Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Counteract Kitchen Stains with Bleach:
Sometimes stains can penetrate the surface of a counter. In this case, you can use bleach-soaked paper towels to penetrate the counter's surface and counteract the stain. Bleach is dangerous, so use protective gloves and special care while using it.

Kill Germs with Borax:
To avoid using expensive sanitizers to kill the germs in your home, you can make your own germ killer. Simply mix one cup of borax into one gallon of water. Use the solution as a sanitizer on any surface in your home.

Make Steel Wool Go Further:
Steel wool, a combination of fine steel and soap, is a great tool for scrubbing stubborn messes off of dishes and other surfaces in your home. Each time you use steel wool, you probably only use a portion of the surface. To make the steel wool last longer, cut it in half or in quarters.

Make Your Own Window-Washing Liquid:
You can make your own window washing liquid with ammonia and water. An even better alternative to Windex� is to mix ammonia, alcohol, dishwashing liquid, and water, a mixture that will not freeze. Make sure to label your homemade cleaning fluid bottles.

Clean Up Spills with Diapers:
Diapers are extremely soft and very absorbent. You can use diapers as the final drying stage to keep water spots or hard water stains from appearing. Diapers are great for cleaning up spills before they set into carpets or fabrics. Diapers also make excellent dusting and buffing cloths

Use Fabric Softener Sheets as Dust Cloths:
The same fabric softener sheets that you use in your dryer to reduce static and generate a fresh smell can also be used on your furniture. The anti-static property of dryer sheets will actually keep your furniture from attracting dust and making you have to clean them so often. As a bonus, your furniture will smell fresh and clean.