Cleaning Tips

Did you know that basic household ingredients can produce great cleaning results? Here is a sampling.

l. Ammonia - cuts grease, strips the wax off floors, and cleans windows
2. Baking soda - cleans, deodorizes, scours, polishes, and removes stains
3. Bleach - whitens practically anything and removes mold and mildew
4. Borax - alternative for bleach, deodorizes, prevents mold, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap
5. Cornstarch - cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs
6. Ketchup - cleans copper
7. Lemon juice - cuts grease and stains on aluminum and porcelain, whitens
8. Salt - makes an abrasive, but gentle, scouring powder
9. Vegetable oil - a furniture polish
l0. Washing soda - cuts grease & disinfects
l1. White vinegar - cleans windows, shines metal surfaces, removes mildew, stains, grease and wax buildup
l2. Ceramic tile cleaner - use a combination of 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup white vinegar, one gallon warm water, and one cup ammonia
l3. Furniture polish - combine 1 teaspoon lemon juice w. 1 pint mineral or vegetable oil
l4. Mold growth prohibitor - dilute 3/4 cup chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water and apply to affected areas or apply full-strength white vinegar
l5. Oven cleaner - fill a small glass bowl with 1/2 cup full-strength ammonia, place in oven and close. Let stand overnight.
16. Painted wall and woodwork cleaner - combine 1/4 cup ammonia with 1 gallon warm water OR combine l/4 cup liquid dish detergent with 1 gallon water
l7. Scouring powder - combine baking soda with a touch of salt
l8. Toilet bowl cleaner - combine baking soda and vinegar or use 1/2 cup chlorine bleach
l9. Window or mirror cleaner - Combine 3 Tablespoons ammonia, 1 Tablespoon white vinegar and 3/4 cup of water or 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1 quart of water. Wipe dry with newspaper.