Frugal Cleaning

[breadandbutter]

There are really some products in the market which are of no good at all but there are also some which really works. I love the vinegar- baking soda idea. I also heard about the uses of coal for lessening the smell in your frige. Another one is lemons for stains on your clothes and may also be used on one's face.

[farley2k]

Great ideas, but I am not going to give up my Magic Eraser. I love that thing. I have no idea what is in it, but it can clean anything I have thrown at it.

[Gootsy]

At the moment the only thing I do is buy cleaning things on sale.

I'll definitely give this Vinegar and Baking soda a try, but rinsing your hair out with vinegar... Homie don't play that.

[SharisseB]

Originally Posted by hollyvangogh

Seriously...one of these days I'm going to right a sonnet that's an ode to vinegar. That stuff is miraculous. You know what other non-toxic cleaner is phenomenal? Pumice. You can get little pumic stones to scrub porcelain and ceramic with (i.e. tile, sinks, etc.). Those little pumice stones got our apartment bathroom sink, toilet, and tub white again. I thought we were doomed to live with those nasty fixtures until we moved out of this dump.

A couple of years ago Womens Day had a contest about tips and I did write about vinegar..and won $50.00

Truly, It is kid & pet safe..and works wonders. You can add different scents to it if you like. Even just putting a few drops of lemon..

[windycindy]

Do these cleaners work on windows. I don't have much trouble with other cleaning, but I would like to have streak-free windows. Please help.....

[kav122]

Originally Posted by windycindy

Do these cleaners work on windows. I don't have much trouble with other cleaning, but I would like to have streak-free windows. Please help.....

Yes, vinegar and water in a spray bottle, then wipe with a newspaper! You won't get cleaner, streak-free-er windows than that! Also a hint (I think from Heloise--haha!) Wipe horizontally inside and vertically outside, or vice versa, that way if you see streaks, you know which side of the window to re-wipe!

[Emily]

Originally Posted by breadandbutter

There are really some products in the market which are of no good at all but there are also some which really works. I love the vinegar- baking soda idea. I also heard about the uses of coal for lessening the smell in your frige. Another one is lemons for stains on your clothes and may also be used on one's face.

Um. I've heard of charcoal the fridge, but not coal. And please, plain charcoal at that; not the stuff that claims you don't need lighter fluid.

Originally Posted by farley2k

Great ideas, but I am not going to give up my Magic Eraser. I love that thing. I have no idea what is in it, but it can clean anything I have thrown at it.

The Magic Eraser contains no chemicals. It's an abrasive pad. A really really AWESOME abrasive pad. And I use it with my lemon and vinegar when I'm just not in the mood to scrub.

[Miss Rosie]

Sigh...this is going to look like a sales pitch, but it's not. I don't sell this stuff, I just love it. Shaklee Basic H. Non-toxic, biodegradable, smell-free. Extremely concentrated, to the point where one bottle can last over a year, and it doesn't work almost as well as commercial cleaners, it works just as well. I use it on everything, even fruits and veggies. I started using it when I had my son, long before Oprah ever heard of it. It lasts so long that the bottle I have is the old Basic H, not the new Basic H2.

You'll have to find your own distributor if you want to try it. This really isn't a sales pitch, just a rave.

I use white vinegar in place of fabric softener on everything but sweaters. It helps rinse the soap out. The dryer itself does all the softening I really need, and it's especially great with towels. Fabric softener is essentially oil. Too much of it on a towel, and it loses absorbency.

[rolltimer]

Originally Posted by farley2k

Great ideas, but I am not going to give up my Magic Eraser. I love that thing. I have no idea what is in it, but it can clean anything I have thrown at it.

I second this. I find it especially effective on soap scum build-up in the tub. Its also great for removing marks on walls. After I moved into the upstairs apartment in my mom's home, the walls along the stairwell were a mess from having things scrapping against them when I was carting stuff upstairs. She was all set to repaint. After some light scrubbing with a wet Magic Eraser, the marks were gone and no repainting was necessary.

[rodaniel]

Originally Posted by kav122

Yes, vinegar and water in a spray bottle, then wipe with a newspaper! You won't get cleaner, streak-free-er windows than that!

Second that! Vinegar works wonders on water-spotted windows and this gives you a chance to make use of those old newspapers you have laying around.

Vinegar does have a bit of an intense odor, but it dissipates very quickly. And you can use it for cleaning in carpeted areas without worry of any spatters or spills staining your flooring. (Just be sure to use white vinegar in those instances.)

Rob