Weyerhaeuser Company
You can clean wood floors with a homemade cleaner, made with common ingredients.
Question: I have a two-foot-by-eight-foot stained-glass skylight. I washed the outside with Windex on a very hot day. The following day, I noticed a white cloudy film on the window. I have tried everything I can think of to get rid of the film and get back to a clear window, but to no avail. Any ideas?
— Mark
Answer: It sounds like sunlight etched the glass. This may be a permanent condition, unless a professional glass specialist is able to buff out the damage. Another option that has worked in the past is to combine white vinegar with Dawn dish soap. Scrub with a green (non-scratching) scrubby pad and rinse.
Question: Do you have a solution to remove mould from aluminum siding without removing the paint? The aluminum siding is white and it is about 35 years old.
— Erin
Answer: In a bucket, combine one part bleach to four parts water. The diluted solution should not harm the paint, but test on an inconspicuous area first. Clean the low area of the siding and scrub upward. Scrub the siding with a stiff brush. Rinse with water.
Helpful tips
• Lint rollers are the best at cleaning dust off screen windows. — Elise
• The absolute best-ever secret that my mother-in-law taught me was to clean my iron skillet with salt and a potato. Pour a liberal amount of salt onto the skillet, then cut a potato in half and scrub the skillet with the cut potato. Rinse to finish. — Lisa
• I have tried several wood-floor cleaners and they often disappoint because I end up with a haze on the floors, and they never look clean. One day, I mixed the following ingredients in a spray bottle: half-cup vinegar, one tablespoon castile soap, quarter-cup rubbing alcohol, two cups warm water. I spray and wipe with a soft cloth. My floors never looked better. — Mary
• The biggest cleaning headache I can think of is cleaning my gas-stove burners. I now soak them in ammonia overnight. Then I soak them in water, the next day and they finally look clean. — Mary
• Pour vinegar and a few drops of your favourite essential oils into the base holder of your toilet brush. This will ensure your bathroom smells fresh. — Mary
• Purchase a perforated pizza pan and use it to bake fries, chicken nuggets or anything else that requires flipping in the oven. Since the heat passes through the holes, onto the bottom of the food, there is no need to flip halfway through cooking time. — T.J.
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
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