The BEST Homemade Dishwasher 'Booster' I've Ever Found

Okay, all you regular readers (lovingly known as Happy Slobs, or 'slobbos') know all about my ongoing trek to find the best way to get dishes truly, beautifully clean right out of the dishwasher.

I think many of us have a common complaint. Why even use a dishwasher, if you have to pre-scrub or scrub after the dishes come out! It's beyond frustrating.

So, I've been doing research, and experimenting with my old, beat-up dishwasher that we've had for many a year. And, I've finally found what really works.

Baking soda and/or kosher salt
plus
One teeny drop of dish liquid
...added to your regular dishwasher detergent

That's it! I half-fill the cups with regular dishwasher detergent POWDER. That's an important point, because my dishes come out far cleaner using the powder than they ever do using liquid or even those little tabby do-dads. (Which yes, is the technical term, thank you very much indeed.)

Then, in the open cup (the cup that doesn't have a little lid to close), I add one minute drop of regular dishwashing liquid that you'd use to wash dishes in the sink. TEENY drop of that - use too much and you'll have a sudsy disaster spreading all over your kitchen floor, and I don't want that to happen to any of you.

Then, finally, pour a few tablespoons of either kosher salt, regular table salt, or baking soda over top the teeny drop of dishwashing soap. It seems to prevent the problem of over-sudsing.

Then, turn on your dishwasher and prepare to be amazed!! Please post your comments - I think you'll be thrilled with how even once-murky dishes (and glasses!) come out crystal clear. And, like mentioned previously, this is in my old, old, old dishwasher - so it should work a treat in any dishwasher at all.

Cleaning Glasstop (Ceramic Stoves) & Make Your Own Shower Cleaner

I can't seem to keep my blogs straight! ;) Over on my Kitchen Crafts blog today I talk about two old newsletter reader hints that are fantastic. One is on how to easily make a homemade shower cleaner...the other is how to clean even burnt on messes from ceramic stovetops. I thought both were worthy of Happy Slob readers.

Admittedly Gross...Removing Sweat Odors from Clothing

Okay, so maybe this isn't a delicate topic that we all yearn to discuss: how to remove sweaty odors from clothing. But, take it from me - someone who is trying with all earnestness to use natural deodorants. Sometimes those crystal deodorants and natural deodorants just don't do quite the trick that the chemical-laden antiperspirants do.

With what result?

Sigh...sweaty odors permeating my clothing!!! It's disgusting, and I can hardly believe I'm blogging openly about sweat smells in clothing. But, I digress. We all sweat, but most of don't like talking about. At least now I'm learning firsthand how to remove those stinky, sweaty smells from clothes.

Baking soda is a huge help once again. My, oh my...what would we DO without that big box of baking soda? This time it's a soak in the stuff that will help. Uhhh...your clothing that is, although soaking in baking soda couldn't possibly hurt the sweaty situation to begin with! Okay, back to business: Add at least a cup of plain baking soda to your usual wash load. If you have the ability to let it soak first that helps - the soaking seems to allow the baking soda to permeate the fabric and really dig out the stink. (Ha! That's a sentence I never thought I'd write.)

Otherwise, just do your regular laundry load with the regular amount of detergent - I choose liquid laundry detergents because I don't have to worry about white clumps and bumps of detergent ending up on my clothing - and then add at least a cup of baking soda. If you find that one cup didn't do quite the odor removing you'd hoped for, next time double up and try two cups of baking soda.

Let me know how it works, slobbo buddies! And hey...let's not be embarrassed about our au naturel sweating, shall we? Okay...we're still embarrassed. But there for a moment, we seemed all cool and oh so European.

Post a comment on all things perspiration related...go on, you know you want to.

Remove a Toxic Cleaner - Take on Baking Soda to Scrub, Scrub, Scrub those Surfaces

Here's an easy way to remove one more toxic/chemical cleaner from your home. And yes, it's also painless! Simply stop using chemical scrubby cleaners and replace them with good old baking soda. You'll be surprised that baking soda works incredibly well - a sprinkle or two, and a good scrubby sponge for scrubbing action, and you're off!

