The Best Homemade Housecleaning Aids and Tips

1. Your pet dog goes into a sneezing spell every time you spray the kitchen with a commercial air freshener.

Try this do-it-yourself room deodorizer which a back-to-nature advocate shared with me: boil two cups of water and crushed cloves for 15 minutes. Cover the pot until it heats up to boiling temperature. Take off lid and allow the clove-scented steam to chase off unpleasant kitchen odor.
I ‘am not sure, however, that the pet dog will find the smell of clove more agreeable. But at least, the clove solution doesn’t contain chemical concoctions such as artificial scents that the dog may be allergic to.

2. To removed the stubborn smell of onions, fish and meat from your hands.

Mild soap in the kitchen is not effective for onions and fish. Rub generous amount of salt on damp hands. Rinse with soap and water. If the smell persists, use vinegar or calamansi juice, then rinse again.
By the way, salt is also good for removing the smell of onions from the chopping board. Sprinkle salt on board and scrub with a piece of crumpled paper.

Calamansi is a natural deodorant

3. White stains from water and alcohol to your wooden desk.

Try the time-tested ash cleaner. Dip a damp cloth in cigarette ash. Use dish to remove the white stains. For more stubborn white stains, use the following solutions: mix two parts alcohol, two parts paint remover or turpentine and one part olive oil. Caution: try out the latter solution first on hidden section of a wooden desk before applying on the rest of the stains. If it discolors the wood, don’t use.

4. Indelible ink on children’s uniform.

Indelible ink will stay fast on uniforms if it is not removed right away, more so if the uniform is washed with the stain. Erase ink stain before washing the uniform by treating it with lighter fluid. Spread lighter fluid on stain and use ink blotter. Repeat procedure if ink stain stays.

Blood stain is another scourge for the laundry help, especially when the stained clothes are not washed immediately. It will be easy to remove stains if soiled clothes are soaked overnight in plain water and washed the following day in warm water with soap. If stain persists, soak clothes in water with salt and vinegar. Wash later.
A carbon paper stain can be removed by scrubbing it with carbon tetrachloride, available at the hardware section of the supermarket. If stain persists, try removing it with a solution of water, ammonia and detergent.

Baking soda – the all-purpose cleaner

5. Cleaning made easier with vinegar and baking soda.

Vinegar is effective for cleaning mold on surfaces. Apply vinegar on affected areas and leave overnight. Clean the treated areas with soap and water the following day. For cleaning sinks and baths, apply a paste of vinegar and salt on the surface and leave for 15 minutes or longer. Rinse with warm water. You can also remove the smell of paint in a room or drawer by leaving overnight a cup of bowl of vinegar in the area.

Vinegar, soap and warm water are also recommended for spot-cleaning carpets and rugs.

Baking soda is an all-purpose cleaner, and one should always have it in the kitchen. It can be used for cleaning sinks, baths, basins, glass, pots and pans, etc. Make a paste and scour a dirty surface. Rinse with warm water. It is also effective in removing stubborn grease and unblocking clogged drains. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water and pour over drain to remove clog. Left overnight inside a fridge or oven, it also get rid of unwanted odor.