Cheaper, Better, Faster by Mary Hunt Read Free Book Online Page A

surface with the solution, let stand several minutes, then rinse.
    Knives and scissors
    To remove rust from knives or scissors, soak them in a mild solution of water and ammonia ( ½ cup household ammonia to 1 quart water) for 10 minutes. Scrub off rust with a steel-wool pad. Rinse and dry.
    Lime buildup
    Apply a paste of cream of tartar and vinegar to faucets to remove lime sediment easily.
    Liquid detergent—cut harshness
    To make liquid dish detergent easy on the hands, add 3 tablespoons of white vinegar to a full bottle and shake well. As a bonus the vinegar will help make your dishes shine.
    Liquid hand soap, homemade
    Save all those little slivers from your bar soaps. Grate them on a cheese grater, mix with water (the amount depends on how much soap you have, but generally speaking you want about 1 part grated soap to 3 parts water), and melt in microwave or on the stove. Beat with a rotary beater until smooth. If you don’t want to bother collecting little slivers of soap, but like the idea of making your own liquid soap, follow these instructionsgrating a new bar of soap to about 3 cups of water.
    Liquid hand soap for kids, homemade
    If your small children are really into washing their hands and go fairly nuts with the soap dispenser, make up a special batch of liquid hand soap just for them: Mix 10 parts generic shampoo to 1 part water.
    Louvered doors
    To clean, dampen a disposable foam paintbrush and wipe between the slats.
    Metal furniture
    To clean aluminum, steel, or wrought-iron furniture, wash with a mild liquid detergent and water, then rinse and dry thoroughly. Once a season, apply a coat of automobile wax. If a scratch occurs on wrought iron or steel, apply matching exterior paint with a small artist brush.
    Microwave
    Steam clean the interior of your microwave with this method: Stir 2 tablespoons baking soda into a cup of water. Set in the microwave and allow to boil for at least 5 minutes. Remove the cup and wipe the inside of the microwave with a sponge.
    Mildew—caulking
    Get rid of mildew in caulking between the walls and tub by saturating paper towels with diluted chlorine bleach. Allow wet towels to sit for a few hours or until all traces of mildew have vanished.
    Mildew—in corners
    To remove mildew from the corner of the tub or other hard-to-scrub places, place a cotton ball saturated with bleach on the mildew for an hour or two. Rinse with warm water and repeat if necessary.
    Mildew—refrigerator
    To prevent mildew from forming in the refrigerator, wipe the inside with white vinegar. The vinegar acid effectively kills mildew fungi.
    Mildew—shower curtain bleach soak
    If mildew and soap scum are only at the bottom of the shower curtain, fill the tub with enough water to cover the spots, add a little bleach, and let soak. Rinse the curtain and the tub well to remove the bleach.
    Mildew—shower curtain in washing machine
    To clean mildew and soap scum from a shower curtain, place the curtain in the washing machine along with two or three white towels. Fill with warm water and then add detergent and ½ cup baking soda. Add 1 cup white vinegar to the rinse water to prevent mold from forming. Hang on the shower rod to dry.
    Mildew—shower stall
    Here’s a way to get rid of mildew buildup in your shower stall without using harsh, household bleach. Fill an empty spray bottle with vinegar and a cup of salt. Shake to encourage the salt to dissolve more quickly. Spray the stall, allow the solution to sit for at least a half hour, and then rinse thoroughly. Tougher jobs may require a second application.
    Mildew—tile
    To remove mildew from tile, wet surface with water and then spray with a solution of 1 cup liquid chlorine bleach mixed with 1 quart water. Let the solution remain on the tile about 15 minutes, then rinse. Caution: Never mix chlorine bleach with other cleaning products that might contain ammonia. A potentially fatal gas may result.
    Mildew—tile