Cleaning Windows: Sue's Homemade Window Cleaning Formula

Hello! Just got back from vacation on Saturday, and I've missed posting to all of you. So, to break the quiet spell, here's a homemade cleaning formula from a No Hassle Housecleaning reader named Sue that seems very appropos since we're all beginning to think of (gasp!) spring cleaning. And that means actually being able to SEE out our windows again after a winter of grime build-up.

Homemade Window Cleaner
Sue writes: "I don't know where I found this recipe but it works great."
All you need is a spray bottle, large enough to hold 3 cups of liquid.
you mix 1 cup. of non sudsy ammonia, 1 cup. of rubbing alcohol, and 1 cup. of tap water. Give it a shake and you are ready. grab some newspaper and go.

Thanks Sue! I've heard that in formulas like this one that you can also add a few drops of blue food coloring, to ensure that everyone in the family knows it's a cleaner. Safety first! For everyone else, here are some gentler alternatives (without ammonia) for squeaky clean windows.

Using Dawn Soap to Clean Windows
No Streak Homemade Glass Cleaner (This one has a strange mystery ingredient...)
10 Uses for Old Newspapers - Including Washing Windows
5 Surprising Cleaners - Including Club Soda for Cleaning Glass

Very Vinegar Cleaner
We can never forget our favorite little all-purpose cleaner, which is also a true powerhouse when it comes to cleaning windows. The Very Vinegar Cleaner is basically 1 part white vinegar in a clean spray bottle, topped up with 3 to 4 parts of distilled water or fresh tap water. A little squirt of Dawn dishwashing liquid would give it some extra degreasing power, as would some drops of lemon essential oil. This cleaner is an all-time favorite of mine, and it costs only cents per bottle. Which makes cheapo me a very happy cleaner indeed.

Armed and Ready for...Scrubbing
So, with a little 'clarity' on window washing (oh dear, I just couldn't help myself) you can arm yourself with knowledge, the tools for the job...and then face this task head on. As always -- don't go at it alone! Get family or friends to help whenever possible.

A Stain Removal Song for this Sunday Morning (Remove Tea and Coffee Stains)

I love coffee,
He loves tea,
We love hot bevvies,
But the stains bother MEEEE....

Yes, I actually did sing that as I typed it. :) How sad. Feel free to roll your eyes.

Right, so if you're a tea or coffee drinker then you're also well aware that the beverages taste delicious, but the stains they leave behind in our favorite mugs and cups are far less charming. I've found three things that help remove those nasty stains:

1. Baking soda - the old favorite is a star again. Scrub with baking soda and a scrubby pad.
2. Table salt - same thing, but a little grittier for even more difficult stains.
3. Barkeepers Friend - The hardest, oldest stains are no match for this cleaner. When I was writing my book, I researched this marvelous powdered cleanser and discovered that it's derived from rhubarb. Hmmm. And here I always thought rhubarb was just good in pie. Wrongo, it's also good for scrubbing stains away (and cleaning your stainless, copper, etc...but I'll try to remain on topic here.)

Plus, a little scrubby pad called 'The World's Greatest Scrubbie' is available in many kitchenware shops. At the store where I work part-time we sell them for around $2.99. I always use that when scrubbing away stubborn beverage stains -- so keep an eye out for them in your locale. They're little rectangles of rainbow colored cleaning extraordinariness. (IF that's even a word.)

Right, now, go grab a coffee or tea and don't worry for even a single moment about any stains to come. :) Have a lovely Sunday while you're at it.

6 Ways to Use Vinegar Around the House to Clean

Don't scoff - white vinegar is an amazing all-purpose cleaner! I've posted countless ways here and on the site that you can use vinegar as a cleaner. Here are some of my all-time favorite vinegar tips, hints, recipes & all around good vinegar advice for Happy Slob Housecleaners.

