Home Essentials

Do you have the top five home essentials in your house? Here's the list and a few of the things you can use them for.

1. White vinegar - Fill the bottom of a burned pan with vinegar and bring it to a boil. You'll see the mess flaking off. Or, pour it on the cracks in your sidewalks to kill grass and weeds, or mix it with the number two item on the list, baking soda, to free up clogged drains.

2. Baking Soda - Dip a damp cloth in baking soda to clean stains from painted walls and woodwork. Or, sprinkle some on aluminum foil and cover with boiling water to make silver cleaner.

3. Lemon juice - It is a natural bleach and disinfectant. Spread some on a white laundry stain and put it in the sun; the item will look like new in no time. Or use lemons to clean brass. Cut a lemon in half, dip it in salt and scrub no more tarnish.

4. Dryer sheets - They clean off television screens, freshen drawers and sneakers. Or, put a used dryer sheet in a baked-on pan, cover it with boiling water and leave it overnight. It will clean up easily in the morning.

5. Denture tablets - They clean anything from narrow-necked vases to toilet bowls.

Wash Day Wonders

Does it seem like laundry is a never-ending chore? Well, I have some tips to make your washday woes disappear!

1. When washing a brightly colored item for the first time, add a teaspoon of Epsom salts to the water to keep the material from fading or running.

2. No epsom salts? Soak brightly colored clothes in cold salt water before washing them, it will help set the colors and keep them brighter.

3. When you're washing whites and you run out of bleach, add three tablespoons of peroxide in its place.

4. Peroxide will also remove blood stains on white clothing. Just use a cotton swab to dab some on the stain, wait for it to fizz up and then launder it as you usually do. The stains will disappear.

5. Accidentally wash a wool sweater or blanket? No problem. Soak it in lukewarm water and hair conditioner. A tablespoon of hair conditioner per gallon will loosen those fibers so you can reshape the item.

6. Washing shower curtains or vinyl tablecloths? Add a cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle will keep the plastic pliable and lasting longer.

Carpet Stains

Kids, dogs, and company can lead to stains on your carpets, but with a few basic stain removal tricks some of the most common carpet stains shouldn't cause you problems anymore!

1. Act quickly, blot - don't wipe, as much as you can. If there are solids, scrape them away. As you treat the area work from the outside in so that you don't spread the stain.

2. For older stains, mix together a couple of teaspoons of dish detergent, 3 teaspoons of white vinegar and a quart of warm water. Use the solution and a clean sponge to gently blot the stain away.

3. For a fresh spill, quickly blot as much as you can. Spray some white shaving cream on a cloth and scrub the stain with that! When it's gone blot the area with a cloth and clean water. (If you don't have shaving cream, try powdered laundry detergent, warm water and a soft brush on the spot. Repeat until it disappears.

Build Up on Wood Furniture

Sometimes a build-up of wax and polish can cause a hazy film on your wood furniture. The good news is that it is usually pretty easy to clean up.

1. Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to a pint of tepid water. Soak a clean washcloth in the solution and wring it out. Rub the haze lightly with the cloth being careful not to get too much water onto the wood. Then, use a clean, dry cloth to wipe up any excess. If there are several layers of polish you may have to repeat the process.

2. A white haze can also be caused by moisture stuck in the wood's surface. Try taking some wood ashes from your fireplace, and mixing them with a little water to form a paste. Work that paste into the piece with a washcloth until you see the haze disappearing. Then clean the wood off with the vinegar and water mixture. (If you don't have a fireplace, you could also try some baking soda on a damp cloth. Rub it into the spot and wipe it away with a clean cloth.)

3. Once you've removed all that white film from your furniture, try polishing the surface with some lemon oil.

Vinaigrette - for the Carpets!

If you have a carpet stain would you think to grab the vinegar. Well, you should, cause it can cut through some of the toughest stains.

1. Gum on carpets is a nightmare, but vinegar can actually help to dissolve it away. Pour white vinegar directly onto the gum and let it sit for a minute, then use a paper towel to start easily pulling the gum out of the carpet fibers. Follow up with a little soapy water to clean up the vinegar and you're all set!

2. Dried glue on a carpet can also be dissolved with white vinegar. warm the vinegar for thirty seconds in the microwave, then dip a white cloth with it. Lay the cloth over the glue and leave for five minutes. once the glue had softened you'll be able to remove it from the carpet with a spoon and then just follow it up with some soapy water.

3. If you have chocolate stains on your carpet, mix together a half a cup of white vinegar and a cup of water and use that along with a white cloth to blot out any stains. Change the cloth frequently to be sure you don't redistribute the stains. This vinegar and water solution also works great on coffee spills.

Beautiful Stains

Beauty products are a part of life, but they can also cause spills and stains, I have some tips to get rid of these "beautiful" stains. If you think hair dye stains are permanent, think again. If you act quickly you can get rid of them. Spritz liberally with hairspray and allow it to dry for a couple of minutes. Then rub the area with some shampoo and wash it in cold water. For make-up stains from foundation to mascara grab a bar of soap. Put the stain face down on an absorbent white cloth, an old diaper works great for this. Dampen the soap and rub it into the back side of the stain. This will push the make-up out of the fabric rather than sending deeper into the fibers. Move the stain to different parts of the diaper so it doesn't re-absorb them. Wash it in cool water. For greasy stains like lotions and baby oil, blot as much as you can with a cloth and sprinkle with some cornstarch. Let it sit for ten minutes, shake it out and dab with white vinegar to break up the grease. Then launder. For hairspray build-up on walls, floors and mirrors dip an old washcloth into some rubbing alcohol and wipe it away. Remember the two primary rules of stain removal: Always test for colorfastness in a hidden area first, and never put your item in the dryer until you're sure the stain is gone.