Detergent and Salt: The Dynamic Cleaning Duo

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AuthorAvokadoReading4 minViews269Published by31.05.2024

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Do you ever find it difficult to remove stubborn stains or dirt from your home? You certainly didn’t expect our secret weapon, but we have detergent and salt combined! Although their dynamic pair may come as a surprise, together they are a formidable cleaning force. Let’s examine how you might take use of the amazing advantages of this peculiar combo in more detail.

1. Bid Farewell to Ugly Stains on Clothes

When you add a spoonful of salt to detergent, which is already a go-to for laundry care, its stain-removing ability increases dramatically! Salt works wonders as a mild abrasive to remove stains from cloth fibers. This concoction changes everything, whether it’s red wine, grass, or even blood. Just dab the liquid onto the stain, rub it in gently, and proceed with your regular washing. You won’t believe the amazing outcomes!

2. Easily Overcome Grease

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We all know that detergent works wonders to combat grease, but when combined with salt, the results are incredible! Salt’s abrasive properties make it easy to remove baked-on fat without harming your cherished equipment. With this potent combo, get ready to say goodbye to greasy pans, ovens, and stovetops.

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3. Replace Your Cutting Boards

Unpleasant odors and stains can occasionally cling to wooden cutting boards. But fear not! Take out the detergent and salt mixture, and you’ll have the answer quickly. Using this amazing mixture to scrub your cutting boards not only gets them clean but also removes stains and neutralizes smells. The scents of fish, onions, and garlic should disappear!

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4. Give Carpets and Rugs New Life

Pet stains, muddy footsteps, and accidental spills can cause serious damage to your carpets and rugs. But do not worry—the salt and detergent mixture will come to your rescue! These two strong ladies can remove those stubborn stains with ease. Simply brush the area with the mixture, vacuum or blot any leftovers. Your rugs and carpets will appear like new!

5. Restore the Glamor of Upholstery and Curtains

Light stains and a loss of luster can occur with drapes and upholstery over time. This is when the mixture of salt and detergent is useful. This miracle treatment will help you get rid of those annoying stains and brighten the cloth. Just don’t forget to check the fabric’s colorfastness with a patch test first. Prepare to be amazed by the change!

6. Unleash the Power of Grout and Tiles in Bathrooms

Are you experiencing headaches from mold, mildew, and soap scum in your bathroom? Rest assured, we have the ideal remedy: a blend of detergent and salt! These two can quickly put an end to your bathroom troubles. After applying the mixture and letting it set for a few minutes, use a brush to clean everything away. Prepare to be amazed by the immaculate, gleaming tiles that will transform your bathroom.

Finally, who would have guessed that salt and detergent, two everyday home objects, might be the ultimate cleaning superheroes? They are not only economical, but they also lessen the need for harmful chemicals, which makes them a green option. Thus, do not hesitate to use these potent components the next time you are faced with a challenging cleaning chore. They’ll improve the sustainability and efficiency of your cleaning regimen, leaving your house immaculate and you feeling successful.

How to Own Your Dream Home

For most people, their first home isn’t their dream home. It starts off nice enough. But as time goes by and your family grows, starter homes tend to get a little . . . cramped.

But don’t hate on your current home too much. Because while it gave you a safe and dry place to lay your head at night, it was also setting you up to own your dream home someday.

We’ll show you how it all works and walk you through the steps that’ll get you in your dream home—one you can actually afford!

How to Get Your Dream Home in 5 Steps

Here are the steps:

1. Follow the Financial Basics
2. Find Out How Much Equity You Have
3. Set Your New Home-Buying Budget
4. Find the Right Dream Home for You
5. Be Picky and Patient

Now let’s cover each step in more detail.

Step 1: Follow the Financial Basics

First thing’s first—you have to get out of debt, get on a budget, and build up an emergency fund of 3–6 months of expenses. Sounds pretty basic, right? If you haven’t completed these steps, then you’re not ready to upgrade to your dream home . . . yet.

Now, when you’ve got house fever, it can be hard to focus on paying off debt or saving an emergency fund before you upgrade your home—especially when you’re feeling the pressure of rising home prices and interest rates.

But whether it’s your second or third house, you should only buy a home when you’ve covered the financial basics we mentioned above. Then you’ll be ready to start the journey toward owning your dream house.

And that journey starts with your home equity. What’s equity? Well, we’re glad you asked . . . that brings us to the next step.

Step 2: Find Out How Much Equity You Have

Home equity is a pretty simple concept: It’s your current home’s value minus whatever you still owe on your mortgage.

See, in most cases, your home’s value increases over time. Similar to other long-term investments (like retirement accounts), homes gradually increase in value. There have been periods of ups and downs in the market to be sure, but the value of real estate has consistently gone up. According to the St. Louis Federal Reserve, the average sale price of a home has increased over 2,300% from 1965 to 2023! And in the last ten years (2013 to 2023), there’s been a 68% increase.¹ As your home increases in value, so does your equity. In real estate terms, this is called appreciation.

