Showing posts with label Cleaning Solutions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cleaning Solutions. Show all posts

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Furniture Polish Recipe DIY

Furniture Polish HOME MADE IS EASY


Mix in a sprayer bottle:
  • 1 cup mineral oil
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice (squeezed fresh)
*Shake well and apply a small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cleaning cloth. Spread evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to a dry side and polish dry.

*I use old cloth diapers and just toss them in the washer with homemade laundry soap.

~ I have furniture made in Spain from the mid 1960's. I'm picky about the polish I use. Store pruchased sprays "hurt" my little boys lungs. SO, I started using this recipe.

Carpet Cleaning with Vinegar DIY


 2 cups of vinegar and hot water 

Carpet Cleaning for Spot Removal DIY


photo credit jillee



WHAT YOU NEED:

1 SPRAY BOTTLE WITH 1/2 AMMONIA & 1/2 PART HOT WATER.

Spray it liberally on the stain.

Lay the clean white towel on top of this stain after sprayed




START IRONING

The towel shows how quickly it works.

photo credit jillee

I repeated the process maybe two more times….and the stain was gone.  A stain that has been there for I don’t even remember how long! 

 You will hardly believe our eyes. It was so easy and quick and there wasn't even any scrubbing involved.

 Who would have ever thought to use a steam iron and a towel to draw the stain up out of the carpet?

Just look at the PILE of white towels I went through before I called it a night!  That was a serious stain!

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2011/12/homemade-carpet-stain-removerno.html/stain-remover
photo credits jillee

Monday, June 17, 2013

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE Helps




















HYDROGEN PEROXIDE MAGIC!

Ever since I started using Hydrogen Peroxide to get rid of armpit stains, to clean cookie sheets, as a miracle cleaner in my kitchen and bathroom, and to make my own “oxi clean”…I ALWAYS have at least one bottle of the stuff under my kitchen sink, under my bathroom sink, AND in the laundry room. This stuff is amazingly versatile!

But it wasn't until recently, after doing some IN DEPTH research on the subject, that I came to realize what a “miracle substance” hydrogen peroxide really is! It’s safe, it’s readily available, it’s cheap, and best of all, it WORKS! It works for a LOT of stuff!

Hydrogen peroxide should really be called oxygen water, since it is basically the same chemical make up as water but with an extra oxygen atom (H2O2). Because of this it breaks down quickly and harmlessly into oxygen and water.

Some other interesting facts about hydrogen peroxide:

It is found in all living material.

Your white blood cells naturally produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to fight bacteria and infections.
Fruit and vegetables naturally produce hydrogen peroxide. This is one of the reasons why it is so healthy to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.
It is found in massive dosages in the mother’s first milk, called colostrum, and is transferred to the baby to boost their immune system.
It is found in rain water because some of the H20 in the atmosphere receives an additional oxygen atom from the ozone (O3) and this H2O2 makes plants grow faster.
Next to Apple Cider Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide ranks up there as one of the best household remedies.

Besides the obvious (cleansing wounds), did you know that it is probably the best remedy to dissolve ear wax? Brighten dingy floors? Add natural highlights to your hair? Improve your plants root systems? The list goes on and on!

There are SO many uses for this stuff that I've started replacing the cap on the hydrogen peroxide bottle with a sprayer because it’s easier and faster to use that way.

I have compiled a rather impressive list of uses for 3% hydrogen peroxide that I hope will have you as thrilled and bewildered as I was!

Wash vegetables and fruits with hydrogen peroxide to remove dirt and pesticides. Add 1/4 cup of H2O2 to a sink of cold water. After washing, rinse thoroughly with cool water.

In the dishwasher, add 2 oz. to your regular detergent for a sanitizing boost. Also, beef up your regular dish soap by adding roughly 2 ounces of 3% H2O2 to the bottle.

Use hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash to freshen breath. It kills the bacteria that causes halitosis. Use a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water.

Use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to make a paste for brushing teeth. Helps with early stages of gingivitis as it kills bacteria. Mixed with salt and baking soda, hydrogen peroxide works as a whitening toothpaste.

