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After a while of listening
to your favorite albums or
e-books, your earbuds can
get coated with ear wax that
muffles the sound. To the res-
cue: a cotton swab moistened
with a solution of one part
distilled water and one
part 70% isopropyl alcohol,
recommends Burnell. Simply
rub the swab across each
earbud —the alcohol softens
the wax, so it wipes right off.
With all that button-pushing, your TV remote is a hub
of bacteria. Fortunately, eliminating this ick-factor
is easy, assures Elizabeth Hemmings, author of Easy
Green Cleaning. Though vodka is not strong enough
to substitute for hand sanitizer, it can be used as a dis-
infectant to rid your remote of several bacteria, includ-
ing staph. “Plus, it dries quick ly, ma k ing it sa fe for
electronic surfaces.” Simply spray a combination of one
part water and one part vodka onto a cloth, then wipe.
Skip blowing compressed air onto your
keyboard, which pushes dirt deeper inside.
Instead, use cleaning putty, says DIY whiz
Melissa Burnell (Budget101.com). Store-
bought putty costs about $10, but you can
create your own for pennies. Just mix 2 Tbs.
of white glue and 1 Tbs. of water. In a sepa-
rate bowl, mix 4 Tbs. of Borax and 4 Tbs.
of water. Combine until a “slime” is formed.
Simply knead it a bit, then press onto your
keyboard—the gunk will come right off!
Is your flat screen so dusty, it looks like a fuzz screen?
Computer keyboard more sticky than slick? Here, how
to keep all your gadgets clean and working perfectly!
Sanitize remotes
with a vodka ‘cocktail’
You k now that little microf iber cleaning cloth that
comes with your eyeglasses? It’s perfect for cleaning
fragile flat-screen TVs without leaving scratches like
paper towels can, reveals cleaning pro Wendy Williams
(TheCleanUpQueen.com). “Just rub gently in a circular
motion to remove dust.” A nd for stubborn f ingerprints :
Mist the cloth with a solution that is equal parts white
vinegar and distilled water. Since it doesn’t hold an
electrical charge, distilled water helps repel dust.
Banish TV smudges
with a misted cloth
Lift keyboard gunk
with DIY putt y
Remove wax
from earbuds
with a swab
Getting grime off digital panels on dishwashers and
other appliances without leaving behind scratches is
easy, says Jeff Campbell (KitchenApplianceHQ.com).
“J u s t mix^1 ⁄ 2 cup of Castile soap and 1 tsp. of lemon
juice into 1 cup of water, dab onto a cloth, then wipe the surface.” Acids in
lemon dissolve food debris, while the olive oil–based soap washes it away.
Polish appliance panels
with a lemon squeeze
Your
organized^ home
Safely clean
your fussiest
electronics!
40 4/13/20^ Woma n’s World