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What happens if you replace all those chemical cleaners with a gallon jug full of white vinegar and a resealable bag of baking soda? Can you say, I can save money! Sure you can!
Baking Soda
Oven Cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda on bottom of oven, and spray with just enough water to slightly dampen. Let sit overnight, and then scrub clean.
Carpet Freshener: Sprinkle over entire carpet area, and then allow to sit for 15-20 minutes. Vacuum all the baking soda up and the smells will go with it! A great way to replace commercial carpet fresheners.
Unclog Drains: Pour a cup of baking soda down any drain and follow with a few cups of boiling water to keep drains running well. To unclog a tougher clog, try baking soda, followed by a cup of vinegar - let that sit and then flush out with boiling water.
Powder Cleanser: Use baking soda instead of powder cleanser to scrub the tub, toilet, etc. Works great! And it's totally safe to use.
Scrub Pots: Sprinkle into the bottom of pots and let sit and then give a good scrub. Can also make a paste of soda and water if you prefer.
Garbage Cans: Use in garbage cans to reduce odor. Sprinkle generous amount in bottom before replacing garbage bags.
Add to laundry: Helps get clothes REALLY clean, and you can reduce the amount of detergent you use. Great for sensitive skin too, or those with allergies.
Wash the fridge: Use a generous handful of baking soda in a small pail of water and use this to wash out the fridge. Cheaper and more effective than other cleaners, and non-toxic too.
Add to dish water: Add a small handful to your sinkful of soapy water when doing dishes. It makes both your hands and dishes really clean!
Add to dishwasher: A generous handful in the dishwasher will get your dishes extra clean.
Clean out the dishwasher: Run the dishwasher through with baking soda filling both detergent compartments. It will give your dishwasher a thorough cleaning and will help it clean better again.
Fabric Softener: Use baking soda in the rinse water of my "cold water washables". It gets all the soap out real good and softens the clothes. I do not use a fabric softener with them.
Puts out Minor Kitchen Fires: Soda kept near a stove is good in case of a pot fire also, throw baking soda on it and it will snuff it out.
Vinegar
Cleans Glass: Mixed with water or simply sprayed full-strength on glass and mirrors, vinegar does a great job quickly and easily. Simply wipe windows dry with crumpled-up newspapers and watch your windows sparkle.
Clean your car: Use it full-strength to polish car chrome with a cloth and see it shine! Use it on your car’s windshield and windows, too.
Cleans drinking glasses: Soak cloudy drinking glasses in warmed white vinegar for a few hours to remove the film, simply wipe clean, rinse, and dry.
Clean your washing machine: Periodically run a gallon of distilled vinegar through your washing machine to clean it thoroughly, get rid of soap scum, and clear out the hoses. Run the machine through the warm water wash cycle empty and then add the vinegar during the rinse cycle.
Furniture Polish: Make your own furniture polish with one part vinegar and three parts lemon oil or olive oil.
Remove price tags or stickers: Paint them with several coats of vinegar and let it soak in. Depending what you are removing them off of is whether they'll slide off easily or require a little heavier rubbing.
Clean your iron: Put vinegar in the water holder and let it steam itself clean. Remember to flush it with water when you are done.
Clean paintbrushes: Simmer paintbrushes in pure vinegar, then wash in hot soapy water.
Wash walls: Wipe down your walls with a vinegar-water mixture and it will help absorb odors and clean the surfaces.
Remove spots from glasses: Use a vinegar-soaked cloth to remove spots from any glassware or crystal.
Unclog drains: Pour boiling white vinegar down clogged drains to remove the clog!
Clean jars: Remove odors and stains from jars by cleaning them out with vinegar.
Clean an old lunchbox: Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox over night.
Clean and deodorize a garbage disposal: Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through
Teapot cleaning: Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Wipe away the grime.
Dishwasher cleaning: Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.
Microwaves: Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.
Remove smoke smells from clothing: Add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of hot water. Hang clothes above the steam.
Clean eyeglasses: Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.
Remove stains from furniture and upholstery: Remove stubborn stains from furniture upholstery and clothes. Apply White vinegar directly to the stain, then wash as directed by the manufacturer's instructions.