Soak your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide between uses to keep it clean and prevent the transfer of germs. This is particularly helpful when you or someone in your family has a cold or the flu.

Clean your cutting board and countertop. Let everything bubble for a few minutes, then scrub and rinse clean. (I’ve been using it for this a LOT lately!)

Wipe out your refrigerator and dishwasher. Because it’s non-toxic, it’s great for cleaning places that store food and dishes.

Clean your sponges. Soak them for 10 minutes in a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water in a shallow dish. Rinse the sponges thoroughly afterward.

Remove baked-on crud from pots and pans. Combine hydrogen peroxide with enough baking soda to make a paste, then rub onto the dirty pan and let it sit for a while. Come back later with a scrubby sponge and some warm water, and the baked-on stains will lift right off.

Whiten bathtub grout. First dry the tub thoroughly, then spray it liberally with hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit — it may bubble slightly — for a little while, then come back and scrub the grout with an old toothbrush. You may have to repeat the process a few times.

Clean the toilet bowl. Pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet bowl, let stand for 20 minutes, then scrub clean.

Remove stains from clothing, curtains, and tablecloths. Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a pre-treater for stains — just soak the stain for a little while in 3% hydrogen peroxide before tossing into the laundry. You can also add a cup of peroxide to a regular load of whites to boost brightness. It’s a green alternative to bleach, and works just as well.

Brighten dingy floors. Combine half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with one gallon of hot water, then go to town on your flooring. Because it’s so mild, it’s safe for any floor type, and there’s no need to rinse.

Clean kids’ toys and play areas. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe cleaner to use around kids, or anyone with respiratory problems, because it’s not a lung irritant. Spray toys, toy boxes, doorknobs, and anything else your kids touch on a regular basis.

Help out your plants. To ward off fungus, add a little hydrogen peroxide to your spray bottle the next time you’re spritzing plants.

Add natural highlights to your hair
. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide so the solution is 50% peroxide and 50% water. Spray the solution on wet hair to create subtle, natural highlights.

According to alternative therapy practitioners, adding half a bottle of hydrogen peroxide to a warm bath can help detoxify the body. Some are skeptical of this claim, but a bath is always a nice way to relax and the addition of hydrogen peroxide will leave you – and the tub – squeaky clean!

Spray a solution of 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide on leftover salad, drain, cover and refrigerate. This will prevent wilting and better preserve your salad.

Sanitize your kids’ lunch boxes/bags.

Dab hydrogen peroxide on pimples or acne to help clear skin.

Hydrogen peroxide helps to sprout seeds for new plantings. Use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution once a day and spritz the seed every time you re-moisten. You can also use a mixture of 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 32 parts water to improve your plants’ root system.

Remove yellowing from lace curtains or tablecloths. Fill a sink with cold water and a 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Soak for at least an hour, rinse in cold water and air dry.

Use it to remove ear wax. Use a solution of 3% with olive or almond oil. Add a couple drops of oil first then H2O2. After a few minutes, tilt head to remove solution and wax.

Helps with foot fungus. Spray a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry. Or try soaking your feet in a peroxide solution to help soften calluses and corns, and disinfect minor cuts.

Spray down the shower with hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria and viruses.

Use 1 pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide to a gallon of water to clean humidifiers and steamers.

Wash shower curtains with hydrogen peroxide to remove mildew and soap scum. Place curtains in machine with a bath towel and your regular detergent. Add 1 cup full strength 3% hydrogen peroxide to the rinse cycle.

Use for towels that have become musty smelling. 1/2 cup Peroxide and 1/2 cup vinegar let stand for 15 minutes wash as normal. Gets rid of the smell.

Use hydrogen peroxide to control fungi present in aquariums. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt your fish. Use sparingly for this purpose.

