HOUSEHOLD TIPS
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Homemade Cleaners
Glass Cleaner
1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 quart water
Oven Cleaner
1/4 cup ammonia, 2 cups warm water
Furniture Polish
1 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup lemon juice
Homemade Scouring Powder
1 cup baking soda, 1 cup borax, 1 cup salt
Drain Cleaner
I cup baking soda, Add 1 cup hot vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then flush the drain with 1 quart of very hot water.
For garbage disposals, use 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar.
Automatic Dishwasher Powder
Use 2 Tablespoons baking soda and 2 Tablespoons borax per load.
Coffeemaker Cleaner
You never want to use soap to clean a coffee machine because it leaves a film that affects the coffee taste! Instead mix equal parts of white vinegar and water and run through the machine. Let it run through its cycle, then refill with clean water, and repeat. A once per month cleaning should be sufficient unless you have extremely hard-water. There the mineral buildup inside your coffee maker is more of a problem.
Drip Coffee Maker Cleaner
Mix 1 cup warm water and 1/4 cup baking soda. Let it drip through the coffee maker. Then drip a pot of plain water to rinse. It will keep your coffee maker clean and fresh.
Teapot Cleaner
To remove rust stains and mineral deposits, fill the teapot with water and add 2 Tablespoons of baking soda and the juice of half a lemon. Boil gently for 15 minutes. Rinse and repeat if needed.
Microwave Cleaning
Make a cleaning solution of 4 Tablespoons of baking soda to 1 quart of warm water. Use it to clean the inside surfaces of the oven, or place a few spoonfuls of baking soda in water in a microwave safe cup. Boil the water 3-5 minutes. The walls of the microwave will be damp. Simply take a sponge or paper towel and wipe down the insides of the oven.
Unclog Gas Stoves
To unclog burners on a gas stove, simply add 1/4 box of baking soda to 2 quarts of water and boil for a few minutes.
Easy Toilet Cleaner
Sprinkle 1/2 box of baking soda into the toilet tank once a month. Let it stand overnight before flushing. The tank and the bowl will be both clean and deodorized.
Economical Air Freshener
Simply mix equal parts of baking soda with your favorite perfumed bath salts. Put it in a soap dish or in small sachet bags wherever you would like to freshen the air.
Economical Carpet Deodorizer
Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/2 cup of cornstarch, and 15 drops of essential oil fragrance for scent. Sprinkle on the rugs before bedtime and let it sit overnight. If
you like, you can work it into the carpet the next morning with a stiff bristle brush or broom, then vacuum.
Laundry Booster
Add 1/2 cup baking soda to the washing machine along with your usual amount of liquid laundry soap. It will make whites whiter and colors brighter.
( NOTE: It doesn't work with powdered laundry detergents! ).
Clean Brushes and Combs
Fill sink with hot water and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Watch the dirt and oil dissolve away!
Underarm Deodorant
Sprinkle under your arms, even after shaving. It won't irritate your skin. If you prefer a smoother textured deodorant, mix it with a little talcum powder.
Clean Glasses
Hold your eyeglasses over a sink and sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on them. With wet fingers, gently rub the lenses. Rinse clean and dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Paint Brushes
To restore brushes stiffened and hardened by paint, simply boil them in a solution of 1/2 gallon of water mixed with 1/4 cup vinegar and 1 cup of baking soda.
Nontoxic Pesticide
Put baking soda under sinks near pipe openings and along basement windows to repel ants, silver fish and roaches. Roaches will dehydrate and die after eating baking soda.
In the Garden
Occasionally, lightly sprinkle baking soda around flowerbeds to prevent rabbits from nibbling at your buds. Sprinkle baking soda on slugs to get rid of them without having to resort to costly and toxic pesticides. To sweeten your tomatoes by reducing their acidity, sprinkle baking soda lightly on the soil around your tomato plants. The soda from an old box used to absorb odors in the refrigerator is fine for this purpose.
Cleaning woks
Never scrub a wok, you will ruin it. Woks have tiny grooves designed to trap oil so the food won't stick and to prime the metal. Wipe wok with damp cloth and reapply oil after each use.
Barbecue Grills
Blend bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and vinegar, brush over grill and leave till next BBQ session, then rinse and use.
Remove Lime From Kettle
Boil 1/2 cup vinegar and water in the kettle and rinse.
