More Cleaning With Cornstarch - Cleaning Windows Formula

See, cleaning with cornstarch isn't so crazy after all... Connie's mother has been using it to clean her windows with for years! Here's reader Connie's email, with the SECRET formula recipe:

"My mother's window cleaning (also mirrors etc) equal parts white vinegar, non-sudsy ammonia and water and add 1 or 2 tablespoons cornstarch."

I've also been doing some research into corn starch, and why it's such an incredible substance. For one thing, it's excellent for soaking up grease or oil spills. (Man, wish I'd known that about a week ago when I had a lovely HUGE bottle of olive oil fall down from a shelf and land in an oily puddle all across the kitchen floor. Ugh.)

And...corn starch is, obviously, a starch. So, if you (unlike most of us Happy Slobs) are an ironing fan, then corn starch is an excellent way to get a crisp, starchy finish to items like white shirts or cotton bed linens and sheets.

Start with about 1/2 tablespoon of corn starch in 1 cup of cold tap water. Add slowly to fully dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water. Use as you would any starch spray.

Who knew, right? Here we thought it was just a great gravy thickener - shows us.

Anyone have any other tips using cornstarch to clean? Post them in a comment or email them to me at christina@happyslob.com. Happy cleaning, all!

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.

I Had an "Eek" Moment - Cleaning out the Fridge Reminder

So, we're going away to visit family on Friday, and I've been on a tear to get our apartment ship-shape before we go. (Or, you know, as ship-shape as can be, keeping in mind our No Hassle Housecleaning sensibilities.)

I'd been putting off one particularly nasty household chore. Cleaning out the fridge. Never a favorite chore of mine, especially when it's really overdue and the produce has had ample opportunity to morph into some other biological form. (THAT was my "eek" moment I described in the title...I'm pretty sure that black blob had been half an onion at some earlier point in its existence. I will not describe it any further except to say that it prompted me to say things like: "Ugh," "Blarech," "Repulsive!" and other murmured noises of disgust.)

Now It's YOUR Turn
Okay...grab that trusty timer and set it for about 10-15 minutes to allow ample time to remove everything, get rid of the morphed produce, and long forgotten Rubbermaid containers of leftovers, and spray the inside down with Very Vinegar cleaner. If there's hard to remove gunk on the bottom, use a generous sprinkling of plain baking soda and a scrubby sponge. It should wipe away with a little elbow grease. Wipe everything down, put back the good stuff into the fridge - and voila (hey look, more French!) - a gorgeous fridge that you actually want to open. Your family and friends will be amazed at your domestic abilities, my friends!

Have a few extra minutes to spend?
Okay then, you brave souls. Take those few extra moments and declutter the surface of the fridge. I end up with photos of friends and family, recipes, coupons all posted to the front of the fridge. Having a few mementoes is nice, but when you can't see the surface of the appliance any more, well, you know it's time for a quick and painless decluttering session. You can also give the outside of the refrigerator a good wipe down while you're at it. There! Look at all you've accomplished today.