De-skunking solution. Combine 1 quart 3% H2O2, 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 teaspoon Dawn dish detergent, 2 quarts warm water.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Jewelry Cleaner Homemade




JEWELRY CLEANER

1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon dish detergent
1 cup water
1 piece aluminum foil

Directions:
1. Heat water in the microwave for 1 or 2 minutes.
2. Cut a piece of aluminum foil that roughly covers the bottom of a small bowl (like a cereal bowl).
3. Pour hot water into bowl. Place salt, soda, and dishwashing liquid into bowl. Place jewelry on top of foil and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse jewelry in cool water and dry jewelry completely with soft cloth. Discard solution after use and make a new batch next time.
4. According to wire-sculpture.com, "this works well for gold-filled, brass, german (nickel) silver, and sterling silver.

 ***Never put opals in water, they are porous and will spoil!
****DISCLAIMER****THIS is information and do it at your own risk************

Friday, June 7, 2013

Cream of Tartar Helps














CREAM OF TARTAR
 (potassium bitartrate)

 super way to stabilize egg whites but also scandalously inexpensive cleaning secrets.

 cleaning agent may be used with a little water or vinegar to lift even the most stubborn stains.

 Unattractive grout driving you batty?
 Mold and mildew stains? 
Burner pans and casserole dishes giving you fits? Cream of Tartar is your new best friend.

Cream of tartar is one of nature’s best bleaching agents. Cream of tartar, a.k.a “crusted wine,” is mixed with baking soda to create baking powder (bet you didn't know that.. okay, some of you probably did, you smartypants). While it is an acid, it’s not harmful. It’s an acidic salt which comes from grapes.

Use a few tablespoons of cream of tartar with hot water or hydrogen peroxide and clean any aluminum pans which have discoloration or any rusty drains, pans, or stains.

Do you have copper kettles? Mix some cream of tarter with lemon juice and rub the copper with it. Rinse and be amazed!

How about a porcelain sink, tub, commode? Rub the porcelain surfaces with cream of tartar and watch the stains disappear.

Fabric stains? No prob. Mix a few teaspoons of cream of tartar with some glycerin and use like spray-and-wash. The results? Well, I’m here to tell you that this stuff cured the ring around Joshua’s shirt collars.

Just need a great nonabrasive cleaner? Mix 2 teaspoons of vinegar and 2 teaspoon of cream of tartar in a small dish (use 3 or 4 teaspoons of vinegar and 3 or 4 teaspoons of cream of tartar if you have more items to clean). Apply with your cleaning rag or scrub brush and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Scrub. Wash with hot soapy water.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

DIY Natural Room Scents













DIY Natural Room Scents

Ingredients
Citrus, sliced -- lemons, oranges, limes (may use peel only, if preferred)
Herbs -- rosemary, thyme, & bay leaves
Spices-- whole cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice (optional), anise (optional); may substitute ground/powdered spices
Ginger (fresh or powdered)
Extracts--vanilla, almond, mint
Pine twigs (or other fragrant twigs)
Directions

Use a pint (2 cup) jar, container, or pot to combine scent waters. Add ingredients to container, cover with water, and choose from these options:
simmer on stove top, topping off with more water as it evaporates
add heated mixture to a slow cooker, fondue pot, or something similar that will keep mixture heated.
Preheat waters to a boil (in microwave or on stove top). As water evaporates, always top it off with HOT water to keep the temperature as high as possible. Higher heat = more fragrance.


FRAGRANT COMBINATIONS:

1. Orange, Cinnamon & Spice. 1 orange, 2 cinnamon sticks (or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon), 1/2 tablespoon whole cloves (or 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves), 1/2 tablespoon whole allspice (or 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice), 1 anise star (optional)

2. Lemon, Rosemary & Vanilla. 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 2 lemons, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

3. Lime, Thyme, Mint & Vanilla. 3 limes, 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, 1/2 teaspoon mint extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

4. Orange, Ginger, & Almond. 1 orange (or peel from 2 oranges), 1 4" finger of ginger, sliced (or 1 tsp ground ginger), 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

5. Pine, Bay Leaves, & Nutmeg. Handful of pine twigs or needles, 4 bay leaves, 1 whole nutmeg, outer layer grated into mixture.

Scented waters may be refrigerated between uses. Reuse for 2-3 days, or as long as they still have a pleasant fragrance.

