A TOUCH OF SPARKLE
For glasses that gleam, fill a sink with plenty of hot (but not too hot) soapy water and add a dash of vinegar before washing them. Polish immediately afterwards with a soft cloth (preferably linen) to avoid water marks forming around the rims.
BARBEQUE...CLEANING
Degrease and clean barbecue grills by applying baking soda as a paste with a wire brush. Let set for 15 minutes, then wipe clean and let the grill fire burn away any residue before adding food to grill surface.
BRASS & COPPER...CLEANING
Wash with salt and buttermilk or vinegar and salt.
BURNT PANS...CLEANING
Fill the burnt pan with warm water, lay a new dryer sheet on top to soak overnight. In the morning the gunk should float away or be loose enough to scrape off.
BURNT PANS...CLEANING (2)
Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a pan with a burned bottom. Turn off the heat, add 1/2 cup baking soda, and let the pan sit overnight. It should clean up easily in the morning.
CANDLE WAX REMOVAL FROM TABLE LINEN
Candle wax on a table linen can be removed with vegetable oil, rub gently with oil and blot with paper towels, wash as usual.
CANDLE WAX REMOVAL FROM WOODEN TABLE
Candle wax on a table linen can be removed with vegetable oil, rub gently with oil and blot with paper towels, wash as usual.
CAT HAIR COLLECTING
Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.
CHANDELIER CLEANING
To clean a chandelier without taking the whole thing apart, try this -- fill a glass with one part alcohol to 3 parts water. Dip each pendant into the glass, then let the chandelier drip-dry. Be sure to have towels underneath.
CHROME CLEANER
Undiluted fresh lemon juice is just the thing to clean water spots and stains from your automobiles chrome.
CLEAN AND EXERCISE
Vacuuming works all sorts of muscles in the upper body. Window washing is great for toning arms and shoulders.
COFFEE STAIN...REMOVAL
To remove stains from china cups, sprinkle table salt on stain and rub with damp cloth or sponge.
CUCUMBER CLEANER...SQUEAKY HINGE
Out of WD40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber, slice and rub it along the problematic hinge and viola, the squeaks gone.
CUCUMBER CLEANER...MADE A MISTAKE WITH A PEN
Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of a cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing marks. Also works well on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls.
* Looking for a "green" way to clean your faucets sink or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean. Not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but it won't leave streaks and won't harm your fingers or fingernails while you clean.CUCUMBER CLEANER...CLEAN FAUCETS OR SINK
Looking for a "green" way to clean your faucets sink or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean. Not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but it won't leave streaks and won't harm your fingers or fingernails while you clean.
CUTTING BOARDS...CLEANING
Give cutting boards a regular, deep cleaning to keep them free from contamination. Spread baking soda over surface, then liberally with vinegar. Let the bubbles do their work.
DISHWASHER...CLEANS LOTS OF THINGS
Glass globes from light fixtures can be washed in dishwashers. Put on top shelf, making space between, use delicate, china or crystal cycle if available, skip heated/dry option, room will look brighter. Hairbrushes, combs, clips baretts can be put in a mesh lingere bag or dishwasher basket (after removing strands of hair) on top rack, run normal cycle. Do not use wood handles, or natural bristle brushes, water and heat will damage them.
DISHWASHER DETERGENT
Create your own dishwashing detergent by mixing baking soda with 2 tbsp borax.
DRYER FILTER
Clean dryer filter with a toothbrush to remove lint, then soak filter in vinegar overnight and rinse with water.
DUST CLOTHS
Old panty hose makes great dust cloths. The nylon has a lot of static cling and picks up dust nicely.
EGG OR DAIRY SOILED DISHES
Soak first in cold water, then wash in hot sudsy water. Cleans easier and better.
FOGGY WINDSHIELD
Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with eraser, works better than cloths.
GILT FRAMES...RENEWED
Gilt frames can be renewed if you clean them with a rag dampened with turpentine.
LEATHER BOUND BOOKS...RESTORATION
Leather bound books should be buffed occasionally with a bit of petroleum jelly. Rub it with a soft rag, let dry, then polish. It will restore the leather and not be sticky.
LEATHER CLEANING
To remove white water stains on leather, cover with a thick coat of petroleum jelly, leave in place for about a day, then wipe clean with soft cloth
LEMON JUICE
Did you know that lemon juice cleans piano keys and copper pots, brightens porcelain, absorbs odors, and removes lipstick and wine stains? Half a lemon, from which most of the juice has been squeezed, makes a fresh clean pad for faucets and sinks. Use with a little salt as an abrasive.
MICROWAVE...CLEANING
Boil a few spoonfuls of baking soda in a microwave safe cup with water for 3-5 minutes. The inside of the now damp walls of the microwave oven will be easy to wipe down with a sponge or paper towel.
PERMANENT MARKER REMOVAL
To remove permanent markers marks from appliances/counter tops use rubbing alcohol on a paper towel
POLISH BUILDUP ON FURNITURE
To Remove polish buildup from furniture use a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. Dip cloth into the solution, wring out well, then wipe the furiture dry with a soft cloth.
