Those British women on that cleaning show really know their stuff

[MomToTwoBoys]

I sort of watch that show called How Clean Is Your House? or something of the same name. Anyways, there's those two British women (the one with the gigantic height complex and the other one with the whole 'send this to the lab for analysis' demeanor when she swabs a floor with a long cotton swab) who were going through this woman's house. It was an older episode but I learned something new last night:

2oz Borax
2oz table salt
4oz white vinegar
hot boiling water

Pour the salt into the sink opening.
Pour the Borax into the same opening.
Pour vinegar into the opening.
Pour the hot boiling water into the opening.

It was amazing! I poured the salt, Borax and vinegar into the opening. I started to pour the hot water in and it would just sit on top and not drain. I poured even more water directly into the opening and BAM! It went from standing hot water to nothing in an instant. I was just floored.

Cost of all this?

Pennies.

Would I buy another drain cleaning product?

Absolutely not on your life!

[TigerGirl1226]

I also got the baking soda and water to clean the oven idea from them.

[MomToTwoBoys]

That's funny because that's what my mom did a lot when I was younger.

I use a water/vinegar spray mixture to wet the surface and the baking soda to scour it and it works fantastic. I was just astounded by the Borax/salt/vinegar/water thing.

[Spirit Deer]

Where were you earlier this week when we were busy spending $25 on toxic drain opener chemicals that did nothing? LOL. I've copied your method into my Make Your Own Groceries cookbook, in the section for Household Products, so I hope next time we have a clogged drain, I remember to give this a try. Thanks!

[cab54]

Scribbling this on a scrap of paper as we speak!

I have a kitchen drain that likes to clog. This may save us a lot of money. Thank You!!

[Ceashels]

I love that show. It makes me think my house isn't that bad sometimes. LOL

[The Muse]

I'm going to try this tonight. My shower drain is running very slow.

[pop goes the weasel]

I have always used bakign soda,vinegar and boiling water to keep the drains clean. You have to wonder how those people live like they do. I actually know a couple families that you can't pay me to go in their house. I'd rather rummage through a landfill yich!!! And these people have kids also

[perSue]

I too use baking soda/water/vinegar for unclogging drains... but the borax solution works too. it all depends on how much of what you've got!
but i've watched that show a time or two and noticed a lot of the "old fashioned" ways of cleaning. The new episodes (mostly ones in the US now) are using commercial products. I didn't like that, personally.

Sure, some ppl swear by certain products, that's fine. But I've never had a problem with the age-old solutions. And I'm impressed with them using simple concepts... like cleaning your carpet with baking soda & sprinkling that on with a little mixed in fragrant oils (in the soda). Let set & vacuum... I used to do that as a child, as I'd learned it from my grandmother!!!

[MomToTwoBoys]

Where were you earlier this week when we were busy spending $25 on toxic drain opener chemicals that did nothing? LOL. I've copied your method into my Make Your Own Groceries cookbook, in the section for Household Products, so I hope next time we have a clogged drain, I remember to give this a try. Thanks!

I'm sorry!

I wish I really had seen this earlier because man, it just blew my mind this week. DH always giggles at me because now things like that hold so much of my attention.

You couldn't pay me to go into those houses either. I feel like I need to order the whole series on that show and scour it for little hints. I was doing the water/vinegar and then baking soda trick on urine stains on mattresses before. I think that shows like that in the US are sort of obligated to show sponsoring products and most of the time, their sponsors are people like S.C. Johnson.

[Cricketlegs]

I love that show. I watch all the time. My house can get messy but yowsa, not like that!

I always try natural cleaning first. The vinegar, water, and dish soap solution cleans windows like a DREAM and doesn't streak like windex and amonia(sp). You do have to buff it with a dry cloth but that just makes it sparkle!

[Spirit Deer]

Buffing is good exercise, eh?

I tried the baking soda and vinegar thing on the drain and it did no good. We finally cleared it by tying a rag on the end of a fish tape with cable ties to make darn sure it didn't come off, and shoving that down the pipe till it broke up the clog. Ew. Oh, well, cheaper than a plumber and more incentive to clean out the garage so we can find the pipe snake we know we have somewhere!

I don't know how people can live in those filthy stinky houses either. Ours is cluttered but nothing like the ones where stuff is piled up all over, let alone stinky rotting stuff. Ew, ew, ew. I have low standards when it comes to housekeeping, but not THAT low!

[The Muse]

I tried the drain cleaner last night and it worked like a charm. It's so good, that I posted it to my blog. Thanks again, you saved me from waiting for DH to get around to snaking the drain.

[ravenmaniac]

I love that show!!!!! I get all kinds of tips from them. Not to mention those women are hillarious. I also find the show very inspiring. I never want my house to look like those houses. It also makes me feel good about my house, it doesn't look like any of them on my worst day.

[Laurie in Bradenton]

I love Kim and Aggie. The cleaning gloves are awesome. Along with their cleaning tips. Also I agree at least I know my house isn't the dirtest on the block.

LAurie in Bradenton