Precious' Housekeeping Hints

Hi and Welcome to my Housekeeping Site.
Now I do not profess to be Martha Stewart like but pretty darn close!!
As a mom of 4 with a hubby and a dog, you can say that me and my household chores
are pretty close. I have found ways to make the jobs a little more easy and I have some
great hints and ideas here too. Housecleaning is hard work and time consuming.

I hope that you find something useful here that you can incorporate into your housework so
that you can spend more time with your loved ones.

Now as we can probably mostly all confess, cleaning your home is not your favorite thing to do, but
it has to be done. I have a few rules in my house that help make *my job* a whole lot easier.

1. You take it out, you put it away.
2. Pick up after yourself.
3. Have children keep their rooms clean on a daily basis.
4. Clean clutter up and then deep clean.

Household cleaning need not be a time consuming job if daily things are kept in order on a daily basis.

1. Sort mail and other papers and deal with them immediately or put them where you would handle them. example....bills on your desk, kids school notes on the fridge (on the side of the fridge not the front, that is too messy looking), coupon cutting? get an envelope to store them in that you can easily grab when you are on your way to the store. Got an appointment....write it on the calendar immediately. A family calendar is the easiest way to keep track of where everyone needs to be and when. Toss the little card you get from the dentist
or doctor or carry it in your wallet or purse for a reminder.

2. Get rid of clutter on a daily basis and call those kids to get their things!! The more times you make them come and fetch their things, the more apt they are to learn to put it away when they were done.

3. Put dishes in the dishwasher immediately or wash them directly after a meal. Empty the dishwasher when it is finished and dry. Include the children in this practice, its great time together when they empty the dishwasher and you are preparing dinner, a great opportunity to casually talk about your day together.

4. Hang up coats and put shoes away immediately when you come in the door. Hang keys
on a key rack inside the front hall closet. Mitts, gloves, hats, scarves, etc. can go in a basket in thecloset, it keeps pairs together and there is never any rushing around in the morning looking for those favourite mitts.

5. Doing laundry? Fold it and put it right away. Get the children to put their clean laundry away. They can also help put towels and facecloths, dishcloths away.

Did you just get a call and a visitor is arriving in 15 minutes.....here are some surefire ways to
give your home a quick fix so it looks like you cleaned for hours.

1. The entrance......quickly vacuum the carpet or sweet the foyer in the front entrance
where your guest will be entering.

2. Put all dishes in the dishwasher or fill the sink with water and put them in to soak.

3. Wash down countertops and sinks quickly with an all purpose cleaner like Fantastik
or Mr. Clean....polish up those taps. Swish the toilet quickly with a cleaner. Put out fresh
hand towels and dish towels.

4. Have a basket handy to put papers, mail, etc in that hasn't been dealt with yet. Have
some silk flowers to put on top of it to hide the clutter, place it on the floor as an accent piece.

5 Start the kettle for tea or coffee.

6. Turn on some music, light a candle, it will look like you have been relaxing.

These are jobs that you should do at least twice a week If you keep on top of it, each cleaning stint is a whole lot easier.

1. Take on one room at a time and start by removing clutter first....there should be very little, if any if you follow #1 under Daily Tidyings.

2. There is some discrepancy of whether you vacuum first or dust....I prefer to vacuum first.

3. Take on one room and dust surfaces.....dressers, tables, tv's, shelves, telephones,

4. Cleaning......wipe down countertops and scour sinks and polish taps. Scrub toilets and washdown
seat, rim and lid and around base. Clean bathtubs. Clean mirrors.

6. Wash inside of microwave, wipe down cannisters, fridge and stove front and handles, as well as tile backsplash.

In The Bathroom

It is especially important to clean areas that may get moldy, including shower curtains, areas around the shower, toilets and bathtub, or areas where humidifiers are used. Bleach works best in these areas to get rid of the mold for good.

Helpful Hints: Always keep an all-purpose cleaner and a sponge in the bathroom so you can sneak away and clean up when unexpected company shows up.

Keep a squeegee in the shower so everyone can wipe it down when they are done (this will help prevent mildew).

Steam helps to loosen build-up so why not clean while you're in there?

