Main > Household > Cleaning
Magic sponge (melamine sponge) is an excellent product for removing difficult marks from surfaces. It is somewhat abrasive, so don't apply more pressure than you need. Melamine sponges are available on ebay for much cheaper (up to 30x cheaper) than you can buy the "magic sponge" in your local store, and it is the same material. These sponges work well when used with a little water, or grease remover, if required.
thesource (378)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Carpets
Carpet shampooing:Hot water: Some people argue that using only hot water, with only a minimal amount, or no carpet shampoo, does a good enough job, and gets around all the problems of shampoos.Problems of carpet shampoos: When dry, the shampoo left in the carpet may attract even more dirt. Any brighteners in the shampoo may damage your carpet. Also, carpet shampoo is expensive.Soft water creates more suds, so you can use less shampoo.
thesource (378)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Carpets
Remove the shampoo from your carpet or it will attract dirt. Use a solution of one cup of vinegar to 2 1/2 gallons (US) (or about 5 1/2 litres) of hot water, and go over your carpet with your shampooing machine to extract most of the shampoo from the carpet. Then go over again just using hot water. The hot water reactivates the shampoo already in the carpet, providing the needed cleansing action.
thesource (378)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Carpets
General tips:Always test for colorfastness before using any stain removers - pick a small area in a hidden corner to make sure the cleaning product won't affect the carpet color.Door mats in front of doors (one outside, one inside) make a huge difference in reducing the amount of dirt tracked into a home - use them generously.Act quickly on spills even on stain-resistant surfaces - start your blotting and absorbing before stains get a chance to sink in to deeply.—When picking up spills, remember to blot and not rub or scrub, which can damage the carpet fibers.
thesource (378)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Fresh Blood stain. Put article of clothing into bathroom sink and pour some peroxide on it and let it set a couple minutes. work it in a little, rinse and repeat.
[guest]
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Blood on fabric and carpet. Pour, 5% hydrogen peroxide on the stain and let it bubble. Then, blot with damp cloth.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Ink pen stain: To get an ink stain out, spray ultra-hold hairspray on the stain, let it dry, then wash like normal. (Don't be afraid of putting too much hairspray on the stain.)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Ink stain. To remove ink stains from cloth, or leather spray hair spray on the area and wipe off with a clean rag.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Ink Stains. For removing ink stains on shirt or jeans pockets just soak in milk overnight and wash as normal the next day!
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Blood stain. Soak affected garment in salt solution overnight then machine wash as per usual. 1/2 cup of cooking salt in a small or medium sized bucket. garment will look as good as new
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Clothing: I have found that most types of baby wipes work great on removing a strain from your clothing. Anyone with babies always have baby wipes handy. Try it some time it works. I always use them when my 2 year old gets something on her and it works great for taking ink from your skin.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Red wine: Use salt. Also, use white wine.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
If your garment is cotton or similar try disguising the stain by tie-dying it.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Try adding dishwasher products for removing stubborn stains.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Nicotine stains. Remove them from your fingers with lemon juice, and scrubbing with pumice stone. Then add hand cream.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Melted Wax: To remove melted wax from clothing, lay a brown paper bag over the garment before you iron over it then keep moving the bag around it will absorb the wax.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Chocolate Stains. First blot or scrape off any excess chocolate. Add a solution of biological washing powder, and then blot with clean towels. If the stain remains soak the fabric in biological detergent. White fabrics can be dabbed with bleach.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Chewing gum: To remove chewing gum from clothes freeze, or cover the gum with ice, then crack and scrape off.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Ink Stains. If the ink is still wet put salt on the stain, and then brush it off after a few minutes when it has soaked up some of the ink. You may need to repeat this a few times. Clean wet ink off carpet with soda water, then blot it off with paper towels. Then clean with a detergent.
[guest]
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Stains
Rust stains in white cotton: To remove the stain, rub with lemon juice and salt. Leave it several hours. It's even more effective when placed in the sun. Wash as normal.
