Aussie Ruth's Favourite List of Most Useful Household Hints

In the Kitchen

• Baking soda will help control odours in your garbage disposal. Pour 2 tablespoons in garbage disposal every week.

• Baking soda will remove the coffee and tea stains from your favourite mugs.

• Microwaves can be freshened by wiping the interior with a solution of four tablespoons of baking soda to one quart warm water. NEVER use a commercial oven cleaner.

• If you have a problem with sugar ants, a mixture of half vinegar half water sprayed on the ants will kill them instantly.

• Instead of buying expensive antibacterial sprays for the kitchen, just put about 1 tablespoon of household bleach in a spray bottle filled with water and use it to disinfect around the sink and counters, especially when you've been handling or packaging meat.

• For quick cleaning, keep a spray bottle equal parts water and ammonia handy.

• To unclog a plugged drain, try pouring 1/2 cup baking soda ½ cup vinegar into the clogged drain and cover tightly. After a minute or so, rinse the drain out with two quarts of boiling water. Cleaning the drain in this manner from time to time will help keep debris from building up.

• When your drain is clogged with grease, try pouring a cup of salt and a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a generous amount of boiling water. This will usually dissolve the grease and clear the drain.

• To clean your oven, use a mixture of ammonia and water. The solution may be stored in a spray bottle. For tough stains, apply a mixture of baking soda and water directly to the stains, and

let the mixture stand for several minutes before wiping the oven surface clean.

• To rid your cutting board from that smell of onions and garlic it tends to accumulate, rub it with half a lemon or lime.

• Use a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol, club soda, or white vinegar to give your stainless steel a brilliant shine.

Carpets

Note: Test your carpet for colour-fastness before applying any kind of cleaning agents to it.

• Club soda makes a good instant spot remover. Pour a little on the stain, let it set for a second or two, and blot with a damp sponge.

• Salt has been known to do wonders to brighten up lifeless, faded carpets. Sprinkle salt generously over carpet and let set for an hour before vacuuming.

• Got gum stuck in your carpet? Hold an ice cube next to it until the gum hardens so you can break it off.

• You can remove glue from a carpet by rubbing it with a cloth soaked in vinegar.

• Crayon marks can be removed from carpets by rubbing with baking soda sprinkled on a damp sponge.

• A mixture of 1/2 cup mild dishwashing liquid and 2 cups boiling water also makes a great spot remover for carpets. Apply with a damp sponge.

 Floors

• Crayon marks can be removed from vinyl or linoleum floors with silver polish.

• Black marks left on your floors from the heels of your shoes can be removed with a pencil eraser.

• Cold tea can be used to clean varnished wood floors.

• Vinyl floors can be cleaned with a mixture of 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid, 2 tablespoons ammonia, and 1 gallon warm water. Use a mop to apply.

Furniture

• To remove furniture polish build-up on your furniture, mix ½ cup water and 1/2 cup vinegar. Moisten a soft cloth with the mixture and wipe furniture clean.

• Furniture polish: 3 parts olive oil, 1 part vinegar.

• Candle wax can be removed from wood furniture by softening it with a hair dryer. Wipe the affected area with a solution of vinegar and water.

• Shoe polish can be used to fill in small scratches on wood furniture. Test the colour of the shoe polish on a section of wood that is not very noticeable.

• If you have wood furniture that has a clear coat of varnish on it, car wax can be used to give it a brilliant shine. Again, test on a piece that is not very noticeable.

• Water rings or spots can be removed from wood furniture with a mixture of toothpaste and baking soda applied with a damp cloth.

• An ordinary shoe buffer is great for polishing wood furniture that has lots of curves and moulding.

• Furniture polish: 1 part lemon juice, 2 parts olive or vegetable oil

• Baking soda can be used to remove crayon marks from walls and painted furniture. Sprinkle on a damp sponge and scrub gently so you don't damage the paint or wallpaper.

• To clean all types of wood work, make a mixture of 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 tablespoons white vinegar, and 1 quart warm water. Apply with a soft cloth and dry with a separate, clean cloth.

All-Purpose Cleaners

• For an all-purpose household cleaner, try using a mixture of 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/3 cup vinegar, 2 tablespoons baking soda, and 1 gallon water.

• To remove permanent marker from hard plastic, spray it with hair-spray and it wipes right off!

• Window and glass cleaner: Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar with 1 quart water, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 cup white vinegar, and 1 gallon water.

• Window cleaner: 1 tsp. dish soap, 1/2 c. ammonia, 1 c. rubbing alcohol. Place mixture in gallon jug and fill with water.

• Get that yucky residue out of your flower vases! Clean your vases by mixing 1/3 cup salt and 2 tablespoons vinegar to form a paste. Coat the inside of the vase (preparing more of the salt

mixture if necessary). Let vase stand for 20 minutes and then scrub thoroughly. Rinse and dry the vase.

• Toothpaste will often remove small scratches from glass.

• A mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water will give a brilliant shine to the surface of all of your kitchen and bathroom appliances.

Bathroom

Note: Don't forget to put on your rubber gloves when using bleach and ammonia!

• To clean ceramic tile, mix 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/3 cup ammonia, 1/2 cup baking soda, and 7 cups warm water. Store solution in a spray bottle for easy bathroom cleaning.

• A mixture of 3/4 cup bleach and 3 cups water cleans your bathroom tiles while also preventing mildew. Apply with a spray bottle or dampened sponge and wipe off.

• To make your vinyl shower curtain last longer, occasionally wash it in the washing machine on gentle with a little bleach. This helps control mildew.

• To clean the stubborn stains in your bathtub, make a paste of hydrogen peroxide and cream of tarter. Use a toothbrush to rub it into the stains and rinse thoroughly.

• A mixture of 4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 cup white vinegar helps remove build up from your bathroom fixtures. Apply with a sponge and polish with a dry cloth.

• Light stains can often be removed from your tub or sink by rubbing them with a lemon that has been cut in half.

• To give your shower doors a quick shine, wipe them with a sponge dampened with white vinegar.