Kathy’s Home & Garden Tips – Everyday Cleaning Tips
Make some vinegar/ lemon rind/ water ice cubes to clean your garbage disposal and sharpen the blades too! Put a 1-inch piece of lemon rind into each section of an ice cube tray. Fill with ¼ cup vinegar to 2 cups water. Freeze, then throw into the disposal. Grind with plenty of fresh cold water. Clean, fresh and sharp.
Toothpaste is a natural and gentle abrasive. To remove marks from finished hardwood, use a microfiber cloth with water and rub gently, using circular motions. Rinse well. Be careful, as even this mild abrasive can mar the finish. Another gentle abrasive is a product called Bar Keeper’s Friend. It comes in both liquid and powder form. Use liquid for lighter jobs and save the powder for tougher jobs, like white plastic lawn furniture. It does a great job.
Oxyclean works on other things besides laundry. To soak off adhesive labels, use one scoop Oxyclean in a sink full of warm water.
Baking soda is great for cleaning. Clean greasy kitchen cabinets with a mixture of one part vegetable oil with two parts baking soda; use an old toothbrush in the cracks. Use a microfiber cloth and rinse well with Murpheys oil soap and water. Change water often. It seems counterintuitive to clean grease with oil but it works. Sprinkle baking soda all over the carpet. Let set for half an hour, vacuum well for a refreshed carpet. Remove everyday dirt from carpets by using dish soap and vinegar. Mix one tablespoon each clear dish detergent and vinegar in two cups warm water. Spray liberally on the carpet and brush in. Blot with clean light colored towels to dry and remove dirt.
Pet hair a problem? Remove from carpets using a squeegee. Add a pole from an old broom or mop for ease here. Use dampened rubber gloves on furniture. Remove dust and hair using a slightly dampened microfiber cloth.
Good old ammonia is good for cleaning tough items like stove grates. Place each one in a heavy-duty gallon freezer bag. Add ¼ cup ammonia to each bag. Seal well. Leave overnight. The ammonia fumes do the cleaning, so don’t overdo. If you have breathing problems, do in a well-ventilated kitchen.
Rubbing alcohol works well on microfiber furniture. Spray on lightly and use a white or light colored brush to work out the dirt and stains. Alcohol evaporates and will not stain. After the fabric dries, completely brush up the nap with a dry plastic brush.
KATHY WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO
