Using Ammonia to Clean

In a day where cleaning supplies for each different area of your house could cost anywhere from 5 dollars a piece to 40 dollars at a total, it would be great to have 1 cheap cleaning solution for everything. Well, there is. At around 1 dollar for a half a gallon, ammonia is your all-in-one cleaning source. As a precaution, however, never use ammonia with any type of product that includes chlorine. You will find yourself making a large batch of ammonium chloride, which can be lethal to be around.

Got dirty dishes? In addition to dish soap, you can add ammonia for stuck-on grease stains. Simply add about a tablespoon of ammonia to the dishpan full of soapy water to help remove it.

Ammonia can also help clean laundry. You can add about a half a cup of ammonia to a load of laundry. This will help to loosen dirt and grit. However, do not use this with bleach, as we have already talked about chemicals that mix badly.

Ammonia can also replace your 5 or 6 different household cleaners. You can use a half a cup of ammonia per gallon of warm water for cleaning bathtubs, tiles, porcelain surfaces, windows, and other surfaces. This can replace your toilet cleaner, window cleaner, bathtub cleaners, mopping solutions, and other types of cleaner, saving you a lot of money in the long run.

Ammonia can also clean your drains and traps. If your sink drain or pipes are collecting grime and dirt, you can get it out with ammonia. This is also very useful if you are getting gnats that lay their eggs in your drains because of food residue. Simply pour about a half a cup down each drain, and then flush it through by running water down the drain for about 5 minutes. Also, make sure that you do not have any bleach or Clorox in the drains or sinks.

Ammonia can also be used to strip wax. By putting about 1 cup of ammonia per gallon of water, you make a stripping solution. Simply place this on the surface you want to strip, and allow it to stand for about 2 minutes. Then, rub it clean and rinse it with clean water.

As you can see, ammonia can replace many household cleaners that are more expensive. The most important thing, however, is that you make sure that you are not using it alongside any product that has chlorine in it. This cannot be mentioned enough, as it forms a highly toxic gas. It is also important to work in a ventilated area by opening the windows.