POT HOLDERS CLEANING
Pot holders will remain cleaner longer,if you spray them with starch. Greasy stains won't take hold as easily.
SHOWER DOORS...CLEANING
A damp used dryer sheet removes hard water stains and soap scum from shower doors.
SILVER...CLEANING
Make a paste of baking soda and water and let sit for 2 minutes then wash and polish
SOAP SCUM...DISSOLVINg
To dissolve soap scum from shower doors,clean with a sheet of Bounce.
SPRING CLEANING
Before you start to vacuum, put a few drops of lemon juice into the dust bag. It will make the house smell fresher.
Yellowed linens can be brightened with denture cleaning tablets. Dissolve tablets (according to package direction) in a sink or wash basin of warm water. Add the stained linens and soak until the discoloration is gone.
STAIN REMOVAL (Bathtub light stains)
Remove light stains from bathtubs and sinks with a cut lemon.
STAIN REMOVAL (Bathtub dark stains)
To remove dark stains from a bathtub,use a paste of borax and lemon juice.
STAIN REMOVAL (Beer on tablecloth)
To get beer stains off your good tablecloths, mix a solution of equal parts vinegar and dish washing liquid, rinse with warm water, then launder as usual.
STAIN REMOVAL (Chocolate)
Wash in very hot water. If the stain persists, treat for regular greasy stains. To remove regular greasy stains such as butter, gravy oils etc., put garment, stain side down onto a thick towel try club soda or sponge with percholorethylene, launder as usual following this treatment.
STAIN REMOVAL (COOKING PANS/BAKING SHEETS)
If your cookie sheets or baking pans are stained, clean them with hot soapy water and a little ammonia, wipe dry, then rub with a pinch of salt and wipe dry with a dry cloth
STAIN REMOVAL (General)
Most of what you will need for stain removal is probably on your laundry room shelf already or in your kitchen or bathroom. (I have a bottle in each of these places). Keep handy a bottle filled with 2 parts water to one part RUBBING alcohol. This solution will remove many different kinds of stains. In fact, it is the base for many commerical stain removers.
STAIN REMOVAL (Red Wine)
Soak excess as soon as possible with water or white wine. Sprinkle with salt before rinsing with cold water or soda water. Wash as normal. If you are particularly prone to spilling red wine, buy a specalist cleaner.
STAIN REMOVAL (Salad Dressing)(6/15)
Spilled salad dressing on your shirt or sweater. Rub stain with dish soap and then rinse with warm water
STAIN REMOVAL (Tea)
To remove stains from china cups, sprinkle table salt on stain and rub with damp cloth or sponge.
STAINLESS STEEL SINKING FEELING?
If your stainless steel sink is looking a bit dull, rub the surface gently with a scrunged up ball of newspaper or sprinkle it with baking powder, scrub and rinse off.
STAINS...Pans
Boil pans with grapefruit juice or lemon for about 30 mins
TOOTHBRUSH...USES
Instead of throwing old toothbrushes out, they can be used for: 1-cleaning jewelry, 2-de-greasing bicycle parts.
VARNISHED FLOORS CLEANING
Rub varnished floors with cold tea to clean and shine
VASE CLEANING
Drop 2 Alka Seltzer tablets in a vase or cruet, fill with water to remove the stain in the bottom.
WASHING TIPS
Paint remover -- Use pine-sol or any pine based cleaner on clothes spotted with dried on latex paint. Apply directly to each spot, then wash Stain Remover -- Tie a knot in a sleeve or pant leg to remind you that it needs special washing care.
WAX REMOVAL
To remove old wax from glass candle holders, put the candle holder in your freezer for a few hours. Then take candle holder out and turn it upside down. The wax will fall out.
WHITE RINGS ON GLASSES
Your guests go home but the white rings from their wet glasses remain. Make a thin paste of salad oil and salt. Using your fingers, gently massage the mixture into the ring. Let sit for an hour or so then wipe clean with a clean cloth or cover the ring with petroleum jelly. Let sit for a day and then wipe off.
WINDOW CLEANING STREAKS
Clean one side of the window with up and down strokes, then work from side to side on the reverse side. This makes it easy to notice and remove any remaining streaks.
WINDOWS & MIRRORS CLEANING
Clean windows and mirrors with coffee filters. They are lint free so they leave windows sparkling.
WD40 THE WONDER CLEANING LUBRICANT
19 - Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles, lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
18 - Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
17 - Removes splattered grease on stoves.
16 - Gives floors that just waxed sheen without making them slippery.
15 - Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
14 - Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
13 - Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close
12 - Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades and other tools.
11 - Keeps pigeons off the balcony. (they hate the smell)
10 - Cleans and lubricates guitar strings
9 - Removes stains from stainless steel sinks
8 - Removes tomato stains from clothing
7 - Loosens stubborn Zippers (I am not going there)
6 - Lubricates noisy door hinges in homes and vehicles
5 - Removes lipstick stains quickly
4 - Keeps scissors working smoothly
3 - Removes dirt and grime from B.B.Qs
2 - Keeps flies off cows (this one is for Tammy)
1 - Protects silver from tarnishing
