sure to take a look at the eraser sponges, microfiber towels, regular sponges, floor pads, mops, dusters, and more. If you have any questions about our products or the materials we use to make them, give us a call today at 877-776-6430.

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Keeping Your Desk Clean

Keeping Your Desk Clean

If you’re like most people, a clean, clutter-free workspace will allow you to be less distracted and ultimately get more done. Plus, with the office cold going around this time of year, it’s important to regularly disinfect!

But, many of us struggle to keep the desk area of our homes or offices completely neat and tidy. Here are some tips on how you can keep your desk clean, to help promote a successful, focused and germ-free workspace. Try a few of these out, and we bet you’ll start to get through your to-do list a bit faster!

Dust & De-Crumb

Chances are, the last time you gave your workspace a good, thorough cleaning (and not just a straightening up) was more than a couple of weeks ago. If you’re trying to maintain a clean, germ-free environment, regular cleaning is important. Start by creating a dusting regimen.

Every Friday evening before you leave the office (it can be Monday or Tuesday, or any day of the week that works for you), use a dust can and a microfiber cloth, to clean your workspace and rid the area of dust and crumbs from yesterday’s mid-day snack. You’ll thank us on Monday when your workspace is clean and tidy, and ready to help you tackle the week.

Magic Erase

For the areas that you touch most frequently, like the corners of your desk and the tops of your filing cabinets, take a magic eraser, to the area and gently buff away finger prints and other heavy grime. You might not think the area needs attention, but trust us, a little magic eraser will make your desk look like it’s brand new!

Disinfect

Once everything is erased, and dusted, it’s time to disinfect. Cnet says that keyboards can contain as much bacteria as a toilet seat—yuck! Unplug your keyboard and your mouse from your computer, remove any batteries that they might have, and give everything a once-over with a microfiber cloth and a bit of disinfectant spray. You can also use antibacterial wipes, or a sponge with warm water and a drop of antibacterial dish soap.

Keeping Your Desk CleanDon’t Forget: Computer Screens

Computer screens can get dusty throughout the course of the week. Gently wipe down your screens with a dry microfiber cloth, regularly. Microfiber is soft enough to remove any dust in the area without damaging your screens!

Don’t Forget: Computer Cables

Dust can also build up on your computer cables—when’s the last time you dusted everything underneath your desk? Build ups in this area can trigger asthma and allergies, and give your office and overall dingy feel. Make sure to tackle this area, every other week or once a month, with a microfiber duster.

In a Pinch: Scotch Tape

If you’ve got some leftover lunch crumbs on your desk or keyboard, but you’re out of desk dusting spray, wrap a few inches of scotch tape around your fingers, and use it to lift away pesky crumbs before depositing them in the trash.

Deep Clean: Remove the Keys

Apartment Therapy takes keyboard cleaning to the next level.  How clean is it, after all, if you haven’t checked under the keys? If your keys are removable, use a small screw driver to pop them off and dust and remove crumbs and debris from underneath. Before you pop off the keys, snap a pic of how it looked before the deep clean, in case you forget where the ALT and CTL buttons belong!

Desk Phone

Do you wipe down your cell phone a few times a week? Don’t forget your office phone! It’s probably dustier than it is grimy, especially if you usually use your cell phone to make work calls, but it needs special attention nonetheless. Unplug, and use an air canister or a microfiber cloth to remove dust.

MousepadKeeping Your Desk Clean

Spilled coffee on your mousepad lately? Flip it over to see if you can toss it in the wash; if not, use a cloth or a sponge with mild dish soap to get rid of any stains. And if it’s too far gone, consider asking your office manager to order you a new one!

Desk Calendar

If you have a calendar on your desk, there’s one thing you should know: cleaning underneath it is as important as keeping it up to date! Lift it once a week and wipe up any crumbs.

Bits & Bobs Tray

For those of you who tend to let things accumulate on your desk, a great way to keep it looking neat and tidy (and to make disinfecting a breeze) is to grab a tray from your local office supplies store to hold all your spare paperclips, business cards and push pins.

For more tips on keeping your life tidy and clean, visit our cleaning tips page. If you’re ordering cleaning supplies for an office (or like to purchase in bulk) call SpongeOutlet today at 877-776-6430.

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Holiday Cleaning Tips for the Home

Holiday Cleaning Tips for the Home

The holidays are a time for special decorations, gifts and visitors, all of which require extra preparation and cleaning! So how can you tackle the messes around your house in time for your guests’ arrival? Follow these helpful holiday cleaning tips for the home.

