Helpful Hints - Cleaning
~Oven
To clean up spills, sprinkle immediately with salt. When the oven is cooled off, brush away the burnt on food with a damp sponge. Or sprinkle with automatic dishwashing powder, cover with wet paper towels, let it stand for a few hours, then clean with a damp sponge.
~ Refrigerator
To eliminate smelly odors keep an open box of baking soda (most everyone knows that) or a piece of cotton dipped in vanilla extract in your fridge. To prevent mildew wipe down the inside occasionally with white vinegar. To clean underneath the fridge, tie a sock around the end of a yardstick and go at it!
~Dishwasher
Dip a damp rag in baking soda to clean up any inside spots. For odors, sprinkle baking soda in the bottom and let it stand overnight.
~ Blenders & such
Fill the container halfway with hot water & a couple of drops of dish detergent. Cover and blend; rinse and dry.
~ Electric can opener
Loosen dirt with a toothbrush & run a paper towel through the cutting assembly. Then spray with non-stick vegetable spray.
~ Sink
For a shiny white sink, cover with paper towels saturated in bleach. Let stand for 30 minutes; then rinse thoroughly with cool water. To dissolve grease in a clogged drain, pour 1 cup salt and 1 cup baking soda down the drain followed by a large amount of boiling water.
~ Stainless steel sinks
You can make them really shine with club soda or white vinegar. After normal use wipe with a damp cloth and dry with a soft cloth. To deep clean, wipe with a solution of ammonia and water or dish detergent and water. Dry thoroughly to avoid spots. Treat rust marks by rubbing with lighter fluid. Then wipe clean with a liquid cleaner.
~Pots & pans
To clean copper pots: Fill a spray bottle with vinegar & 3 tablespoons of salt. Spray on the copper, let stand for a while, then rub clean. For burnt on stains, sprinkle pots liberally with baking soda & add just enough water to moisten. Let stand for 3 hours, then lift the burned food right out of the pan! Clean your thermos by adding a few tablespoons of baking soda & filling with warm water. Let stand; rinse thoroughly.
~ Glassware & dishes
Before washing crystal or fine china, put a towel in the sink to cushion the pieces. When 2 glasses are stuck together, fill the top one with cold water and dip the bottom one in hot water. Scratches on glassware will disappear if you polish them with toothpaste. Quickly remove food that is stuck in casserole dish by filling it with boiling water & 2 Tbs of baking soda or salt. Neat!
~ Miscellaneous
Rubber spatula: Trim off the tattered edges for a few more uses!
Broken egg on the floor: Douse it with salt, wait 5 minutes then sweep it right up!
Steel wool pads won't get rusty if you throw them in a plastic bag and store in the freezer.
~The Bathroom
~ Shower: To wash a shower curtain, fill the washing machine with warm water and two large bath towels. Add 1/2 cup each of detergent and baking soda. Then wash, adding 1 cup white vinegar to the rinse cycle. Do not spin dry or wash vinegar out. Hang immediately and wrinkles will disappear when completely dry. To prevent mildew from forming on new shower curtains, soak in salt water before hanging for the first time. A toothbrush and any spray cleaner works wonders on shower door runners.
~Toilet: To remove toilet rings, flush to wet sides and apply a paste of borax and lemon juice. Let sit for 2 hours, then scrub. Also Lime-Away is truly the best toilet and tub cleaner, gets ANY stain out!
~Fixture cleaners: For chrome faucets or fixtures, try rubbing alcohol for a super shine.
~Miscellaneous: To remove hairspray film from mirrors, wipe with rubbing alcohol.
To create a fresh, clean aroma in the bathroom, toss a sheet of fabric softener in the wastebasket. Or dab a bit of perfume on a lightbulb. It floods the room with scent when the light is turned on.
windows & Walls
Use vertical strokes when washing outside windows and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Don't wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too fast and probably streak. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean.
~Blinds or shades
Clean venetian or mini blinds by saturating a cloth with rubbing alcohol and wrapping it around a rubber spatula to clean both a bottom and a top slat at the same time.
walls
For an all purpose cleaner for painted walls, mix 1 cup ammonia, 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 gallon warm water. Wash thoroughly and rinse. Wear rubber gloves. Crayon: Rub lightly with a dry, soap filled steel wool pad.
wallpaper
Clean marks with a paste of cornstarch and water. Apply to spots, let dry, brush off and repeat if necessary. Apply baby powder to a clean powder puff; rub into grease spot until it disappears. For cracking plaster, mix Elmer's glue and baking soda into a paste. Rub into cracks with fingers.
~Laundry
Your best bet is to start with a clean washing machine, so fill the washer with warm water and pour in a gallon of distilled vinegar. Run through an entire cycle. The vinegar cleans the hoses and cleans away soap scum. A paste of vinegar and baking soda will remove dirt and mildew from clothes.
Blood: Cover stain with meat tenderizer. Add cool water to form a paste. Let stand 15 to 30 minutes, then sponge off with cool water.
Mildew: Dampen with lemon juice and salt. Dry in the sun. Grass: Sponge with denatured alcohol before washing. Wash in hot suds.
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