KATHY’S HOME & GARDEN TIPS – Natural Cleaning Hacks

Oil stains on kitchen rugs usually meant throwing them out for me! Then I found this simple natural cleaning hack. Sprinkle the stain liberally with baking soda. Work it in with a wet cloth. Let the rug dry overnight, shake and voila, stain gone. Baking soda absorbs the grease. It’s wonderful for this as well as being a great gentle abrasive and deodorizer.

Nail polish spill on the rug? Don’t freak. Use a microfiber cloth with rubbing alcohol. Blot as much as possible with paper towels first. Drizzle with rubbing alcohol and blot with the microfiber towel. Repeat as necessary. Rinse by blotting with a clean microfiber towel and cool water.

How can the washer get dirty? But it does. Spray the entire inside liberally with vinegar in a spray bottle. Scrub thoroughly with a sponge with a gentle scrubber side. Rinse well with a small bucket of warm water, especially at the top where water doesn’t reach during a normal cycle. Add two more cups of water to the drum and run a normal cycle with hot water to reach all the places you can’t by hand. 

You can make a simple laundry stain remover with only 2 ingredients. Mix 1 cup 3% hydrogen peroxide with ½ cup liquid dish soap (I recommend blue Dawn®) in a clean spray bottle. Work into the stain by rubbing the fabric together or gently with a toothbrush. Launder as usual. This also works well on carpeting. Blot with cool water to rinse.

Your kitchen sink and drain are two of the most germiest places in the house. Here is where we need to use bleach. Always work in a well-ventilated area, wear rubber gloves and a face mask if you have any breathing problems. Fill the sink ¼ of the way with cool water. Let stand for 15 minutes. Let the water slowly down the drain. Carefully wipe down the sides of the sink. Rinse well and towel dry to prevent water spots.

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO