Fairfax, Loudoun County Virginia -Residential Real Estate Market Blog

Northern Virginia Home Seller Guide-"15 Green Tips to Get your Home Ready For Sale"

1. If you are decorating your home with fresh flowers, keep cut flowers fresh longer by adding a teaspoon baking soda to the water in the vase.

2. Odor: Boil water and add few drops of Vanila extract OR cinnamon sticks and cloves or a few drops of an essential oil you like on the stove. This will nuteralize/eliminate any odor in your home.

3. Clean the oven glass ( I used this tip at my own home), make a paste of Baking soda and water. Let it sit for about 15-20 mins. Wipe it with damp cloth.

4. Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave (about 5 min). Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.

5. Large items: Sprinkle baking soda on your uphostires, mattress or carpets to remove odor. Sprinkle and let it sit for 15-20 mins. vacumm the baking soda.

6. Baby oil can also be used to polishes chrome. Apply a dab to a cotton cloth and use it to shine everything from faucets to door knobs. After that you can rub bit of car wax to avoid the built up.

7. Bathroom mold: Mold in bathroom tile grout is a common problem and can be a health concern. Mix one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray on areas with mold. Wait at least one hour before rinsing or using shower.

8. For stronger garbage disposer cleaning, pour about 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, then 1/2 cup vinegar. The resulting chemical reaction can break fatty acids down into soap and glycerine, allowing the clog to wash down the drain. After 15 minutes, pour in boiling water to clear residue.

9. Many ink spots, pencil, crayon or marker spots can be cleaned from painted surfaces using baking soda applied to a damp sponge. Rub gently, then wipe and rinse.

10. Garage floor: Scatter baking soda on your greasy garage floor, scrub the floor, and rinse. Instead of buying expensive degreaser from home improvement store.

11. Kill weeds and grass growing in unwanted places by pouring full-strength white distilled vinegar on them. This works especially well in crevices and cracks of walkways and driveways. Beware don't overspray and I don’t recommended using this in grass as it’ll kill the grass too

12. Grout: To Clean the grout, mix half and half of Baking soda and water. Using electic old tooth brush if you have or a old tooth brush. Scrub it in circular motion. Leave it for about 10-15 mins and rinse it or if you have steam mop use that.

13. Clean Floors: Fill a bucket with warm or hot water, add a quarter of a cup of vinegar and a dash of castile soap. Dunk your rag in the bucket, ring out, and wipe down the floors.

14. Air Freshner: Cut a small square of cheese cloth place couple of spoon of baking soda tie and place it any where you want example: shoe box, closets, laundry room, trash cans, bathrooms, under the sink, basement and so on.

15. Marble, granite, or stone countertop cleaner use rubbing alcohol or vodka to wipe it.