Its TIme To Clean

 

 

This week is a great week to get started on spring cleaning as you will also be participating in national cleaning week which is the 4th week of March. Now don't worry as this day is not the only cleaning day of the week. As there are other upcoming days that will help you start cleaning. April 7th is the day to Let Someone Else clean if you simply don't have the time to do it yourself. But today is the day to start cleaning up after the long hard winter and prepare for spring. Not only will your environment look good but you will feel good about yourself and your home.

 

It is also a great time to start spiffing up the outside as well. Pull out the grill, prepare to plant your flowers in those treasured pots, and get those tools ready for spring planting. Finish up the chores that you did not get done last fall before the weather got cold.

 

 

 

 

Make your own cleaners

WARNING: Never mix cleaning products containing bleach and ammonia as dangerous fumes will result.

OVEN CLEANER

2 tablespoons dishwashing liquid

2 teaspoons borax

1/4 cup ammonia

1-1/2 cups warm water

Mix the ingredients together, apply to oven spills, and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Scrub with an abrasive nylon-backed sponge and rinse well.

Scrubbing hand GENERAL-PURPOSE CLEANER

1 teaspoon borax

1/2 teaspoon washing soda

2 teaspoons vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid

2 cups hot water

Combine all the ingredients. If you don't have washing soda (generally found in the laundry section of supermarkets), use 1 teaspoon baking soda instead. For a more pleasant smell, use lemon juice instead of vinegar. Be sure to label the bottle accordingly.

EASY SCRUB

3/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup borax

dishwashing liquid

Combine the baking soda and borax. Mix in enough dishwashing liquid to make a smooth paste. If you prefer a pleasant smell, add 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice to the paste.

HEAVY-DUTY DISINFECTANT CLEANER

1/4 cup powdered laundry detergent

1 tablespoon borax

3/4 cup hot water

1/4 cup pine oil, or pine-based cleaner

Slowly stir the detergent and borax into the water to dissolve. Add the pine oil (available at hardware stores and supermarkets) and mix well. For bathroom cleaning, use the mixture full strength. In the kitchen, dilute it with water.

WOOD FLOOR POLISH

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil Mix the ingredients well, rub on the floor, and buff with a clean, dry cloth.

RUG CLEANER

1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid

1 cup lukewarm water

Combine the ingredients. Use a spray bottle to apply the solution over a large area, or use the solution to spot-clean nongreasy stains. (Don't use laundry detergent or dishwasher detergent in place of dishwashing liquid, as they may contain additives that can affect the rug's color.)

TOILET CLEANER

1 cup borax

1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice

Combine the ingredients to make a paste. Apply it to the inside of the toilet bowl, let sit for 1 to 2 hours, and scrub.

MILDEW REMOVER

1 tablespoon powdered laundry detergent

1 quart chlorine bleach

2 quarts water

Combine all the ingredients in a pail. Wearing rubber gloves, wash off the mildew.

FLOOR WAX REMOVER

1 cup laundry detergent

3/4 cup ammonia

1 gallon warm water

Mix all the ingredients together and apply to a small area of the floor. Let the solution sit long enough for it to loosen the old wax, at least 5 to 10 minutes. Mop up the old wax (or scrape it up, if there's a lot of it, using a squeegee and a dustpan). Rinse thoroughly with 1 cup vinegar in 1 gallon water and let dry before applying a new finish.

FURNITURE POLISH

1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice

1 tablespoon boiled linseed oil

1 tablespoon turpentine

Combine the ingredients in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until blended. Dampen a cloth with cold water and wring it out until it's as dry as you can get it. Saturate the cloth with the mixture and apply sparingly to a small area at a time. Let dry for about 30 minutes, then polish with a soft cloth. Note that this mixture gets gummy as it sits, so make just enough for one day's work.

GLASS CLEANER

2 tablespoons ammonia

1/2 cup alcohol

1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid

a few drops blue food coloring

water

Combine the ammonia, alcohol, dishwashing liquid, and food coloring, then add enough water to make 1 quart. If you prefer a nonammoniated cleaner, substitute 3 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice for the ammonia.

CARPET FRESHENER

1 cup crushed dried herbs (such as rosemary, southernwood, or lavender)

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

Combine all the ingredients in a large jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well to blend. Sprinkle some of the mixture on your carpet, let it sit for an hour or so, and then vacuum it up. It will give the room a pleasant smell and neutralize carpet odors.

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