Showing posts with label cleaning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cleaning. Show all posts

5.10.2011

i love vinegar.

top 10 reasons why:


1. Make your fresh flowers last longer.  Add two tablespoons of vinegar plus three tablespoons of sugar per quart of warm water. Stems should be in three to four inches of water.

2. Eliminate animal urine stains from carpet. Blot up urine with a soft cloth, flush several times with lukewarm water, and then apply a mixture of equal parts vinegar and cool water. Blot up, rinse, and let dry. (I’ve never had to do this because my dog is perfect and has never peed in the house)


3. Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons to bath water.

4. Remove that icky musty smell from towels and workout clothes. Add a cup of vinegar to the last rinse water. The acid in vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics but strong enough to dissolve the alkalis in soaps and detergents.

5. Get your dishes to sparkle. Clean the dishwasher by running a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.

6. Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal by making vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through.

7. Non-Toxic cleaning for the bathroom. Remove soap scum, mildew, and grime from bathtub, tile, and shower curtains. Simply wipe the surface with Vinegar and rinse with water.

8. Deodorize the air. Vinegar is a natural air freshener when sprayed in a room.
Make your furniture look new again.

9. Remove stubborn rings resulting from wet glasses being placed on wood furniture by rubbing with a mixture of equal parts of distilled vinegar and olive oil. Rub with the grain and then polish for the best results.

10. Feel good recipe. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, with a bit of honey added for flavor, will take the edge off your appetite and give you an overall healthy feeling.


(not to mention the fact that it is very cheap and good for the environment)

9.14.2010

this is worth sharing


Quite possibly one of my favorite things to clean with is vinegar; it is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and very economical. It also kills most mold, bacteria and germs. Which makes me very happy. So when I stumbled upon this article I figured it is worth sharing...another non-toxic, economical, and versatile cleaning agent!


40 Ways to Clean Using Baking Soda

1. Clean baby toys safely: dissolve 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart water and use the solution to wipe down toys with a sponge, rinse, and dry.

2. Get bathroom floors sparkling: mix ½ cup baking soda in a bucket of warm water, mop, and rinse.

3. Deodorize trash cans: dust a bit of baking soda over the can every now and then, and then when you empty it, rinse the canister with 1 cup baking soda to 1 gallon water.

4. Deodorize drains: sprinkle ½ cup baking soda down the drain while running warm water.

5. Refresh carpets: shake a bit of baking soda over the carpet before you vacuum to get out any lingering stinkiness.

6. Clean tile floors: add ½ cup baking soda to a bucket of warm water, mop, rinse.

7. Clean walls and furniture: sprinkle a bit of baking soda onto a damp sponge and apply directly to walls and furniture—it even works to get out crayon stains!

8. Refresh sheets and towels: add ½ cup baking soda to the rinse cycle to help get linens extra clean and fluffy.

9. To deodorize post-spill: after you’ve cleaned a spill off your upholstery and the area is completely dry, sprinkle the spot with baking soda, let sit for 15 minutes, and vacuum to neutralize any odors.

10. Clean ashtrays: sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of an ashtray to get out the smoky smell.

11. Clean camping and fishing gear: wipe gear down with a solution of 4 tablespoons baking soda to 1 quart water.

12. Freshen up gym bags: just dust some baking soda directly on the bag to deodorize it.

13. Keep closets smelling good: leave a box open in a corner of your closet to mitigate lingering smells.

14. Make sure the recycling bin is fresh: sprinkle baking soda periodically over both the bin and its contents to drive away the stink.

15. Stave off refrigerator grossness: leave an open box in the fridge and swap it out monthly.

16. Clean countertops: apply baking soda to a clean damp sponge or cloth for wiping down food prep areas.

17. Clean produce: dust baking soda directly onto fresh fruits and veggies to get off lingering dirt. Scrub with a vegetable brush or clean sponge before rinsing.

18. Get silver sparkling: make a paste with 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub onto sterling or silver-plated flatware and dishes with a clean cloth, then rinse.

19. Get your microwave spic and span: apply baking soda to a clean damp sponge to wipe down the interior and exterior of your microwave.

20. Clean Tupperware: scrub down plastic containers with baking soda, and for stubborn stains, let them soak in a mixture of 4 tablespoons baking soda to 1 part water.

21. Clean the coffeemaker: give coffeemakers (and mugs) a thorough scrub with ¼ baking soda to 1 quart water.

22. Deodorize the dishwasher: sprinkle a handful of baking soda on the bottom of the machine to absorb food odors before your next load.

23. Clean sponges: to get out the musty smell, soak sponges in 4 tablespoons baking soda with 1 quart warm water.

24. Clean pots and pans: to help lift stubborn baked-on foods, shake on a hearty amount of baking soda, add dish detergent and hot water and let sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing.

25. Get dishes sparkling: add 2 big tablespoons of baking soda to your regular dish detergent to cut the grease and foods left on your tableware.

26. Remove tea stains on teapots: soak stained teapot in ¼ cup baking soda and 1 quart warm water overnight before washing.

27. Laundry booster: add a cup of baking soda to your laundry load to help brighten clothes.

28. Clean grills: for tough, greasy stains, scrubs grills with a wire brush and a paste made of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part warm water, then rinse well.

29. Get gunk and mildew off pool toys: use ¼ cup baking soda with 1 quart warm water and wipe down plastic and vinyl pool toys.

30. Clean patio furniture: before you store it for the season, scrub lawn chairs with baking soda and a wet sponge. You can also sprinkle baking soda underneath cushions every so often to keep them fresh.

31. Deodorize your dog: to keep Fido smelling fresh between baths, sprinkle fur with a bit of baking soda before brushing it through.

32. Remove grease and oil stains in the garage: dump some baking soda directly onto the spot and scrub with a wet brush.

33. Wash your car: mix ¼ cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water and use the solution to clean chrome, windows, tires, vinyl seats and floor mats without scratches.

34. Clean hairbrushes and combs: remove oil and produce buildup by letting brushes and combs soak in a sink full of warm water and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Rinse and let dry.

35. Refresh stinky sneakers: sprinkle baking soda inside the shoes to soak up sweat and odors.

36. Clean retainers and dentures: let them soak in a glass full of warm water and 2 teaspoons baking soda.

37. Clean stuffed animals: dust baking soda onto stuffed animals, let it sit for 15 minutes, then dust off.

38. As a shampoo booster: sprinkle a little baking soda into your palm along with your favorite shampoo to help get out residue from styling products.

39. Deodorize baby bottles: fill bottle with warm water and add 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Shake, rinse, and clean thoroughly.

40. Clean pet toys: scrub down plastic chew toys with 4 tablespoons baking soda to 1 quart warm water.


Sources: armandhammer.com; thefarm.org; thenewhomemaker.com