December 5, 2022, 10:12 am | Read time: 3 minutes
For some stains, even conventional cleaning agents no longer work. No need to panic, because in some cases, cold and ice can help. How it works, you can read in this article.
Some stains are difficult to clean–even washing machines, cleaners, or other home remedies don’t help. However, this doesn’t have to be a problem, as there is a very simple solution: cold and ice–this combination sometimes helps to remove stubborn stains. Learn which dirt cold and ice can help with and how to use these natural cleaners correctly.
Properly Remove Gum
Anyone who has ever had gum stuck to the sole of their shoe or other textiles knows how stubborn these things can be. Scraping or pulling often doesn’t help–in the worst case, it even makes it worse. That’s why you should rely on cold to remove the gum. Simply place the shoes, tablecloth, or whatever the gum is stuck to in the freezer. After about half an hour, you can easily remove the gum.
If the cold hasn’t removed all the stains, you can also place an ice pack or cold compress on the spot. The rest can then be simply rubbed off. A carpet, for example, that doesn’t fit in the freezer can also be treated this way.
Get Rid of Wax Stains
Especially during the Christmas season, a few more candles are often lit. This can quickly lead to some wax landing on the leather sofa, tablecloth, or floor. You don’t have to rub for long–in this case, cold and ice also help. Wax stains can be easily removed when cold.
Similar to gum, simply place an ice pack on the affected area for wax stains. Smaller items can also be placed directly in the freezer–and for non-sensitive surfaces, you can also use a cold spray from the hardware store, explains the Quality Association Candles.
Clean a Thermos
Ice cubes can also help clean thermoses. You need an ice cube-salt mixture for this. Put everything together in the thermos, put the lid on, and shake vigorously. Then simply rinse with clear water–and the dirt is gone. The combination of ice and salt dissolves dirt in the thermos.
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Properly Clean Plastic Lunch Boxes
Lunch boxes can quickly look worn out, as some food residues cling stubbornly to the plastic. A combination of ice cubes, mineral water, sugar, and dish soap is said to help. Several online portals recommend the following procedure:
- Mix dish soap and sugar in the lunch box
- Add ice cubes and wait a few minutes
- Once the ice cubes have melted, add the mineral water
- Let everything sit for about a quarter of an hour
- Rinse the box with clear water
The mixture is supposed to help dissolve fat and dirt particles. The cold and mineral water enhance the effect.
Also interesting: Chemical and Natural Stain Removers Compared
Get Rid of Mites
Cold can not only remove stubborn stains but also combat dust mites. They particularly like to nest in stuffed animals, as human skin flakes and hair accumulate there over time, which mites feed on. However, the creatures only die at temperatures above 60 degrees Celsius–which can be too hot for some teddy bears. Then cold helps. Because at minus 18 degrees Celsius, mites also die. The Forum Waschen recommends storing stuffed animals in the freezer overnight and then washing them.