January Birth Flower - Carnation
Household Tips
- Fertilize houseplants with Mushroom Stuff at the rate of one tablespoon per gallon of water.
- Check air pressure in tires for better gas mileage.
Kitchen Drain Cleaner
Boil one gallon of water. Add one cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda. Pour into drain. Follow up with two gallons boiling water.
Dishwasher Cleaner
To an empty machine, once a month add 2 cups of bleach to run through the wash cycle. Then add four cups of white vinegar and run it through a full cycle.
Bathroom Drain Cleaner
Pour one cup vinegar down drain. Wait ten minutes and add one cup baking soda. Wait 2 minutes and follow with 1/2 gallon boiling water. Repeat if necessary.
Washing Machines
For front loading and high-efficiency top loading always use low-foaming high-efficiency detergents.
* Use 2 Tablespoons of detergent for a large load.
* Use 1 Tablespoon if you have a water softener.
To clean add 1/2 cup of Tang Drink Mix once a week for four straight weeks to an empty machine. Run it through a quick cycle using hot water. After four weeks, use 1/4 cup of Tang Drink Mix once a month. The Tang will not only clean the detergent and mineral buildup from your washer, it will also clean the insides of pipes.
For regular top loading washers, once a month add 1 gallon of white vinegar to an empty machine. Run it through a complete cycle using hot water.
Tile Cleaner
One cup clear ammonia.
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
Add warm water to make one gallon. After tile and grout is clean, treat with silicone tile and grout sealer. Let sit 12-24 hours. Then wipe off excess with a damp cloth. It will protect the tile and grout for years.
Furniture Cleaning Formula
Mix equal parts of boiled linseed oil, turpentine and vinegar. Stir well. Apply with a soft cloth. Then wipe completely dry with another clean soft cloth.
Lawn and Garden Tips
- Place poinsettias in a sunny window.
- Prune apple trees.
- Prune limbs damaged by ice or snow right away to prevent bark from tearing.
- Make sure summer bulbs are not rotting or drying out.
- Snow can be gently brushed off trees and shrubs, but allow ice to melt naturally.
- Avoid walking on frozen grass to prevent injury to grass.
- Water trees and shrubs when soil is dry bit not frozen.
- If you missed planting bulbs before the ground froze, plant them now in peat pots and place pots in flats. Set them outside where it's cold and bury under a thick blanket of leaves.