There are tons of expert cleaning tips and quality cleaning products "out there." Maybe some of these solutions will help you solve a cleaning dilemma, or just provide a "better way!"

BRASS AND SILVER

Remove tarnish from brass or silver

• How can you put that sunny shine back in your tarnished silver or lacquered brass? Gently scrub it with a soft brush dipped in a bit of ammonia. Wipe off any remaining liquid with a soft cloth -- or preferably chamois.

CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY

Clean Carpets and Upholstery 

Lift out stains from carpeting and upholstery by sponging them with 1 cup clear ammonia in 1/2 gallon warm water. Let dry thoroughly, and repeat if needed.

Candle Wax on Carpet

Scrape as much wax out of the carpet as you can, with a spoon. Afterwards, put an ice cube or two on the wax to freeze it, leaving them there for a minute. This should harden the wax enough to break it up and get more of it out.

To get the rest of the candle wax out of the carpet, cover the spot with a clean brown paper bag, and place a clothes iron on it, set on low. This liquifies the wax and lets it transfer to the paper. Use a new paper bag as often as necessary until you get all of the wax. This can take some time.

FIREPLACE DOORS

Cleaning Fireplace Doors

• Clean fireplace doors.  Think you'll need a blowtorch to remove that blackened-on soot from your glass fireplace doors? Before you get out the goggles, try mixing 1 tablespoon ammonia, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 quart (1 liter) warm water in a spray bottle. Spray on some of the solution; let it sit for several seconds, then wipe off with an absorbent cloth. Repeat if necessary -- it's worth the extra effort.

FLOORS

Cleaning underfoot

• The kitchen floor gets dirty fast.  The best defense is to sweep or dry mop it often to pick up any dust and dirt before it gets tracked all over the house.  A quick sponge mop with warm water is great for sopping up spills and giving the floor a quick freshening up between washings. 
• For hardwood floors, damp mop a small area at a time using warm water, and wipe dry before continuing.  For linoleum floors use a broom or dry mop on linoleum floors often to keep dirt and dust of the surface.  When needed, wash with warm soapy water and dry each section promptly.  Remove marks by rubbing gently with baking soda sprinkled on a damp soft cloth. 
• For tile floors sweep and damp mop as necessary.  Use a mild detergent rather than alkaline cleaners such as ammonia or borax, which will dull the surface.  You'll also want to avoid abrasive cleaners such as scouring powders because they will scratch the surface. 
• If you have a painted floor the best way to handle them is to wax them because this makes them easier to clean.  Damp mop painted floors with a mild detergent and water solution.  Wring most of the water out of the mop before washing the floors.  Rub stubborn spots gently with baking soda.

Basic Floor Cleaner

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 gallon water
• Mix the ingredients together and use them to mop the floor.  You don't have to rinse off this solution because the vinegar won't leave a film on the floor.  If this doesn't do the trick, try the heavy duty floor cleaner.

Heavy Duty Floor Cleaner

• 3/4 cup household ammonia
• 1 gallon water
• You don't have to rinse this solution off either.  This formula works best on heavily soiled floors.

Strip wax from resilient flooring 

• Wax buildup on resilient flooring causes it to yellow in time. Remove old wax layers and freshen up your floor by washing it with a mixture of 1 cup ammonia in 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water. Let the solution sit for three to five minutes, then scrub with a nylon or plastic scouring pad to remove the old wax. Wipe away leftover residue with a clean cloth or sponge, then give the floor a thorough rinsing.

Blood Stains From Carpet

Step-By-Step Blood Stain Removal

1. Rinse and extract the blood stain with cold water. Apply just a little at a time, so you don't spread the stain. Hot water can set the stain, making it permanent, so use only cold water. Add the water, then blot it up with a clean white cloth or white paper towels. You can also suck the solution out with a shop-vac, which means less of a chance of spreading the stain.

2. Remove the remaining stain with a solution of a few drops of Dawn dish washing detergent in a cup of cold water. Work it into the blood stain, but be careful not to spread the stain. Blot the area with a clean white cotton cloth or white paper towels, but don't rub the stain, as this can damage the fibers. Damaged fibers hold stains and get stained in the future more easily.

3. Repeat the process as many times as is necessary, or until there is no more transfer of the stain from the carpet to the cloth or paper towels. Then blot up excess water when you are done.

4. Leave the fan blowing on the area to dry it quickly. Otherwise, set a stack of paper towels (white) on the stained area, or a couple clean white cotton cloths, and put something heavy on them. Leave this to blot up the remaining liquid, replacing the cloth or paper towels as necessary. Fast drying keeps any remaining stain deeper in the carpet from "wicking up" to the surface and becoming visible again.

