What is your best kept cleaning secret??

Question

It is always nice to hear new helpful tips :)

Answer 1

Vinegar and baking soda. Vinegar alone can do wonders. It can take stains out of laundry, get rid of any odors. And both together kill the same amount of germs that the dangerous chemicals do. Baking soda can clean anything off of walls.

Answer 2

I use basic cleaning products: Dilute bleach in a spray bottle in the bathroom on all hard surfaces including the tub/shower walls. 1/4 cup in the toilet and swished around. Kitchen surfaces are wiped down with ammonia solution everywhere. Counters are cleaned with bleach solution before cooking. Kitchen floor washed with ammonia solution and rinsed on hands and knees so I can see if corners are clean. Good central vacuum system cleans almost everything else and window cleaner for glass and mirrors. Damp rag for frames and TV and furniture. Pledge for table tops. Never use 409 or Fantastic, they leave residues. So does PineSol and Lysol. There is no need for scented sprays or Oust in a clean home. Used to use lacquer thinner on the formica kitchen cabinets years ago, works great to degrease formica kitchens, don't use on wood.

Answer 3

Alcohol! I buy those little clear alcohol bottles at the grocery store for like 70 cents each. I pour them in empty spray bottles and use to clean all different surface areas on my house.

It works great on mirrors, windows...counters....bathroom...toilets...wood...

The great thing about it is that the odor of alcohol evaporates in seconds...it also desinfects as well as bleach without staining surfaces...and best of all...it's hypoallergenic.

My husband is allergic to a lot of household materials so I try to use "natural" or hypoallergenic things without scent and chemicals.

Alcohol really works well. I clean my whole place with it. The only two other products I use to clean my house besides alcohol is "bleach" (it's the only thing that will make my whites truly whites) and baking soda to deodarize the refrigerator and clean the bathtubs.

Answer 4

I wouldn't call this a secret.
To clean glass to perfection I use very hot water and clean off with black and white newspaper. It's a good idea to wear rubber gloves so you don't burn your hands. The ink in the newspaper does the job wonderfully well. The really good thing about this is it's a very cheap cleaning method.

Answer 5

Pledge - Used on the rails for sliding windows.

Half a lime or small lemon - Toss it in the garbage disposal, gets rid of that funk.

Goof - Use it for removing chewing gum off of anything.

forget about wasting money on a mop. Drape an old towel over a small push broom. Works wonders.

Answer 6

Tilex Mildew remover is the best stain remover for Kid Proof Carpets. If your kid proof carpet is made from polypropylene (plastic base fiber) you can use just about anything including bleach to clean it. The Tilex works faster, is easier to handle since you can spray it, and doesn't have a strong odor like bleach.

Answer 7

I use oxy clean on everything, I even rub it into the carpet and vacum afterwords, what a difference it makes, clean my hats and boat seats etc it really works good on material of all sorts no expensive carpet cleaners or sofa cleaners for me

Answer 8

When you bring your dog back home from a walk in the park rub him down with a couple of Fabric Softner sheets.......he will smell better. Also Fabric Softner sheets (like Bounce) scrunched up and put inside tennis shoes after they have been worn makes them smell better.

Answer 9

my oh my u aske da good question i have a few lil cleaning tips
one i dont toss out old odd ball soacks that are in good conditon , i use themn for just about everything , lil kids can use them as wash cloths , just place over there lil hands and but some soap on it and let them wash up . they also make great dusting rags , place over your hand and dust what needs to be dusted , even wash cars etc wit h them
another thing is when u need to wash windows mirros etc use vinager and water , i place about a half a cup in a spray bottle wit h warm water and i clean my mirros glss windows etc with it ands i use newspapper to dry my windows and mirrors ( the newspaper was read and then used for windows etc , then gets recycled if u have a recycling bin u spent anywear from 25 cents to a buck 50 to use a newspapper twice )
to clean my stove , bath tub etc i use baking soda its safe for u your kids and pets as well as the inviroment if the stains are really tuff ill add some salt in with the baking soda to make a slight abrasive , most of all u dont hav e to worrie bout bleachin g your clothes like u do when u use comet or ajax
on my whites if there are blood stains i will pour a lil bit of hydrogen poeroxide on the spot let set , then plac e in my washing machine in cold water with regulr detergent , i will also add about 1/4 cup to my white wash load instead of bl,each
for stains on my darks or in my case my hubby works in a machine shop and some times gets greas e on his clothing , so what i do is pre treat it , i wet the clothes then i will make a paste out of my laundry detergent and plac e on the spot , i will then use a old toothbrush to rub the area and wash as usual
for my floors i will have either a spry bottle with vinager and water or a pinesol and water solution and a bucket with clear hot water , after sweeping the floor i will spray the pine sol solution or vinager and water solution on the area of the floor that im going to clean first thne i will mob the floor , and then spary another area and mop that area , for the really tuff areas i will spry them and let it set while i mop th e other area

to clean the microwave oven , get a microwave safe bowl, cut a lemon into several slices place in the bowl then add some water leaving bout a 1/4 of an inch from the rim , plac e in microwave and turn microwave oven on high for about 2 minutes let set in microwave for about 3 minute s or untill cool , take a moist not wet but very damp rag and wipe down , the steam from the water loosene d the dirt grame etc and the lemons helped elimiate any orde rthat may or mayhave not been in the microwave .
for mildew stains etc in the shower , i keep a spry bottle filled with water and a cap full or 2 of bleach , after i shower i spry the shower walss wit h the bleach water solution this cuts down on mold and also helps u from getting it\
another cleaning tip , say u r making breakfast ands u are having bacon adn eggss , omy u droped and egg on the floor , how r u gonna clean it up with out it spreading all over the place if u dont hav ea dog that will eat or lick it up first , heres what u do take your box of iodized salt and poor it onto the egg whites etc , u dont need the intire box unless u droped the whole carton , let set fro a few minutes till whites are basically dryed up , then take a paper towel or rag and whipe up

Answer 10

For cleaning glass, instead of paper towels or sponge, rags, etc. use crumbled newspaper, streak free everytime