Clean as a Whistle. Gloria Oxford
CLEAN
AS A WHISTLE
CLEAN
AS A WHISTLE
HOUSEHOLD HINTS AND TIPS
GLORIA OXFORD
About the Author
Gloria Oxford was educated in the rudiments of home science when they were an integral part of the school curriculum.
Her early career was in statistics and market research, after which she spent five years with a top fashion magazine before joining a leading appliance manufacturer as advertising manager.
An inquiring mind and a love of puzzles make her an ideal trouble shooter and problem solver. This is clearly evidenced by consumer response to her magazine and newspaper columns, and her regular radio programs.
Gloria frequently reproduces problems that people write to her about, and then sets about finding a solution. She readily admits that this often involves considerable sleuthing and experimentation that can cause long delays in answering her enormous amount of mail.
An avid traveller, Gloria is constantly on the lookout for new ideas and hints to pass on to her readers and listeners.
Without being a fanatic, Gloria is environmentally aware, and encourages recycling in the home for saving money and the environment.
INTRODUCTION
After many years of writing columns, making television appearances, and taking part in talkback radio programs plus answering the thousands of letters I receive from all over the world, I have changed the format of this book to suit your needs.
The Hints, in the form of Household Help, are presented, at your request, room by room, to provide information and help you to organise the housework so that it does not become a burdensome chore.
I want you to enjoy your free time but, if you come home to chaos, enjoyment can quickly change to despair. I hope the information contained in these pages helps make life easier for you.
NOTE: The material contained in this book is based on the experience of the author only and no other substantiation is offered. To obtain the best results and to avoid damage when using the information contained in this book it is recommended that any product being used be tested on a sample of the particular material or surface it is to be used on. As the use and application of the variety of products and suggestions is entirely out of the hands of the author, publishers, printers and others indirectly associated with the book, no guarantee can be given or responsibility assumed.
BATHROOM
LAUNDRY
LIVING
STORAGE
HOUSEHOLD
OUTSIDE THE HOME
In the beginning, Man sallied forth from his cave with a club, grabbed a female by the hair, and dragged her back to do the cooking, cleaning, breeding and caring. Since then, everything has changed. Even the description of the cave has changed but, regardless of what it is named—house, home, apartment, flat, palace or chateau—one thing remains constant. The cave still needs to be cleaned and cared for.
The first introduction to your place of abode is the surrounding area, and if nothing else, it should be clean, tidy, and look as if someone cares.
The gate should be free of spider webs and dust. Paths should be swept regularly, and the front door clean. If the front door needs painting, don’t delay - paint it.
ALUMINIUM WINDOW FRAMES
To clean aluminium window frames, make a paste with powdered whiting (available at hardware stores) and methylated spirits. Put some of the paste onto a cloth and polish the frames. Buff up with a soft, clean cloth. If the frames have caked-on dirt, use a brush, very hot water and wool wash before applying the whiting paste.
ANIMALS
When cats or dogs exercise their territorial claim by urinating on, in and around doorways, wash the claim away with hot water and a good disinfectant. Let it dry, then spray with one of the commercial deterrents, available from hardware stores and garden supply shops.
ANIMALS ON GARDENS
When animals choose one particular spot to urinate or defecate on the garden, apart from the smell, plants are likely to die. While there are commercial products which certainly act as a deterrent, it might be better to plant Coleus caninus, a small perennial which deters both cats and dogs. Use a bird and animal repellent, available from garden supply shops and some hardware stores. Respray Multicrop after rain or watering.
ANTS – IN THE GARDEN
An old recipe for keeping ants out of the garden is to mix 250 grams (½ lb) salt, with half a litre (1 pint) of water then mix in 5 kilograms (10 lbs) of sawdust or bran and about 10 cups of molasses. It makes a very crumbly mixture to spread around plants and shrubs, and is not dangerous to children and pets.
ANT – REPELLENT
I have had a great deal of success ridding my place of ants with diatomaceous earth. It is sold under different brand names for swimming pool filters. It is a powder and looks a bit messy when spread around but within two days the scurrying lines of ants slow to a crawl and after four days, disappear. They come back of course but with their numbers rapidly diminishing. As with talcum powder, don’t breathe it in.
APHIDS
One of the best ways of keeping the aphid population to a minimum is to plant lots of garlic in the garden. It has the added advantage of producing an extra crop for kitchen use. Garlic chives have the same effect, so two or three clumps of them could also be added to the garden.
An effective natural spray for aphids is made by putting 1 tablespoon Epsom salt and 1 teaspoon Condy’s crystals in a bucket of water and once every two weeks spray a little around the plant. A good idea is to save a pump spray from one of your household cleaners, wash it out, fill with the Condy’s spray and use it to spray around the plants. Alternatively, boil onions in water and when cold, sprinkle the strained water around the plants.
If a plague of aphids attacks washing on the line, a yellow plastic bucket, smeared with lanoline, and hung on the line will turn the aphids from the washing to the bucket. Aphids are attracted to yellow. They stick to the lanoline, making it a simple matter to rinse them away with hot water. Another way to rid the washing of aphids is to put the washing