Space Out Holiday Cleaning and Do It Early

To avoid feeling totally overwhelmed, try cleaning a little bit every day. You can divide up your cleaning task by the task itself, or clean an entire room a day.

Individual tasks:

  • decluttering
  • storage organization (closets, cabinets, refrigerator)
  • dusting
  • washing windows
  • wiping or cleaning surfaces (tables, countertops, appliances)
  • vacuuming and/or mopping

Cleaning by Room

  • Guest bedroom (if guests are staying overnight)
  • Living room/family room
  • Dining room
  • Hallway or mudroom
  • Kitchen
  • Bathroom

Using this method allows you time to do a thorough job without being rushed or left exhausted. Plus, you will have enough energy afterwards to enjoy time with your holiday guests. Before guests arrive, perform quick touch-ups such as wiping down counters and putting away items.

Holiday Cleaning Tips Don't forget the baseboards

Don’t Overlook These Spots When Cleaning for the Holidays

It’s easy to overlook light switches, doors and baseboards as we don’t tend to notice these items on a daily basis. Use a wet Eraser Sponge to remove scuff marks from walls and doors, fingerprints and smudges from light switches, and  dirt and grime from doors. Try our Eraser Sponge Extension Handle Kit to clean your baseboards without bending. It comes with four eraser sponges that attach to the handle via Velcro.

To use,:

  • Wet one of the kit’s eraser sponges and squeeze out the excess water
  • Stick it to the end of the handle
  • Use the buttons on the handle to extend it to desired length
  • Press it firmly against a baseboard, wall, or other surface and gently move it back and forth to clean away dust, dirt, stains and dark scuff marks.

Holiday Cleaning the Entryway

Your entryway is the first thing guests will encounter when they arrive at your home, so making sure it’s spick and span will guarantee a good first impression. Wipe down your front door with our Eraser Sponge, shake out the doormat and add some festive decorations like a holiday wreath and garland. Also be sure to organize coat closets and shoe storage so everything is neat and tidy. A clean and cozy entryway is just what you need to make your guests feel welcome!

Holiday Cleaning Tips: Scrub and wipe down counters

Holiday Cleaning Tips for the Kitchen

All of your delicious food will taste better in a clean oven! Mix white vinegar and baking soda together to create a foamy mixture. Let it sit on greasy spots and then use our scrubby sponge to scrub it clean. Next, declutter your countertops and wipe them down with a Swedish Dishcloth.  The Swedish Dishcloth is non-scratch and safe to use on marble and granite countertops and on wood cabinets.

Preparing a Guest Bedroom

If your guests are visiting from out of town, chances are they are staying at your home for all of the holiday fun. You’ll want your guests to feel like they are in a home-away-from-home, so make sure the guest bedroom is ready with fresh sheets, towels and extra toiletry items. If you don’t remember the last time you had guests stay over, chances are there is a lot of dust in the room, so you’ll want to remove it with microfiber cloths or a microfiber duster.

Not only will your guests need a place to sleep, but they will also need somewhere to put their clothing, coats and luggage. Tackle one closet at a time and empty everything out of it. After the closet is empty, create four piles: keep, give away, throw away and store. Don’t forget the golden rule: if you can’t remember the last time you wore or used something, get rid of it!

Tips for Cleaning the Bathroom

Go through the closet and medicine cabinets and get rid of any unnecessary items. Add  new towels and replenish toilet paper and hand soap so you don’t have to worry about running out when the Christmas craziness begins.

Wipe down the bathroom sink, clean the toilet and mirror. Eraser sponges are great for removing dirt and grime from shower stall floors and soap scum from glass doors and tiles. You can also use an eraser sponge to clean the sink, floor and toilet bowl.

Now your home is ready for lots of company and entertaining! For home-cleaning supplies, shop now!

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How to Remove Christmas Tree Sap This Holiday Season

How to Remove Christmas Tree Sap This Holiday Season

We love our Christmas trees. The twinkling lights, the festive decorations, the presents waiting to be unwrapped … but then there’s the sap. Cleaning sticky pine sap residue off the floor could even turn Santa Claus into the Grinch. There is hope, however: with the right products and techniques you can eliminate Christmas tree sap this holiday season.

