Homemade Cleaning Ideas

It is snowing a "furry buzzard" (what our daughter said when she was just learning to talk and we were having a blizzard similar to today's) and the house is so warm and cozy from the fireplace and baking. Six loaves of whole wheat bread just fresh out of the oven and the house smells wonderful.  Our wonderful next door neighbor, Len, is scooping our driveway out for the second time today from the blizzard.  We are truly blessed!!

Through the years I have been given "recipes" to help with cleaning jobs around the house.  I also have several equivalent charts that I have used until I memorized them. I hope these will be a help to you as keeper of your home.  They certainly have been for me!

Window Washing Solution

1 gallon water

1 pint rubbing  alcohol

1Tablespoon ammonia

1 teaspoon detergent

Mix well and store in a plastic milk jug.  This works better than any of the name-brand window cleaners and is sooooooo much cheaper!!!  My husband's mother gave me this recipe the first year I was married.  I have used it ever since, and I love it.  Another thing Mom taught me about cleaning windows was to use old new paper.  There is something in the newsprint that makes the windows sparkle and stay cleaner longer.  I'm all for that!!  Of course the other rule is to NEVER CLEAN WINDOWS WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING DIRECTLY ON THEM.  The solutions dries too fast and the windows will ALWAYS be streaked.

If you have acquired some old family silver plate silverware of your grandmother's here is an excellent way to polish the set quickly and easily.  It will not damage it and the silver does not tarnish quickly.  This recipe was given to me by a very dear little older lady at our church one day when CWF was cleaning the kitchen.  Mrs. Wills was the epitome of the Titus 2 woman and all of us who were blessed to be influenced by her have "mighty big shoes" to fill!

Silver Cleaner

Put silverware in aluminum pan to about 1/3 capacity of the pan.  The pan MUST be aluminum.  Add 8-oz. baking soda.  Cover with water and boil.  Stir the silver so all pieces come in contact with pan,  Pour out in sink and wash as usual.  Dry well and let air dry completely.  Store in drawer or chest.  

Mom had lots of sterling silver pieces.  She always put a piece of rock alum or a strip of silver paper that you get from the jewelry shop in the cabinet with the silver.  It really helped on slowing the tarnishing process.  Now that we have lots of the silver, I do the very same thing.  For those of you who live in the KCMO area you can get the rock alum at Planter's in the River Que area.  The Jones Store carries the silver strip, but they are expensive!!

Best Eyeglass Cleaner I Know Of!

1/2 alcohol

1/2 water

1/2 water

1-2 drop of dish liquid  ( I use one that is great for cutting grease)

Mix well and put in your spray bottle.  Sooooooo much cheaper than buying it and works wonderfully!!!!!   I usually just use 1/2 cup of each, but you can make as much or as little as you wish.

Cookware Cleanser

1 cup lye

1 cup bleach, optional

1 cup laundry detergent

Fill you stainless steel cannier 3/4 full of warm water.  Add the above "ingredients".  Heat to almost boiling.  Dip all your stainless steal cookware in solution.  They will shine like new!!  It really does work very well--try it!!!

Teapot Cleaner

Have a yucky teapot inside, from build up from the water?  You can do two things.  Either you can add 2-3 teaspoons baking soda to a cup of water and let that set in your teapot overnight.  Or you can use the following recipe I found which is named "sediment remover":.  1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 cups water and 3 Tablespoons salt.  Put these ingredients in your teakettle and boil for 15 minutes.  Leave this overnight to do its work.  If you bring the kettle to a boil on high it will boil over quickly.  Cook on medium heat! 

 Stain Solution

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups water

Mix the above ingredients well and pour into any Tupperware or plastic kitchenware that is stained.  Let soak until stain disappears!

Weights & Measures

1 pound of                                                                           Equals:

all-purpose flour                                                                   4 cups

granulated sugar                                                                   2 cups

powdered sugar                                                                   3 1/2 cups

brown sugar                                                                         2 1/4 cups

syrup (molasses, etc)                                                            1 1/3 cups

butter                                                                                   2 cups

grated American cheese                                                       4 cups

oatmeal                                                                                6 1/4 cups

walnuts                                                                                 4 cups

raisins                                                                                   3 cups

I hope you will enjoy these hints as much as I have.   Another time I will share some more charts and hints that have been shared with me through the years.   I hope you have had a great Tuesday and beginning to your week.  
                                                                            Thanks for stopping by!

                                                                                                  Jean