5.Some have reported good luck using club soda to remove blood stains, so if the above instructions don't work, you can try that next. It's not easy to predict which stains will come out and which won't until you try. This is because of various types of carpet fibers and other factors. For example, wool and other natural fibers are usually more difficult to remove stains from. As with all stains, use water first before trying other solvents for blood stain removal.

Grout

• 1 part baking soda
• 1 part bleach
• Bucket
• Cleaning brush or old toothbrush
• Rubber gloves

Jewelry

Clean gold and silver jewelry

• Brighten up your gold and silver trinkets by soaking them for 10 minutes in a solution of 1/2 cup clear ammonia mixed in 1 cup warm water. Gently wipe clean with a soft cloth and let dry. Note: Do not do this with jewelry containing pearls, because it could dull or damage their delicate surface.

Marble

Clean and Maintain

• 1/3 part fabric softener
• 2/3 parts water
• Spray bottle
• Soft cloth
• Bucket of clean water (optional)
• Micro-fiber cloth (optional) Clean Shield

Pour the mixture of fabric softener and water into a spray bottle. Spray the solution onto the marble and wipe with a soft cloth and buff.

Tip: If you have a micro-fiber cloth, simply dip it into a bucket of water and wipe the solution until the marble is clean.

Microwave Oven

Cleaning Microwave ovens

• You can clean your microwave and eliminate odors with vinegar.  Pour 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1 cup water in a small glass or ceramic bowl, and then microwave on high for 5 minutes.  The steam from the vinegar water will remove any odors and will soften baked-on splatters.  Open the oven door and allow some of the steam to escape before you start to wipe down the walls.  After the vinegar water cools down, dip a sponge or cloth into the water and use it to wipe off the inside surfaces of the microwave and around the door seals.

Shower Glass Doors

The number one recommended product for cleaning shower doors is Comet Bathroom Cleaner. Comet has developed a spray on liquid that is non-abrasive. Give the product time to work.

Sinks

Cleaning the kitchen sink

• You can save time in the kitchen by rinsing the kitchen sink with hot, soapy water after each use.  But from time to time you'll need to give it a deep cleaning.  The best way to clean a stainless steel sink is with club soda (or seltzer) or white vinegar.  Use a soft cloth to wipe the sink clean with the club soda or vinegar.  If the sink has some grease or other grime in it, sprinkle baking soda on the sink beforehand.  You can also make small scratches in the direction of the grain of the steel with fine steel wool.  Buff with a soft cloth after removing the scratches. 
• When cleaning a stainless steal sink do not use a heavy abrasive cleaner or steel-wool pads because they will scratch the surface.  If you have a very tough stain and just scrub with a steel-wool pad or a heavy abrasive, be sure to scour with the grain of the sink, not against it, to somewhat camouflage the small scratches you may make.
• You can remove stains from a porcelain sink by filling the sink with warm water and adding a few tablespoons of chlorine bleach.  Let the bleach solution sit for an hour or two before draining the water and rinsing the sink.  If the spots still remain after this process, drench some paper towels in the bleach and use them to cover the spots overnight.

Soap Scum

Remove soap scum 

• To get rid of those ugly grease and soap-scum buildups in your porcelain enamel sink or tub, scrub it with a solution of 1 tablespoon ammonia in 1 gallon (3.7 liters) hot water. Rinse thoroughly when done.

Stainless Steel Pan (Burnt)

Tip #1: The new "Power Dissolver" by Dawn works quite well.

Tip #2: Try Barkeeper's Friend. It works very well on stainless steel. Sprinkle the powder on a wet scrubbing pad, let it sit for a bit and then scrub off. The cleanser also works well on porcelain sinks and tile countertops.

Tip #3: Try using a dryer sheet with some water in the pan. That has been very successful for me.

Tip #4: Spray the dry pan with the new Dawn Power cleaner. Put the pan in a plastic bag and seal with twist tie. Let sit overnight. Most of the burned on part will rinse off, then use SOS or scrubby to finish the job.

Tip #5: Try mixing cream of tartar, baking soda and vinegar and then adding just enough water to cover the mess and boiling it? This is what I did--I still had to use the brillo pad a little bit.

Tip #6: The girls on "How Clean is Your House" use cola, simmered in the pan for about 5 minutes. You may have to do it again, but it sure did the job!

Stove

Stove Top

• To make your stove top easier to clean, occasionally rub it with car wax.

Ceramic Top Stove

Tip #1: I Use comet to clean black spots of burners..

Tip #2: Use soft scrub with a scrudge pads.

Tip #3: Cerama Bryte takes every spec completely off.

Tip #4: Cook Top, made by Weiman.

Tip #5: Moisten the stovetop and use a razor blade at a 45 degree angle, the toughest burnt on debris scrapes right off and all you need is a damp sponge afterward. Also, Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser really is magic!

Tip #6: Baking soda (mild abrasive) and a damp sponge.