1. Vinegar as an All-Purpose Cleaning Spray - The Very Vinegar Spray is the one I rely on every day! Don't let the vinegar scare you...this is the best cleaning secret you can find, and it costs about 10 cents a bottle to make. Try it! Very Vinegar Spray Recipe
2. Freshen the dishwasher - Just a cup or so in an empty dishwasher will freshen and deodorize your dishwasher naturally. And the acidity will help scrub that dishwasher clean - from the inside out!
3. Remove pet odors and pet urine smells from carpet
4. Freshen up bread boxes Bread Box Refresher
5. A few extra vinegar cleaning tips from a reader: Vinegar Cleaning Tips from Roberta

And remember - to make a fun, natural foaming cleaner, just use some baking soda and vinegar mixed together in a bowl. Kids love cleaning with this foamy cleaner, and it's a lot milder than harsh chemical foam cleaners. Especially good for the toilet...which brings me to tip #6:

6. Clean the Toilet with Vinegar: Pour about a cup in the toilet, give it a good swish around with the toilet brush and close the lid and let sit. Sprinkle with baking soda and then scrub with the toilet brush, and flush the mess away. You should be left with a clean, sparkling toilet bowl!

An Oldie but Goodie - Cleaning the Microwave with Steam Power

On the topic of steam cleaning...one of the most beneficial (and easiest!) ways to use steam to clean is in your microwave oven! It's sort of a natural little steam cleaner in and of itself.

All you need is a microwave-safe cup. (I really love using a Pyrex measuring cup for this. It works perfectly for me...and it's easy to pour from. More about pouring later!) Fill it up with some tap water, and a sprinkle of baking soda. For a freshening touch, I like to add a touch of fresh lemon juice - even a wedge of fresh lemon will do the trick very nicely indeed.

Anyhooo...pop the mix into the microwave and set it until the water comes to a nice rolling boil - it takes about 5 minutes in my microwave. The TRICK is -- let it sit and stew in all of that glorious, gunk-fighting steam for as long as possible! I like leaving it for at least 15 or 20 minutes, possibly longer if I have time.

When you do open the microwave door, you can pour a tiny bit of the heated water right out onto the bottom for a bit of extra scrubbing power. (I like to, but you don't need to...the steam is often all you need!) Just a regular sponge will easily wipe away all the loosened grunge and gunk and your microwave will look STUNNING! And the lemon and baking soda combo make it smell fresh and lovely, too.

Enjoy, slobbos!

A Groovy Shaker for Your Baking Soda Cleaner

Say goodbye to toxic old powdered cleansers, and hello to your baking soda in cute shakers! I got this brainstorm last night when I was decluttering a cupboard containing spices and baking supplies. I used the salt shaker, but didn't really need the pepper shaker since I'm a big fan of freshly ground pepper from my trusty pepper mill.

So...I rescued the pepper shaker, let it soak in the sink in some soapy water for a bit, gave it a good scrub and it's now my all purpose baking soda shaker! It just feels better to shake baking soda out this way, instead of from a boring box.

If you have an old pepper shaker that is similarily ignored, bring it back to life as a new addition to your cleaning kit! Or...here are some of my favorite shakers for baking soda...(I prefer slightly oversized shakers, so you won't have to be refilling it all the time.)





Okay, your baking soda is beautifully presented - now use it, slobbo darlings! Here are my favorite baking soda tips for cleaning (from the happyslob.com website & this blog):

Baking Soda Uses Database
Baking Soda as a Natural Air Freshener
Baking Soda Carpet Powder Recipe
Use Baking Soda to Clear Clogged Drains
All Purpose Baking Soda Spray Cleaner
Baking Soda for Cleaning the Walls
Baking Soda for Washing Dishes
Baking Soda Crayon Stain Removal Tip

Washing Dishes - Getting out Tough Coffee and Tea Stains

I've recently found that even good dishwasher detergents don't always completely clean coffee and tea stains out of mugs and cups. If you also have a rather unappealing collection of stained mugs you'd like to get truly clean, here are a few tips to try:

1. Lemon and salt - Cut a fresh lemon in half and dunk in some regular table salt. Use this as a little natural scouring pad to get stains out. (This is also really useful on laundry stains, believe it or not!) Keep a few fresh lemons on hand anyway, for a variety of cleaning purposes.
2. Baking Soda - Dip a damp rag into a bit of baking soda and use this as your natural scouring powder for edging away those tough tea and coffee stains. It may take a little effort, but this can really do wonders for stained mugs.

