Cola Grease Remover Recipe

To clean grease or oil from concrete, first soak it up with kitty litter, grinding it in with the soles of your shoes.  Sweep it up and properly dispose of the soiled material.  Next, saturate the area with a cola beverage, working it into the concrete with a stiff broom.  Once the fizzing stops, immediately flush the area with clean fresh water.  Whiten the gray stain that remains with a solution of 1 cup powdered laundry detergent and 1 cup of liquid chlorine bleach in one gallon of very hot water.  Finish the job with a final rinse. – Tri-City Herald –2002

Baking Soda Cleaning Recipes

Baking soda is a natural cleanser and deodorizer.  It is inexpensive and useful throughout the home.  Use like a cleanser and place on a damp sponge for overall cleaning of the kitchen or bath.

Read the outside of the box for its many uses.  A few favorite recipes are listed below. 

Freshener for freezer/fridge - Place an open container or box of baking soda into the fridge or freezer to absorb odors.

Deodorize bottles – Place baking soda and water in the container and let it sit overnight.  Rinse and wash as usual.

Laundry booster – Reduce the amount of  liquid bleach you use in your washing machine and add baking soda as a booster.  You can also add ¼ to ½ cup of baking soda per wash load to make your clothes feel soft and fresh.

All purpose cleaner – Dissolve 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water for a general cleaner. 

Drain cleaner and/or opener – Pour ½ cup baking soda down the drain.  Add ½ cup white vinegar and cover the drain if possible.  Let set for a few minutes, then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain to flush.  The combination of baking soda and vinegar can break down fatty acids into soap and glycerin, allowing the clog to wash down the drain.

or

Pour ½ cup salt and ½ cup baking soda down the drain and allow it to sit overnight.  In the morning, flush with 6 cups of boiling water.  The hot water should help dissolve the clog and the soda and salt serve as an abrasive.

Heel mark remover – Rub the heel mark with a thick paste of baking soda and water.

Silver cleaner – Either make a paste using baking soda and water, rub, rinse and buff or place a sheet of aluminum foil into a pan.  Add 2-3 inches of water and 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil.  Add the silver pieces and boil for 2-3 minutes make sure the water covers the pieces.  Remove the silver, rinse and dry using a soft cloth.  This method cleans the hard to reach crevices.

Roach control – Mix equal parts of baking soda and powdered sugar, spread around infested area.

Rust remover – To remove rust from tin ware, rub with a peeled potato dipped in baking soda. 

Toilet bowl cleaner – Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, then drizzle with vinegar and sour with a toilet brush.  This combination cleans and deodorizes.

Grout cleaner – Pour 3 cups of baking soda into a medium sized bowl and add 1 cup warm water.  Mix into a smooth past and scrub into grout with a sponge or toothbrush.  Rinse thoroughly and dispose of leftovers in the toilet or drain to clean and freshen.

The Pumice Scouring Stick

A very popular and inexpensive tool for removing hard water rings from toilets and tubs, rust from tools and barbeques and more!  It works magically with little effort. These can be found in most hardware and grocery stores.  

Vinegar

Vinegar is a natural cleaner and deodorizer.  It cuts through dirt and grime and kills molds and mildew.  It can help make your home sparkle!  inexpensive and usually found right in the kitchen cupboard.  Most recipes below call for white distilled vinegar or inexpensive apple cider vinegar, unless noted.  Keep the good stuff for cooking!

Popular Vinegar Recipes

All purpose Cleaner

½ cup household ammonia                                         ½ cup white vinegar                                                        ¼ cup baking soda                                                        ½ gallon of water

Combine in a glass or plastic bottle.  It works for all sorts of general cleaning chores.  Pour some into a spray bottle to keep handy

Toilet Cleaner

1 cup borax                                                                     1 cup vinegar

Pour the vinegar over in the toilet bowel working some up around the rim.  Sprinkle borax over the vinegar.  Allow the mixture to soak for at least 2 hours or leave it on overnight.  Then use a brush to loosen the grime and flush/

Kitchen Grease Cutting Cleaner

¼ cup baking soda                                                    2/3 cup white vinegar                                                    ¾ cup ammonia                                                            hot water

Pour the first three ingredients into a clean gallon container.  Shake to mix.  Add enough hot water to fill the container.  Use the cleaner to wash greasy areas in the kitchen.  Rinse with clean water and let dry.  To protect your hands use rubber gloves and make sure you have adequate ventilation in the room.