Disinfectant can be used on everything in the bath except the mirror.

Don't forget doorknobs and switchplates.

Cleaning Shower Mats: Dip a stiff brush in a kerosene and warm water solution to clean bath and shower mats.

Easy Bathroom Cleaning: Clean after a steamy bath or shower. The walls, fixtures, etc., will be much easier to clean because the steam will have loosened the dirt.

Cleaning The Sink: For light stains, rub with a fresh cut lemon. For dark stains (like rust) rub with a paste of borax and lemon juice.

Bathtub Rings: To avoid bathtub rings, don't use oily bath preparations. Use a water softener if you live in a hard-water area. Rinse the tub immediately after bathing. If a ring does form, wipe it off with undiluted ammonia (wear rubber gloves) or a wet sponge generously sprinkled with baking soda. Rinse clean and wipe dry. For a more stubborn stain, scour with automatic dishwashing detergent or rub with a cloth dipped in vinegar.

Cleaning with Rubbing Alcohol: Rubbing alcohol will clean the caulking around bathtubs. It also shines chrome and glass. Liquid chlorine bleach (1/4 cup to one gallon) will also clean caulk.

Cleaning Toilet Bowl: Clean the toilet bowl while you're away by pouring in 1/4 cup bleach and leaving it until you return. Keep the toilet bowl ring-free by pouring a half-gallon of white vinegar in it once a month. Let it soak overnight before flushing. Don't use bleach if you're already using a tank-held cleaner that's released when the toilet is flushed. The two may react chemically. To avoid clogging and odors, pour one cup baking soda down the bowl weekly.

Getting to Dirt in the Corner: Can't get to that dirt in the corner? Make a pointed tool by cutting an old whisk broom at a 45 degree angle.

Small Bathrooms: If you have a small bathroom or a tile entrance and don't have time to bother with a scrub bucket, just use an all purpose spray cleaner and a damp sponge for quick clean up.

Mildew: To remove mildew from the corners of the tub, dip cotton balls in bleach and let them sit, when you finish cleaning the bath, remove cotton and rinse well. The mildew will be gone.

Disinfectant: Clean with a disinfectant to kill germs. Everything in the bathroom except the mirror can be cleaned this way in just 3 or 4 minutes a day. Keep cleaners in bath for a quick job when unexpected company drops by.

Shower Tile: Remove soap and hard water buildup on shower tile with tile cleaner. Then apply a good paste wax and buff with a dry cloth to deter future water spots.

Air Freshener: For immediate air freshener in the bath, place a fabric softener sheet in the wastepaper basket or add a dab of fragrance on a light bulb. When the light is on, the heat releases the aroma.

Freshen Drain: To freshen drain, pour 1/4 to 1/2 box of baking soda down the drain, add 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Cover drain tightly for a few minutes and flush with cold water.

Shower Doors: Rub glass shower doors with a white vinegar-dampened sponge to remove soap residue. To clean shower track door, pour full strength vinegar into the track, let soak for a few minutes, then rinse. A coat of acrylic floor finish gives new shine to fiberglass shower doors and makes water spots disappear. Club soda will give new shine to your counter tops.

Cleaning Shower Curtains: Before hanging shower curtains, soak in salt water solutions to prevent mildew. To remove mildew, wash in hot soapy water, rub with lemon juice and let the shower curtain dry in the sun. For plastic curtains, clean with laundry pre-wash spray. Spray along the top, letting it run down to cover the curtain. Allow it to sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off.

COMMON HOUSEHOLD INGREDIENTS...
MAKE WONDERFUL AND INEXPENSIVE CLEANERS

General Uses For:

Ammonia - good grease cutter, wax stripper, and window cleaner. NEVER MIX WITH BLEACH!

Lemon juice - great for whitening items, but vinegar is cheaper . It also cuts through grease and stains on aluminum and porcelain

White Vinegar - very cheap and versatile, great for whitening, also fantastic for cleaning hard surfaces, windows and shining up metal surfaces. Removes mildew, stains, grease and wax buildup. This is another natural cleaner that whole books have been written on!

