Here is a sampling of how certain household ingredients can aid in cleaning. Keep in mind that some people with allergies cannot tolerate the smell of ammonia or bleach.

•  AMMONIA - Cuts grease , strips the wax off floors and cleans windows.
• BAKING SODA - Cleans, deodorizes , scours , polishes , and removes stains.
• BLEACH - (sodium hydrochloride) Whitens practically anything and removes mold , mildew , and disinfects and deodorizes at the same time.◦MYTH - Chlorine and liquid bleach are one in the same. ◦FACT - Actually they aren't! The term chlorine bleach is actually a misnomer. What's in the bottle is sodium hydrochloride , the active ingredient in liquid bleach . Although chlorine is used to manufacture sodium hydrochloride , there is no free chlorine in bleach.
• BORAX - Alternative for bleach , deodorizes , prevents mold , removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap.
• CORN STARCH - Cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs .
• KETCHUP - Cleans copper.
• LEMON JUICE - Cuts grease and stains on aluminum and porcelain , whitens.
• SALT - Makes an abrasive , but gentle , scouring powder.
• VEGETABLE OIL - A furniture polish.
• WASHING SODA - Cuts grease and disinfects.
• WHITE VINEGAR - Cleans windows , shines metal surfaces, removes mildew, stains, and wax buildup.

Sometimes combining some of the above ingredients creates better cleaners ,but remember  " NEVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA TOGETHER "

Some Easy Clean-ups

Get Rid of Crayon Marks - To get crayon marks off of walls , take a soft cloth and some WD-40 . Spray the cloth with the WD-40 and wipe the spot. The oil gets absorbed into the cloth , while the other ingredients work on the wax from the crayon. Works on painted or paper surfaces.

Get Rid Of Odors - To eliminate household odors from cooking and smoking , fill a bowl (or small container) with Cotton balls , pour in vinegar and place in a out of way area. Keep one in every room , and repeat the process every week.

Removing Carpet Stains - I have found that club soda works really well in taking stains out of my white Berber carpet. Every stain I have used it on has come out.

Clean Spots From Carpet - When cleaning carpet that has stains of grease , mud , salsa , etc. , always spray cleaning solution around the spot or stain first , rather than directly on it . By circling it first ,this will stop the spot from spreading outward as would have happened if you sprayed directly onto the spot to be cleaned. The spot will not have a dry area to absorb it as it dissolves , thus allowing it to be absorbed with a dry sponge.

Keep Sinks Sparkling - Mineral oil will make your sink shinny but why go out and buy another product? Just spray sinks with your furniture cleaner. The cleaner will make sinks shine , and the water will not spot your sink. So easy and handy!