And what if the stove and the cooked-on grease has already cooled? The task is tougher, but still not impossible. Donna Smallin Kuper recommends dipping your sponge in hot, sudsy water, and then squeezing it over the spot. “I let it sit for a few minutes to soften (usually while I am loading the dishwasher or washing pots and pans) and then I give it a quick scrub with the scrubby side of a sponge and wipe it up with the sponge side,” she says. Johnson also believes in letting the spot soak. She suggests letting a degreaser product sit on the area for three minutes, then wiping it off with a microfiber cloth. To buy: Brillo Estracell No-Scratch Sponge,$9 for three; amazon.com. To buy: Microfiber Glass-Cleaning Cloths, $13 for eight; amazon.com. If your dishwasher continues to smell even when it’s empty, it’s time to run a wash cycle. With the dishwasher completely empty, place either a dishwasher-safe cup of white vinegar (Smallin Kuper’s pick) or a small bowl of lemons cut into quarters and covered with water (Johnson’s recommendation) on the top rack, then turn on a cycle. Either method helps to eliminate odor. For an even more thorough washing, wipe down the walls with a baking soda paste before using the lemon-water method. If you don’t have a store-bought stain remover on hand, you can whip one up, Johnson says. For the safest solution, mix together one teaspoon dishwashing liquid, two tablespoons white vinegar, and one cup water. Blot the solution on the spot, then blot dry or place a fan near the area. To buy: Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain Remover, $9; amazon.com. To buy: O-Cedar Dual-Action Microfiber Duster Set, $20; amazon.com. Both of our cleaning pros urge cleaning the microwave as soon as spills or splatters happen—procrastination will only make cleaning this appliance more difficult. Don’t forget: “Frequent cleaning is your best friend to prevent buildup on any surface,” Johnson says. Once you have your toilet sparkling clean, you can keep it that way for up to three months by installing the Kaboom Toilet Cleaning System, Smallin Kuper says. Three months free from toilet scrubbing? That’s $11 well spent. To buy: Kaboom Scrub Free! Continuous Toilet Cleaning System, $11; walgreens.com. To prevent buildup over time, be proactive and run your shower curtain through a wash cycle every other month. Your shower-cleaning spray can also be used to wipe off collected soap scrum before it becomes unmanageable.