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Main > Household > Cleaning
A foggy mirror can be prevented with shaving cream. Simply spread over a dry mirror, wait 20 minutes, then wipe away with a soft cloth.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Clothes
Ring around the collar: Dirty neck rings around shirt or blouse collars can be removed by putting shampoo on them. Rub the shampoo in like you were washing your hair. Shampoo is specifically made to remove body oils. A cheap bottle of shampoo kept by the washing machine is handy for all kinds of stains in clothing. Don't forget this trick when you are traveling.
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Main > Household > Cleaning
Scuff Marks: Use 3 tbsp. Of TSP (trisodium phosphate) to a gallon of water to clean scuff marks or crayon marks off walls. TSP can be found in the paint department of a hardware store. Wear gloves and do not use on semi-gloss or gloss paint or wood surfaces.
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Main > Household > Cleaning
Dusting: Use paint brushes to dust cracks and hard to reach places in telephones, stereos, etc.
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Main > Household > Cleaning
Candle Wax from Walls: Candle wax can be removed from walls or other surfaces with an iron and facial tissue. Set the tissue over the wax and gently iron. When the wax seeps through or the tissue begins to brown, apply a new tissue.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Carpets
Cigarette burns in carpeting can be repaired by cutting the blackened fibers from the hole. Squeeze liquid glue into the hole and fill with fibers trimmed from carpet remnants.
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Toilets
Ring around your toilet? Alkaline deposits cause those nasty rings. Depending on the hardness of your water, pour one or two cups of white vinegar into the toilet once a month to eliminate the problem.
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Main > Household > Cleaning
Mildew: Keep ahead of mildew so it doesn't become a problem. Every six months spray your bathroom ceiling with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water. Peroxide is a safe bleach and won't harm the environment or your lungs. Find larger quantities of peroxide at beauty or medical supply stores. Spray the mixture on and leave it. No need to rinse or scrub. If you currently have mildew, follow the above directions. Wait two hours and respray. Then wait 24 hours and spray a third time if necessary.
[guest]
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Carpets
Cat Vomit: Let it dry before attempting to clean. Then use carpet cleaner or soap & water.
sdw (11)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Toilets
Brown stains that are hard to remove may be iron oxide (rust), either from the water itself, or your fittings. This can be removed using rust remover solution (ask your hardware store).
[guest]
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Toilets
Pumice stone: Be very careful if you use a pumice stone. If you remove the shiny enamel you will make the problem even worse. Scratched or scored porcelain will become stained even faster. As a last resort, using a pumice stone might work right in the very bottom of the toilet, below the the water level. If you use a pumice stone, make sure to keep it wet to reduce the scratching.
[guest]
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Toilets
Avoidance of stains in the first place is the best solution. Frequent cleaning keeps the surface shiny and smooth, which naturally prevents build-up of dirt.
[guest]
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Main > Household > Cleaning
Sleeping bags: Pretreat spots and stains on the bag cover with liquid detergent. Wash down-filled sleeping bags in cool water with mild detergent. Wash polyester-filled sleeping bags in warm water with an all-purpose detergent. If your sleeping bag can be machine-dried, tumble it with a clean, dry tennis ball to prevent matting and a clean, dry bath towel to absorb excess moisture. If you line-dry the sleeping bag, unzip it before drying.
Kevin Solway (173)
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Main > Household > Cleaning
Blankets: Vacuum blankets occasionally to remove dust and lint. Air blankets on a clothesline periodically to freshen them. Before you wash a blanket, mend or replace bindings and treat spots and stains. Electric blankets should always be washed, not dry-cleaned, since cleaning solvents can damage the wiring. Mothproofing is harmful to the wiring, too.
Kevin Solway (173)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Bedding
Cycle your sheets: If you have more than one set of sheets, and cycle them, your sheets will last longer, as this will allow time for the fibres to recover while the sheets are not in use.
