Dry Carpet Cleaner
2 cups baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 to 5 bay leaves, crumbled
1 tablespoon ground cloves
Mix ingredients together and store in a container with tight fitting lid. I personally use a clean parmesan cheese container
because of the sprinkle holes. Label and keep out of reach from children.
To Use: Plan to leave mixture on carpet over
night or through the day while you are gone. Shake the cleaner and then sprinkle liberally all over the carpet to be cleaned.
Keep children and pets off of the carpet while mixture is on. Vacuum thoroughly after it has set.
Air Freshener
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup ammonia
1 tablespoon scent of your choice: perfume, lemon or vanilla extract, pine oil,
etc.
16 cups warm water
Into a clean gallon-size plastic jug, pour the baking soda, ammonia, and the scent of your choice. Slowly fill with warm
water. Label and cap jug, keeping out of the reach of children.
Pour small quantities into spray containers, such as old
perfume containers or atomizers. Spray where and when needed. Be careful when you spray an access on furniture. Make sure
you wipe it up if needed so the liquid will not harm the wood. Don't spray toward an open flame or at your pets.
Airfreshener Spray
Mix one quart brewed tea and four tablespoons lemon juice, strain through a coffee filter and store in empty spray
bottles.
Lavender Antibacterial Spray
1 cup water
20 drops pure essential oil of lavender
Pour the water into a very clean spray bottle. Add the
lavender essential oil and shake to blend. Spray on the surface and let set for at least 15 minutes, or don’t rinse
at all.
Do not get the essential oil near your eyes or directly on your skin.
Oven Cleaner
1 cup ammonia
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup baking soda
1 cup white vinegar
Preheat oven to 200F. Leave oven on for 15 minutes. Turn off and leave the door closed.
Fill a shallow baking pan
with ammonia and place on the top shelf of your oven. Fill another pan with 2 cups boiling water and place on the bottom shelf.
Close oven and leave pans in for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Remove ammonia and make a paste of ammonia, baking soda
and vinegar. Spread paste on even surfaces, leave on for 15 minutes and then scrub off with a sponge or steel wool.
Ceramic Tile and Grout Cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup ammonia
1/2 cup vinegar
14 cups warm water
1. Pour baking soda into a clean gallon
plastic jug. Add ammonia, vinegar, and warm water to fill. Swish jug to mix ingredients before it is completely full.
2.
Cover jug tightly, label, and keep out of reach of children. Smaller pump containers can be filled from the jug for small
cleaning jobs.
3. Spray solution onto tile and wipe with a damp sponge or scrubbing pad.
4. If the tiles are extremely
difficult to clean, make a paste of baking soda and tile and grout cleaner and brush onto the stains with an old toothbrush.
Let the paste set for 5 or so minutes before scrubbing off and rinsing.
Caution: Keep away from children
and do not mix with other cleaners.
Diaper Presoak (for all the cloth diaper users)
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup ammonia
1 gallon warm water
Combine ingredients in a clean gallon-size
plastic jug and shake to mix thoroughly.
Pour as much of the solution as you need into a pail or laundry
tub and soak the dirty items for several hours before washing. You can put the clothing to be washed right into the washing
machine, pour the presoad over them and allow to soak overnight. In the morning, fill the machine with cold water, agitate
and rinse, and then wash as usual.
Fabric Softener
2 cups baking soda
2 cups white vinegar
4 cups water
Mix ingredients and store in a plastic or
glass container. Label and keep away from children.
To Use: Add 1/4 cup to the final rinse cycle of your washing
machine. If you have hard water, you may have to use more.
Dryer Sheet Alternative
Dampen an old washcloth with liquid laudry softener and throw it in the dryer with a load of clothes. Wash and dry the
cloth every couple of loads so it will continue to absorb the liquid.
Dust Cloths
Dip cheesecloth in a solution of two cups of water and one-quarter cup of lemon oil. Allow to dry before using
Furniture Polish
1 part lemon juice, 2 parts vegetable oil or olive oil, 1 recycled spray bottle
Floor Cleaner
Mix 1/4 cup baking soda, ¼ cup vinegar, 1 cup ammonia, and 2 gallons of water.
Stainless Steel Cleaner
Put vinegar in a spray bottle and spritz in on and wipe it off.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Pour vinegar in bowl and let soak for 10 minutes. Scrub. Or: Pour bleach into bowl
and let soak for 10 minutes. Scrub.
Silver Polish
Soak 5-10 minutes in liter of warm water, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt,
and a small piece of aluminum foil. Wipe with a soft cloth.
Or:
Make a paste from 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Using a soft clothe, rub
the past gently on the silver surface. Tarnish will diappear. After rinsing, buff the silver with soft cloth to bring out
the shine.
Gold Cleaner
Mix one teaspoon of cigarette ashes with enough water to form a paste. Rub the paste
onto the gold with a soft cloth, rinse and buff dry with a chamois. If there is no smoker in the house, use baking soda instead
of ash.
Cleaner for bronze, copper, or brass
Stir together 1 tablespoon of salt and tablespoon of flour. Continue to stir and
add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Apply the paste with a damp cloth, rub gently, then rinse and wipe dry.
General Purpose Cleaner
Mix 2 teaspoons Borax, 1 teaspoon dish soap and 1 liter water. Use in spray
bottle. For heavy duty cleaner: Mix 4 liters hot water, 1/4 cup ammonia, and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Double ingredients except
for water to make a stronger mixture.
Glass Cleaner
Vinegar and water, or soda water and water. Spray and wipe with crumpled newspaper.
Windshield wiper fluid is also good and you can purchase by the gallon. For outside windows, add windshield wiper fluid to
a spray attachment for your garden hose. Spray and wash without climbing ladders.
Automatic Dishwashing Detergent
Use equal parts of borax and washing soda. I am not sure where you can get washing soda. I have seen it in small
grocery stores before. This doesn't mean laundry detergent! Washing soda has less bubbles.
