Frugal house cleaning tips to keep your home squeaky clean (without buying expensive cleaning products!)
house cleaning tips
Cleaning with commercial cleansers is not only expensive, but exposes you and your family to a lot of harsh chemicals. You can save money, be more environmentally friendly, and have a healthier, less toxic home by using alternative products for some or all of your cleaning.
Not only is white vinegar economical and a natural disinfectant, you don't have to worry about the effects of harsh chemicals on your hands, your surfaces or the environment. Since I learned about using vinegar it has been my standby cleaner. I use it to clean the counters and stove every night after dinner - I just pour some on an old cloth and wipe everything down. It works like a dream! Cuts right through grease and does not leave any streaks.
house cleaning tips House Cleaning Tips: Cleaning with Baking Soda
Baking soda is an excellent cleaning agent. No need to buy powdered cleansers when baking soda works just as well. Placed on a wet sponge not only will it scour, but it is a natural odor absorber. Use it on your bath tub grime or your food stained kitchen sink. It also cuts through grease like a scouring cleanser.
For tougher stains mix into a paste and let the mixture sit on the stain for about twenty minutes.
Jewelry: Clean jewelry with a paste of baking soda and peroxide. Scrub with an old toothbrush and rinse with water for a sparkly shine.
Air freshener: Mix a cup of baking soda and three drops of your favorite oil scent. Put this in a bowl or vase in any room where you want a nice scent. You can also sprinkle baking soda on your carpet, let it sit for twenty minutes and then vacuum it up. Your carpet will smell fresher than ever.
Drains: Pour a cup of baking soda down each drain in your home before going away on an extended trip. This will keep the traps and drains fresh smelling for your return.
Toothbrush holder: Add a little baking soda to the bottom of the cup where your toothbrushes are kept to keep mold from growing and to absorb moisture.
Keyboard: Clean your computer keyboard using a thin paste of vinegar and baking soda. This cleans dirt and grease from your hands fast.
Silver: To polish silver or silver-plated items, use a thin mixture of baking soda, salt and water to buff your silver for a great shine.
Don’t forget to you put a box in your freezer for odor control!
Housecleaning Tips: Using Borax
Borax is a new discovery for me - I read about adding it to laundry to boost the cleaning power of detergent, so I bought some to try. We had a white fabric shower curtain that had ugly pink mineral stains on it. I have washed this with bleach before, but that did not get rid of the stains. A couple of days ago I washed the shower curtain with a load of towels and added Borax to the wash as directed. The shower curtain came out clean and white! I am sold!
There are a lot of other uses for Borax listed on the box - I have listed some of them below.
Deodorize the toilet bowl Sprinkle 1/4 cup of Borax into the bowl and swish with a toilet brush. Let stand for 30 minutes or overnight.
Carpet stains For fresh spills, blot up the spill and sprinkle Borax on to cover the area; let dry and vacuum. For dry stains, 1/2 cup Borax in a pint of water and sponge onto the stain. Wait 30 minutes and then shampoo the area; let dry and vacuum.
Presoaking Laundry Stains Add one tablespoon Borax per gallon of water or 1/2 cup in the washing machine. Pre-soak items for at least 30 minutes before washing.
Mattress Odors or Pet Odors Urine or pet odors from mattresses, mattress covers or furniture may be neutralized by dampening the spot and sprinkling Borax over it, rubbing it in, and letting it dry. Brush or vacuum when dry.
Garbage Cans Sprinkle a little Borax in the bottom of a clean, dry trash can to keep it fresh smelling. You can use it to wash a dirty trash can, too.
Other Housecleaning Tips
WD-40 has many uses , including grease and rust removal. See their website for a full list of the many uses
http://www.wd40.com/uses-tips/ A few of them are: • WD-40® can clean your bike & tools, remove grease, and lubricate locks, hinges, & all moving parts • WD-40 removes paint, gum, rubber cement, stickers and other adhesives • WD-40 loosens and penetrates rusted or stuck bolts and plumbing jointshouse cleaning tips
