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If you don’t want to use dishwasher pods, you can use liquid or powder dishwasher detergent or dishwasher tablets. Alternatively, you can make a DIY dish detergent by putting two or three drops of liquid dishwashing soap in the dispenser and filling the rest with baking soda. You should never use laundry detergent, household all-purpose cleaners, or a full dispenser of liquid dish detergent.

As a general rule, you should clean your oven at least every three months, though this depends on how often you use it and the amount of residue buildup. A clear sign that your oven needs cleaning is if you notice smoke or a burning smell during use. Many ovens have a self-cleaning cycle, which heats the oven to an extreme temperature. If you use this feature, stay home while it runs and consider ventilating the room, as it can create smoke. For manual cleaning, you can make a paste of baking soda and water or use white vinegar before resorting to harsher, store-bought oven cleaners.

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.

The most sanitary way to mop a floor is with a microfiber mop and two buckets of water: one with cleaning solution and one without. Use the soapy water to mop the floor and rinse the mop in the clean water. When the water gets dirty, pour it out and replace it with new water. This mopping technique ensures the mop stays cleaner and prevents the spread of dirt and bacteria.