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

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.