1 cup vinegar                                                                   1 cup borax                                                                    ¼ cup concentrated powdered laundry detergent

Make a paste out of the vinegar, borax and detergent.  Heat the oven to 400 degrees for five minutes and turn off.  Spread the paste all over the oven and leave it on for at least an hour.  Scrape the gook off with a spatula or an expired credit card.  This formula works best for light to medium cleaning.  It wont be perfect, but it will be safer than commercial sprays.  When used often, this formula will easily remove the food particles.

 Laundry Stain Remover

½ cup vinegar                                                                ½ cup ammonia                                                            ¼ cup baking soda                                                        2 tablespoons liquid detergent                                    2 quarts water

Mix together in a clean container with a lid.  Shake until well mixed; pour into a spray bottle.  Spray the solution on stains and let it soak in for a few minutes before washing as usual.

 Scouring Powder

½ cup baking soda                                                        ¼ cup vinegar

Mix baking soda and vinegar to the consistency of paste.  Apply to dirty surfaces and let sit for thirty minutes.  Sponge clean with water.

 Fabric Softener

2 cups baking soda                                                        1 cup white vinegar                                                        4 cups water

Mix ingredients together and store in a plastic or glass container with a tight lid in the laundry room.  Label the container and keep out of reach of children.  To use:  Shake ingredients to mix; add ½ cup to the final rinse in your washing machine.

Window Cleaner Formula

1 tablespoon of vinegar                                                2 cups of water                                                                2 drops of blue food coloring, if desired

Mix together and pour into a spray bottle 

Carpet Cleaner

1 tablespoon white vinegar                                           1 tablespoon household ammonia                                1 quart water

Mix vinegar, ammonia and water together.  Apply the carpet cleaner to spots on the carpet with a soft rag.  Rinse with clean water and allow to dry.  Use a fan to speed drying time.

Floor cleaner

 ¼ cup liquid soap                                                        ½ cup vinegar                                                                2 gallons of warm water

Mix together and use to mop hard surface floors

Vinegar in the Bathroom

 Shower Stall

Remove dirt, grime, soap build-up and hard-water stains by wiping them with a sponge damped with vinegar.  Rinse with clean water. 

Clean Fixtures

To clean the stubborn dirt and grime that accumulates at the base of bathroom fixtures, wrap toilet paper around the base of the sink or toilet, saturate with vinegar, let it sit for about 30 minutes.  Remove the paper and brush away the grime with an old toothbrush.

 Remove shower door spots

Dip a sponge in vinegar and water solutions (2 cups vinegar and 1 gallon water) and use it to remove water spots on glass shower doors.  For tough stains use full strength vinegar.  Rinse with clean water. 

Clean shower door tracks 

Shower door tracks will come clean easily if you fill the tracks with vinegar and let it soak for several hours.  Pour hot water in the tracks to wash away the built up dirt and grime.  Use a brush to scrub away any tough spots.  For especially dirty tracks heat the vinegar in the microwave in a non-reactive pan before pouring into the tracks.  This will help loosen the stuck-on gunk. 

Clean hard-water spots 

If you have hard water or lime spots on the tub or sink, cover them with vinegar-soaked paper towels.  Let the vinegar soak for an hour or so, remove the towels and then scrub with a dampened plastic scrubber sprinkled with a little baking soda.  Repeat if necessary.

Clean the grout

Dip an old toothbrush in full strength vinegar and use it to scrub away the dirt on the tile grout.  It will remove tough stains without harming the grout. 

Prevent mold and mildew 

To prevent mold and mildew in the humid bathroom mix 1 teaspoons borax, 3 tablespoons vinegar  and 2 cups hot water.  Put in spray bottle and shake to mix.  Spray on tile and other mold-prone areas.  Don’t rinse – the solution will evaporate.

Bath decal removal  

To remove really stubborn bathtub decals, use full strength vinegar.  Pour the vinegar around the edges of the decal and let it soak for 30 minutes.  This should loosen them so you can pull them off.  Use a little more vinegar to clean off any stubborn sticky residue.  Rinse away the vinegar with soapy water.

Shine Faucets

To make your bathroom faucets shine, dampen a sponge or cloth with vinegar and wipe away the dull film.  Polish them with a soft, damp cloth.

Clean toilet bowls

Cleaning the toilet bowl is quick and easy when you use vinegar.  Simply pour 2 cups white vinegar in the bowl and let is soak overnight.  Flush the next morning.  If the bowl ring is particularly tough you may have to scrub the first time to remove it; but if you clean the bowl frequently with vinegar, you won’t even have to scrub!

