Shoe Polish
Cold Pressed Nut Oil, Olive Oil, Walnut Oil, or
Beeswax. Apply oil to leather product and buff with a chamois loth to a shine.
Lemon Juice. Lemon juice is good polish for black or tan leather shoes. Follow by buffing with a soft cloth.
Vinegar. Remove water stains on leather by rubbing with a cloth dipped in a vinegar and water solution.
Petroleum Jelly. A dab of petroleum jelly rubbed into patent leather gives a glistening shine and prevents cracking in the winter.
Vinegar. To shine patent leather, moisten a soft cloth with white vinegar and wipe clean all patent leather articles. The color of the leather may be slightly changed.
Art-Gum Eraser and Sandpaper or Emery Board. Dirt
marks on suede can be rubbed out with an art-gum eraser. Then buff lightly with sandpaper or an emery board.
Spot Removers
To remove grease from concrete flooring: Dry Cement. Sprinkle dry cement over grease. Allow it to absorb the grease, then sweep up.
Carpet
General tips on stain removal: Clean up spills as fast as you can. Blot or scrape up as much of the spill as possible, blotting from the outside toward the center. Test the stain remover on an area under the sofa and wait 15 minutes to see if it damages the carpet color. After you clean the carpet, blot it dry and weigh down a small cushion of paper towels with a heavy object to soak up all the moisture. Don't panic!
General stains:
Borax*. Use according to label directions. Borax can be toxic if ingested.
Blood stains:
Cold water or Club Soda. Sponge stain immediately with cold water or club soda and dry with a towel. Repeat as necessary.
Ink stains:
Cream of Tartar and Lemon Juice. Place cream of tartar on the ink stain and squeeze a few drops of ice on top. Rub into the stain for a minute, brush off the powder with a clean brush and sponge immediately with warm water, being careful not to saturate the carpet backing. Repeat if
necessary.
Isopropyl Alcohol* Be sure to wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated area. Blot rubbing alcohol onto stain.
Non-oily stains:
Vinegar and Liquid Soap. Mix together 1 teaspoon of white vinegar, 1 teaspoon liquid detergent, and 1 pint lukewarm water. Apply this mixture to the non-oily stain with a soft brush or towel. Rub gently. Rinse with a towel dampened in clean water. Blot dry. Repeat this process until the stain is removed. Dry the carpet quickly using a
fan or blow dryer. There is a chance that vinegar may bleach some dark, sensitive colors, so try it on an inconspicuous area first.
Soot stains:
Salt. Sprinkle the area generously with salt. Allow the salt to settle for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming.
Stains and odors:
Vinegar and Liquid Soap. Vinegar will kill the odor of urine and prevent staining if you can get to the spot right away. First absorb as much moisture as you can with dry papertowels. Next rinse the area with warm water and apply vinegar and soap solution into the stain using a clean cloth or paper towel and leave on for 15 minutes.
Rinse with a towel dampened in clean water and blot dry. There is a chance that vinegar may bleach some dark, sensitive colors, so try it on an inconspicuous area first.
|
How-To: Information about Homemade Cleaners
