CLEANING THE HOUSE WITHOUT GOING BROKE!
· Use an old toothbrush to clean window and door tracks. (Old tooth brushes are handy to clean the small bits!)
· Mix lukewarm water with a little dishwashing liquid and plain white vinegar and use a soft broom to clean windows (DO NOT USE HOT WATER ON COLD GLASS!) then dry with scrunched up news paper. Squeaky Clean!
· Use baking soda as a carpet refresher. Sprinkle lightly over carpet, leave for about 10 - 15min then vacuum as usual. Nice and Fresh!
· Use eucalyptus oil to remove sticky bits like labels and price stickers. DO A TEST BIT FIRST!
· Use plain white vinegar to clean hardwood, vinyl and lino floors. Do Not Use on Stone or Marble!
· If your housemate has left baked on guk on ythestove top squeeze a little puddle of water on it and leave for a few minuets to soften then wipe off. Do Not Scrub. Be Patient! The Landlord will thank you.
· Clean grubby grout with a finger nail brush and baking soda straight from the box. Limit the scrubbing on the tiles though, use a soft sponge or cloth here.
· Use the home made all purpose cleanser (below) to clean the vanity that your roommate hasn't cleaned for yonks! Make sure it is dry then dust off the towel fluff first then spray the cleanser on, wait a few moments then wipe of with a sponge or cloth. (If you don’t dust off the fluff first it will clog up the sponge and the job will take twice as long!)
· Use a clean, soft dustpan brush to dust off your speakers and lamp shades.
Homemade Cleaning Products
Cleaning products can be quite expensive. The supermarket aisles are full of cleaning products for this, and cleaning products for that. If you believe every commercial you see on TV, you need a separate product for each and every surface in your home. Well I'm here to tell you that it just is not true. Not only can you clean your home safely and effectively, but if you use the homemade recipes in this page, you'll save $’s and you'll be doing yourself and the earth a favor by using basic everyday products and not products that may harm your health.
Window & Glass Cleaner
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 cups water
Mix all ingredients in to a spray bottle. then pass it to your housemate to start cleaning!
All Purpose Cleaner
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- a dab of liquid soap
- 2 cups hot tap water
Combine these ingredients in to a spray bottle and mix thoroughly.
Cleaning With Baking Soda
Baking soda is an abrasive. It is used to polish and whiten. It does a great job scrubbing. Baking soda has a high pH, and is a natural and effective deodorizer, that does not mask, but actually eliminates odors at the source, by changing the pH and neutralizing the odor in it's tracks. Tell your flatmate that it can be used straight out of the box as a scouring powder.
Cleaning With Vinegar
White vinegar is an acid. Its unique properties make it an effective grease cutter, and it will stop mould and mildew in its tracks. Vinegar is non-toxic and does not leave any residue or smell. It can be used to wash hardwood, vinyl or linoleum floors etc. Be careful to use only plain white vinegar, and not any flavored or apple cider variety. Since it is an acid, do not use it on any stone or marble surface as it will actually etch the surface. Make sure it is mixed with some water.
NOTE – some of the above information is from www.mrscleannw.com
