No Deep Thoughts Today

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Not unless stain removal is a deep thought for you. Busy days make for less thinking and I've had some busy days. But, I do have a few budget-minded household tips to share -- in my book, that's good stuff.

Ring around the collar -- what's with this? My husband is a clean man. He showers every morning, yet he still ends up with ring around the collar. My guess is it's caused from skin oil and friction, because Doug works in an air-conditioned office building (in other words -- he's not sweating). I have tried many spray treatments to resolve this issue, but I think because it's oil (my guess again) it needs more than a stain removing product.

This week I tried plain old Fels Naptha. When I make my laundry detergent I always keep a couple big chunks of Fels Naptha to use for stain treatment. Just wet the bar in the your wash water and rub it on the stain. So, I took the collar and laid it flat on the top of my washer and rubbed the bar across the collar several times, then threw it in the wash. No more ring around the collar. I should have taken before and after pictures.


Clean windows -- got fingerprints? Yea, me too. I have not bought prepared window cleaner in years. But, Doug was always complaining about my homemade stuff. Not toxic enough for him, I guess. He said it left streaks. I never noticed, but then he is a perfectionist when it comes to clean glass. This new recipe meets with his approval though. It's pretty strong smelling, so don't breath too deeply when you are using it. But it dried fast, and streak free. It cost about $.60 for a 32 oz. bottle. I'm not sure what Windex costs these days, but I'm pretty sure it's more than $.60.

Window Cleaner

1 cup water
1 cup rubbing alcohol
1 cup white vinegar

Pour ingredients into an empty spray bottle and label.

Dirty dishes, too? We recently had to have someone come out and look at the dishwasher. It was making a horrendous noise. The repairman took apart the doohickey in the bottom of the dishwasher -- you know, where the water drains. When he pulled it out he asked if I used liquid dishwasher detergent. I said I used to, but I had switched to those little gel packs. He groaned. I asked what the problem was. He said it's just way too much soap. You don't need that much. But the problem at hand was the result of the liquid stuff. He showed me the doohickey that he pulled out of the dishwasher and it was caked with white goo --liquid dishwasher detergent. Yuck. Unfortunately my dishwasher needed a new motor, but not because of the liquid detergent -- that was just a nuisance. But my repairman said he sees a lot of problems that are the result of the white goo. He told me to use the dry powder -- and only fill the little dispenser halfway with it. I haven't compared the cost, but my guess is that the old-fashioned powder is less expensive -- and especially if you use half. And don't forget to fill the rinse aid dispenser with plain white vinegar.

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