10.18.11
Bleach It’s Not Just For Laundry
When it comes to household cleaning supplies the stores shelves are chocked full of many specialized items. Using these products can break your wallet with their cost and may not be as effective as you might think.I am thankful that there are many tried and true products out there and I am sure you have plenty in your cleaning arsenal. With so many different cleaning challenges around, I sure am glad to have a few of the old standards on hand. Bleach, ammonia and rubbing alcohol are always on hand at my house.
Remember that products that are tough on cleaning problems are also harsh on your skin and lungs. Always wear gloves and keep the area well ventilated. And always remember to never and I mean NEVER mix ammonia and bleach as it can produce a poisonous gas. And that would not be good.
Surfaces and Counter Tops:
Around my kitchen to clean the counters and other surfaces. I mix 2 tablespoon of my liquid dish detergent with a half cup of bleach and add enough water to fill a clean spray bottle. After I mix the solution I label it clearly and place in my cleaning basket.
To remove permanent marker marks I always use Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol. Works like a charm.
To get rid of stains on your cutting board or butchers block I soak a white paper towel in alcohol and lay over the stain for 5 to ten minutes. Rinse thoroughly and dry.
The Sinks and Drains:
To remove odors from your garbage disposal pour bleach down the drain and run hot water for 5 minutes.
To clean out the bacteria from food particles that are in your drainpipes about once a week mix up 2 tablespoons of bleach with a gallon of water and pour down the drain. Let sit a minute or two then flush the drains for a couple of minutes with cold water.
The Appliances:
I really hate cleaning the oven and the oven racks with baked on or blackened area. I try steaming off the stubborn areas on the racks with a ammonia bath. I fill the bath tub with hot water and lay the racks in the tub of water and add 3/4 cup of ammonia. Make sure the bathroom is very well ventilated. I let the racks soak for 30 to 45 minutes. I wipe with a damp sponge and then rinse and dry.
To clean my oven I make a solution of 2 cups water with 1/4 of ammonia placed in a glass bowl. I set this inside the oven, close the door and let sit over night. The next day I wipe the oven clean with a damp sponge.
To clean my refrigerator I wipe down the insides a damp sponge and a mixture of 2 tablespoon bleach and 1 gallon water. Rinse with cold water. Wipe dry.
To remove water stains from stainless steel appliances and other fixtures I use Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol.
Storage containers often take on a greasy feeling. I put 2 capfuls of bleach in my dish water and wash as usual. Problem solved. It even gets rid of the odort. When my mother was receiving chemotherapy one of her nurses suggested that since the boys were school age and they bring home germs from school to add 1 tablespoon of bleach to my dish water every time I did dishes to cut back on the germs that may linger even after washing. I did this and we never had a cold. I still do it today. I don’t know if it really helped us stay healthier or not but it didn’t hurt either. Now Into the Bathroom: This is the room I hate to clean the most of all. It is full of germs and is always a mess. To clean the nasty caulking around the tub and shower I make a mixture of 1/4 cup bleach and a gallon of water. Then I scrub tile caulk and grout with an old toothbrush dipped in the bleach solution. Rinse Mildew can build up on bath and shower accessories so I mix up 1 1/4 cup of bleach and 1 gallon water I scrub with a sponge bath mats, shower curtains , soap dishes and anything else that sits around the tub. Rinse thoroughly. Clean your toilet by adding 1/4 cup of bleach and let soak at least 15 minutes then run toilet brush around and flush. Don’t throw out the bluing containers you by for the toilet when they are empty just open them up, wash them out and fill with bleach. Replace in the toilet tank and you now have a toilet disinfecting tool every time you flush. Carpets When I shampoo my carpets since they are light in color I always add 3 caps of bleach to the cleaning solution. I never use the store cleaner. I always make my own of a good pine cleaner. I add 1/4 cup pine cleaner and 3 capfuls of bleach. House smells fresh and clean.