Kevin Solway (173)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Bedding
Washing sheets: Use a minimum of chemicals. Do not dry-clean. Wash with mild detergent and luke warm water. Do not use fragrances or softeners. Front-loading washing machines do less damage to the fabric than top-loaders with agitators. Line drying does less damage to fabrics than tumble-drying. Line drying in the sun will fade colours more than line drying in the shade. If you do tumble dry, don't dry the sheets till they're bone dry and hot, since this will damage the fibres.
Kevin Solway (173)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Clothes
Tumble drying: If you tumble dry clothes till they are bone dry and hot, you will damage the fibres of the fabric.
Kevin Solway (173)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Clothes
Smelly clothes: In order to remove that biological smell from a robe, sleep clothes, or anything else that might have been worn enough before being washed that the wash does not remove the smell, dampen the entire object with an enzyme cleaner intended to remove pet stains and odor.
ElizabethI (6)
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Main > Household > Cleaning
Blood: Prevent blood from staining by first rinsing with cool water (or rinsing and blotting if on carpet or furniture) to remove the majority of the blood, then remove the remainder with hydrogen peroxide.
Be aware that hydrogen peroxide, especially in sunlight, can fade material, so this is not recommended for black material (which doesn't show blood stains anyway) and if this must be done on carpet or something that must stay in the sunlight, , dry well with a towel and leave covered with a plate or bowl until nightfall, then remove the plate/bowl to allow further drying.
ElizabethI (6)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Clothes
Yellow armpits on clothes: Quit using deodorant with aluminum. Not only does deodorant with aluminum mix with some people's body chemistry in such a way to cause yellow armpits on their clothes, but the aluminum may seep into your skin and contribute to Alzheimers.
As for those stains that are already there, they are not coming out.
ElizabethI (6)
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Main > Household > Cleaning
Keep water bottles fresh: In order to eliminate or prevent that swampy taste in reused water bottles, sanitize them by spraying white vinegar on the opening and swishing some white vinegar all around the inside of the bottle. Leave it to sit with the lid on, then rinse.
ElizabethI (6)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Carpets
Before shampooing: Remove as much furniture from the room as possible, and place foil or plastic film under the legs and bases of the remaining furniture to prevent stains.
thesource (378)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Carpets
To raise depressions left in a carpet by heavy furniture, try steaming. You can hold a steam iron close enough for the steam to reach the carpet, but don't let the iron touch the fibers, especially if they are synthetic, because they could melt. Then lift the fibers by scraping them with the edge of a coin or spoon.
thesource (378)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Carpets
Steam cleaning: Be very careful with steam cleaning, as the intense heat can damage carpet. The twist in a cut pile carpet is heat set and using excessively high heat (steam) can release the twist in the pile giving the carpet a felt like appearance. Hot steam can also damage velvet pile fabrics on furnishings.
Vacuum your carpet and remove as much dirt as possible before doing any steam cleaning.
Cheaper, home-style steam cleaners, or even rental equipment, can do a much poorer job than professional steam cleaning machines, especially if they lack the enough suction power to remove the moisture from the carpet, or if their steam contains too much moisture.
thesource (378)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Toilets
Toilet disinfectant: Mix 50 ml of eucalyptus oil with a litre of water. That's it - you can store it as you would a normal disinfectant.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Glass
Sticky residues: Eucalyptus oil can be used undiluted in order to remove sticker/decal residue from glass.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Clothes
Add 1-2 teaspoonfuls of eucalyptus oil to your load of washing for a fresh scent along with the anti-microbial benefits.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Clothes
Paint, grease, ink: Use eucalyptus oil undiluted to help remove them.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Household > Cleaning
Stainless steel: Use eucalyptus oil as a stainless steel cleaner.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Household > Cleaning > Air fresheners
First eliminate source of stale air, by opening windows. Air fresheners work like deodorants, overloading the air with a heavier scent, but not dealing with the unpleasant smell.
kellyjones00 (593)
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