Clever Clarissa’s Household Tips & Advice

For regular upkeep, use your vacuum cleaner brush attachment. If necessary, wash using a mild detergent solution, rinse well and dry. Remove any stain as quickly as you can; some stains may be impossible to remove (consider painting the item). To firm-up a sagging cane seat, wet the underside thoroughly with a sponge and dry in the sun, if possible.

Chrome is a metal plated onto another metal; the plate of chrome can be very thin and there are imitations plated onto plastic. Wipe the surface with a moist cloth dipped in a solution of dishwashing liquid & warm water, rinse and dry/polish with a soft cloth. Remove stubborn spots with baking soda. Use acetone to remove plastic film that may have melted on a toaster/toaster-oven, keeping it well away from plastic parts. Baby oil applied with a soft cloth will restore lustre.

Copper is sold lacquered and unlacquered. Clean decorative, lacquered copper with a dry cloth; use a damp cloth if the item is dirty. If the lacquer finish breaks down, remove it with acetone or a lacquer thinner. If the copper is unlacquered, as is copper cookware, ketchup (yes!) applied with a cotton cosmetic pad will make it gleam; a commercial copper cleaner is another option. To remove corrosion, wipe the item with salt moistened with a little white vinegar or rub it with a half lemon dipped in salt. Always use a soft cloth/sponge (to avoid scratching), rinse well and dry well. Never use bleach, oven cleaner or window cleaner. Remove the lacquered finish before using a pot for cooking.

Bronze is an alloy of copper with any other metal except zinc. The natural process of oxidation gives it a sought-after light green patina called ‘verdigris’; a faux-finish can be applied to various surfaces to give the same look. Remove surface dirt with a soft cloth and use a soft toothbrush to get into crevices and ornamental work. It is best not to use water. To keep real bronze shiny or remove the verdigris patina, use a specialized cleaner.

Attend to serious stains, such as tire marks, grease and oil, as quickly as possible since concrete is a porous material. Sprinkle sand, dry cement or kitty litter over the stain, let it sit for an hour and then sweep up; in extreme cases, use a commercial degreaser. Once or twice a year wash the surface with warm water, scrub the stains with a soft non-metallic brush and rinse with the garden hose; add mild detergent, strong detergent or trisodium phosphate (TSP) to the warm water if plain water doesn’t do the job. You may be unable to remove stains that have seeped into the concrete. Don’t use harsh products or aggressive techniques on crumbly old concrete.