Living room

• Vacuum and dry clean draperies.

• Wash walls and doors with a cloth, slightly dampened with water, to remove sticky build-up and invisible pet dander.

• Dust mites, pollen and animal dander cling to furniture cushions. Cover cloth furniture with slip covers so they can be cleaned regularly or vacuum every week.

• Baby oil makes stainless steel and fixtures shine.

• Empty kitchen drawers, discard old spices and wipe down the shelves.

• To prevent mildew from forming in the refrigerator, wipe the inside with vinegar. The acid effectively kills fungus. Throw away expired condiments. Put a new baking soda box in the refrigerator.

• Remove your stove's vent and filter and soak them in a gallon of hot soapy water with 3/4 cup vinegar added to break down the greasy residue. Wash, dry thoroughly and put back into place. Soak stove knobs in a similar warm water solution.
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• To clean splattered food in the microwave, heat one cup of water on high for 3 to 4 minutes. The steam loosens the food so you can wipe away spills. If odor is a problem, mix a 1:1 solution of water and white vinegar and heat for 3 minutes. If odor persists, place a charcoal briquette on a paper plate and leave it in the microwave.

• Use a grout brush to remove mold and mildew.

• Use a dry dobie or scrubber to break up the soap scum on shower, bathtub/doors.

• Remove the waterline marks in the toilet bowl by pouring in 2 cups of white vinegar overnight. In the morning, just flush.

• Use a pumice stone to remove hard water deposits from toilets. (Use only on white toilets.) (Editor's note: use the pumice stone only after you have soaked the pumice stone until it's soft. A hard pumice stone will scratch the porcelain.)

• Remove mineral deposit clogs from metal shower heads by boiling the head with 3/4 cup white vinegar and one quart of water for 5 minutes.

• Unclog plastic shower heads by soaking in a hot water and vinegar mixture.

• Wipe shower doors down with lemon oil furniture polish to repel water marks and soap scum.

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