Stock your cupboard with white vinegar, baking soda, and lemons and let’s get to it!

Baking soda for oven cleaning – A paste of baking soda and water cleans ovens without the chemicals or the hassle of the self cleaning cycle. Just make a paste on the bottom of the oven, leave for a few hours and wipe off for a shiny, chemical free oven.

Microfiber – Microfibre cleaning cloths are so effective at removing dirt that you don’t need to use detergents and other chemicals to get things spotless.

Clean the dishwasher – Fill a dishwasher safe bowl or jar with 2 cups of vinegar and set on the top rack of the dishwasher. Run through on a hot cycle with no other dishes in the dishwasher to clean and remove the musty odour.

Clean toilet without chemicals – Dump a cup of baking soda into the toilet and let it soak for at least an hour. Pour in a cup of white vinegar, leave for five minutes and flush. (Unless the toilet is really dirty, this will clean it without scrubbing).

Lemon for stains – Get stains off your bench or cabinet by wetting the stain with lemon juice, let sit for 30 minutes or so, and then sprinkle baking soda on the abrasive side of an all-purpose kitchen sponge and scrub the discoloured area. Most stains will vanish, and your kitchen will smell fresher.

Cleaning windows – Newspaper! Use newspaper to clean your windows without streaks

Thinking about purchasing an investment property? Here are some hot tips to consider when shopping for an investment property.

Schools – When it comes to families looking for rental properties the schooling opportunity is one of the primary elements that families look for. Having a property in an excellent school zone, you will likely receive a high number of quality applications and likely long term tenants.

Amenities – Take a tour of the prospective neighborhood. Are there amenities nearby that offer convenience and entertainment? Shopping centres, restaurants, cafes, gyms and recreational parks within a short distance.

Financially worthy – Just because you can buy a rental property doesn’t mean it’s worth it. You won’t know just by looking at a property, though. You need to know its condition, value, and the cost of any work it may need.

Already tenanted – One of the best rental properties to buy is the one that’s already rented. If you can buy a home with tenants in it and the home in good condition, you don’t have to worry about investing more money in the property.

Location – There are a few factors that will determine your experience as a landlord as much as the neighborhood where your rental property is based. The area you buy in will influence the types of tenants your property attracts and your potential vacancy rates.