Tired of spending a fortune on cleaning products? Well, the people at HGTV have provided some tips on using everyday household items to clean your home. Homemade cleaning supplies are a good alternative to purchasing expensive cleaning supplies.
The hardest working and most versatile item is baking soda. Eliminating carpet odors is easy with baking soda. Simply sprinkle a full box over the dry carpet, let it sit for 15 minutes, then vacuum it up. It does a good job of elminiating odors and it keeps your vacuum smelling fresh as well.
To open a clogged drain, use baking soda, salt and a little water. Mix 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of baking soda and pour it down the drain. Follow that with boiling water and let it sit overnight. In the morning, let the tap run to flush down the clog. This is a good alternative to the harsh chemicals that we sometimes put down our drains.
If you have black shoe marks (from heels or other shoes) then make a paste of baking soda and water and rub it on the black marks. The marks disappear instantly. This trick also works on countertops.
You can also use baking soda to clean your tub. Rub down the tub with white vinegar and then use baking soda as a scouring powder. Use a sponge with the vinegar and then follow with the powder.
To remove dirt from ceramic tile, brick and stone flooring- dilute white vinegar with water and use it to clean the tilesClub soda works to polish floors (hardwood or vinyl).
To clean wood furniture, blend two parts olive oil and one part lemon juice. Put it on the wood furniture and wipe it off with a dry rag. Olive oil also works well as a stainless steel and brass cleaner (to prevent those surfaces from tarnishing).
You can also use white toothpaste to clean crayon marks from non-porous furniture as well as to scrub water spots from your wood furniture.
Use these tips to get your house ready to sell or simply to maintain your home. If you are looking to buy or sell, send me a note…I would love to help!
