Dish detergent.  Not dish soap - that’s number 10.  Dish detergent is the stuff you put in your dishwasher.   Now this stuff is not typically environmentally friendly although there are some versions out that are. The great thing here is that a sink full of hot water with 1/4 cup of detergent is the perfect soaking bath for anything greasy or grimy. Think light fixtures, burner pans & knobs, fridge drip pan etc.

Old brushes, combs, your shampoo bottles (the bottoms get really icky), and scrub brushes & sponges all will benefit from an hour long soak.  You may still need to take  a brush to some areas, but the majority of your issues will slide right away.  Try it next time, you won’t believe how easy it is.

Enzymes are fabulous!  Some of our favorites are the Oxy cleaners we’ve all seen and heard about and also the products made for pet stains.  Nature’s Miracle is an affordable one, but they all work on the same principle.  Want to make your own enzyme cleaner?  Here’s a recipe that really works.  You will have to wait 90 days for it though.  If you’re in  a hurry, this really isn’t going to work.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5590113_make-enzyme-cleaner.html

Ammonia.  This is an old school chemical that can really make light work of some difficult tasks, but there are cautions.  The first is to NEVER use with any other product containing bleach, the 2nd is to only use in a well-ventilated area.  Using the lemon-scented version will make it easier to work with, but there is no getting way from that odor entirely!  As with all chemicals ammonia works better when it’s been allowed to saturate the problem area.  15 minutes is usually fine when it comes to ammonia.

To clean an especially built up oven, try this no-scrub trick.  Heat the oven to 150 and then turn it off.  Place a small pan with 1 cup of ammonia on the top shelf and a large pan of boiling water on the bottom shelf.  Close the oven and allow it to sit for 12-24 hours depending on the amount of build-up.  You will need to thoroughly rinse the oven after this and if there is any debris remaining a bit of baking soda will most often erase that right away!

Safely clean all your jewelry (except pearls) with a solution of half ammonia and half water.  Get between the prongs with a toothbrush, then rinse and shine for that brand new look again.

Baking Soda. Chrome and stainless steel sinks will look like new.  Your baby’s clothes don’t have to have spit-up stains, just rub in a light paste of soda and water (let sit 15 mins) and launder as usual.  Shine your marble (3TBS to 1 qt warm water) - let it sit for 15 mins. then rinse with clear water and dry.  Pour half a box in your toilet tank and it will clean the tank and bowl in one shot!  Do this weekly and your toilet won’t smell or need heavy scrubbing ever.

http://tinyurl.com/22ldoyl

Going to Dr. Janssen’s!  I love dealing with everyone in her office!  Best dentist in town - with the work that’s been done in my mouth, I should know!

Toothpaste (non-gel). Use it to clean your sinks, polish your faucets, your diamond rings, and your hands too if you’ve been cutting onions or garlic.  The great things about cleaning with toothpaste are the added bonuses of it’s deodorizing properties and the mild abrasive.  Works great to take the yellow out of rubber too - think shoes etc.!

WD 40. Use it on ink and lipstick stains - catch it while they’re fresh though. It’s a great help in the toilet and on the shower glass to get rid of hard water. Remove stickers and glue and erase scuff marks too! (Like that rhyme?) and while not really a cleaning tip, it takes the sting right out of bee, wasp, and hornet stings.

I’m a list kind of a gal and I know I’m not the only one.  My friend Scott Kindberg suggested that I blog some of them, so here we go!  Top 10 Cleaning Supplies, not tools - we addressed those earlier on FaceBook.  Check them out at American Maid Cleaning, LLC if you want those too.

These are cleaners that we just LOVE to use and you need to have a version too! If you don’t,  tell us and we’ll help you out. Counting them down!

Dish soap. Think of it as a grease cutter and use it in varying strengths - showers, stove tops, grease on clothes etc.  The thing about dish soap is that it’s hard to rinse out of things, so use the smallest amount you can and on’y add water if necessary.  On showers you are better off using a squeegee and on stove tops use paper towels or reuse newspaper to be more environmentally friendly.  Once you get the bulk up, the rest is much easier to handle.  Tiny amounts on clothing, rubbed in and allowed to set for 30 minutes or so will remove those little oil stains you find on sweatshirts and t-shirts mostly.

Thanks for stopping by your MyAmericanMaid.com blog!  We hope that this will be a tool to help our loyal fans stay in touch and learn the latest happenings regarding American Maid Cleaning’s specials, services and community outreach.  Thanks again for visiting American Maid Cleaning online and remember:  we are PROUD TO SERVE!

Best Regards,

-The American Maid Cleaning Family