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Dwayne's This and That
Thomas Jefferson, "I find that the harder I work,
the more luck I seem to have."
 Formulas and Recipes ►Home
On this page you'll find a collection
of my wife's favorite household cleaning formulas and some of my
workshop formulas. Most are inexpensive and you probably already
have many of them in your kitchen cabinets, or workshop. All can be
found at your local drugstore, supermarket, or builders supply. Most
are safe and nontoxic, with the exception of a few which are clearly
noted with an underline.
Anti-Rusting Varnish for Tools; Dissolve paraffin wax in paint thinner and immerse the warmed tools in the solution. To Paint on Galvanized Surfaces; Paints do not adhere to galvanized surfaces unless the surfaces have weathered long enough to oxidize. This weathering can be done artificially by painting the galvanized surface with a weak solution of vinegar. One part vinegar one part water. The vinegar should be washed off with water, using garden hose with a fine spray. When absolutely dry the surface can be painted with any paint. Wood Stain: Dissolve cold tar in paint thinner. The more tar used the darker the stain. Cramps: To cure cramps in the legs, turn your shoes upside down before going to bed.  To Polish Silver: Boil the silverware in an aluminum pot or pan containing two table-spoons of baking soda in a quart of water. To Whitten Teeth: Use peroxide of hydrogen, the 3% solution only. Waterproof Matches: Coat matches in a warm solution of candle wax or beeswax. Hot wax will ignite the matches. Furniture Cleaner: 1/3 cup white vinegar, 2/3 cup turpentine, and 1 cup linseed oil. Combine and mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Use a soft cloth to apply to wood surfaces, rubbing to remove dirt, grime, and old polish from finished wood. Toilet Bowl Cleaner: 1 cup soap flakes, 1/2 cup borax, and 1/2 cup washing soda. Mix ingredients in a bucket then slowly pour into the toilet bowl. Let stand 30 minutes or longer for stubborn stains, then scrub inside of bowl with a scrub brush and flush. Presto! Drain Cleaner: 1 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup baking soda, and 1 gallon boiling water. Pour baking soda down drain followed by vinegar. Allow the mixture to bubble for several minutes before flushing with hot water. Diarrhea: Drink some blackberry juice, or take a tea of red oak bark.  Porcelain Cleaner: To clean porcelain surfaces, rub with cream of tartar sprinkled on a damp cloth. Mildew Remover: Dissolve half-cup borax with half-cup vinegar in warm water. Wood Filler: Mix a few drops wood glue with wood dust until a thick paste is formed, and apply with a knife. Sand smooth after filler hardens. Grape Wine: 1 gal. grape juice, 1 lb. sugar. Let stand 3 days, skim and to each gallon add 1lb. sugar. Let stand 3 days, skim and strain and add 1 lb. sugar to each gallon; pour juice in bottles. Hydraulic Brake Fluid: Mix equal parts of denatured alcohol and castor oil. The alcohol thins the oil and acts as an anti-freeze. The castor oil lubricates the piston and is the fluid through which the pressure is transmitted. Cooking Poke Greens: Collect tender young shoots of poke six to eight inches high, in the spring. Do not cut below the ground as the root is poisonous. Wash and cook leaves and stems together, parboiling two times ( pouring off water after boiling a few minutes). Boil in third water until tender, salting to taste. Drain and top with slices of hard boiled egg. Or but three tablespoons grease in fry pan and scramble three eggs in it. Denture Care: A solution of 1 tablespoon household bleach and 1 teaspoon water softener, such as Calgon, in 1/2 cup water makes an excellent homemade denture cleaner. Spot-free Dishwasher Rinse: Add 1 cup of white vinegar to rinse compartment of your automatic dishwasher. Wash as usual. Disinfectant: Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar and 3 cups hot water. For stronger cleaning power add 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with dampened cloth or use non-aerosol spray bottle. Shoe Polish: Olive oil with a few drops of lemon juice can be applied to shoes with a thick cotton or terry rag. Leave for a few minutes; wipe and buff with a clean, dry rag. Slow Leaking Tire: With air out of tire, pour 1/2 cup brake fluid into air hose and inject air and break fluid into tire. Liver Dog Treats:
Our two Shihtzus love these treats.
Hand Cleaner: This hand cleaner works very well. 1-lb. white soap powder, 1-oz. household ammonia, 1-oz. turpentine, 7-lbs.fine pumice, and oil of sassafras to suit. The pumice stone acts as a mild abrasive, and the soap as a colloid to carry away the dirt after it has been removed by the action of the turpentine and the ammonia. Any odor other than the sassafras can be used. If finely ground stone dust or sand can be had, it can be used instead of pumice, although the product will be somewhat harsher on the hands.
Window Cleaner: Make a great all-purpose window cleaner by combining 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent, and 2 cups of water. Combine in a spray bottle.
Sassafras Tea: I remember my Grandmother making tea and jelly from sassafras roots, a wild plant that grows in many southern states. She chopped the roots from the plants, and then washed the roots in cold water. Next she scraped off the outer layer and discards it. Then she would boil the roots in a pot of water, strain it, and serve it either hot or iced. To make jelly, mix one package Sure-Jell with eight cups sassafras tea, bring to a boil and add eight cups sugar. Continue boiling until all is dissolved, stirring constantly. Remove foam with spoon, and then pour into jelly jars and seal with wax.
An artificial wood can be made for making pressed moldings, imitation carvings, and wood filler can be prepared as follows: Boil together equal parts of hide glue and sawdust with water. Then steep in water a quality of newspaper until it is soft, and sufficient of this to the glue and sawdust to form a soft mass. It is ready for use.
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