Here are a few tips for removing Christmas tree sap and preventing sticky, gooey buildup on your floors:

Use Ice to Remove Christmas Tree Sap 

Placing ice cubes over puddles of sap for 10 to 15 minutes will cause the sap to harden.  If you have hardwood floors, scrape the sap off with a plastic knife, a razor or even your fingernail. Just be careful to position the tool nearly parallel to the floor so you don’t scrape or scratch the wood or tile. For carpeted floors,  use your fingers to pick the sap out of the carpet fibers.

Try Oil Soap to Remove Pine Tree Sap

Non-diluted oil soap, like Murphy’s, is great for cleaning pine sap off hardwood floors. Apply it with a sponge directly to the sap and let it sit for 15 minutes. The oil-based soap will soften the sap, making it easier to scrub off with a brush or non-scratch sponge and then rinse. If you don’t have oil soap, vegetable shortening or rubbing alcohol can work, too.

Don’t forget, the right products can go a long way toward protecting your floors this holiday season. SpongeOutlet’s amazing Eraser Sponge is ideal for spot cleaning carpet stains, and our Melamine Floor Pads will get your whole floor nice and clean after the holiday season ends and you take down your tree. Happy Holidays!

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How to Remove Salt Stains This Winter

Salt can really work wonders in the winter. It can prevent snow from building up on sidewalks and driveways and make roads significantly safer than they would be otherwise. But salt can also wreak havoc on everything from your car to your clothing to the floors inside of your home. To stop salt from becoming a problem, you should remove winter salt stains from these items as soon as you see them. Take a look at how to remove salt stains below.

How to Remove Salt Stains From Your Car

Salt stains on your vehicle will make it look very unattractive. Salt could also potentially cause extensive damage to your vehicle’s paint job if it’s not removed. To get salt stains off of your vehicle, you should take a microfiber towel and dip it into a mixture of water and vinegar before using it to wipe away stains. Microfiber towels are durable enough to get tough stains out but also gentle enough to prevent scratches from showing up on your car.

How to Remove Salt Stains From Your Clothing

During the winter, you should try to wear weather-resistant clothing and shoes. When you do, you will be able to remove salt stains with little more than a microfiber towel and a water/vinegar mix. You can also use an Eraser Sponge with a little bit of water to get the job done. Clothing and footwear that aren’t weather-resistant can be trickier. You will usually have to let the salt dry before wiping it away with a brush, but you should be sure not to let it sit too long since it could damage your clothing or shoes over time.

How to Remove Salt Stains From Your Flooring

Salt can do a lot of damage to flooring in a relatively short period of time. Hardwood floors, in particular, can absorb salt water and show signs of damage quickly. To stop this from happening, you can use a microfiber towel to wipe up any excess salt or salt water that pools on your floor. You can also use an Eraser Sponge to spot treat any stains that set in, especially if you have a tile or linoleum floor. But the key is to get flooring dry right away whenever it’s exposed to salt or salt water from outside.

Spongeoutlet.com has the products you need to get rid of winter salt stains. From a wide range of Eraser Sponge options to big packs of microfiber towels, we can provide you with exactly what you need to prevent salt from causing you problems. Call us at 877-776-6430 today to place an order!

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How to Deeply Clean Your Dishwasher

How to Deeply Clean Your Dishwasher

Your dishwasher is arguably the hardest-working appliance in your kitchen, cleaning dirty dishes every single day. However, if you don’t give it a thorough cleaning every now and then, it won’t work properly. Dirt, old food and soap scum can clog it and affect its performance. What’s more, a dirty dishwasher can get pretty stinky, and is much less efficient.

Clean the door

First, clean the outside to remove dirt and fingerprints. An eraser sponge dipped in sudsy water is great for this task. Make sure you also clean the inside of the door, too, using a small toothbrush to get into the grooves. Once it’s clean, use a soft cloth to wipe it dry. You can also use the toothbrush to clean things like silverware racks inside the dishwasher.

Clean out the drain

Pull out your dishwasher’s bottom rack, and make sure there’s no debris that can clog the drain, damage the pump, or scratch your dishes.

Run two to three cleaning cycles

Start by putting a cup of plain white vinegar in the top of your dishwasher, and then run a cycle. The vinegar will wash away grime, remove odors, and sanitize. Then, sprinkle baking soda around the bottom of the appliance and run a short cycle using the hottest possible water, to further deodorize and remove stains. If you have problems with mold or mildew, try running another cycle with bleach.

With the use of the right products, your dishwasher will be sparkling clean in no time. SpongeOutlet sells top cleaning brands for less, helping you get the job done at a fraction of the cost. Browse our inventory of eraser sponges today!