Clean sinks and tubs

Clean the bathtub and sinks with full strength vinegar.  Simply scrub the surface with vinegar and rinse with water.  Your tub and sink will shine!

Clean shower curtains

Use full strength vinegar to wipe away soapy film, mildew or dirt build up from your shower curtain.  The easiest way to get a shower curtain really clean is to wash it in the washing machine.  Fill the washing machine with warm water and two or three dirty towels.  Add ½ cup laundry detergent and ½ cup baking soda.  Wash, using 1 cup white vinegar to the rinse cycle.  Pull the shower curtain out after the rinse cycle, then let the towels continue washing and drying.  Hang the shower curtain back up immediately and the wrinkles will disappear as the curtain dries.

Cleaning Shower heads

To unclog a metal shower head, bring ½ cup of vinegar and one quart of water to a boil.  Place the shower head in the boiling solution for 10 minutes.  If you have a plastic head, soak it in equal amounts of hot but not boiling vinegar and water. 

Or

You may also use a small plastic bag and pour straight vinegar into it (about ½ full).  Attach it with a rubber band or tape directly to the shower head and let soak overnight.  In the morning, remove the bag and pour down sink or toilet (to reuse the product).  Then turn on the shower and use as normal.  The vinegar works slowly and dissolves the minerals from inside the head.

Clean ceramic tiles

To clean ceramic tiles, wash with a solution of ½ cup white vinegar and ½ cup ammonia, ¼ cup washing soda and one gallon of warm water.  Rinse with clean water and let dry. 

Clean and deodorize drains

Clean soap scum and water residue from tub and sink drains with ½ cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar.  This will also take away any bad odors in the drains.  Just pour the baking soda down  the drain and follow it with the vinegar, let is sit for a few minutes and flush with water.  Do this often (twice a month) to keep drains from stopping.

Open drains

You can open a stopped up sink by pouring ¼ cup baking soda down the drain, then adding ½ cup white vinegar.  Cover the drain for a few minutes, then flush with a kettle of hot boiling water.

Soften a stiff toothbrush 

Soak in hot vinegar for 30 minutes, then rinse with water.

Cleaning Tips For The Kitchen

Can opener cleaner – Clean the wheel and blade of your can opener by cleaning with a toothbrush dipped in vinegar.  Electric openers can be turned out and cleaned instantly.

Plastic food containers – Soak containers in hot soapy water with ¼ cup white vinegar added.  Let them soak for several hours or overnight.  After soaking, rinse with hot water and use a sponge to wipe away the stains.

Non-stick pan stain removal  - Rub the pans with a cloth dipped in vinegar to remove the white, spotty film that minerals in the water can leave.

Refrigerator cleaner – Wipe the outside of with half vinegar and half water mixture.  Inside, wipe down the door fronts and rubber gaskets.  Inside the bins and the walls can be washed with either the same mixture or full strength vinegar.

No-wax floor cleaner – Add one cup vinegar to a bucket of war water and wash no-wax or linoleum floors.  This will not strip floors and adds a nice shine with out wax.

Cooking odor remover – Prevent cooking odors of cabbage, fish or other smelly foods by adding vinegar to the boiling water or to the fry pans while pan is still warm (food removed).  Boil 1 tablespoon of vinegar to  1 cup of water to eliminate cooling odors from the room.

Improve dishwater - By adding a few tablespoons of vinegar to the dishwater helps cut grease and makes dishes shine.

Ice cube tray cleaner – Soak plastic ice cube trays in white vinegar for several hours to remove tough stains and odors.

Thermos bottle cleaner – To clean thermos bottle, add ¼ cup vinegar and enough warm water to fill.  For tough stains, add a tablespoon of rice (which acts as a gentle abrasive) with the vinegar and water.  Shake it up and rinse.

Blender or food processor cleaner – fill with ½ cup vinegar, ½ teaspoon liquid detergent and warm water.  Cover and turn on, then rinse and dry.

Knife sharpener – When sharpening knives, dampen the whetstone with vinegar and you’ll be able to get a sharp edge on the knife quickly.

Drain board cleaner – Pour a cup of vinegar over the board and let it soak in the sink overnight.  In the morning, rub off the stains and rinse with water.

Corning Ware cleaner – To remove food stuck or burned on Corning Ware dishes, add four parts water to one part vinegar and bring to a gentle boil.  When the water cools down you should be able to gently scrub off the food.