Bleach - great for whitening anything, removing molds and mildews, and general cleaning. Best used diluted with water. DO NOT MIX BLEACH WITH VINEGAR, TOILET BOWL CLEANER, OR AMMONIA. The combination of bleach with any of these substances produces a toxic gas which can be hazardous. We want to save money without jeopardizing our lives!

Borax - (sodium borate) It deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. It also prevents mold and odors. Great alternative for those who do not want to use bleach.

Baking Soda - Extremely versatile, baking soda is an all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. It cleans, deodorizes, scours, polishes and removes stains. There are entire books out about the zillions of uses of baking soda, and the best thing about it is that it's cheap!

Washing Soda - (sodium carbonate) Cuts grease and disinfects. It will also increase the cleaning power of soap.

Ketchup - great for cleaning copper

Cornstarch - cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs, you can use this to replace expensive "baby powders" also.

Pure Soap - cleans just about anything and is mild

Salt - believe it or not, regular table salt makes an abrasive, but gentle, scouring powder. Who would have known?

****IMPORTANT SAFETY TIPS!****

1.NEVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA TOGETHER! This combination is deadly! Also, never mix products together that contain bleach with products that contain ammonia. This includes dishwasher detergent (contains bleach). I would even go as far as storing them in different places just as a precaution.

2.ALWAYS check labels on products before combining ANYTHING. It's not worth making these cleaners if you wind up in the hospital or the morgue, so PLEASE BE CAREFUL!

3.KEEP ALL CLEANERS AWAY FROM KIDS - even though these are environmentally friendly, they are still not safe for children , so please keep these away from your kids.

FORMULA'S FOR CLEANERS

All Purpose Cleaner
2 cups rubbing alcohol (70% isoprophyl)
1 tablespoon mild dishwashing liquid (for handwashing dishes, NOT dishwasher detergent-it contains bleach!)
1 tablespoon ammonia
2 quarts water

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl. Fill a CLEAN spray bottle (not recycled one) with cleaner and store the rest tightly sealed in a large bottle. Use with a cloth or sponge to clean the bathroom fixtures, kitchen fixtures, appliances, chrome, plastic countertops, and painted surfaces. Rinse with a clean cloth or sponge after cleaning.

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Homemade Dust and Furniture Polish

I tried this one and it is not only easy, but cheap and very effective. No more pledge for me! I have a lot of woodowork in my home, and was very excited to find a cheaper polish!

1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup lemon juice

Pour oil and lemon juice into a squirt bottle or jar. Stir to combine. To use, dip dust cloth or rag into oil, blot the oil by folding the cloth together, and then dust your furniture. Leaves a beautiful finish!

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All purpose quick shiner

This shiner is mild and safe to use for all surfaces

1 ¼ cups white vinegar
1 ¼ cups water
22 ounce spray bottle

Pour vinegar and water into the spray bottle. Shake gently to combine. To use, spray on
and wipe off.

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All Purpose Window and Glass Cleaner

Vinegar cuts grease and leaves windows sparkling clean. Best of all, this mixture is
absolutely safe. It's the best choice if you have young children in the house.

¼ cup white vinegar
1 quart of water

Pour vinegar and water into a bowl or container, or mix the ingredients in a spray bottle. Clean windows directly with a sponge dipped in the bowl of cleaner or spray on and wipe clean. I have heard that you can use newspaper to clean windows quite well.

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Sink Cleaner

Replace Comet and other abrasives with this homemade one. Combine baking soda and salt to scrub stainless steel.

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Oven Cleaner

¼ cup ammonia
2 cups of warm water

Pour ammonia and warm water in a baking dish and leave in a warm oven overnight. This will loosen the grime in the over, which you can then clean with an ammonia-based cleaner or soap and water. You can also scour with baking soda.

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Cleaning Silver

Don't buy one of those metal plates that you put in warm water to clean silver. This is the same thing! I found this trick in "Make it Last" by Earl Proulx, one of my favorite books on maintaining your home and possessions. I have done this on some silver plated forks and spoons that I got very cheap at a yardsale and they came out great! This trick works like magic and kids love it.

Aluminum foil
Baking soda
Salt
Very hot water (can be boiling if you like)

Combine the above ingredients in a clean kitchen sink. Put your tarnished silver and silver-plated items into the sink and let set for a few minutes. Watch as the tarnish disappears from the silverware and reappears on the foil. This is a natural chemical reaction, and a great way to teach the kids some science!

