ESSENTIAL CLEANING TIPS
by queenofclean.com

Removing Candle Wax
To remove candle wax from carpet, place ice in a bag and freeze the wax. Chip off all that you can, then lay a plain (without writing) brown paper bag or a blotting paper over the wax. Heat an iron to medium-hot and press over the bag, changing the bag as it absorbs the wax. Do not touch the carpet with the iron.

Once you have removed all the wax you can absorb, clean the area with
Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain Remover, one of my Palace Picks. Spot Shot
is available in the laundry aisle of most supermarkets. For stubborn spots of color residue, try Energine Cleaning Fluid, available at hardware and home centers. This method can be used on all fabrics that are wet-cleanable, such as upholstery and tablecloths.

To remove candle wax from wood, heat the wax with a blow-dryer and slide
a piece of dull plastic (such as a credit card) under it to "pop" it up. Clean
any residue with warm water and dishwashing liquid. Rinse well, then polish.

Removing Crayon
To remove crayon from hard surfaces, spray with WD-40 lubricant and wipe off. Wash with 1 quart warm water and 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid. To remove crayon from fabrics, spray both sides of the fabric with WD-40. Let sit 15 minutes, then work-in undiluted dishwashing liquid, flush under the hottest water allowable for the fabric and launder as usual.

Removing Odors
To remove odors from refrigerators (even if they have been disconnected and closed up), urine odor, smoke odor, paint odor, foot odor or basically any odor you can
smell, including skunk spray on clothes, skin or even in the house, order
ODORZOUT, which has earned my coveted Seal of Approval. To order ODORZOUT
or for product information, call 1-800-88STINK or visit www.odorzout.com.

Removing Rust From Hard Surfaces
To remove rust from countertops and similar surfaces, make a paste of cream of
tartar and lemon juice. Apply this paste to the rust spot and allow to sit 15
to 30 minutes. Scrub with a sponge or plastic-covered scrubbing sponge,
rinse well and dry.

Barbecue Cleaning Tips
To clean the outside of the grill, use Go-Jo Waterless Hand Cleaner, available at
most hardware stores and home centers. Rub it onto the outside of a cool grill with a
n old rag. Work it into the metal well, then buff with paper towels. Use a little extra elbow grease and Go-Jo to remove grease and barbecue sauce. It not only cleans, it leaves the grill looking shiny and new.
The easiest way to clean the grill rack is to place it in a garbage bag, lay paper
towels under and over it and saturate them

with ammonia and water (mixture of 2/3 ammonia and 1/3 water). Close the bag tightly and leave overnight, if possible. Open the bag (Keep your face back -- the fumes are strong) and scrub the grill with the ammonia-soaked paper towels and a soap-filled steel wool pad, if necessary. Rinse well with the garden hose. Put back on the grill and heat for 5 minutes to remove odor and chemicals. Cleaning the grill right after cooking is simple if you take a piece of aluminum foil and ball it up. Rub the warm, NOT hot, grill with this, then toss the foil
in the trash when done.

Great Wall-Washing Tips
Follow these simple methods for cleaning the walls in your home.
" Erase marks from walls with an art gum eraser.
" To make the Queen's favorite wall-washing solution, combine 1 gallon of warm water and 1/2 cup clear ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup washing soda (found
in the laundry additives section of your supermarket). Change this solution frequently
and you won't have to rinse. Remember, start at the bottom of the wall and work up.

Cleaning Showers
To clean hard water spots and scum off of showers, use undiluted, heated white vinegar. Put it in a spray bottle, spray on and let soak 15 minutes. Using a nylon-covered sponge, apply dry borax and scrub. For really stubborn problems use a dry, soap-filled steel wool pad on a dry shower. Do not allow water to become involved in this process.
Once your shower is clean, apply a coat of Clean-x Clean Shield,TM, which has earned my coveted Seal of Approval. Clean Shield provides a finish that will make water and soap film bead up. I like to call it preventive cleaning. Once you use Clean Shield, spots and dirt will rinse away or require very little in the way of cleaning. Use this on any surface except paint or wood. It is a miracle in a bottle.

Cleaning Fiberglass Tubs
To clean the dimpled bottom surface on fiberglass bathtubs, use a cleanser
of 3 cups baking soda and 1 cup Twenty Mule Team Borax. Purchase FINE drywall sandpaper at your local hardware store or home center (It looks like window screen). Work the cleanser in with the drywall sandpaper and rinse well. Note: Use ONLY on the dimpled finish not on smooth surfaces.

Removing Decals From the Bathtub
To do this easily, lay aluminum foil over the decal and heat well with a blow-dryer. Start working it up using an old credit card or thin, dull object. Continue to heat and pull until the decal has been removed. To remove the residue, use nail polish remover in a well-ventilated area.

Great Grout Cleaner
Combine 2 cups baking soda, 1 cup Twenty Mule Team Borax and 1 cup Hot Water. Scrub grout with a brush (One with a long handle saves your back), then rinse well.