Clean Phones
Use rubbing alcohol on a cloth.
Cloudy Glass
If cloudy glass will not decloud, lay potato peelings on the cloudy spots and leave overnight, then clean.
Cleaning Oily Bottles
Fill the bottle with a little ash and place in a pan of cold water, slowly heat the bottle in the pan, simmer for 20 minutes and let cool. Rinse with vinegar water. Or try this for a really amazing cleaner: 5 or 6 drops of tea tree oil mixed with a little vinegar and hot water. Swish, and watch the oil coagulate into little balls. Rinse once or twice .
If your cups and mugs get stained with tea and coffee,rub toothpaste over the mark. Let stand for a while and then rub off, the mark should be gone.
Fresh Grease Spills
Put salt or baking soda on the fresh spill and let sit a bit and wipe right up.
To remove grease marks from tiles,get a piece of newspaper and rub over them.They will come up lovely and bright.
Keeping Flowers Fresh
To make your flowers last longer stand them in lemonade instead of water.If you do not have lemonade then put some sugar in the normal water.The flowers will stay fresh longer.
Cleaning Wooden Chopping Blocks
If you have wooden chopping blocks, you must give them special care. Protect them from spills by coating with a thin film of olive oil and letting it soak in for a few minutes. Then rub dry with a paper towel or lint-free cloth. Repeat several times.
Do not use board for 24 hrs. after oiling.
To remove stains, sand lightly with a fine grade sandpaper and re-oil.
To remove onion, garlic or other odors, rub with a slice of lemon or orange, sprinkle lightly with salt and wipe immediately with paper towel or soft lint-free cloth.
Musty Odors
Trying to get some musty odors out of your sealed up house? Place a couple pieces of charcoal in inconspicuous areas around the house to absorb and eliminate odors. For a very strong odor, try leaving a bowl or two of vinegar in that particular area for several days!
Iron Cleanout
If your steam iron no longer steams, it might be clogged with mineral deposits. Try cleaning with vinegar in the water reservoir, then set the iron flat on an oven rack, plug the iron in, with the setting at “STEAM.” By the time the vinegar is steamed out, your iron should be clean.
Chewing Gum Removal
Your best bet getting gum off items is to place a piece of ice ( in a plastic bag) and try to harden the gum. You can also put the stained article in the freezer. Use a dull edged object to scrape away as much gum as possible. Any remaining stain can be removed with some cleaning fluid or turpentine.
Cleaning Ivory Piano Keys
To clean your ivory piano keys, dip a slice of lemon in some salt and rub keys gently. When dry, wipe gently with a damp cloth and buff. If you put a piece of cardboard between the adjacent keys you can stop some seepage of the lemon.
Cleaning Miniblinds
To clean your miniblinds easily, fill the tub with dish detergent , a little ammonia and enough water to cover the blinds. Leave the blinds in sudsy water about 20 minutes. They will soak clean. Empty the tub, rinsing the blinds with the showerhead. Then air dry the blinds right in the tub or outside if its a nice day.
Odor Buster Hints
1. If you have plastic bowls or dishes that smell simply make a paste of baking soda and water and rub all over the surface. Let set overnight then rinse well.
2. If the sink in your kitchen or bathroom smells, give this a try: put in 1/2 cup baking soda and then follow with 1 cup of cheap household vinegar. Let it foam and bubble, then follow by running cold water for at least 30 seconds or longer. If there is a sink that is seldom used, pour in some plain old vinegar to kill the bacteria that causes the bad smell.
3. If your cutting board smells from onions, garlic or even fish, pour on a little vinegar, let it set a minute or two, wipe, rinse, and the odor should be gone. If your hands have also absorbed the odor, rub them together with vinegar and rinse. You can also use mouthwash or toothpaste as deodorizer.
4. Don't waste your money on commercial potpourri! Here's the Heloise formula to cook up your very own refreshing and cleansing citrus deodorizer. Fill a large pot with water and simply add any citrus (lemon is wonderful as are orange and grapefruit) rind or even slices or leftover wedges. Put in some cinnamon sticks (or a dash of cinnamon) and then simmer on low heat. You can spice this up by adding apple peels or slices, other spices such as nutmeg or allspice, and even a peppermint stick or candy.
CAUTION: Do not leave this on the stove unattended and don't let it boil dry.
Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.
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