Cleaning for Less
by Nikki Willhite
www.allthingsfrugal.com
When I was in the hospital having my 3rd
son, my mother-in-law came to help out. She was a war bride and came to this
country from Germany. As much as I hate to stereotype- the German people are a
very cleanly people.
She had also lived through WWII, and knew
how to do without. I couldn't believe it when I came home from the hospital. My
house was literally Sparkling! When I asked her what she had done, she
replied she had "cleaned it". "
"Yes, but, what did you use?", was what I
wanted to know.
Her answer- "Ammonia"- She had used
nothing but a bottle of ammonia- for Everything!
When I think of how many cleaning products
there are on our supermarket shelves, and how much they cost......it is clear
that we could save a lot of money on our cleaning supplies by not being "lured"
into buying all the cleaning products advertised over and over to us .
Here are some ideas
-
First, it is important to remember
NEVER to mix ammonia with bleach. This will result in toxic fumes.
-
It doesn't take much ammonia to
get the job done- about 1/4-1/2 cup to a gallon of water.
For walls and floors, add a cup
of liquid detergent.
For windows, add a little
vinegar and baking soda.
For sinks and tiles, add just
the baking soda.
For fresh, clean drains put 1/2 Cup Baking soda, and 1/2 Cup Vinegar down your drain.
Wait 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
To Remove Stains; On Upholstery try shaving cream; with ink, hairspray; and if
your kids have been very bad with their crayons, try toothpaste!
Freshen up your house with a nice blend of spices, wrapped up in a loosely woven
fabric, and tied up at the ends with ribbon or another decorative tie.
Remember to vacuum those draperies and
keep the dust on your mini-blinds under control. Also, hose down those screens. If you let things go- it will
take more time and money to make them attractive again...and you may never get
them looking good.