Information from this section was found at: Clean & Green by Loretta Wallace

Used individually or combined, these cleaners are safe, effective and cost-efficient.

All Purpose Cleaners

• Vinegar and Salt. Mix together for a good surface cleaner.
• Baking Soda. Dissolve 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water for a general cleaner.
• Baking soda on a damp sponge. Baking soda cleans and deodorizes all kitchen and bathroom surfaces.
• Use liquid castile soap and baking soda or Borax in different ratios. Use a little soap and soda/borax with lots of water on floors, walls and counters. Use more soap, soda/Borax for tubs sinks, cat boxes, anything that can be well rinsed.
• For a general, all-purpose cleaner, try a paste made from baking soda and water or mix salt and water with a little vinegar.
• 3 tbsp. vinegar, 1/2 tsp. washing soda, 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil based liquid soap, 2 cups hot water. Mix ingredients in spray bottle or bucket. Apply and wipe clean. 

Bathroom Cleaners

Toilet Bowl

• Baking Soda and Vinegar: Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, then squirt with vinegar and scour with a toilet brush. Cleans and deodorizes.
• Borax and Lemon Juice. For removing a stubborn stain, like toilet bowl ring, mix enough borax and lemon juice into a paste cover the ring. Flush toilet to wet the sides, then rub on paste. Let sit for 2 hours and scrub thoroughly. For less stubborn toilet bowl rings, sprinkle baking soda around the rim and scrub with a toilet brush.
• 1 cup borax, 1/2 cup white vinegar. Flush to wet the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the borax around the toilet bowl, then spray with vinegar. Leave for several hours or overnight before scrubbing with a toilet brush.
• Denture tablets are an excellent substitute for toilet cleaner. Drop two tablets into the bowl and clean as you would with toilet cleaner.
• Liquid castile soap and baking soda or Borax, scrub with a toilet brush.

Tub and Tile

• Baking Soda. Sprinkle baking soda like you would scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge. Rinse thoroughly.
• Vinegar and Baking Soda. To remove film buildup on bathtubs, apply vinegar full-strength to a sponge and wipe. Next, use baking soda as you would scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge and rinse thoroughly with clean water.
• Vinegar. Vinegar removes most dirt without scrubbing and doesn’t leave a film. Use 1/4 cup (or more) vinegar to 1 gallon water.
• Baking Soda. To clean grout, put 3 cups baking soda into a medium-sized bowl and add 1 cup warm water. Mix into a smooth paste and scrub into grout with a sponge or toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly and dispose of leftover paste when finished.
• Rub the area to be cleaned with half a lemon dipped in borax. Rinse well, and dry with soft cloth.

Porcelain

• Cream of Tartar. To clean porcelain surfaces, rub with cream of tartar sprinkled on a damp cloth.

Plumbing Fixtures

• To clean stainless steel, chrome, fiberglass, ceramic, porcelain or enamel fixtures, dissolve 2 tbsp baking soda in 1 qt of water. Wipe on fixtures then rinse.
• Vinegar and Paper Towels. Hard lime deposits around faucets can be softened for easy removal by covering the deposits with vinegar-soaked paper towels. Leave the paper towels on for about one hour before cleaning. Leaves chrome clean and shiny.

Shower Heads

• Metal Shower Heads: To remove deposits which may be clogging your metal shower head, combine 1/2 cup white vinegar and one quart water. Then completely submerge the shower head and boil 15 minutes.
• Plastic Shower Heads: Combine 1 pint white vinegar and 1 pint hot water. Completely submerge the shower head and soak for about one hour.

Rust Stain and Hard Water Deposit Remover: Apply full-strength vinegar or lemon juice and let stand until spot disappears, rinse. Repeat if necessary.

Mildew Remover: Dissolve half-cup vinegar with half-cup borax in warm water.

Lime Deposits: White vinegar

Glass Cleaners: Windows and Mirrors

• Use undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle or
• Equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle or
• 1/2 lemon juice and 2 cups water in a spray bottle or
• 1/2 cup vinegar or lemon juice, 2 cups water, 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil based soap (such as Murphy’s Oil Soap)
•  Mix 1/2 cup cornstarch with 2 quarts warm water. Apply with sponge then wipe with absorbent cloth or towel. Do not wash windows or glass when sun is on them or if they are warm. This causes the solution to dry too quickly creating unwanted streaks
• No-Streak Glass Cleaner: 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 quart warm water.  Mix the ingredients and apply with a sponge or pour into spray bottle and spray on. Wipe dry with crumpled newspaper, buff to a shine. (Use crumpled newspaper instead of paper towels for lint-free results.
• Rubbing alcohol is effective in place of glass cleaner.