Removing Tough Cement Stains, Including Grease and Oil
The first thing you want to do is reach for the cat litter. I prefer the clumping kind because it is more gritty. I know some people may think all that does is absorb, but stay with me and try this. Apply the cat litter to the oil or grease and start working it into the spot as if you were doing the twist. Work for 5 to 10 minutes, then walk
away. Continue doing this until you can see the oil or grease being removed. Don't rush the process. Work at it over several days, adding more litter as required. Finally, sweep up the litter and spray the area with oven cleaner. This works best when no direct sun is on the cement.
Allow to sit for 10 minutes or so, then rub with an old brush. Because of the fumes, keep the kids and pets out of the way and keep your face back when spraying the cleaner. Also, be aware of the wind. Rinse the area well, flushing with plenty of water from the hose. Re-apply the oven cleaner as needed to dry the concrete until the
stain is removed.

Cleaning Toilets
To clean the hard water ring out of toilets, shut off the water to the toilet tank and
flush. Spray with warm white vinegar and sprinkle on Twenty Mule Team Borax. Wait 15 minutes, then scrub with the FINE drywall sandpaper. Turn the water back on and rinse well. For preventive cleaning, turn the water back
off, flush, dry the toilet bowl and apply apply a coat of Clean-x Clean Shield,TM,
which has earned my coveted Seal of Approval. Clean Shield will keep the ring from forming and make cleaning almost fun!Removing Carpet Stains. To remove all spots from carpet, even mystery spots, use Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain Remover, one
of my Palace Picks. Spot Shot is available in the laundry aisle of most supermarkets. For those red or colored stains that just will not come out, try using a little three-percent hydrogen peroxide from the drugstore. Always pre-test in an inconspicuous area first.

Removing Grass Stains from Clothing
Most grass stains on washable fabrics can be removed by rubbing your
favorite laundry detergent into the stained area and rinsing under a forceful stream of the hottest water you can use for the fabric type. If the stain is stubborn, try rubbing with rubbing alcohol. Don't use alkalis such as ammonia, degreasers or alkaline detergents on grass stains. They interact with the grass and can permanently set the stain.

Removing Chocolate from Clothing
Sponge with cold water and then apply an enzyme pre-soak. Soaking with cold water and meat tenderizer is also effective. Applying a paste of Twenty Mule Team Borax and warm water may also work. Let this paste soak for an hour or so, then flush with
a forceful stream of water.

Removing Baby Formula from Clothing
To remove baby formula, apply lemon juice and lay in the sun. Test in a small area
on colored fabrics.

Removing Mystery Stains from Clothing
Lay the stain over a bowl and keep it taut by putting a rubber band around it. Pour
on a layer of Twenty Mule Team Borax, then pour the hottest water you can use on
the fabric around the stain, starting from the outside of the stain and working to the center. Some mystery stains may require several treatments.

Removing Perspiration Stains from Clothing
Perspiration stains are truly and literally the pits! Here are some tips you can try.
" After wearing a garment for the first time, prior to laundering, work in some warm water and Fels Naptha Soap, available in the bar soap section of your local supermarket (usually on the bottom shelf), into the underarm area. This will prevent
the yellow stains from forming." If you have a garment that has only been worn once and odor is present, apply warm water to the area and work in Twenty Mule Team Borax, which is a very effective odor remover.
" If you already have stains, try dampening the fabric with warm water and working in laundry detergent and Biz Activated Non-Chlorine Bleach. Allow this mixture to soak into your garment about 30 minutes prior to laundering. You can also try heated white vinegar on existing stains. Spray it on the fabric, then work in Twenty Mule Team Borax. This is very effective on any odor or stain that might be present. If the color
has changed in the fabric, try spraying with sudsy ammonia, let it sit about 15 minutes, then launder as usual.

Removing Rust from Clothes
To remove rust from white clothes, apply undiluted lemon juice and lay the clothes in the sun. The rust will disappear like magic! Test in a small area on colored fabrics.

De-Liming the Dishwasher and Glassware
This method serves two purposes by cleaning out the dishwasher and removing the white mineral residue from glassware. Put all of your glassware into the dishwasher and place a bowl with 1-1/2 cups of liquid chlorine bleach in the bottom. Do not add dishwasher detergent. Run the dishwasher through the wash and rinse cycles but not the dry cycle. Next, empty the bowl and add 1-1/2 cups of white vinegar and run the dishwasher through the wash, rinse and dry cycles. If you have a heavy mineral buildup, you may need to do this a few times, then keep it up with a monthly or bi-monthly cleaning, depending upon what best suits your needs.
Removing Rust From the Dishwasher

Fill both detergent cups with Tang breakfast drink and run the dishwasher through the normal cycle. Do not add dishwasher detergent. If rust is severe, repeat several times.

Keeping Drains Running Smoothly
For a great once-a-month drain cleaner, pour 1/2 cup baking soda into the drain,
follow with 1/2 cup white vinegar -- it will foam. Cover and let sit 30 minutes and then flush with cool water. For stubborn, slow-running drains, pour 1 cup baking soda and
1 cup salt down the drain. Follow this with 2 quarts boiling water. Let sit 30 minutes,
then flush with cool water.

Cleaning Stainless-steel Cutlery
Mix 1/4 cup chlorine bleach, 1/4 cup Calgon Residue Remover and 1 gallon very HOT water in a plastic container or the kitchen sink (Use a   non-aluminum container). Immerse stainless-steel cutlery in the solution for 30 minutes, then wash as usual. WARNING: Do not use this on any metal other than stainless steel. NOT for use on real silver.

 

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