Excerpt
Haley's Cleaning Hints
HALEY’S CLEANING HINTS
GRAHAM and ROSEMARY HALEY
Illustrations
by
DAVID McNIVEN
New American Library
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014, U.S.A.
Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand,
London WC2R 0RL, England
Penguin Books Australia Ltd, 250 Camberwell Road,
Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia
Penguin Books Canada Ltd, 10 Alcorn Avenue,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4V 3B2
Penguin Books (N.Z.) Ltd, Cnr Rosedale and Airborne Roads,
Albany, Auckland 1310, New Zealand
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
All rights reserved
Accordingly nothing in this book is intended as an express or implied warranty of the suitability or fitness of any product, service or design. The reader wishing to use a product, service or design discussed in this book should first consult a specialist or professional to ensure suitability and fitness for the reader’s particular lifestyle and environmental needs.
It’s really the satisfaction, you know…
Your boss’s wife just spilled her glass of Cabernet on your $200 tablecloth. You don’t think of the money. You just enjoy the look on her face…as you remove the stain in five seconds with a little ordinary borax and warm water!
You’ll probably save a hundred times what you paid for this book.
A 99¢ bottle of vinegar could replace the $20 you’d spend on a copper and brass cleaner, a chrome cleaner, a glass cleaner and a toilet cleaner. The savings don’t take too long to add up.
What fascinates us though, is the magic of it all. The look on your friends’ faces as your entire silverware collection turns gleaming in ten seconds, with water softener, foil and salt! You’re a hero…a household hero. But you’re not the only one…
These 250 pages introduce you to the Household Heroes in your home. Ordinary items, with more than a thousand cleaning and space-saving properties, ready to rescue you in your time of need!
Haley’s Cleaning Hints is our second book. Our first, Haley’s Hints, covered topics as diverse as cooking, plumbing, pest control, even car care. However, we noticed, 400,000 copies later, that our cleaning hints were the ones most in demand.
So we know Haley’s Cleaning Hints will become an invaluable reference source for you. But you’ll also have the satisfaction of having more friends now than ever. Once they know you own this book, they’ll be calling you for advice constantly!
Be kind. Share the wisdom. It’s really satisfying!
Graham and Rosemary
A Small Sample Of What Your
HOUSEHOLD HEROES
Can Do For You!
Meet…
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BAKING SODA
Cleans: Appliances; Bathtubs; Carpets; China; Counters; Drains; Floors; Grout; Laundry; Marble; Pots and Pans; Stains
Deodorizes: Appliances; Basements; Bathrooms; Books; Carpets; Kitchens; Laundry; Sneakers…and much more…
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VINEGAR
Cleans: Appliances; Bathtubs; Chrome; Carpets; Clothes; Crystal; Drains; Faucets; Furniture; Garbage Disposers; Humidifiers; Kettles; Laundry; Paintbrushes; Showers; Stains; Toilet Bowls…and much more…
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BORAX
Cleans: Bathtubs; Carpets; Drains; Floors; Laundry; Mildew; Pet Accidents; Stains like…Curry, Fruit, Vomit, Red Wine, Tiles, Toilet Rings, Walls…and much more…
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HAIR SPRAY
Removes: Coffee and Tea Stains; Ink Stains; Lipstick Stains; Marker on Walls; Scuff Marks on Floors and Items; Static Cling
Preserves: Kid’s Artwork; Panty Hose; Copper and Brass; Cut Flowers…and much more…
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SALT
Cleans: Carpets; Cast-Iron Pans; Chimney Creosote; Drains; Egg Spills; Grease Stains; Laundry; Perspiration Stains; Soot; Stainless-Steel Sinks; Upholstery Spills; Wicker Furniture; Wine Stains…and much more…
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ALUMINUM FOIL
Good For: BBQ Cleaning; Chrome Cleaning; Dryer Static; Flashlight Repair; Mixer Messes; Mirror Repair; Preserving Ice Cream; Silverware Cleaning…and much more…
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SHAVING CREAM
Removes: Stains like…Blood; Chocolate; Coffee; Ketchup; Kid’s Paints; Pet Accidents; Soot; Spaghetti Sauce; Tea…from Carpets; Plush Toys; Rugs
Defogs: Eyeglasses; Bathroom Mirrors; Windows…and much more…
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AMMONIA
Cleans: BBQs; Chrome; Clothing; Diamonds; Faucets; Gold; Golf Balls; Ovens; Painted Walls; Shoes; Silver Jewelry; Stains like…Chocolate, Curry, Grass, Mildew, Vases…and much more…
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WATER SOFTENER
Cleans: Bath Mats; Coffee Cups; Coffeemakers; Enamel Broiling Pans; Laundry; Pots with Burned Food; Painted Walls; Silverware; Thermos; Tile Mold…and much more…
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WATERLESS HAND CLEANER
Removes: Stains like…Bacon Splatters; BBQ Sauce; Blood; Chocolate; Cigarette Ash; Coffee; Dirt; Egg; Eyeliner; Glue; Grass; Gravy; Grease; Iodine; Ketchup; Mascara; Mustard; Oil; Rust; Salad Dressing; Salsa; Soy Sauce; Spaghetti Sauce; Tabasco Sauce; Tea; Worcestershire Sauce…and much more…
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TOOTHPASTE
Cleans: Floors; Furniture and Walls of Marks like Pencil Crayon; Marker; Wax Crayon; Soot; Ink; Scuffs
Shines: Jewelry; Silverware
Removes: Clothing Stains; Small Scratches and Burn Marks from Furniture and Woodwork…and much more…
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OTHER HOUSEHOLD HEROES
Club Soda; Cola; Cornstarch; Dental Floss; Denture Tablets; Dishwasher Detergent; Glycerin; Hydrogen Peroxide; Lemon Juice; Lemon Oil; Linseed Oil; Mayonnaise; Milk; Mineral Oil; Petroleum Jelly; Rubber Gloves; Rubbing Alcohol…and many more!
