Have you ever wondered what people used to clean their house
before so many different kinds of cleaning products were so
readily available on the market? Many of these ideas are not new
and have been around for a long time.
I have made every attempt to only include instructions that
include easy to find, relatively inexpensive ingredients.
Please use a little caution and a lot of common sense when trying
these preparations out:
Instead of buying expensive antibacterial sprays for the kitchen,
just put about 1 tablespoon of household bleach in a spray bottle
filled with water and use it to disinfect around the sink and
counters, especially when you've been handling or packaging meat.
When your drain is clogged with grease, try pouring a cup of salt
and a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a generous
amount of boiling water. This will usually dissolve the grease
and clear the drain.
Use a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol, club soda, or white
vinegar to give your stainless steel a brilliant shine.
Club soda makes a good instant spot remover. Pour a little on
the stain, let it set for a second or two, and blot with a damp
sponge.
A mixture of 1/2 cup mild dishwashing liquid and 2 cups boiling
water makes a great spot remover for carpets. Apply with a damp
sponge.
Black marks left on your floors from the heels of your shoes can
be removed with a pencil eraser.
Water rings or spots can be removed from wood furniture with a
mixture of toothpaste and baking soda applied with a damp cloth.
To clean all types of wood work, make a mixture of 2 tablespoons
vegetable oil, 4 tablespoons white vinegar, and 1 quart warm
water. Apply with a soft cloth and dry with a separate, clean
cloth.
To clean the stubborn stains in your bathtub, make a paste of
hydrogen peroxide and cream of tarter. Use a toothbrush to rub
it into the stains and rinse thoroughly.
Originally published at Suite 101. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to organize your home, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.
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