Scouring Powder: Non-Abrasive Soft Scrub

1/4 cup borax, vegetable-oil based liquid soap (such as Murphy’s Oil Soap), 1/2 teaspoon lemon oil.  In a bowl, mix the borax with enough soap to form a creamy paste. Add lemon oil and blend well. Scoop a small amount of the mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface, and then rinse well.

Kitchen

Oven Cleaners:

• The first step is prevention. Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the floor of the oven, underneath but not touching the heating element.
• Clean up the spill as soon as it occurs.
• While the oven is still warm, sprinkle salt or baking soda on the spill. If the spill is completely dry, wet the spill lightly before sprinkling on salt. When the oven cools, scrape away the spill and wash the area clean.
• Baking soda, water; salt; vegetable oil-based liquid soap. Sprinkle water on oven bottom. Cover with baking soda. Let sit overnight. Wipe off and apply liquid soap with scouring pad. Rinse.
• Retard grease buildup in your oven by dampening your cleaning rag in vinegar and water before wiping out your oven.
• Sprinkle/spray water followed by a layer of baking soda. Rub gently with a very fine steel wool pad for tough spots. Wipe off scum with dry paper towels or sponge. Rinse well and wipe dry.
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil-based liquid soap, 2 tablespoons borax: Mix the soap and borax in a spray bottle. Fill the bottle with hot water and shake well. Spray on oven and leave for 20 minutes. Scrub off.

Refrigerator

• To clean exterior and interior walls, dissolve 2 tbs. baking soda in 1 qt warm water and wipe all surfaces. For stubborn spots, rub with baking soda paste. Be sure to rinse with a clean, wet cloth. (This works well on other enamel-finished appliances as well.)
• To clean interior fixtures, such as vegetable bins and shelves, wash in hot soapy water, rinse well and dry

Carpets/Upholstery

• A great non-toxic carpet stain remover is club soda. Soak spot immediately with soda and blot until the stain is gone.
• Pet Urine on Carpets: Dab area with toweling to absorb as much as possible, wash spot with liquid dish detergent, and rinse with 1/2 cup vinegar diluted in 1 qt warm water. Lay towels or paper towels over the spot and weight down to absorb excess moisture. Let stand 4 to 6 hours, then remove toweling, brush up nap and allow to dry completely. Use an electric fan to speed drying.
• Red wine stains can be removed from carpet by rubbing baking soda in and vacuuming.
• Sprinkle cornstarch onto carpet, vacuum.
• To remove grease spots from carpets, first sop up the liquid with a sponge, then rub a liberal amount of baking soda into the spot. Let it absorb overnight. Next day, remove the excess and vacuum the area.
• To remove grease spots from carpets, first absorb excess with a sponge, then rub a liberal amount of corn starch into the spot. Let sit overnight, then vacuum.
• Dry cornstarch sprinkled on rug and vacuumed.
• Sprinkle baking soda on carpets before vacuuming for a natural rug deodorizer

Floor Cleaners

• A pencil eraser removes heel marks from a floor.
• For greasy, no-wax floors: 1 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup washing soda, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil-based liquid soap, 2 gallons hot water.  Combine all ingredients, stirring well to dissolve the washing soda. Mop as usual.

Furniture Polish and Scratch Covers

• This polish should to be made fresh each time you use it.  1 lemon,
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon water.  Extract the juice from the lemon. Mix with oil and water. Apply a thin coat on your wood surface and let sit for five minutes. Use a soft cloth to buff to a deep shine.
• Use 3 parts light mineral oil and 1 part olive oil and a drop of lemon juice.
• Use a little olive or lemon oil and some beeswax.
• Hide wood scratches by rubbing with the meat of a walnut.
• Use a soft cloth and wipe with a bit of mayonnaise.
• Rub furniture with a cloth dipped in cool tea.
• Mix 2 parts olive oil with 1 part lemon juice. Apply mixture to furniture with a soft cloth and wipe it dry.
• 1/8 cup linseed oil, 1/8 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup lemon juice. Mix ingredients, using soft cloth, rub into wood.
• To remove water stains on wood furniture, dab white toothpaste onto stain. Allow the paste to dry and then gently buff off with a soft cloth.

Metal Cleaners

Silver:

• Use toothpaste instead of toxic silver cleaner to clean and brighten even your best silver. Use an old soft bristled toothbrush and warm water.
• Rub with a paste of baking soda and water.
• To magnetize tarnish away, soak silver in salted water in an aluminum container; then wipe clean.
• Soak in boiling water, baking soda, salt, and a piece of aluminum foil.
• When a quick dip for silverware is needed, prepare a solution of baking soda in tepid-cool water (l level teaspoon to a quart) and brush with a soft toothbrush.

Brass:

• Mix equal parts salt and flour with a little vinegar, then rub

Chrome:

• Rub with undiluted vinegar.

Copper:

• Rub with lemon juice and salt, or hot vinegar and salt.

Stainless Steel:

• Rub with a paste of baking soda and water.