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THANKS SO MUCH TO…
Our local and international television viewers and radio listeners who supplied us with such a variety of hints…
The readers of our first two books, and our newspaper columns, for taking the time to send us their favorite tips…
The companies, organizations and individuals who provided information and advice essential to this book…
Our friend and partner Margie Henderson, who keeps all those loose ends tied together for us…and still keeps smiling…
Donna Dahr and her amazing test kitchen…
Our illustrator David McNiven, again bringing each page to life…
Mary Menary, for her prayers…and her garage…
Our family and friends, for their help and encouragement…
Our three wonderful daughters, Erin, Kerry and Anna, for still recognizing us…
Each other, for the constant love, and support and understanding.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. CLEANING 101
“It’s Easy…If You Know How!”
Advanced Planning
Your Cleaning Credo
Tools Of The Trade
2. KLEVER KITCHEN KLEANUPS“Keeping Your Kitchen Spick, Span And Spotless!”
Appliances…Bigger Than A Bread Box
Appliances…Smaller Than A Bread Box
Pots, Pans And Paraphernalia
The Dirt On Dishware
Getting Your Glassware Gleaming
Counters, Cupboards…And The Kitchen Sink
And Don’t Forget
3. BATHROOM BEAUTIFUL“Cleaning…Where You Clean Yourself!”
Tub Tricks and Sink Secrets
Shower Shake-Ups
Toilet Treatment
In General
4. FOILING FURNITURE FOES“How Not To Take Grime Sitting Down!”
Going With The Grain
Cleaning Up(holstery)
Leather Luster
Wicker And Cane Care
Prime-Piece Pampering
5. REMOVING THE DIRT
UNDERFOOT“Smart Ideas For Carpets And Floors!”
Clever Carpet Cleaning
Wood Floors Made Easy
Vinyl, Linoleum And Tile Tips
The Rest Of The Floors
6. WALLS AND WINDOWS“Cleaning Up And Cleaning Down!”
Wall And Woodwork Wonders
Windows And Dressings
7. ROUND ABOUT THE HOUSE“The Rest Of The Nooks And Crannies!”
Things That Aren’t Nailed Down
Things That Are Nailed Down
And Finally
8. WASH-DAY WISDOM“A Laundry List Of Smart Ideas!”
Laundry Lowdown
Specks, Spots And Spills
9. REGROUP AND REORGANIZE“Putting Clutter In Its Place, Room By Room!”
The Entrance Hall
The Living Room
The Kitchen
The Bedroom
The Kids’ Room
The Basement
The Rest Of The Rooms
10. INSIDE INFO ON THE OUTSIDE“Cleaning Up The Great Outdoors!”
Garden Cleanup
Up And Down The Garden Path
Tool Treatments
Pet Control
Outdoor Living And Entertaining
All The Rest
11. YOU AND YOURS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM“Cleaning And Organizing…Yourself And Your Possessions!”
Getting Personal
Wardrobe Wisdom
The Dressing Table
12. EASY-FIND INDEX“The Most Important Part, Of The Book! Find The Exact Hint You Want Instantly!”
Easy-Find Index
COMMON CONVERSIONS
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
YOUR PERSONAL HINT COLLECTION
CHAPTER 1
CLEANING 101
IT’S EASY…IF YOU KNOW HOW!
CLEANING STRATEGIES…
Stay Alert For Dirt…It would amaze you at how much money is wasted by not keeping items clean. Dirty carpets last maybe half as long, clothes will wear out much quicker, walls end up having to be repainted, even light bulbs can lose up to 75% of their brightness and efficiency if they’re dusty. Keep on top of your cleaning.
Tidy Before Tackling…Before you begin cleaning the items in any room, it’s a good idea to tidy the room itself first. An uncluttered area is a lot easier to clean. Try it, you’ll see.
Cleaning-Recipe Warning…When using homemade cleaner recipes, always read any warnings on the label of the individual ingredients that you are using in the recipe. If possible, transfer those warnings to the label on the recipe container you are filling. Play it safe and keep cleaners out of reach of children.
• Buy new containers to put your cleaning recipes in. Residual ingredients in used containers could react badly with whatever brand of recipe ingredient you are mixing in it.
Don’t Go To Your Corner…You’ll be amazed at how many people wash themselves into a corner when cleaning floors. Plan to end up in a doorway. This way you won’t track footmarks onto the damp floor.
