There are many every day items you already have in your home that you can use for unexpected purposes
BAKING SODA
Did you know baking soda is not just for baking, cleaning, and air freshening? It’s great in gardens, too! Use baking soda to:
- -Kill weeds in walkways. Just pour it in the cracks.
- -Keep pests away. Sprinkle some in the soil in your garden (NOT directly on the plants) to keep bugs and rabbits away.
- -A natural fungicide. Mix 1 tsp baking soda into a gallon of water and spray on roses to prevent black spots.
VINEGAR
- Remove stickers and residue from glass by soaking the area in vinegar, then scraping the sticker away.
- Clean your coffee pot. Use equal parts vinegar and water and run a brew cycle (without a filter or coffee of course). This will clean the inside of your machine of mineral deposits and build-up.
TOOTHPASTE
- Clean crayon off of walls–just apply a small dab to the offending area, buff with a rag, then wipe clean with warm water
- Buff scratches from a CD or DVD–apply a small amount to back and distribute evenly, then rinse with water and dry with a soft cloth
DRYER SHEETS
- Remove caked-on food from pots and pans. Just fill the item with hot water and add a unused dryer sheet; allow to soak for several hours, then clean as normal.
- Pick a scented dryer sheet you love and use it to deodorize. Place an unused sheet or two anywhere odors abound–shoes, under car seats, gym bag, diaper pail, etc.
LEMONS
- Cut lemon into small pieces and run garbage disposal. This will clean the blades and deodorize.
- Rub a cut lemon on bath and shower fixtures to remove hard water stains and mineral deposits.
Make your own fabric freshening spray:
- 1/8 cup fabric softener (brand and scent of your choice)
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- Hot tap water
Mix well and place in 25-30 oz. spray bottle. Shake well before each use. Spray on rugs, furniture, comforters, etc. to freshen and deodorize
How to clean your sink area:
- Always wash your sink with a bleach solution
- When it stinks, cut up a lemon rind and grind it in the disposal
- Make vinegar ice cubes and grind them occasionally.
- Your dishwasher is also a germ festival so put 2 cups of vinegar in it and run it on a full cycle. To make your dishwasher smell good use SUGAR FREE powdered lemonade and run it through. If you use the sugared kind it will feed all the bacteria in it!
Places in your house that you probably don’t think about cleaning, but you should:
BEDS
Mattresses and pillows harbor dust, dust mites, dead skin cells, and bacteria. An easy way to clean them is with your vacuum. Run the vacuum over your bare mattress and pillows with the hose attachment.
REFRIGERATOR
Dirty fridges harbor harmful bacteria (think salmonella) as well as expired foods that can lead to food poisoning. At least once every other month, you should clean shelves and drawers with anti-bacterial cleaner as well as go through the contents of your fridge and discard anything near or past its expiration date.
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