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How an Eraser Sponge Can Help Clean Up After Your Pet

How an Eraser Sponge Can Clean Up After Your Pet

Since we have been on the cleaning kick lately, we thought we would address cleaning up after your pet, especially with winter quickly approaching. We all love our pets and we want them to have fun, but sometimes that means having a mess to clean up on a daily basis.

Our pets daily activities often cause scuffs on the floors and marks on the walls, cabinets and doors. Dogs and cats also tend to make a mess around their food and water bowls and there are occasional accidents when we have been at work too long, or a misstep with the litter box that can leave a mess on the floor.

The eraser sponge is the perfect cleaning tool for homes with pets.

Instead of filling a bucket with water and soap and wetting a mop to wipe up the floors, an eraser sponge makes it easy to clean up spills, scuffs and dirty paw prints in a snap. An eraser sponge is simple enough for your children to use as well if you need the extra help! It’s much simpler and cheaper to teach your little ones how to help you tidy up after pets by using the eraser sponge.

Keep your eraser sponges handy and have your children watch you clean up the scuffs and marks left by your pets and encourage them to join you. After going through the simple process a few times, your kids will automatically reach for the eraser sponge when your dog comes in from outside with muddy paws.

An eraser sponge is your all-purpose cleaning tool for homes with pets. You will no longer need to struggle with the mess of a mop. Make the clean-up process easier and quicker so you can spend more time with your pets and children! For more essential cleaning supplies, visit Spongeoutlet today!

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Paint Your Walls After Cleaning

In our previous blog post, we talked about steps to take so your walls look spotless. Now, we are going to talk about choosing the right paint and finish for your walls to help them look even better. Whether you have recently moved into a new home or are looking to update your current abode, a fresh coat of paint is one of the best ways to re-envision your homes appearance.

A new paint color can do wonders for updating the feel of your home, but for families with young children and pets, keeping your walls clean can seem like an impossible task. So you know you should paint your walls, but with so many colors and finishes to choose from, how do you know what will hold up the best to daily wear?

Focus on light colors

Many people make the mistake of choosing neutral wall colors just because they are good at hiding dirty handprints, but there are plenty of other options you can look at. Try to stick to pale hues and midtones. Colors like dark reds, blues and purples will actually show wear much more quickly than their lighter counterparts, burnishing in spots where your pets and children rub against them.

Choose the right finish

After choosing the right color, you’ll have to choose a paint finish which can also be overwhelming. If you don’t like the look of the shiny appearance of semi-gloss and hi-gloss enamel paint, try an eggshell finish. This is a durable and less reflective finish that is easy to clean. Eggshell will hold up well against dirt and grime your children may coat it with throughout the years.

Don’t forget to clean with your eraser sponge

Although we hope that your newly painted walls stay clean and fresh looking for a long time, accidents do happen. Whether it’s play dough stains, marker or beverage stains that ended up on the walls, the eraser sponge is tough enough to get the job done but gentle enough not to damage your paint’s finish! Visit Spongeoutlet or call 877-776-6430 to place your order today!

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How to Have Spotless Walls

Perhaps you’ve been putting off cleaning your walls all summer and now you are shocked to see what wound up on them. Don’t put this task off any longer!  To help you out, we have put together a simple step by step instruction of how to remove any sort of mess on your walls to make sure they are looking great!

Step one: Eliminate any cobwebs

This is the part of cleaning we don’t like to think about since cobwebs tend to mean spiders. However, getting rid of huge clumps of dust, dirt or lint will make it easier for you to get at the stickier mess. To do this, use a cloth or a vacuum, depending on where the location is.

Step two: Eliminate any crayon marks

If you have children, crayons can go missing or get used for the wrong purposes. Check to see if you see crayon marks on any of your walls. If you do, make sure there are no clumps of crayon on the wall. Smearing large chunks can make your mess even bigger! Once the chunks are off, gently rub the area with an eraser sponge and the crayon will lift right up. Use a towel to spot dry, if need be.

Step three: Eliminate beverage stains

We have all opened a bottle of soda, only to have it fizz up to the ceiling and walls and what a mess it makes! To remove the stains, if you have a magic eraser, try using that first. It will save a lot of time and scrubbing. If you do don’t have one, then a mild detergent will be gentle enough to be used on stained walls.

You will find that after all of this hard work, your walls will look like new! If we have inspired to clean, visit our cleaning product supplies online and be sure to give us a call at 877-776-6430 with any questions you have!

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