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The best cleaner to remove soot depends on the surface material and the type of fire, but consider dish soaps or degreasers, baking soda, rubbing alcohol, and hydrogen. Low-oxygen fires often leave behind greasy soot, which is best removed with dish soaps or degreasers. Baking soda can be useful for absorbing soot deposits from carpets, followed by rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to clean the set-in stains.

Most DIY floor cleaners don’t require rinsing, but you’ll want to make sure you don’t add too much dish soap or oil to the cleaner to avoid having to rinse it after cleaning. For non-wood floors, mix 8 parts warm water, 1 part vinegar, and 1 part baking soda with a few drops of dish soap. For wood floors, use olive oil in that same mixture instead of the vinegar. You can let these solutions air-dry after cleaning your floors with them, although you should manually dry your floors if they aren’t waterproof.

Black widow spiders often live near residential areas, drawn by the promise of shelter and a steady supply of prey. These arachnids gravitate towards dark, undisturbed hiding places like crawl spaces, garages, and cluttered areas where they can build their webs and remain hidden from sight. By keeping homes clean and clutter-free, homeowners can reduce the risk of attracting black widow spiders.

Yes, you can use baking soda to clean your water dispenser. Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with one quart of warm water, then use a sponge or cloth to wipe the solution on the inside and outside of the dispenser. For tougher stains and grime, you can also make a lightly abrasive paste of one part baking soda and one part water to gently scrub tougher areas. Then rinse the dispenser with water.