Cleaning Up Oily Rag Style

 Read more Oily Rag articles by Frank and Muriel Newman 

Lots of oily rag readers have sent in low-cost, sometimes free, tips about cleaning products. Here are a few of those we have received.

• A Reporoa reader says baking soda when applied with a damp cloth is good for cleaning sinks, basins, polishing stainless steel, deodorising and cleaning thermos flasks.

• Use baking soda as a carpet deodoriser. Sprinkle on and leave for 1- hours to absorb odours. Vacuum off.

• A reader from Wanganui has a wee tip for removing cat urine from fabric.  "Try sponging with baking soda and water until just damp. Sprinkle baking soda onto this dampened patch, wait until it is dry, then vacuum off. Repeat if there is still an odour there. When dry, spray lightly with white vinegar (acts as a deterrent). If kitty continues to use that spot, try feeding him/her there – they don't like to eat where they wee or wee where they eat."

• J.H. from Auckland writes, “To clean paths, walls etc here is a cheap ‘30 seconds’. Simply save a bucket of washing water on wash days. Add a couple of handfuls of Baking Soda [bought at a bulk bin store] and add a good slurp of bleach. Scrub gently onto surface. Rinse and the result is great and lasting.”

• EMS from Wellington says, “Through six children I cleaned many sweat-tops and most clothing of oil, food or grease stains by hand-washing (scrubbing the old fashioned way before there were washing machines) with a cake of sunlight soap and moderately hot water before putting them through a normal wash. Alternatively you can just soak them in a bucket of hottish water with a double dose of your normal washing powder prior to washing or do a hot wash! As long as you know the material or garment can tolerate it and most can despite what the labels say. (Don't go overboard and use boiling water!)”

• Buy the cheapest two-litre container of dish washing liquid. Tip half into a one-litre container. Top up the now half full container with water. Use the full strength solution for big washes and greasy dishes. Use the diluted mix for light everyday washes and small amounts of dishes.

• Twin Mum from Masterton says, “Try making a paste of baking soda and a few drops of water. Work the paste into the grease stain and rinse with warm water. Repeat a couple of times if needed. The baking soda will help remove the grease while also removing any smell.”

• J.M. from Christchurch writes, “Got black scuff marks on walls? Use a dab of toothpaste on a damp cloth. Brilliant!! Can be used on any wall paint unlike expensive cleaning cloths or ‘white aways’ which will remove matt paint.”

• A Wellington reader has a tip for keeping the shower clean. “To keep a shower clean without harsh (and expensive) chemicals, get the last person to use the shower to hose down the walls (if you have a handheld showerhead), then wipe the walls and floor with a microfibre cleaning cloth. These cloths are indispensable for cleaning without much more than soap, baking soda, or vinegar for tough cleaning. Hosing and wiping down the shower prevents the build-up of soapy scum.”

Share your cleaning tips with others by visiting the oily rag website (www.oilyrag.co.nz) or write to Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag, PO Box 984, Whangarei.

* Frank and Muriel Newman are the authors of Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag in NZ. Readers can submit their oily rag tips on-line at www.oilyrag.co.nz. The book is available from bookstores and online at www.oilyrag.co.nz.