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The best way to help a family member or friend declutter their home is to hire a professional organizer or cleaner to do it for them. However, you can also help them make a plan to tackle the clutter. Sit down with them and sort through the items, making piles of what to keep, toss, and donate. Focus on one area at a time to avoid overwhelming them. If they have trouble letting go of some items, ask them when they last used each item, what its purpose is, and whether it has sentimental value. The answers to these questions can help you advise them on handling clutter.

A small amount of diluted bleach is okay to pour down a garbage disposal. As part of your weekly garbage disposal maintenance, use 1 teaspoon of bleach with your concoction of ice cubes and lemon peels. Turn on the disposal and run the water until the blades chop up the ice cubes.

Any more bleach in your disposal can harden oils and greases in your drain, which can cause problems. Always wear gloves when working with bleach, and know that you really don’t need bleach at all—vinegar, baking soda, salt, and ice should do the trick.

You should consider doing a few things on your own that fall under the category of “good house cleaner etiquette” to prepare for your house cleaner. These include tidying counters, floors, and other surfaces, taking care of the dishes, moving laundry to the laundry room or a dedicated laundry basket, and putting away personal and private items. Think of your house cleaner as someone who brings your home from relatively tidy to organized and clean, and you should have no issues.

Knowing how to clean baseboard heaters is worth it, because this skill means your heating system will work more efficiently. By clearing out dirt and debris from the metal fins inside the heater, they can better transfer heat. Not only does this keep you nice and warm, but it may lower your energy bills, too.