Remove rust: Soak the rusted tool, bolt, or spigot in undiluted white vinegar overnight.
Toilet bowl: Pour in one cup of White vinegar, let it stand for five minutes, and flush.
Brighten fabrics: Add a 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
Natural cleaning wipes: A cloth soaked with vinegar for sanitizing kitchen counters, stove, and bathroom surfaces. This is just as effective as the anti-bacterial products and does not promote resistant strains like the commercial products can, this is also a cheaper and greener way to protect your loved ones.
Remove lint from laundry: Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.
Remove grease from suede: Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over grease spot.
Remove perspiration stains from clothing: Apply one part vinegar to four parts water, then rinse.
Clean coffee or tea stains from china: A mixture of salt and vinegar will clean coffee and tea stains from chinaware.
Clean coffeepots and coffee makers: Vinegar can help to dissolve mineral deposits that collect in automatic drip coffee makers. Fill the reservoir with vinegar and run it through a brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when the cycle is finished.
Fabric Softener Replacement: Use vinegar in place of fabric softener in your laundry. Use the same amount as fabric softener plus twice the amount of water (so 2 parts water, 1 part vinegar) and put it in the fabric softener dispenser. Clothes come out soft and scent free. It also helps reduce static.
General Household Cleaner: Keep some vinegar diluted in a spray bottle. Use this for wiping down counter tops (at night only so smell goes away).
Cleaning Drains the fun way!
Place about 1 cup of baking soda into the drain of the sink. Slowly pour enough water to help the soda go further down into the drain, but not enough to make it go away! Now, for the “mad scientist” part. Pour about 11/2 to 2 cups of white vinegar down the drain. Those really cool bubbles help remove the build up of stinky drain stuff and it looks cool!
Borax
In the laundry
Borax acts as a water conditioner, boosting the cleaning power of detergent by controlling alkalinity, deodorizing the clothes and aiding the removal of stains and soil. Add 1/2 cup 2 borax powder to each wash load along with the recommended amount of detergent. For large - capacity machines (over 12 lbs.) and front - loading machines, add 3/4 cup.
Diapers and baby clothes will get a cleaning boost when soaked and washed with borax. It helps get rid of odors, reduces staining and makes diapers more absorbent. Flush out heavily soiled diapers and begin soaking them as soon as possible, using 1/2 cup Borax for each diaper pail of warm water. Follow soaking with a hot water wash, adding 1/2 cup Borax along with the recommended amount of detergent. Wash linens, bibs, slips and cotton crib liners in hot water, adding 1/2 cup borax powder and detergent. NOTE: Never leave open buckets containing liquids where children can reach them. They pose a drowning hazard. Delicate Hand Washables
Delicate hand washables are best cared for by dissolving 1/4 cup borax powder and 1-2 tablespoons detergent in a basin of warm water and soaking them for 10 minutes. Rinse in clear, cool water, blot with a towel, lay flat (woolens) or hang to dry (away from sunlight and direct heat).
Cleaning Cookware
Borax is a mild and gentle cleaner for porcelain and aluminum cookware. Sprinkle it on pots and pans as you would a dry cleanser and rub with a damp dishcloth. No need to worry about scratching, as borax is not abrasive. Rinse thoroughly.
In the kitchen
Fine China - Your fine china will shine brilliantly when rinsed in a solution of borax (1/2 cup in a sink full of warm water). Designs on hand-painted china will not fade using this method. Give china a second thorough rinse with clear water.
Refrigerators - Borax is excellent for cleaning and deodorizing your refrigerator. Lingering odors and spilled food can be washed away with a sponge or soft cloth using a solution of 1 quart warm water and 1 tablespoon borax. Rinse with cold water.
Garbage Pails - Deodorize your garbage pails with borax. After washing the empty pail with a solution of borax and warm water, sprinkle a little dry borax in the bottom of the dry pail. Then as the pail becomes full, repeat the process to minimize spoiled food odors. The same procedure can be used for outdoor trash barrels, especially during warm weather months.
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