A New Cleaning Recipe - Basic Baking Soda All-Purpose Spray with Essential Oils

Hello, and how is your Wednesday treating you? Here it's another beautiful sunny day - although (thankfully!) not as hot as it has been. It's perfect summertime weather, and I have my handy dandy glass of ice water always at hand.

Today I have a new and easy cleaning recipe for you to try. You already know that I'm a huge advocate of that orange box of baking soda. In fact, more than once I've recommended that we all buy mega size boxes of it at the warehouse store! (Or, perhaps we should all invest in baking soday shares, already!)

Anyway, today I have a simple new cleaning formula for you to make at home. This is a great all-purpose spray, and the idea was sent in by Jeannie. :) I just adjusted the recipe slightly. Enjoy, slobbos! And...personalize your cleaning spray with the essential oils I recommend at the end. And then label that bottle of cleaner as: "Igor's Super Powerful Natural Cleaner." Well, if your name happens to be Igor, that is...

Homemade Baking Soda Cleaning Spray
(Natural, organic, homemade cleaners)
3 tablespoons baking soda
About 1 quart of water

Optional Additions:

• 15-20 drops of essential oil: orange, lemon, lavender or tea tree essential oil

Mix the water and baking soda together in a clean spray bottle that has an adjustable mist setting. (I like using a harder, direct spray when cleaning floors, for instance, and a lighter spray when cleaning countertops, etc.) Don't use a spray bottle that has previously been used to contain harmful chemicals.

Add the essential oils, if you plan on using them. I like adding essential oils to some of my homemade cleaners. Why? Because, they not only smell heavenly, but they also add powerful CLEANING PUNCH to the cleaner. Read on, and find out how essential oils work to keep your home cleaner and healthier. :)

For instance:

• Lemon Essential Oil - Ahh, that sweet citrusy smell of lemon! Does anything compare to it? It'll wake you up as you clean...plus, the lemon oil works as a natural disinfectant, so it works great on any surface that you want to disinfect in a healthy way. Another fantastic idea is to dilute some lemon EO and spray over your freshly cleaned bed linens. Smells divine!
• Lavender Essential Oil - This is another all-time favorite of me, the Happy Slob! Lavender is another one of nature's helpful disinfectants. And that soothing smell just makes me relax and want to crawl up and read a good book. Urm...after I clean, of course! (You can also use a few drops of pure, undiluted lavender oil on your kitchen sponge and use it as a super disinfectant. Add a healthy sprinkling of baking soda or a bit of table salt to the sponge too, to give it some scrubby power.)
• Orange Essential Oil - The sweetest smelling essential oil, in my humble opinion, orange oil remains one of my favorites. Adding this to the above baking soda spray makes it a powerful degreaser. Gorgeous! Your greasy stove won't know what hit it!
• Tea Tree Oil - All behold the power of tea tree oil! Add 25 drops to the above mix and create another natural disinfectant spray (with no scary chemicals, thank you very much.) Another bonus? You can use the exact same recipe for an odor neutralizing spray in the bathroom, or anywhere else you need a good old-fashioned air freshener.

THE HAPPY SLOB'S FAVORITE ESSENTIAL OIL PICKS

Look no farther! If you want to stock up on some of these lovely, natural cleaning oils, these are some of the best essential oil bargains I've found online for you. Enjoy! And make sure to get a few bottles for your Happy Slob cleaning pals, too.

How to Clean Soap Scum from Tubs and Tiles with No Scrubbing

A very cool tip sent in by Happy Slob Housecleaner, Linda:

"I use baking soda and liquid fabric softener to remove soap scum from our showers and tubs. Dampen the rag, sprikle on the soda and then dip it into a small bowl of fabric softener. Scum comes right off no hard scrubbing needed!!"

If you guys would prefer a non-chemical type of tip, I would try this very same thing, only using pure white vinegar instead of the fabric softener. :) Might need to scrub a WEE little bit, but still a fantastic way to clean the tub. Thanks Linda, for the idea!

