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• Baking soda will help control odours in your insinkerator, pour in two tablespoons once a week.
• Baking soda will remove tea and coffee stains from your favourite mugs.
• Microwaves can be freshened by wiping the interior with a mixture of 4 tablespoons of baking soda to 4 litres of warm water. NEVER use a commercial oven cleaner on your microwave.
• If you have a problem with ants, a mixture of half vinegar and half water sprayed on them will kill them instantly.
• Instead of buying expensive anti-bacterial sprays for the kitchen, just put about a tablespoon of household bleach in a spray bottle filled with water and use it to disinfect around the sink and counters, especially when you have been handling or packaging meat.
• For quick cleaning keep a spray bottle filled with equal parts of ammonia and water handy.
• To unclog a blocked drain try pouring a mixture of half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of vinegar into the drain with two litres of boiling water. Cleaning the drain in this way from time to time will stop the debris from building up.
• When your drain is clogged with grease, try pouring half a cup of salt and a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a generous amount of boiling water. This will usually dissolve the grease and clear the drain.
• To clean you oven, use a mixture of ammonia and water. The solution may be stored in a spray bottle. For tough stains, apply a mixture of baking soda and water directly to the stains, and let the mixture stand for several minutes before wiping the oven surface clean.
• To rid your cutting board of the smell of onions and garlic that tend to accumulate, rub it with half a lemon or lime.
• Use a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol, club soda or white vinegar to give your stainless steel a brilliant shine.

Carpets

Note: test your carpet for colourfastness before applying any kind of cleaning agents to it.

• Club soda makes a good instant spot remover. Pour a little on the stain, let it set for a second or two, and blot with a damp sponge.
• Salt has been known to do wonders to brighten up lifeless, faded carpets. Sprinkle salt generously over carpet and let set for an hour before vacuuming.
• Got gum stuck in your carpet? Hold an ice cube next to it until the gum hardens so you can break it off.
• You can remove glue from a carpet by rubbing it with a cloth soaked in vinegar.
• Crayon marks can be removed from carpets by rubbing with baking soda sprinkled on a damp sponge.
• A mixture of 1/2 cup mild dishwashing liquid and 2 cups boiling water also makes a great spot remover for carpets. Apply with a damp sponge.

Floors

• Crayon marks can be removed from vinyl or linoleum floors with silver polish.
• Black marks left on your floors from the heels of your shoes can be removed with a pencil rubber.
• Cold tea can be used to clean varnished wood floors.
• Vinyl floors can be cleaned with a mixture of 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid, 2 tablespoons ammonia and 4 litres warm water. Use a mop to apply.

Furniture

• To remove furniture polish build-up on your furniture, mix 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup vinegar. Moisten a soft cloth with the mixture and wipe furniture clean.
• Furniture polish: 3 parts olive oil, 1 part white vinegar.
• Candle wax can be removed from wood furniture by softening it with a hairdryer. Wipe the affected area with a solution of water and vinegar.
• Shoe polish can be used to fill in small scratches on wood furniture. Test the colour of the shoe polish on a section of wood that is not too noticeable.
• If you have wood furniture that has a clear coat of varnish on it, car wax can be used to give it a brilliant shine. Again test on a piece that is not too noticeable.
• Water rings or spots can be removed from wood furniture with a mixture of toothpaste and baking soda applied with a damp cloth.
• An ordinary shoe buffer is great for polishing wood furniture that has lots of curves and molding.
• Furniture polish: 1 part lemon juice, 2 parts olive or vegetable oil.
• Baking soda can be used to remove crayon marks from walls and painted furniture. Sprinkle on a damp sponge and scrub gently so you don’t damage the paint or the wallpaper.
• To clean all types of wood work, make a mixture of 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 4 tablespoons white vinegar and 1 litre of warm water. Apply with a soft cloth and dry with a separate clean cloth.

All purpose Cleaners

• For an all-purpose household cleaner, try using a mixture of 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/3 cup vinegar, 2 tablespoons baking soda and 4 litres of water.
• To remove permanent marker from hard plastic, spray it with hairspray and it wipes right off.
• Window and Glass Cleaner: Mix 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice with 1 litre of water, 2 tablespoons of cornflour, 1/2 cup white vinegar and 4 litres of water.
• Window cleaner: 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid, 1/2 cup ammonia, 1 cup rubbing alcohol. Place mixture in a 4 litre jug and fill with water.
• Get that yucky residue out of your flower vases! Clean your vases by mixing 1/3 cup salt and 2 tablespoons vinegar to form a paste. Coat the inside of the vase (preparing more of the salt mixture if necessary) - let vase stand for 20 minutes and then scrub thoroughly. Rinse and dry the vase.
• Toothpaste will often remove small scratches from glass.
• A mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water will give a brilliant shine to the surface of all of your kitchen and bathroom appliances.

Bathroom

Note: Don’t forget to put on your rubber gloves when using bleach and ammonia!

• To clean ceramic tiles, mix 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/3 cup ammonia, 1/2 cup baking soda and 7 cups warm water. Store the solution in a spray bottle for easy bathroom cleaning.
• A mixture of 3/4 cup bleach and 3 cups water cleans your bathroom tiles while also helping to prevent mildew. Apply with a spray bottle or a dampened sponge and wipe off. Don’t forget to put on your rubber gloves when using bleach!
• To make your vinyl shower curtain last longer, occasionally wash it in the washing machine on gentle with a little bleach. This helps to control the mildew.
• To clean the stubborn stains in your bath tub make a paste of hydrogen peroxide and cream of tartar. Use a toothbrush to rub it into the stains and rinse thoroughly.
• A mixture of 4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 cup white vinegar helps remove buildup from your bathroom fixtures. Apply with a sponge and polish with a dry cloth.
• Light stains can often be removed from your tub or sink by rubbing them with a lemon that has been cut in half.
• To give your shower doors a quick shine, wipe them with a sponge dampened with white vinegar.

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