THINGS YOUR MOTHER NEVER SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU

1. To remove odors from the ice box, cupboard or pantry fill a dish with boiling water and drop in a piece of charcoal.

Putting boiling water in the refrigerator is not energy efficient, plus this is a potentially messy and not an effective way to remove odors.

 

2. Articles of clothing, or of any other character, which have become impregnated with bad-smelling substances, will be freed from them by burying for a day or two in the ground. Wrap up lightly before burying.

What can I say? Sometimes we feel liking burying that dress after we’ve seen a photo of ourselves wearing it…..that’s okay. Burying to remove smells, I don’t think so. Launder the garment with your regular detergent and some borax to remove odors. Still smells? Pick up some Odorzout and use according to directions, it will absorb the odors.

 

3. To wash glassware, use a little ammonia in the dishwater; it will make it sparkle like cut glass.

Actually, vinegar works better. It is an acid and cuts grease to leave glasses shining.

 

4. Tumblers which have contained milk should be first rinsed in cold water before washing in hot water.

In the age of dishwashers and good quality dishwashing soaps your can skip this step.

 

5. To clean mirrors and windows divide a newspaper in two, fold up on half in a small square, wet it in cold water. Rub the glass first with the wet half of the paper, and then dry it with the other.

Oh no, not this! Newspaper leave a newsprint residue on glass that will smear and streak. It also can leave black newsprint on the window frames. No newspaper, please!

 

6. Once you clean a carpet it will never be the same and get dirty faster.

If you let dirt and grime build up in carpet, it will never be the same. The gritty soil will cut the carpet fibers making severe traffic patterns appear. As long as carpet is cleaned well and most importantly, the water is extracted well, it will last for years.

 

7. Use hairspray to remove ink marks from clothing.

This doesn’t work anymore. Years ago there was so much alcohol in the hairspray that it made sense to spray it on. Now days, alcohol is a small part of hairspray so unless you want an ink stain that won’t blow away in a wind storm, use undiluted rubbing alcohol instead.

 

8, Wash no-wax floors with ammonia.

Actually ammonia can be used to strip wax from floors so using it often on a no- wax floor can damage the finish. Instead use a microfiber mop that uses nothing but water or use a gallon of warm water and 1 tablespoon of borox to clean and leave no residue.

 

9. Use furniture polish every time you dust.

This actually causes a build up that will leave finger prints and attract dirt. Instead, dust with a lambs wool duster or a microfiber cloth. Stay away from feather dusters unless you are on your way to a costume party dressed as a French maid. They just spread the dust around.

 

10. Use chlorine bleach to clean instead of other products.

Chlorine bleach is a disinfectant not a cleaner. Use it only well diluted to disinfect (follow the label on the bottle). Even the fumes can remove color, used too strong it can be dangerous to inhale and mixed with ammonia it can be deadly.