Ingredients

• 2 parts cayenne pepper
• 3 parts dry mustard
• 5 parts flour

Directions

Mix together and spread.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of white vinegar
• 3/4 cup of baking soda

Directions

Pour white vinegar into the toilet and then add baking soda. Let soak about 10 minutes and swish with toilet brush.

Ingredients

• 1-2/3 cups baking soda
• 1/2 cup high-quality liquid soap
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
• 16 ounce squeeze container

Directions

Mix baking soda with liquid soap in container and dilute with water. Add vinegar and stir until lumps are gone. If it pours from container then it’s the right consistency, otherwise add more water. Shake well before using. Use with sponge. Rinse well.

Ingredients

• Clean, empty spray bottle
• Water
• Essential oil

Directions

Fill spray bottle a couple inches from the top with water. Add a few drops of essential oil until the desired scent is achieved. Mix well. Spray on couches, mattresses, throw pillows and and other upholstered items.

Ingredients

• Sunlight
• Lemon juice

Directions

Apply a small amount of lemon juice to the stain (works well with cotton whites like T-shirts, sheets, blouses and pants). Let it sit in the sun. Wash as you normally would.

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 spray bottle

Directions

Combine cornstarch and water in the spray bottle. Shake well. Proceed as with commercial starches.

Ingredients

• Lemon
• Cornstarch
• Eucalyptus essential oil
• Glycerin (found in craft stores, natural food stores and some pharmacies)

Directions

Rinse the stain in cool water right away. Rub a slice of lemon over the stain several times. If the stain persists, make a mix of one heaping tablespoon of cornstarch, two drops of eucalyptus essential oil and one teaspoon of glycerin. Add just enough water to make a thick paste and spread it on the stain. Without rinsing, put the garment in the sun to dry. Rinse. Repeat the paste application if necessary.

Ingredients

• 1 cotton ball
• Pure vanilla extract (not imitation)
• Small jar, dish or bowl

Directions

Put the cotton ball into the container and soak thoroughly in the pure vanilla extract. Place the container behind a plant or picture frame.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup borax (found in the laundry section of grocery stores)
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1 gallon water

Directions

Mix the above ingredients together in a bowl or bucket. Stir vigorously to dissolve the baking soda and borax. To make a spray cleaner, reduce this recipe and dissolve the ingredients to avoid clogging the spray bottle. Use with a mop or sponge.

Ingredients

• 2 cups baking soda
• 10 drops essential oil of lemon
• 10 drops essential oil of peppermint
• 20 drops essential oil of lavender
• Glass jar with a lid

Directions

1. Mix ingredients thoroughly in a glass jar.
2. Sprinkle on carpet.
3. Leave for 10 to 20 minutes and then vacuum.
4. Store the remaining solution in a jar with lid closed.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons tea tree oil (found at natural food stores)
• 2 cups water

Directions

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle. Spot test the recipe on the underside of a cushion to make sure there’s no discoloration. If there’s no discoloration, spray the mixture wherever you see mold or mildew. Don’t rinse. In a few days, the strong smell of the tea tree oil and the mold will begin to disappear.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons tea tree oil (found at natural food stores)
• 2 cups water

Directions

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle. Spot test the recipe on the underside of a cushion to make sure there’s no discoloration. If there’s no discoloration, spray the mixture wherever you see mold or mildew. Don’t rinse. In a few days, the strong smell of the tea tree oil and the mold will begin to disappear.

Ingredients

• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. vodka
• 10 drops lavender oil (or other essential oil)

Directions

Mix the ingredients together and apply to your wood floor with a soft cloth. After rubbing it in, buff with another clean, soft cloth.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. peppermint oil
• Water
• 16 oz. spray bottle

Directions

Fill the spray bottle half full of water. Add peppermint oil and mix well. Spray solution where ant enter. Apply several times over multiple days to keep the odor strong.

Ingredients

• Shallow jar
• Lid to jar or plastic wrap
• Fruit juice or cider vinegar

Directions

Pour 1 to 2 inches of fruit juice or cider vinegar into a shallow jar. If the jar has a lid, carefully poke several holes in it and screw it on. If your jar does not have a lid, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and poke several holes in it. Place your trap in the infested area. When the jar is full, pour the contents down the drain and start over.

Ingredients

• Rubbing alcohol
• Essential oil such as citronella, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, peppermint or lavender

Directions

Use 10 drops of rubbing alcohol for every 1 drop of essential oil. Reapply often (every 30 minutes to 2 hours). Store in a cool place for up to 1 week.

Ingredients

• Small clay flower pots
• Rocks with flat sides

Directions

Set out small clay flower pots turned upside down and propped up on one side with a flat rock. The dark, moist underside of the flowerpot will attract the slugs and you will know right where to look for them.

Ingredients

• Water
• Distilled white vinegar

Directions

Check your coffee maker’s instruction manual before using this recipe.

Pour equal parts of vinegar and water into the coffee maker’s water chamber. Switch on the brew cycle. Halfway through brewing, turn off the coffee maker and let the solution sit for about an hour. Turn the coffee maker on again to complete the cycle. Run several cycles through with clean water.

Ingredients

• 1 cup washing soda (found near baking soda at the grocery store)
• 1 cup borax (in the laundry aisle at the grocery store)
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup Fruit Fresh (found with food preservation products at the grocery store)
• Distilled white vinegar

Directions

Mix the first four ingredients together and store in a tightly covered glass jar or plastic container. Use 1 tablespoon per load. Add vinegar to the rinse dispenser for the best results.