Broiler pan cleaner – Mix together one cup cider of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons sugar and pour over the broiler pan while it’s still hot.  After dinner the broiler pan will be a snap to wash as you do your other pans.

Stainless steel cleaner – To remove spots from your stainless steel sink or appliances, rub with a cloth dipped in full strength white vinegar.  Buff the stainless steel to a shine with a dry cloth.

Hints For Cooking With Vinegar

Try some of these vinegar cooking tips and make cooking easier and tastier.  Use inexpensive white distilled vinegar or distilled apple cider vinegar unless the recipe calls for a different type.

Red wine vinegar substitute - Simply add 2 parts vinegar with 1 part dry red wine to make a substitute for red wine vinegar

Better beans - Add two teaspoons of vinegar to the pot when cooking dried beans.  It will make them tender and easier on the digestive system, (less gas produced).

Colorful beets - Add  a little vinegar to the water when cooking beats.  It retains the color

Clear vinegar -  Add ¼ teaspoon of salt to your vinegar cruet and the vinegar will stay clear.

Freshen cauliflower - Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water you boil or steam the cauliflower in.  This works great for cauliflower that is no longer freshly cut  - it whitens and improves it’s taste and looks.

Fresher cottage cheese - A teaspoon for vinegar added to a carton of cottage cheese will keep it fresh right down to the last spoonful, without altering the flavor.

Zestier soup - Make vegetable or bean soups taste better by adding 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar just before serving.  It gives the soups a zesty zip.

Perk up canned food - Add  a teaspoon of red wine vinegar to canned gravy, soup, or sauces.  The vinegar adds flavor and makes the canned food taste fresher. 

Freshen canned shrimp - Soak canned shrimp in a little sherry and two tablespoons of vinegar for 15 minutes for a fresher taste. Drain and/or rinse.

Fruit flavor - Sprinkle white vinegar on fresh cantaloupe or canned fruit to perk the fruit up and bring out the flavor.

Fruit dressing - Create a tasty pink dressing for fruit and fruit salad by stirring 2 tablespoons strawberry or raspberry vinegar into 1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream.

Strawberries with zip - Give ripe strawberries a sweet mouthwatering tang.  In a large bowl, gently mix 1 pint sliced strawberries with 4 tablespoons  sugar.  Let stand for 30 minutes.  Add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and stir, serve immediately.

Lemon substitute - Vinegar can be used in placed of lemon juice unless you really need the taste of lemon.  Use ½ teaspoon vinegar for each teaspoon of lemon juice called for in a recipe. 

Firm gelatin - Adding one teaspoon of vinegar per box of gelatin used in salads and molds will help keep the gelatin to hold up in the heat of the summer.

Buttermilk substitute - Place 1 tablespoon of vinegar into a measuring cup and add milk until you have one cup.  Let sit 5 or more minutes to allow thickening or heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Firmer fish filets - Soak fish filets for about 20 minutes in a quart of water and 2 tablespoons vinegar

Scaling fish - Rub vinegar and allow to sit for 5 minutes before scaling fish

Flavorful fish - One tablespoon of vinegar to fried or boiled fish (or seafood) when cooking brings out the flavor.

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Saturday, April 29th 2006

11:14:46 (748 days, 5h, 44min ago)

April 29th

• Mood: chipper
• Weather: sunny
• Currently Reading: wot6

Good morning readers…

 

Another quiet morning here in the North Country. Birds sings and the geese were honking at the crack of dawn.  In the mist of all this serenity is the discord of finding out that my wonderful husband as downloaded yet again more music… the discord is that I asked him to lay off for a few days so I can get my listing done on eBay. And he said no.  The problem is that our isp provider penalizes us for using so much of the bandwidth from the downloads .. hence I don’t have enough bandwidth to upload my auctions.. which in the end run means no money this week.

Now this brings a question .. is this part of his bipolar behavior or is he just not wanting to listen to my request. Is he in someway feeling controlled and rebelling? Or is he trying to control me.. make me even more dependant on him.. out of some fear of me leaving him?  Lots of questions.. but no answers.. I will have to sit him down and have a heart to heart with him I guess. Lol he hates heart to heart talks lol  real men don’t heart to heart talk .. its written in the manly man handbook page 27 line 65.. lol

 

I hope you all have a special day today .. if its not special how about making it special for someone else… be a secret angel.

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