Cost saving tips

You can save, use and reuse a number of fragrant ingredients. These scents don't need to be expensive.

Leftover ginger -- If you ever cook with fresh ginger and end up with leftover pieces , this is a way to use them up...

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

GO GREEN - Natural Silver Polish




Natural Silver Polish

A frequently recommended, nontoxic trick is to fill an aluminum pan
or one lined with aluminum foil) with hot water, add salt and baking soda,
and stir to dissolve.
When you add the silver pieces, a chemical reaction occurs, removing tarnish.

Monday, May 6, 2013

House Cleaner

 
 http://www.littlebrickranch.com/2011/04/what-is-wet-pink-and-gross-all-over.html


White vinegar 
Orange peels,limes, lemons, grapefruit
to make it smell better but also to harness the cleaning properties that citrus fruit oils contain. 

After 2 weeks I strained the dark orange vinegar out and placed it in a new container. I then took my spray bottle and filled it 3/4 of the way with water then added the orange infused white vinegar to the top.

 The great part about this is you can add additional fruit peels as you go so there is no need to cut and peel your whole 8lb bag of oranges all at once. These 2 bottles (old pasta sauce jars) took about 5-6 orange peels each.

THIS IS DIY, do at your own risk, not mine!

Clorox Cleanups


Fake Clorox Cleanup
1 Empty and Rinsed-Out Bottle of Clorox Cleanup/Empty Plastic Spray Bottle
1/4 Cup Bleach
1 Teaspoon Laundry Detergent
Fill the rest of the bottle with Water and Shake!


money down the drain
Credit
To make this, I picked up a gallon jug of Bleach at the Dollar Tree, so with 16 Cups to a Gallon, that one jug could potentially make 64 Bottles* of Fake Clorox Cleanup! WOW! The laundry detergent I had on hand, of course.

The Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:

Fake Clorox Cleanup (Bleach, $1.00/Gallon, Laundry Detergent, negligible)

Total Fake-It Cost:  $0.02/Bottle

Compare to Real Clorox Cleanup:  $4.99

Total Fake-It Savings:  $4.97

*Just For Fun:  64 Bottles of Fake Clorox Cleanup:  $1.00,
64 Bottles of Real Clorox Cleanup: $319.36,
Total Savings:  $318.36  Wow! Isn't that incredible?















Fake It Expensive Laundry Soap

Credit - Soap.com
Ingredients:
2 bars of sunlight laundry soap ($2.19)
1 1/2 cups of Borax (aprox. $6/box but makes 6 tubs)
1 1/2 cups Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (aprox. $6/box but makes 8 tubs)
Ice cream pail with lid






*Optional 1/2 cup of Oxy clean no name brand laundry booster NOT necessary, but my hubby works in the oil patch and well....sometimes it just makes me feel better to add it in =)



Grate both sunlight bars right into a old ice cream pail WITH lid!
Add your Borax
Add your Arm and Hammer
Stir it up and done!



ONLY PUT IN 2 TABLESPOONS OF DETERGENT!!  
That is ALL it needs, if you have a front load add the soap first.

Make sure that you seal the lid while storing your soap as it will dry out. I put the recipe right on my ice cream pail that way anyone can make more without the excuse of not knowing how!
Use the cold cycle for washing machine which saves further. Clean laundry at a fraction of the cost.

The Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:  

Fake Tide Coldwater HE ($3.12/pail)

Total Fake-It Cost:  $0.06/load

Compare to Actual Tide Coldwater ($15.95 for 63 load box, $0.25/load)

Total Fake-It Savings:  $7.17 or $0.19 per load!


Thanks again to Teresa for sharing her awesome recipe for saving money!


Fake Tide Coldwater HE

Today's Great Fake is a Guest Submission by one of Fake-It Frugal's wonderful readers, Teresa Braun from Alberta, Canada!  She writes, "I have an oldie but a goodie. I have made my own High Efficiency Tide for a couple of years now. This recipe costs next to nothing to make and it is better than Tide!"
 http://fakeitfrugal.blogspot.com/2012/04/fake-tide-coldwater-he.html