Basic Ingredients
Pure White Vinegar
Dish detergent
Baking soda
Liquid ammonia
Salt
Warning: Never mix chlorine bleach and ammonia or vinegar or certain toilet bowl cleaners. Otherwise,
deadly gas can be produced.
All Purpose Cleaner
Mix 125 ml vinegar and 50 ml dish detergent in 1 litre of water.
Note: The vinegar referred here is pure white vinegar (5% acidity), not pickling vinegar (7% acidity)
and the new cleaning vinegar (10% acidity). White vinegar has a less pungent odour than the other two.
Scouring Powder
Combine baking soda and water into a paste. Scrub on stainless steel, ceramic, or enamelled surface. Sponge off the residue with water.
Window and Glass Cleaner
Wash with detergent and water; then rinse with vinegar (or ammonia) and water, mixing a proportion of 1 to 2 parts,
Drain Cleaner
Mix 125 ml vinegar and 75 ml salt in 500 ml water, and add 125 ml baking soda. Pour down the drain and allow to sit for 1 hour. Then flush with hot water.
Antiseptic Spray
Vinegar contains 5% acetic acid by volume and can kill or hinder the growth of common germs. Put some pure white vinegar into a spray bottle.
Lightly spray the vinegar on the utensils and the preparation area; wipe out any excess spray.
May also use the spray on hands; however, vinegar could quickly tarnish and rust the iron part of utensils.
Tough Grease Remover
Paint thinners such as odourless mineral spirits or pure turpentine could remove heavy grease stains on walls, floors, cabinet shelves, sides of oven, etc.
Wear a pair of kitchen gloves to protect the hands. Use a cloth or sponge to soak some thinner and apply it on the stains. Use a heavier cloth or
scrub pad to rub on the stains. If the stains are thick, use a metal scrapper first to remove some of the stains. After the stains are removed, use a soft cloth
with some dish detergents to wash out the residue of the thinners.
Chrome Polish
Hand cleaner intended for cleaning hands after works on passenger cars is a water-based petroleum paste. It can be used to remove light dirt or grease on
chrome faucets in kitchen and bathroom. Use a soft cloth to dip into the hand cleaner and gently rub on the chrome to polish.