Cleaning Tips

Here is a sampling of how certain household ingredients can aid in cleaning. Keep in mind that some people with allergies cannot tolerate the smell of ammonia or bleach.

AMMONIA - Cuts grease , strips the wax off floors and cleans windows.

BAKING SODA - Cleans, deodorizes , scours , polishes , and removes stains.

BLEACH ( sodium hydrochloride) Whitens practically anything and removes mold ,       mildew , and disinfects and deodorizes at the same time.

ABOUT CHLORINE BLEACH

  MYTH - Chlorine and liquid bleach are one in the same.
  
  FACT - Actually they aren't! The term chlorine bleach is actually a misnomer. What's in the bottle is sodium hydrochloride , the active ingredient in liquid bleach . Although chlorine is used to manufacture sodium hydrochloride , there is no free chlorine in bleach.

BORAX - Alternative for bleach , deodorizes , prevents mold , removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap.

CORN STARCH - Cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs .

KETCHUP - Cleans copper.

LEMON JUICE - Cuts grease and stains on aluminum and porcelain , whitens.

SALT - Makes an abrasive , but gentle , scouring powder.

VEGETABLE OIL - A furniture polish.

WASHING SODA - Cuts grease and disinfects.

WHITE VINEGAR - Cleans windows , shines metal surfaces , removes mildew , stains , and wax buildup.

Sometimes combining some of the above ingredients creates better cleaners ,

but remember : " NEVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA TOGETHER"

* Get Rid of Crayon Marks*    To get crayon marks off of walls , take a soft cloth and some WD-40 . Spray the cloth with the WD-40 and wipe the spot. The oil gets absorbed into the cloth , while the other ingredients work on the wax from the crayon. Works on painted or paper surfaces.

* Get Rid Of Odors *    To eliminate household odors from cooking and smoking , fill a bowl (or small container) with Cotton balls , pour in vinegar and place in a out of way area. Keep one in every room , and repeat the process every week.

* Removing Carpet Stains*    I have found that club soda works really well in taking stains out of my white Berber carpet. Every stain I have used it on has come out.

* Clean Spots From Carpet*    When cleaning carpet that has stains of grease , mud , salsa , etc. , always spray cleaning solution around the spot or stain first , rather than directly on it . By circling it first ,this will stop the spot from spreading outward as would have happened if you sprayed directly onto the spot to be cleaned. The spot will not have a dry area to absorb it as it dissolves , thus allowing it to be absorbed with a dry sponge.

*Keep Sinks Sparkling*    Mineral oil will make your sink shinny but why go out and buy another product? Just spray sinks with your furniture cleaner.  The cleaner will make sinks shine , and the water will not spot your sink. So easy and handy!