Other factors that increase your home’s equity include:

• Added value: Home improvement projects like adding square footage, updating fixtures and appliances, or even just slapping on a new coat of paint can add value to your home.
• Mortgage paydown: Paying down your mortgage not only gets you out of debt faster, it also builds your equity. The less you owe on your home, the more equity you have.

The amount of equity you have gives you a pretty good idea of how much money you’ll end up with after selling your house. You can use that money to make a hefty down payment and cover the other costs that come with buying a home.

Find expert agents to help you buy your home.

So, how do you determine your home’s value? Well, you can get a ballpark estimate on real estate websites like Zillow, ask a trusted real estate agent to perform a competitive market analysis (which they’ll do anyway if they’re helping you sell your house), or get a professional appraisal.

Finding out your home’s equity will involve a little math, but it’s third-grade-level stuff, so don’t sweat it.

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say your home’s current value is $355,000. When you sell that house, you’ll have to pay for between 1–3% of the sale price in closing costs, another 6% in fees for the real estate agent who helped you sell it, and whatever’s left to pay off on your mortgage.

That means you can estimate clearing over $223,000 from selling your house. That’s a killer down payment on your dream home! And if your home is paid off, that’s even more money to put down and use to pay for things like repairs and moving expenses.

Step 3: Set Your Dream Home Budget

Once you know how much you’ll clear from the sale of your home, you can start making a budget for your dream home. 

The key to owning your dream home (instead of it owning you) is to keep your mortgage payment to no more than 25% of your take-home pay on a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage, along with paying a down payment of at least 20% to avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI). Never get a 30-year mortgage even if the bank offers it (and they will). You’d pay a fortune in interest—money that should go toward building your wealth, not the bank’s.

So, let’s say your take-home pay is $4,800 a month. That means your monthly mortgage payment shouldn’t be any bigger than $1,200. By the way, that 25% figure should also include other home fees collected every month with the mortgage payment like homeowners association (HOA) fees, insurance premiums and property taxes.

Plug your numbers into our mortgage calculator to see how much house you can afford.

And don’t forget to budget for all those other costs that come with the home-buying process in addition to your closing fees—things like moving expenses and any upgrades or repairs you might need to make. You don’t want these hidden costs to catch you off guard or drain your emergency fund.

Step 4: Find the Right Dream Home for You

This is where things get real. After all your hard work building up your equity (and doing a lot of math—don’t forget that), you’re finally ready to start the house hunt. Woo-hoo!

But don’t lose focus. Stay zoned in by making a list of features that make a home fit your budget, lifestyle and dreams—and stick to it throughout your house hunt. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Don’t compromise on location and layout. If you plan to be in this home for the long haul, an out-of-the-way neighborhood or a wacky floor plan is a deal breaker. Look for a community and layout that’ll suit your lifestyle now and for years to come.
• Think about how much space your family needs. While your budget has the final say about how much home you buy, you’ll want your dream home to fit your family’s needs through different life seasons.
• Consider the school districts. If you have or want kids, the quality of the nearby school districts is probably already on your mind. But even if you don’t have kids or you’re retired, keep in mind that having good schools nearby could increase your home’s value.
• Look for a house that’ll grow in value. Are home values rising in the area? Is the number of businesses going up? These factors can help you figure out whether your dream home will turn into a good investment.
• Count the costs. Want that fancy master bathroom with the multiple showerheads and the Jacuzzi tub? Be clear on what’s a must-have and what’s nice to have. And don’t forget, upgraded features like that will make your dream home more expensive.

Step 5: Be Picky and Patient

We know you’re anxious to get into those new digs, but be patient. Wait for the right house at the right time. Don’t spend your money on a less-than-ideal home just because you’re tired of looking.

The key is finding a good real estate agent who understands your budget and refuses to settle for “good enough.” They’re as committed to your dream as you are and will have your back throughout the entire process, no matter what it takes.

In addition to teaming up with a great real estate agent, you can take a couple of extra steps to make sure you’re ready to strike as soon as the right home comes up:

• Get preapproved for a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage. Having preapproved financing is a green flag for sellers—especially in multiple offer situations. And because this puts most of your information in the lender’s system, you’ll be on the fast track to closing once your offer is accepted. 
• Offer earnest money with your bid. Earnest money is a deposit to show you’re truly interested in a home. Usually it’s 1–2% of the home’s purchase price and it’s applied to your down payment or closing costs. Even if the deal falls through, you can almost always get most of it back.

Find a Real Estate Expert in Your Local Market

Now, you might be thinking you have some work to do before you’re ready to find your dream home. Or you may be realizing your years of hard work are about to pay off! Regardless, if you follow these steps, you’ll find the house you’ve always wanted and avoid a purchase you’ll regret.

Once you’re ready, connect with one of our RamseyTrusted real estate agents. These are high-performing agents who do business the Ramsey way and share your values so you can rest easy knowing the search for your dream home is in the right hands.

Find the only real estate agents in your area we trust, and start the hunt for your dream home!