Grandmom's secret to stain removal

Soak immediately in cold water. If your not home and cant take the article of clothing off, dab generously with a wet paper towel and make a nice big wet spot. Even if your stain is still visible when it dries, the cold water stops it from setting in so when you wash it comes right out.

Warning, if your a woman in a white t-shirt maybe be more spot specific. This isn't a wet t-shirt contest. Last week at work I got a little too close for comfort...

Arm and Hammer 2x Concentrate Laundry Detergent

I grew up in a Tide household and when Dave and I moved in together it was a shock to see how much we spent on laundry soap. I tried a couple options and will say DO NOT buy the Shoprite brand generic detergent. It left grease stain looking spots on all of our clothes. For some unexplainable reason two years later I still have that bottle, full in my basement.

Then I found Arm and Hammer. Its just shy of $7 for a 150 fluid ounce bottle that advertises 96 loads. The Clean Burst scent is my favorite. It leaves your laundry smelling fresh, with a hint of orange zest. It also has great stain fighting capabilities.

Clorox Cleanup

Clorox clean makes even the most disgusting caked on crud come off in the swipe of a sponge.

When we bought our home the kitchen was coated in thirty years of deep frying residue. All of my cabinet handles were sticky with grease and the wall behind the stove was well caked. I tried many products and LOTS of scrubbing.

Then my mom gave me a bottle of Clorox clean up. It took a squirt and a swipe. Now I use it everywhere. I bought a refill bottle for about $4 at the grocery store and have refilled the bottle three times.

Quick and easy toilet

My mom gave me a pack of Scotch Brite Toilet Scrubbers when she sold our childhood home. It is a toilet scrubbing wand with disposable Brillo pad like scrubber.

No hands in questionable sanitation. A plastic wand attaches to the disposable Brillo style scrubbers with built in cleaner.

It's yuck free, hands free toilet cleaning in a minute or two and is environmentally friendly at minimal cost and maximum convenience.

Ammonia is for lovers

I was raised in a home of three girls and man do I miss the help cleaning. My mom used ammonia for EVERYTHING! A gallon costs a dollar or two. Sometimes elbow grease is a requirement, but its a great return on investment.

Did you know that the active ingredient in Windex's streak free shine is ammonia? You can do an entire bathroom in thirty minutes by filling the sink with warm water and cap-ful of grocery or dollar store brand ammonia. The bathroom mirror and your wallet will thank you.