Easy Baking Soda Tip to Remove Laundry Stains

It doesn't get much easier to remove stubborn laundry stains than this. Simply pour a bit of baking soda (soda of bicarbonate to those of you Happy Slobs from around the world) into a small bowl. I have lots of handy little pinch bowls for just this purpose. Add just enough tap water to create a thick paste.

Here's the cool bit -- use an old toothbrush or small scrub brush to work the baking soda paste into laundry stains. Let sit for a while, and then launder as usual - a great, natural laundry stain remover!

P.S. If the garment is white - then try using fresh lemon juice with the baking soda to create a super fizzy, super tough stain fighter! I have a feeling the lemon juice might create a bleaching effect, so don't try this on colorful fabrics.

5 Surprising Cleaning Products from Your Pantry (and Medicine Cabinet)

5 Surprising Cleaning Products from Your Pantry
By Christina Spence
Please note: Feel free to re-print this article on your own site or blog...but please ensure that the credits listed at the bottom are included. Thanks, and enjoy my latest article!

Fabulous cleaning products don’t need to cost a fortune or be wrapped up in fancy packages to do a great job of cleaning your home. In fact, some of the most effective cleaners are likely hiding in your pantry, just waiting for you to give them a try. Here are five cleaning products that you can use everyday, that are already sitting in your pantry or medicine cabinet.

Baking Soda – I’m known as a bit of a baking soda nut! Why? This powerful little box may not look impressive, but it contains a serious multitasking cleaner. Use it as a powder cleanser, to neutralize odors naturally, and even to wash floors and walls.

Vinegar – This is the other top cleaning powerhouse that every home needs. I tend to buy MASSIVE jugs of this stuff, because I use it like a madwoman. Vinegar is a natural acid, meaning that it does a lot of the tougher cleaning jobs around your home – but at a fraction of the cost of commercial cleaners. Plus, it’s friendlier for you, your family AND the environment. Use it in natural cleaning formulas, to clean out the coffeemaker, to remove hard water stains, and much more. For dozens of way to use this amazing stuff, visit http://www.kitchencraftsnmore.net/vinegar.html

Club soda – This is a surprisingly good glass and mirror cleaner! Either fresh or old unfizzy stuff will work fine. Just pour this into a clean spray bottle and use as you would any glass cleaner. Use a lint-free cloth or paper towel to give stainless steel surfaces a shine with this too.

Shaving cream – Surprise! Shaving cream is a surprisingly effective carpet and clothing stain remover. Just squeeze some out onto the stain (moisten first with a bit of cool water – never warm water, as that will set the stain) and use a scrubber brush to get it down deep into the fibers. Rinse and continue until stain is removed.

Lemon juice – Lemon juice (or other citrus juices such as orange juice) works great as a degreasing agent. Plus, it’s also a pretty darn wonderful disinfectant and stain remover. Dip a cut lemon into some baking soda or salt and use as the best smelling scrubber around – awesome for sinks and tubs. Or, make a paste of table salt and lemon juice and use as a pre treatment for tough laundry stains.

Christina is the Original Happy Slob – the author of: "The Happy Slob’s Guide to Housecleaning." If you hate to clean, drop by http://www.happyslob.com/ today to learn how thousands of slobs around the world are learning fast and easy (and laid back) tips to make cleaning less of a bore, and less of a chore! (And…the Daily Blog is at: http://happyslob.blogspot.com/)

Would I Forget YOU? I'm Back!

Hey everyone,

I needed a bit of a break from the blogging scene, so I took off a bit of time to sort out what direction I want to go in with the blog and site, etc, etc, etc. But here I am, back and ready to (gently) nudge you in the right direction with your domestic duties. (Duties? oooh, we sort of hate that word, don't we?)

I'm working on a fresh newsletter for this week, so please keep your eyes peeled for that too.

For today, I just posted a favorite new toilet cleaning idea - and as we Happy slobs love - it is as EASY AS CAN HUMANLY BE! I posted it over at: The Easy way to clean inside your toilet - ALMOST Hands-Free!.

Enjoy! As much as a person CAN enjoy cleaning the toilet, that is...