Fru-Gal Friends

Very Valuable Member Joined : 13 Oct 2006 Posts : 260

Sorry...didn't know what forum to put these in...a lot are oldies but it might be of interest to someone...

Disinfectant:
Mix 1/2 cup borax (a natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria) with 1
gallon hot water. Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Steep for 10 minutes,
strain and cool. Store in a recycled plastic spray bottle.

Floor cleaner:
Mix 1 cup white vinegar with 2 gallons hot water. For greasy floors, add 1/4
cup washing soda and 1 tablespoon vegetable-oil-based soap to the above
mixture.

Window-washing fluid:
Mix 1 cup vinegar with 4 cups hot water.

Oven cleaner:
Make a paste of baking soda and hot water. Sponge onto stains and wipe
clean.

Copper-pan cleaner:
Sprinkle surface of pans with coarse salt. Rub salt into stains with the cut
half of a fresh lemon.
Wood furniture cleaner:

To remove water stains on wood furniture, dab white toothpaste onto the
stain. Allow the paste to dry and then gently buff off with a soft cloth.
Removing mildew:

To remove mildew from bathtubs, bathroom curtains and tile, make a mixture
of: one-half cup vinegar one-half cup of Borax cleaning detergent 2 cups of
water. Pour it on the dirty areas and let it sit for a few minutes, and then
scrub with a cloth. If mildew is still visible, use the mixture twice. To
clean the toilet bowl, combine equal parts of baking soda, Borax cleaning
detergent and white vinegar. Pour generously around the bowl and scrub with
a brush. Or leave it over night if badly stained.

Removing crayon, pencil or ink from walls:
To remove crayon, pencil or ink marks from the walls (without removing
paint), take about 2 tablespoons of baking soda and mix in water. Dip a
white wash rag in the solution and rub the marks away. Wipe away excess
baking soda with the same cloth.
Furniture Polish:

Make your own furniture polish by combining one tablespoon of lemon juice or
white vinegar with one- half cup of olive or vegetable oil. Take a soft
cloth and polish.
Removing crayon, pencil or ink from upholstery:

To remove pencil, crayon or ink marks from upholstery, use dry baking soda.
Use a hairbrush or similar brush to rub baking soda and remove the marks.
Blood stains:

To remove blood stains, combine one quart of Borax cleaning detergent with
two cups of cold water. Rinse stained clothing item in cold water, and scrub
in warm water with your hands. Then dip in solution and wash by hand.
Coffee and chocolate stains:

To remove coffee and chocolate stains, mix one teaspoon of white vinegar in
one quart of cold water. Sponge on stain and wipe clean.
Ironing Clothes:

To get crisp results when ironing clothes, combine 1-2 tablespoons of
cornstarch in one pint of water. Pour into a spray bottle, shake and spray
clothes before ironing.

Bug Control:
To keep bugs out of flour, pasta, rice, pancake mix and other wheat
products, put 2 to 3 bay leaves in the containers. Rather than pesticides,
you might foil roaches by placing bay leaves around cracks in the room and
leaving out dishes of equal parts baking soda and powdered sugar. The last
resort is a mix of powered sugar and boric acid (a poison). For other pests,
a soapy water spray can be an insecticide, and a shallow pan filled with
stale beer will kill snails and slugs. To protect the family pet,
alternatives to toxic flea collars include eucalyptus ointment, herbal baths
and a pinch of brewer's yeast or Vitamin B with dinner.

Removing Grease:
To remove grease or hair from the drain, use equal parts of vinegar, salt
and baking soda. Pour mixture down the drain and let stand for 15 minutes.
Then pour boiling water down the drain.

Leaf Clean Up Tip:
Use a high pressure hose to spray the leaves into a pile. The wet leaves
compress into trash bags more efficiently or they can be added to a mulch
pile. Since they are wet the wind won't blow them back all over the yard
again. Saved me a lot of time this year.
Windows & Screens:

I notice that my window sills, this time of year, look forgotten... maybe
some bits of leaves and the spiders are looking for a warm place to live! I
take my vacuum cleaner hose nozzle off of my wand-- and thoroughly suction
out the sills now, as heating season starts. If there is a nice collection
of cobwebs and leaf parts there, you may want to hold your hand against the
hose nozzle to make sure and get everything sucked down into your vacuum
cleaner! Also, rather than bother with washing screens (yuck!) I will use
my vacuum nozzle suction there, too, screens look great after... SO MUCH
easier than taking out one at a time, getting garden hose out and etc.!
Collecting:

Don't forget to collect the leaves, pine cones, seeds, sticks, etc. for your
craft projects for Fall and Winter.

Fireplace Ashes:
Don't know what to do with those fireplace ashes? Save them for the spring
and use them to keep the slugs out of the garden areas! Slugs don't like
ashes or sawdust.
Windows:

Jewelry Cleaning
Rub a small amount of toothpaste on jewelry with finger, rinse well and
polish with a soft cloth.
CLEANING TIPS MORE AT(http://www.creativehomemaking.com/cleaning.shtml)

SHOWER DOORS: are a fantastic bathroom accent. Glass adds class and elegance to any bathroom, especially when it is sparkling clean. There are recommended ways to clean glass shower doors that will maintain sparkle and shine.
The number one recommended product for cleaning shower doors is Comet Bathroom Cleaner. Comet has developed a spray on liquid that is non-abrasive. This is especially important for glass, vinyl, and metal components of a shower door. It is a spray on liquid that is easy to apply and wipe off.
When using comet bathroom cleaner it is important to give the product time to work. Soap scum is a heavy buildup that comes from the talc in bar soap. Let the product set in and then scrub with a non-abrasive cloth or sponge. By switching to a liquid soap, soap scum build up can be greatly reduced.
Another important cleaning technique for shower doors is to squeegee after showering. It removes excess moisture from the shower and avoids water spots that can be difficult and almost impossible to remove. A plastic squeegee is best because metal could damage a shower.
A shower door should be cleaned weekly to maintain optimum cleanliness and shine. Frequent cleanings and use of the squeegee will reduce the need for heavy cleaning and scrubbing.
In order to keep your shower door looking as good as new, take important cleaning measures from the beginning. Only use the recommended cleaning products, and follow the instruction. A squeegee is a shower door's best friend, and should be included in any bathroom cleaning kit. Protect a beautiful bathroom accent and keep it clean.
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DEBBY/OK

DOMESTIC ENGINEER... I work in the field of love and guiidance of young children;.

Subject: Re: cleaning Recipes/Tips Sun 29 Oct 2006, 7:38 pm

Great tips Debby, thank-you!

I have a plastic squeegee hiding in my hall cupboard, I'm going to dig it out and hang it up in the shower...TODAY!!!
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~ By sowing frugality we reap liberty, a golden harvest. --Agesilaus ~

Subject: Re: cleaning Recipes/Tips Mon 06 Nov 2006, 11:52 am

great tip thanks Debbie
_________________
Gayla

"They take great pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost so little."

---Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Subject: Re: cleaning Recipes/Tips Tue 07 Nov 2006, 7:41 pm

Thanks Deb for some great ideas....many are new to me ....now just need some motivation to put these ideas to use Rolling Eyes

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Love is a fruit, in season at all times and within the reach of every hand. Anyone may gather it and no limit is set. ~ Mother Teresa