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MULTIPURPOSE CLEANER

Rating: Excellent. Performed as well as top-of-the-line commercial products.
Uses: Many. Tile and linoleum floors, formica counter-tops, appliances, etc.
Hazards: Read about ammonia above.
Cost: About 40 cents a gallon (not including water)

¼ cup baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
1 cup household ammonia
½ cup white vinegar
1 gallon warm water

Mix ingredients and store in tightly-capped container.

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OLD-FASHIONED GLASS AND WINDOW CLEANER

Rating: Very good. The best commercial preparations left the window only a little shinier. Even though the cornstarch makes the mixture slightly gritty, it didn't scratch the glass. Poisonous.
Hazards: Ammonia is poisonous, so keep. the mixture away from children and arrange good ventilation. Wear gloves because it's a heavy-duty cleaner and rough on the hands.
Cost: About 20 cents a gallon (not including water)

2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup household ammonia
½ cup white vinegar
1 gallon warm water

Mix the ingredients in a bucket and use to scrub windows. Try not to clean glass the sun is shining on because it will dry too fast and streak.

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VINEGAR WINDOW CLEANER

Rating: Very good. We'd been warned that plain water could do as well as a vinegar solution, but our subjective impression was that the vinegar made it a lot easier to get rid of smudges. In theory, vinegar is supposed to remove hard-water spots.
Hazards: May be hard on your hands, but safe enough to drink.
Cost: About 7¢ a gallon (not including water)

½ cup white vinegar
1 gallon warm water

Just mix and scrub.

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DILUTE BLEACH

Rating: Very good. In the ballpark with commercial cleaners, but few name-brand cleaners got rid of smudges with less scrubbing.
Hazards: Bleach is poisonous, so keep it away from children. It will bleach anything it touches, so use only on colorfast items. Check the solution first on a hidden spot.
Uses: Same as above.
Cost: Less than a penny a gallon (not including water)

2 tablespoons or 1/8 cup liquid bleach
1 quart cold water
Mix in a scrub bucket. Moisten an old cloth with the solution and wipe onto surface. Let stand about 2 minutes and rinse well.

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DILUTE AMMONIA

Rating: Very good. A few of the best commercial cleaners outperformed it.
Hazards: Ammonia is poisonous and its fumes sting the eyes and throat. Wear gloves. Don't mix with chlorine bleach because the combination produces poisonous gases called chloramines.
Uses: Same as above.
Cost: About 8¢ a gallon (not including water)

½ cup household ammonia
1 gallon warm water.

Mix in a pail and use to scrub.

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METAL POLISH

Rating: Good. Does the job but you need to scrub more than you would with a commercial cleaner.
Hazards: Safe enough to eat, and it's not gritty enough to scratch the metal.
Uses: Suitable for brass, bronze, copper and pewter. Not for silver, silver plate and jewelry.
Cost: Less than a penny for about 3 tablespoons of paste (not including water)

1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon salt
I tablespoon white vinegar

Combine salt and flour in small bowl and stir until blended. Add the vinegar and mix into a thick paste. Smear on the paste with a damp sponge or cloth and rub gently. Let the polish dry for about an hour.
Rinse well with warm water and buff dry with a soft cloth.

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WALL CLEANER

Rating: Very good. A few commercial preparations required less scrubbing.
Hazards: See ammonia above. Don't let children eat the borax either.
Uses: For painted walls, not wall-paper
Cost: About 6¢ for 2 quarts (not including water)

2 ounces borax
I teaspoon ammonia
2 quarts water

Dissolve the borax and ammonia in a bucketful of water. Scrub a really dirty wall from the bottom up. if you scrub from the top down, the dirty water will run down over the dry, soiled wall leaving hard-to-remove streaks. Oddly enough, it won't stain wet, clean walls. For textured walls, old socks are good scrubbers because they won't tear off in little pieces as easily as a sponge might. To keep water from dribbling down your arm, fasten an old washcloth around your wrist with a rubber hand.

Check out: Haley's Hints
For wonderful around the house ideas!

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