Tip #7: Dow foaming bathroom cleaner, spray on, let set, wipe off. That simple...Cindy

Tip #8: After using the stove and before cleaning it, spray a product like "409" or "Fantastic" on the stove. By the time you are ready to clean the stovetop, the spray has done 85-100 percent of the work without any scrubbing.

Tip #9: Use a spray solution of equal parts ammonia and water.

Tip #10: Spray Easy Off Oven Spray on stains. and, leave on for about 20 min., then turn on burner to HIGH for about 30-45 seconds. Turn burner off. Let it completely cool (this is important) when cool just wipe clean with a wet rag or towel.

Tip #11: Use Formula 88 (commercial de-greaser) on the stove top and everywhere!

Tile

Clean bathroom tiles 

• Make bathroom tiles sparkle again -- and kill mildew on them -- by sponging them with 1/4 cup ammonia in 1 gallon water.

Odors

Paint Odors

• Eliminate paint odors.  Your freshly painted home interior sure looks great, but that paint smell is driving you up the wall! There's no need to prolong your suffering, though. Absorb the odor by placing small dishes of ammonia in each room that's been painted. If the smell persists after several days, replenish the dishes. Vinegar or onion slices will also work.

White Shoes

Restore white shoes 

• Brighten up your dingy white shoes or tennis sneakers by rubbing them with a cloth dipped in half-strength ammonia -- that is, a solution made of half ammonia and half water.

Windows

Brighten up windows 

• Dirty, grimy windows can make any house look dingy. But it's easy to wipe away the dirt, fingerprints, soot, and dust covering your windows. Just wipe them down with a soft cloth dampened with a solution of 1 cup clear ammonia in 3 cups water. Your windows will not only be crystal-clear, but streak-free to boot.
• Avoid ammonia or vinegar in glass-cleaner mixtures because they can cause streaks. Ammonia may damage tinted windows, mirror frames and other surfaces.
• Use cheap paper towels. You read that right. Premium paper towels may be more absorbent but can contain wetting agents, dye and other additives, which may rub off on glass to cause streaks.
• Use plenty of glass cleaner and paper towels. Thoroughly wet the surface with glass cleaner, then use two paper towels at a time to clean. When they're saturated and dirty, start fresh with a couple more.
• Work quickly, especially on hot, sunny days. Heat causes glass cleaners to evaporate faster, so divide large glass areas into smaller ones. Clean each section before moving on to the next one.
• Dirt on glass attracts more dirt. Exterior window surfaces should be cleaned often because dirt left over time becomes harder to remove, and some types can etch the glass, causing permanent damage.

Great Cleaning Products

Baking soda, not just for baking anymore.

• That little box of baking soda is quite strong--and it does it just for pennies. Baking soda is a nonpolluting gentle abrasive and grime cutter that you can use to clean counters, pots, pans, and fixtures.  It also deodorizes carpets, refrigerators, shoes, and other smelly stuff around the house.  Baking soda is great for eliminating odors.  It doesn't just cover up odors, it actually neutralizes them.  Use a small box in the refrigerator for about 3 months, but don't just throw the old box away after you are done. Dump it down your kitchen sink drain to keep it smelling nice too.

Bon Ami

• Bon Ami cleans the stove top without scratching the surface. Put a little water on the dirty stove top, sprinkle some Bon Ami, and use a kitchen towel (not a scrubber or steel wool! this will scratch it!) to rub the Bon Ami into the dried on food and grease. Wipe off all residue. Leaves the stove top shining!

Swivel Tub and Tile Scrubber by Casabella®

• This is one of my favorite tools, especially when cleaning the shower and garden tub. The non-abrasive head swivels and follows the contours of the area to effectively clean tough stains in tubs and showers. The pole extends from 35" to 56" to make cleaning hard to reach areas quick and easy.

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WARNING: NEVER MIX CHLORINE PRODUCTS WITH BAKING SODA, AUTOMATIC DISH DETERGENTS, OR OTHER PRODUCTS CONTAINING AMMONIA OR ACID.  WHEN COMBINED, THEY GIVE OFF POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS GASES. WHILE SOME JUST SMELL REALLY BAD, OTHERS ARE VERY DANGEROUS WHEN INHALED.  READ ALL LABELS CAREFULLY BECAUSE PRODUCTS ARE FREQUENTLY REFORMULATED.  CHLORINE PRODUCTS INCLUDE BLEACH, TILE CLEANERS, MILDEW REMOVERS, AND EVEN SOME POWDERED CLEANERS.  AMMONIA PRODUCTS INCLUDE GLASS, APPLIANCE, AND FLOOR CLEANERS.  ACID PRODUCTS INCLUDE VINEGAR, LEMON JUICE, MURIATIC ACID, AND TOILET BOWL CLEANERS.  KEEP ALL CLEANING PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN AND PETS.