Dont buy another cleaning product till you read this. myths busted!

CLEANING MYTHS BUSTED

1. Myth or Fact: If your coffee stain had cream and sugar, you have to clean it differently than plain old black coffee.
   
   Fact! If you take your coffee with milk and sugar, you'll want to take an alternate approach to cleaning it because the fat in the milk and sugar makes the stain stick differently.
   
   • If it was black, mix a solution of 1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup water and blot with a cloth until the color is no longer absorbed. Then rinse with warm water.
   • If the coffee had milk and sugar, add some dry spotter cleaner on a cloth and blot until the cloth stops absorbing color.
2. Myth or Fact: Freezing your jeans really cleans them.
   
   Fact! Everyone wears their jeans a few times before washing, but can you just throw them in the freezer overnight to clean them? Turns out, according to a recent news story, it's a great way to remove bacteria without the color fading like a normal wash. A study tested bacteria on a pair of jeans worn by a college student for 15 months straight using only the freezer method to clean them and, while that's gross, there were some interesting findings. The jeans turned out to be just as clean, with the same bacteria levels as a pair tested just a few days after washing.
3. Myth or Fact: Bleach is the ultimate cleaner.
   
   Myth! Bleach is a disinfectant and not a cleaner. Just because it smells clean, doesn't mean it is! Bleach does a fantastic job of killing germs, but it doesn't really clean dirt and residue from surfaces. To do that, you'd need to scrub and rinse surfaces. It can also damage the surfaces and remove color.
4. Myth or Fact: Hair spray removes ink stains.
   
   Myth! This trick doesn't work anymore. Years ago, hairspray was loaded with alcohol, a key ingredient in stain removal. Many hairspray products on the market today are low-alcohol or alcohol-free, so no longer contain the top stain removing ingredient.
   
   So how do you get rid of an ink stain?
   
   • Start by laying your stained fabric on top of a clean dry cloth - so it doesn't bleed through.
   • Then, dab rubbing alcohol onto the ink stain and blot with a clean cloth. Keep going until no ink stain remains and rinse the clothing thoroughly.
   • If rubbing alcohol doesn't work, try nail polish remover.
   • Now apply normal liquid laundry detergent onto the area and let it sit for about 3-5 minutes. Wash in the hottest water that is safe for the fabric and voila.
5. Myth or Fact: Newspapers are the best way to clean windows.
   
   Myth! While many swear by this method, newspapers can actually leave newsprint residue on the glass. So how do you get a streak-free shine? Use the same cleaning solution - or you can even make your own by mixing one part water to one part vinegar. Instead of newspaper, use a microfiber cleaning cloth, guaranteed to get all the dust bunnies with none of the newspaper print.
6. Myth or Fact: Aluminum foil removes tarnish from silver.
   
   Fact!
   • Just heat water and put in a bowl or pan large enough to fit the tarnished item in, then add a sheet of aluminum foil to the bottom. Add in baking soda and salt.
   • Insert the silver item, making sure it makes contact with the foil. A chemical reaction takes place and the tarnish simply disappears. No mess, no smell, no tarnish. It's true!
7. Myth or Fact: More soap equals more cleaning power.
   
   Myth! Using more soap actually ends up causing more problems than it fixes. There's a tendency to overuse a good thing, and believe it or not, that's definitely true for soap. Using too much soap makes it harder to fully rinse away soap residue. To top it off, one of the reasons soap/detergent is so great for cleaning is that it attracts dirt. This is great if all the dirt is rinsed away from the surface we were trying to clean. But if there's still soap, then the surface will continue to attract more dirt.
8. Myth or Fact: Flour is a good way to shine stainless steel.
   
   Fact! Surprisingly, using flour to shine your stainless steel kitchen appliances will leave them shiny and looking brand new. Just add flour to your appliances and buff with a soft cloth rag. Voila, shiny as new.
9. Myth or Fact: Ketchup cleans copper pots.
   
   Fact! Here's another reason to love ketchup! You can use ketchup to clean your copper pots and make them look shiny and new. The acetic acid in ketchup dissolves the oxide tarnish that makes copper look cloudy.
10. Myth or Fact: Coca-Cola is good for cleaning the toilet.
    
    Myth! While the citric acid in the soda has a good effect on removing stains, the sticky sugary-ness of the soda isn't the best to remove bacteria. So how should you clean your toilet? There are tons of at home DIY cleaning solutions to leave your porcelain looking spic and span.
    
    • Just pour 1 cup of vinegar into the bowl and let sit for 30 minutes.
    • Then grab your toilet brush, dip into the vinegar to wet it and sprinkle with 1/2 cup baking soda.
    • Scour the inside of the toilet with the brush until all the stains are gone.
    • Then just flush to remove everything!