Sensual Service

A thorough house cleaning is a time consuming task that is necessary to create a healthy home environment that is less allergenic. How do you tackle such a gigantic task? It is simple. Tackle one room at a time and don’t plan to get it all done in one day.

Quite often the chemicals from commercial cleaning supplies can aggravate your allergies. Did you know that basic household ingredients can produce the same results? Here is a sampling of how certain household ingredients can aid in cleaning. Keep in mind that some people with allergies cannot tolerate the smell of ammonia or bleach.

• Ammonia - cuts grease, strips the wax off floors, and cleans windows
• Baking soda - cleans, deodorizes, scours, polishes, and removes stains
• Bleach - whitens practically anything and removes mold and mildew
• Borax - alternative for bleach, deodorizes, prevents mold, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap
• Cornstarch - cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs
• Ketchup - cleans copper
• Lemon juice - cuts grease and stains on aluminum and porcelain, whitens
• Salt - makes an abrasive, but gentle, scouring powder
• Vegetable oil - a furniture polish
• Washing soda - cuts grease and disinfects
• White vinegar - cleans windows, shines metal surfaces, removes mildew, stains, grease and wax buildup
• Sometimes combining some of the above ingredients creates better cleaners, but remember to NEVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA TOGETHER.
• Ceramic tile cleaner - use a combination of 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup white vinegar, one gallon warm water, and one cup ammonia
• Furniture polish - combine 1 teaspon lemon juice with one pint mineral or vegetable oil
• Mold growth prohibitor - dilute 3/4 cup chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water and apply to affected areas or apply full-strenth white vinegar
• Oven cleaner - fill a small glass bowl with 1/2 cup full-strength ammonia, place in oven and close. Let stand overnight.
• Painted wall and woodwork cleaner - combine 1/4 cup ammonia with 1 gallon warm water OR combine l/4 cup liquid dish detergent with 1 gallon water
• Scouring powder - combine baking soda with a touch of salt
• Toilet bowl cleaner - combine baking soda and vinegar or use 1/2 cup clorine bleach
• Window or mirror cleaner - Combine 3 Tablespoons ammonia, 1 Tablespoon white vinegar and 3/4 cup of water or 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1 quart of water. Wipe dry with newspaper.