* Baking soda: Use baking soda in a parmesan cheese container (glass one with the stainless steel top with holes in it) and sprinkle on any surface.

* Vinegar: Vinegar will clean just about any surface in your home: windows, countertops, floors, etc.

* Borax: Borax is effective with laundry and also removes mold in the shower.

* Hydrogen peroxide: Use hydrogen peroxide for disinfecting and whitening instead of bleach.

* Vodka: Vodka dispersed from a spray bottle will freshen up fabrics and upholstery.

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Cleaning Metal Surfaces:

Silver - Put some water in a pan with a few teaspoons of washing soda, bring to a simmer.

Pewter - Wash your pewter items in warm soapy water (use biodegradable soap!), rinse, and polish with a clean cotton cloth. Instant clean!

Chrome - You can clean anything that is chrome just by combining 1 tablespoon of ammonia with 1 pint of water. Just rub the concoction on the chrome and watch the dirt come right off.

Iron - If you have iron cooking pans or other items that are looking a little rusty, you can clean them with a damp cloth and some steel wool.

Brass & Copper - By combining a few tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of baking soda, you have a great brass and copper cleaning agent. Just rub in on and then polish it off…so shiny!

Remove Candle Wax From The Carpet:

First lay the newspaper down on top of the wax and set an iron to low. Once it has warmed up, start running the iron over the newspaper right on top of the wax. Slowly the wax will start melting and get absorbed into the newspaper, lifting up off the carpet.

To Clean Wood Floors:

Before you work on making the floor sparkle, they should be cleaned with vinegar and water. A small amount of vinegar in a bucket of warm water will do wonders for your wood floor.

- If you have natural unsealed wood floors (which you probably don’t), you can use linseed oil with a rag, allow it to soak in for a little while, and then mop it up with a little more oil.

- For sealed floors, you can use 1 part white vinegar to 1 part vegetable oil to give it a great shine. Just combine the two, grab a rag, and rub it in like you are polishing a car. The shine will blow you away.

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One important aspect of flipping houses is to get the carpets replaced. But you can save a great deal of money here if you know how to turn around an old carpet into one that looks totally new. If the carpet is smelly, you could use your own carpet freshener by mixing one cup of cornmeal, one cup of borax and half a cup of baking soda. This mixture should be left overnight on the carpet. You will be surprised to see how much fresher the carpet will smell the next day when you vacuum the area.

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Kitchen, 4 ½ minutes daily

• Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).
• Wipe down the stove top (one minute).
• Wipe down the counters (one minute).
• Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (two minutes).

Bathroom, 2 minutes daily

• Wipe out the sink (30 seconds). Wipe the toilet seat and rim (15 seconds).
• Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush (15 seconds).
• Wipe the mirror and faucet (15 seconds).
• Squeegee the shower door (30 seconds).
• Spray the entire shower and the curtain liner with shower mist after every use (15 seconds).

Bedroom, 6 ½ minutes daily

• Make the bed (two minutes).
• Fold or hang clothing and put away jewelry (four minutes).
• Straighten out the night-table surface (30 seconds).

Family room, living room, foyer, 6 minutes daily

• Pick up crumbs and dust bunnies with a handheld vacuum (one minute).
• Fluff the cushions and fold throws after use (two minutes).
• Wipe tabletops and spot-clean cabinets when you see fingerprints (one minute).
• Straighten coffee-table books and magazines, throw out newspapers, put away CDs and videos (two minutes.)

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