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Household
Hints & HELP!
Cleaning
Wipes
submitted
by Lorene Bartos, Extension Educator
This article appears in the April 11,
2004 Lincoln Journal Star Newspaper.
Spring
is in the air and so is the idea of cleaning. Many times
the question is “What should I use to clean a certain item
or area?”
The
cleaning wipes category is soaring! In fact, 110 different
kinds of wipes were introduced in 2001. Consumers enjoy
the convenience of wipes because they’re great for quick
clean-ups. But how do you choose the right wipe for your
cleaning needs? Let’s take a look at the different types
and what they do...
Kitchens and Bathrooms
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Wipes with dishwashing liquid — for hand dishwashing.
They lather up once water is added.
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Heat-activated wipes — for cleaning baked-on foods
in microwaves. As you heat the towelette pouch in the
microwave, special cleaners are released that soften and
loosen baked-on food residue. Allow the pouch to cool.
Then, use the warm towelette to wipe the interior clean.
-
Disinfecting wipes — for cleaning hard surfaces,
such as countertops, sinks, windows and toilets. These
wipes are a convenient way to clean commonly-touched surfaces
at home (refrigerator and faucet handles, light switch
covers, door handles, telephone receivers) and at work
(water fountain handles, microwave door handles, computer
keyboards).
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Flushable bathroom wipes — for cleaning around
toilet rims, tanks, faucets, sinks and basins. They disperse
in water when agitated, like toilet paper—thus, they’re
safe for plumbing and septic tanks.
Furniture
and Flooring
Some
wipes are pre-moistened with special cleaning solutions
for cleaning and shining furniture. For those who
prefer the cloth-and-polish method, these wipes are available
with cleansing conditioners that enhance product performance.
A
rinse-free way to remove dirt from floors is to use
special all-in-one mopping units. They use moist, disposable,
electrostatic cloths that contain a cleaning solution. The
solution dissolves soil, while the disposable pad absorbs
the solution. These units can be used to clean vinyl, ceramic
tile, laminate, linoleum and finished wood floors.
Other
wipes are dry for capturing dust and dirt. These
include:
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Mitts — for general cleaning and dusting surfaces,
such as tabletops, television screens, picture frames
and knickknacks.
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Dry, electrostatic wipes —
disposable cloths that attract soil without leaving any
residue. They’re perfect for cleaning wood laminate, tile
and linoleum floors—as well as wood, vinyl, ceramic, electronic
and other hard surfaces—because dust is captured and disposed
of along with the cloth.
Always
follow the label directions for these products.
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