Ingredients

• 1 cup baking soda
• Hot tap water
• 4 cups inexpensive vinegar

Directions

Prime the tap so hot water is ready to flow right away. Empty 1/2 cup of baking soda into the drain. Follow with 2 cups vinegar. Repeat the baking soda and vinegar. Once foaming stops, flush with hot tap water for about one minute, or until the drain clears. Repeat as necessary - usually about every three months.

Ingredients

• Ice cubes
• Fresh citrus peel

Directions

Drop three or more ice cubes in your disposal. Then add a few fresh citrus peels and grind.

Ingredients

• Club soda
• Clean 8 or 16 ounce spray bottle

Directions

Fill the spray bottle with club soda, spray and wipe.

All glass cleaners work best with a lint-free cloth.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 cups warm water
• 1 lemon

Directions

Cut lemon in half and rub the lemon over the grill. Let the grill sit for a few minutes, then use a coarse sponge or wire brush and warm salt water to scrub the grime off. Repeat if necessary.

Ingredients

• Two spray bottles
• White vinegar
• 3 percent hydrogen peroxide

Directions

Take two spray bottles and fill one with white vinegar and the other with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (found at drug/grocery stores). Then spray surfaces such as counters or cutting boards with the vinegar and then with hydrogen peroxide. Rinse surface under running water or wipe with a clean wet sponge.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 microwave-safe glass bowl or large glass measuring cup

Directions

Pour water and lemon juice into a microwave-safe glass bowl or measuring cup. Place the bowl or cup in the microwave and set on high for 3-4 minutes (until the water is bubbling and steam is rolling off). Then carefully remove the glass bowl or cup using potholders and place it in the sink. Moisten a wash rag or sponge and wipe out the inside of the microwave.

Ingredients

• Baking soda
• 1 clean spray bottle
• Water
• 1 sponge

Directions

Sprinkle 1/4-inch-thick layer of baking soda over the bottom of the oven. Using a clean spray bottle, squirt the baking soda with water until the baking soda is thoroughly damp but not flooded. Wet the baking soda again 2 times over the next few hours and let the mix sit overnight. In the morning, scoop the baking soda and grime out with a sponge.

Ingredients

• 2 or 3 halved lemons or 1 grapefruit cut 4 ways
• Water

Directions

Put the cut lemons or grapefruit and the water in the tarnished pan or put the tarnished utensil in a pan with water and fruit. Use enough water to make sure the stained sections are submerged. Simmer on low heat for an hour or so, until stains are gone.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 lime or lemon
• Sponge

Directions

Cut the lemon or lime in half and squeeze juice on to what you are polishing. Then sprinkle a little salt on top and begin rubbing immediately until tarnish comes off. Rinse.

Ingredients

• Lime (you may need one or more per tool
• Table salt
• Old rags
• Newspaper
• Olive oil

Directions

Cover work area with newspaper and set down rusty tools. Cover the rusty portion(s) of the tool with table salt. Cut the lime in half and squeeze lime juice on to the table salt until the salt is thoroughly saturated. Let the salt and lime mixture sit for at least 3 hours. Use a clean, dry cloth to remove the salt and lime mixture. Use a second clean, dry cloth to rub a light coat of olive oil on the tool to prevent future rusting.

Ingredients

• container large enough for silver pieces
• aluminum Foil
• 1 Tbsp. baking soda
• 1 Tbsp. salt

Directions

n the container add baking soda, a piece of aluminum foil (shiny side up) and salt. Boil 1 quart water and add it to the container. Immerse the silver in the solution. After soaking, rinse and dry. Repeat as necessary.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• A few squirts of environmentally safe liquid soap or detergent

Directions

Place the baking soda in a bowl and add enough liquid soap or detergent to make a frosting-like paste. Scoop some of the mixture onto a sponge and scrub the stainless steel. Rinse well.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. soap flakes
• 24 oz. warm water
• Spray bottle<

Directions

In a clean spray bottle, dissolve soap flakes in water and apply directly to infested areas every five to seven days. Be careful, too much soap can burn plants.

Ingredients

• 1 cup salt
• 1 tsp. liquid dish detergent
• 1 gallon vinegar

Directions

Combine the ingredients in a bucket. Stir. Sprinkle over weeds.

Use this recipe for weeds growing in sidewalk cracks and between bricks, not in the garden (the plants will be killed).

Directions for Fabric Upholstery

Use 1/2 cup liquid soap (vegetable oil-based works best, but any kind will do) and whip it with 3 tablespoons water. Pull the foam off the top and rub it into the upholstery. Rinse well by blotting with a damp cloth.

Directions for Car Upholstery

Hold the rind of a lemon that has been sliced in half and rub it onto the stain. Or dab a cloth with lemon juice to clean the spot. A mild solution of dishwashing soap and water works, too.

Be sure to test this recipe on an inconspicuous part of your upholstery first.

Ingredients

General Cleaner
Baking soda and vinegar

Floor Cleaner
1 cup vinegar in 2 gallons of water

Aluminum Cleaner
2 Tbsp cream of tartar in 1 quart hot water

Chrome Cleaner

• Apple cider vinegar to clean
• Baby oil to polish

Mildew Remover

• Paste of lemon juice and salt
• white vinegar and salt