De-Calcifying Faucets

Use nature's little scrub brush to shine up your faucets. Cut a fresh lemon in half rub it on your faucet and aerator, twist, twist, twist. Shiny and clean. Rinse with clear water and dry with a soft cloth.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Most of us have this impression that there's some magic ingredient in store-bought toilet bowl cleaner. Some mysterious ingredient so rare that only their product has it! Yet, so important that every household has bought the myth.

Then when it's time to choose which brand to be faithful too, they start boasting about the new improved lemon scent, or the extra whitening power of the bleach, and the bottle in my cupboard actually brags about having baking soda! Not exactly the big, secret, hard to find items that you were imagining right?

The one thing they do have that is unique is the funny bottle with the duck neck spout. So when mine went empty, instead of sending it to the landfill and running to the store in a panic, I refilled it with everything it boasts.

Guess what! It works great!

MY RECIPE
1 cup water - to dissolve the baking soda
One half cup of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) - abrasive agent, neutralizes acids and break down proteins
One half cup lemon juice - antibacterial, antiseptic, cuts grease stains
Fill the rest of the way with bleach - kills bacteria, whitens stains

If you're bold enough to live in a chemical free home, check out my Bleach-Free Toilet Bowl Scrub. Bleach is so overrated.

Stain Removal

A 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide (oxygenated water) and water will remove most stains on countertops and tile.
Blot on the spot and let it set 30 minutes. Then scrub lightly with baking soda if needed. Shaving cream also does a great job on difficult stains.

Appliances

For a wonderful all purpose fill a spray bottle half full with warm water add a squirt or two of liquid dish soap then finish filling with water. It's inexpensive and does a great job cleaning most kitchen surfaces and appliances.

Walls & Countertops

Tile Walls and Countertops - For a wonderful all purpose fill a spray bottle half full with warm water add a squirt or two of liquid dish soap then finish filling with water. It's inexpensive and does a great job cleaning walls & countertop surfaces without leaving a residue behind.

Ceramic Tile and Slate Floors

Clean tile and slate with warm water only. Prevention becomes essential with these floor surfaces. Regularly apply a sealant found in tile stores to slate, tile and especially the grout. Clean spills immediately. 

(If warm water alone sounds disturbingly simple, you can clean ceramic tile floors with vinegar. Fill one bucket with clean water. In the other bucket, mix a solution of 1 cup vinegar and 1 gallon of warm water. Wash with the vinegar mixture, rinse in the clear water, repeat.)

Cleaning stains out of grout can test your patience. The porous nature of grout means liquid cleaners seep right through. First thoroughly spray a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water directly on the spot. Let that set 15 minutes and repeat. Do not use this mixture on colored grout. Peroxide is bleach, safe but nonetheless bleach. It removes the color from colored grout.

If the stain refuses to budge, soak a heavy-duty paper towel with straight peroxide laying the towel on top of the stain. Cover the towel with plastic wrap to prevent the peroxide from drying out quickly. The towel holds the peroxide on the surface giving it time to dissolve the stain. If that doesn't work, mix a paste of straight peroxide and baking soda. Allow the bubbling to subside. Apply to the stain and let it set. Re-spray with peroxide as it dries out.

Shaving cream sprayed on stains also does a good job removing them. If your grout is colored test an inconspicuous spot first. Tile stores now carry a cleaner stick that resembles chalk. It is safe to use on colored grout and works wonders. After you remove the stains from the grout, seal them.

Marble

Do not use anything other than liquid dish soap on marble. Harsher cleansers will damage the surface. Always dry marble to prevent water spots from leaving their signature mark. Marble stains easily so wipe spills immediately. Do not use vinegar or orange based cleaners to clean marble. The acid in them will damage the surface. Peroxide is safe for stain removal.

Bleach-Free Toilet Bowl Scrub

Have you ever thought about making your own toilet bowl cleaner? I think a lot of us believe that we have to have strong chemicals to clean dirty items like toilet bowls. That's simply not true. You can make a great cleaner for your toilet bowl at home and with natural ingredients.

Check out this toilet bowl scrub recipe that worked for me:

Combine 2 tablespoons of baking soda with one tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Throw this into your toilet and scrub away! It always gets my toilet clean.

Make up a batch and keep a bottle by the WC, but remember to shake well before using.