Lorraine’s Cleaning Tips

If you do burn something in the microwave oven, immediatly take the burned food out.  Soak a small towel in water (make sure it is throughly soaked) and put in microwave on high for 3 minutes.  After it has steamed, wipe out inside of oven with a clean papertowel.  If the smell is still apparent, take the juice of one lemon in a small cup cup of water and steam again for 3 minutes.  Put a cup of diluted vinegar (in a bowl with water) in the microwave and steam for an additional 3 minutes. If the smell persists, continue the lemon and vinegar for several days.  You can set a box of baking soda in the mirowave overnight, just make sure that you take the box of baking soda out before turning the oven on.

 I put this to the test.  I was staying at my sister house when my husband burned a microwave pizza so badly I could smell it in the shower. across the house.  We applied this treatment and the smell really vanished.   

 Believe me, I was afraid that I was going to have to buy my sister a new microwave oven.  The next time I visited my sisters home, I made a beeline straight for the microwave, and guess what, no smell at all. 

To get the toliet clean and deoderized, pour 1 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup baking soda in bowl.  Scrub with toliet brush and let sit for a few minutes, then flush.  This solution is “Green” and really does the job.

My favorite washing maching detergent is the Arm and Hammer Essentials concentrate.  The ingredients are:  Baking soda, coconut based surfactants, natural water softner and water.  This detergent is biodegradable plant based soap, no dyes, no phosphates or bleaches, no petroleum based cleaners and safe for septic systems.  It does a great job cleaning clothes and can be used for other cleaning projects such as bathrooms.

Just a caution, I do not use the plant based cleaners on floors.  It tends to make them very slippery.

There are two really good multipurpose “Green” cleaners on the market now.  My favorite is Cedarwood and Sage Multi-Purpose Cleaner at Trader Joe’s.  It has a great scent and you can use it on everything including windows.  I use it as an everyday cleaner all around my home.  The ingredients are: water, cedarwood and clary sage essential oils, grain alcohol, natural surfactants and color.   

 If you need a cleaner that can tackle the tougher jobs I recommend Green Works Natural Dilutable Cleaner by Clorox.  It can clean about anything and it is a great on grease and just about anything else.  The ingredients are: Coconut-based cleaning agents, corn based ethanol, filtered water, fragrance with essential lemon oil.

 Both are made up of essential oils.  The Clorox product contains plant and mineral based ingredients.  I do feel however that the Trader Joe’s Cedarwood & Sage is the “Greener” of the two.

The Clorox product states that it is not tested on animals.  So in other words, their other products are tested on animals?  Just thinking about these companies testing cleaning products on innocent animals is a crime.  Poor little animals induring horrible pain so we can have  sparkeling homes.  Please clean as green as possible.     

I do not use the plant based soap cleaners on floors.  It makes them very slippery.

Again, I keep the food zone “Green.”  When cleaning the refrigerator use vinegar and hot water.  For stubborn stains rub with a little baking soda.  Your frig will smell clean and fresh.  Keep a box of baking soda in the refrigerator at all times.  This illiminates oders continuously.

I believe that you should be totally “Green” in your kitchen.  No cleaning fluids should enter the food zone. 

 I have a maple butcher block counter top.  Maple naturally rejects bacteria and is a wonderful option.  I clean my counter tops and kitchen sink with vinegar and treat the maple once per month with a heavy coating of mineral oil.  I let the oil set over night and wipe the excess off with a paper towel.  Every night I scrub the sink with Dawn dishsoap, rinse it out and then pour a pot of boiling water in my sink and dry with a clean towel.  Kills germs and gets rid of any bad oders.

 I feel that original Dawn dishwasher soap is pretty good on dishes.  Scientist use it on wild animals if they are exposed to oil spills.