Friday, July 29, 2005
More Cleaning Ideas
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I have tended to be a bit perfectionistic in my cleaning; cleaning base boards and the outside of the windows and steam cleaning the carpet once every two months, touching up the wall paint every month. I would still like to do these things, I enjoy a clean, neat house. It promotes peace in my soul :-) However, there is a more holistic stewardship factor I am learning to consider. I have less and less time as I have more kids (perhaps I will up the cleaning standard again as they are able to participate and help!) and there are other projects that I ought to do instead of cleaning compulsively, such as remembering other's birthdays, fun projects with my girls, scrapbooking, caring for others in the church and in my neighborhood or maybe doing home improvements instead of touching up the plain white walls over and over again!
I read a principle in my book that struck me and has stuck with me. (Struck and stuck, the ideological equivalent of 'shock and awe' perhaps?) The purpose of cleaning is to maintain health. Not impress, not achieve perfection, but to promote health. So simple, balancing and true. Jesus said that we would worship Him in 'spirit and in truth' and that we are to worship Him in all we do. The more I learn to look toward and follow internal, spiritual standards and less external standards, the more abundance my life truly does have. So my standard of clean is to be driven by a heart that seeks to promote physical health in my family, and also mental and spiritual health. Clutter might not breed germs but it breeds anxiety of mind. It might be a stretch to include this under health, but I also think it is godly and loving to clean for guests, not so that they are impressed, but in a manner that might make them feel loved and cared for.
Here are the homemade cleaning solutions I promised to post. Again, I would not use so much ammonia because it is toxic, but its cheap and you can buy a gallon at the grocery store. If you do use it, make sure to NEVER mix it with chlorine.
Ammonia - full strength will "fume" clean an oven. Set a cupful in the oven overnight, with door shut. It will loosen grime. The next day pour the cup of ammonia into a bucket of warm water, add a few tablespoons of washing soda, dip in newspaper and wipe away. Use steel wool for any stubborn spots.
Baking Soda - A new favorite for me. Cheap and healthy! Non scratch powder for chrome, porcelain and all BUT aluminum cooking utensils. Dilute with water to clean fridge, freezer, thermos, and lunch boxes. Will also clean silver. Use for grease fires. There are tons of uses for baking soda you can find on the net. Go to diy.com, Queen of Clean and look up baking soda.
Chlorine Bleach - My laundry salvation. I spot whites with it all the time (if Oxy-clean sprayon doesn't work, which it usually does. That is worth the money to me!). Use to clean stains from kitchen items as well. Also will disinfect chopping blocks and remove mildew from shower curtains, and disinfect the toilet bowl. NEVER mix with ammonia, toilet bowl cleaners or oven cleaners.
Vinegar - Another favorite cheap and healthy cleaner! Will also kill weeds in the yard (use 20% solution available at organic garden centers.) Combine with baking soda to deoterize your drains. Pour baking soda in drain, then a bit of vinegar. Allow to sit 20 min. before flushing down drain. Add some to the dishwater to make glasses shine.
Washing soda - sodium carbonate, a water softener and cleaner. scrub on pots and pans.
For these solutions, be sure to label and keep them separate.
Multipurpose cleaner - 1/2 cup ammonia with 1/3 cup washing soda in 1 gallon of water.
Cleaner for painted surfaces - 1 cup ammonia and 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 gallon water.
Window cleaner - 3 Tbls. ammonia and 1 tbls. vinegar into spray bottle, add water to fill.
Wood Polish - 1 cup each of turpentine, vinegar and linseed oil.
Brass, Copper and Pewter cleaner - 1/4 cup salt with enough vinegar to dissolve it. Add flour to make a fairly dry paste.
I read a principle in my book that struck me and has stuck with me. (Struck and stuck, the ideological equivalent of 'shock and awe' perhaps?) The purpose of cleaning is to maintain health. Not impress, not achieve perfection, but to promote health. So simple, balancing and true. Jesus said that we would worship Him in 'spirit and in truth' and that we are to worship Him in all we do. The more I learn to look toward and follow internal, spiritual standards and less external standards, the more abundance my life truly does have. So my standard of clean is to be driven by a heart that seeks to promote physical health in my family, and also mental and spiritual health. Clutter might not breed germs but it breeds anxiety of mind. It might be a stretch to include this under health, but I also think it is godly and loving to clean for guests, not so that they are impressed, but in a manner that might make them feel loved and cared for.
Here are the homemade cleaning solutions I promised to post. Again, I would not use so much ammonia because it is toxic, but its cheap and you can buy a gallon at the grocery store. If you do use it, make sure to NEVER mix it with chlorine.
Ammonia - full strength will "fume" clean an oven. Set a cupful in the oven overnight, with door shut. It will loosen grime. The next day pour the cup of ammonia into a bucket of warm water, add a few tablespoons of washing soda, dip in newspaper and wipe away. Use steel wool for any stubborn spots.
Baking Soda - A new favorite for me. Cheap and healthy! Non scratch powder for chrome, porcelain and all BUT aluminum cooking utensils. Dilute with water to clean fridge, freezer, thermos, and lunch boxes. Will also clean silver. Use for grease fires. There are tons of uses for baking soda you can find on the net. Go to diy.com, Queen of Clean and look up baking soda.
Chlorine Bleach - My laundry salvation. I spot whites with it all the time (if Oxy-clean sprayon doesn't work, which it usually does. That is worth the money to me!). Use to clean stains from kitchen items as well. Also will disinfect chopping blocks and remove mildew from shower curtains, and disinfect the toilet bowl. NEVER mix with ammonia, toilet bowl cleaners or oven cleaners.
Vinegar - Another favorite cheap and healthy cleaner! Will also kill weeds in the yard (use 20% solution available at organic garden centers.) Combine with baking soda to deoterize your drains. Pour baking soda in drain, then a bit of vinegar. Allow to sit 20 min. before flushing down drain. Add some to the dishwater to make glasses shine.
Washing soda - sodium carbonate, a water softener and cleaner. scrub on pots and pans.
For these solutions, be sure to label and keep them separate.
Multipurpose cleaner - 1/2 cup ammonia with 1/3 cup washing soda in 1 gallon of water.
Cleaner for painted surfaces - 1 cup ammonia and 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 gallon water.
Window cleaner - 3 Tbls. ammonia and 1 tbls. vinegar into spray bottle, add water to fill.
Wood Polish - 1 cup each of turpentine, vinegar and linseed oil.
Brass, Copper and Pewter cleaner - 1/4 cup salt with enough vinegar to dissolve it. Add flour to make a fairly dry paste.
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