Cleaning Tips

Here are some helpful tips form Mary Hunt. I do use several of these when cleaning. I use shampoo for ring around the collar and for getting grease out of clothes. It really does work great!

I use baking soda to clean my stove glass top. Only use when when the stove is cold, not hot. I sprinkle baking soda on the glass top close to the 'rings' of dirt or grease. Then I wet my fingers and start to rub the baking soda into those 'rings' out. The baking soda becomes like a rubbing paste that will remove the rings of dirt off your stove top. You will be amazed at how this works! It will work your fingers depending on how much dirt or grime you have.

I gotten these tips from Mary Huntis the creator of Debt-Proof Living newsletter.

Alternative uses for hair conditioner:
-- Zippers will glide easily when you rub a little conditioner on the teeth.
-- Hair conditioner works for softening leather. But be cautious: Light-colored leather may darken, so test this first in an inconspicuous place.
-- Apply hair conditioner to the guide tracks of a stubborn window to help it open and shut easier.
-- Apply a small amount of conditioner to your garden tools to prevent rust.
-- Use hair conditioner as a substitute for shaving cream. Try this and you may never go back, as conditioner allows for a very close shave and leaves the skin silky soft.
-- To soften dry cuticles, rub in and leave on a little conditioner.
-- Rub a little conditioner on a bandage to ease removal.
-- Apply a light coat of hair conditioner to hands before painting or working on a car. You'll have a much easier time washing up later.
-- Hair conditioner removes dirt from your nails much easier than hand soap.
Alternative uses for shampoo:
-- Shampoo is formulated to remove oil from hair, so it works perfectly to remove the oily dirt rings on shirt collars. Simply apply as you would any stain pretreatment. This is especially handy when traveling.
-- In a pinch, you can wash your dishes in the kitchen sink with shampoo (not in the automatic dishwasher, however). It's perfect for camping, too, because shampoo is biodegradable.
-- Pour one tablespoon of shampoo under a running tap in the bathtub for a bubble bath.
-- A dab of shampoo works great as a hand-washing liquid.
-- Add two tablespoons of shampoo to a bucket of water and soap up your car. It will not harm the paint or the environment.
-- Add a tablespoon of shampoo to a sink or container of warm water to soak hairbrushes and combs. Shampoo cuts through sebum oil and will leave your brushes clean and fresh.
HEAVY-DUTY WINDOW CLEANER: Mix 1/2 cup household ammonia, 2 cups rubbing alcohol and 1 teaspoon liquid Dawn (the original blue variety). Mix ammonia, alcohol and detergent in 1-gallon jug. Fill with warm water. Shake before each use. This solution is great for cleaning really dirty windows and taking tape marks off windows; it's also great for removing soap film from shower doors.
DISINFECTING CLEANER: Mix household ammonia and rubbing alcohol together in equal proportions in a spray bottle. Label and keep out of reach of children. This is a very strong cleaner, so make sure you have ample ventilation when using. Wear gloves.
ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/2 cup vinegar, 4 drops liquid dishwashing soap and 1/4 cup baking soda into 1 gallon of warm water. Mix well and dispense with a spray bottle.
TUB-AND-TILE CLEANER a terrific homemade version of Soft Scrub. In a small bowl, mix together 1-2/3 cups baking soda with 1/2 cup of dishwashing liquid (like Joy). Dilute with 1/2 cup water, and add 2 tablespoons white vinegar. Stir with a fork until smooth and all the lumps are gone. Pour into a 16-ounce squeeze container with a squirt flip-top cap (like a ketchup bottle or similar). Shake well before each use. Keep capped tightly between uses. Hint: Rinse the flip-top cap after each use so it won't get clogged.
CLEANER FOR PAINTED CABINETS: Mix 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 cup ammonia, 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1 gallon warm water. Pour into a spray bottle. Wash cabinets with a sponge and this solution. Rinse with a clean sponge and water. Wipe cabinets dry completely.
BALLPOINT-PEN INK: Hair spray works great! Spray the spot and wash.. might have to rewash.
CRAYON: Place the garment stain-side down on a stack of paper towels. Spray with WD-40 and let sit for five minutes. Flip garment over and spray again. Rinse well. Rub liquid dish soap into the stain. Rinse again. If any stain remains, apply a stick or spray stain remover and machine wash.
GLUE, GUM, STICKERS: Remove as much as possible with a dull knife or a spoon. To make it easier to remove gum, first rub an ice cube over it to freeze it. Apply WD-40 to loosen any remaining residue, then scrape it off and rinse. Rub in liquid detergent to remove any leftover stain. Machine wash.
PAINT: Wipe off dried acrylic or water-based paint residue with a paper towel. Sponge on a solution of laundry detergent and warm water. Once the paint has softened, remove as much as possible with a dull knife or a spoon. Rinse and repeat until most of the stain has been removed. Machine wash. To remove fresh latex paint from carpet, soak with dish detergent diluted with 20 parts water. Then agitate, blot, rinse and blot again. It will remove old, dried paint, but be careful. Lacquer thinner can also melt certain kinds of carpet, so test first.
CHALK STAINS: Shake out or vacuum up any loose chalk particles. Place the garment stain-side down on a stack of paper towels, and blot the back of the stain with a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol. Rinse. Rub liquid dish soap into any leftover stain and let sit for several minutes. Machine wash.
GRASS: Apply Soilove or Stain Out, and rub gently into the stain. Let sit for five minutes, then wash with detergent and Clorox bleach (whites) or Clorox 2 (colors) in the hottest water safe for the fabric.
PERSPIRATION, DEODORANTS: If the stain has caused a color change, try to restore the color by using ammonia on fresh stains or vinegar on old ones. Do not use ammonia or vinegar with liquid bleach.
RESOURCES: Go to www.wd40.com for hundreds of uses for WD-40. Find Soilove on supermarket shelves in California and Arizona, or online at www.soapsgonebuy.com. Biz Bleach, Axion and Clorox 2 are in the laundry-products aisle

Blessings
Sherry