What would you say if I told you that there’s a cleaning product that’s safe and all natural, cleans, disinfects and deodorizes, and doesn’t cost a fortune?

You probably wouldn’t believe me.

Well, you definitely won’t believe me when I tell you that you may have it hidden in the door of your refrigerator.

What’s this magical cleaning product? It’s plain old lemon juice.

You can use lemon juice instead of bleach to clean your house safely and effectively. In fact, you can use it in places you wouldn’t consider putting bleach.

When you taste lemon juice, it’s pretty obvious that it’s a strong acid. The beauty of an acid is that they dissolve things water can’t. That includes dirt and also parts of bacteria vital to survival. Cleaning with the power of lemons not only removes dirt, it also disinfects to keep your family safe.

You can mix lemon juice with water and put it in a squirt bottle. You can use it instead of your all purpose cleaner to scrub the kitchen, bathroom, and even clean walls and floors. For extra cleaning power, add a little baking soda and borax. Just be sure to test an inconspicuous area ahead of time to prevent staining. Also, remember that borax is toxic if ingested, so be careful where you spray.

Instead of adding bleach to your whites, add lemon juice instead. You can use mix lemon juice with cream of tartar and rub into stains. After washing, hang your clothes in the sun to dry and you’ll see how white your laundry can be without the smell and dangers of bleach. Plus, you can use the same mixture on your colors. Just don’t leave them out in the sun to dry.

Have you noticed lately that most disinfecting products have an alternative version that smells like lemons? That’s because lemons naturally have a fresh, clean scent. Instead of cleaning with lemon scented chemicals, why not try getting your fresh lemon scented kitchen from actual lemons.

Many people aren’t so happy about cleaning with sponges. And with good reason — sponges trap all the nasty dirt and bacteria and keep in around for the next time you clean. Plus, they’re a pain to clean. Next time you clean, ditch the sponge and cleaner and pull out a fresh lemon. It’s easy to hold, packed full of cleaning power, and can be thrown away when you’re done.

Not happy with a product that just cleans your house and makes it smell great? Lemon juice can also be used to polish, shine, and remove tarnish from the copper, chrome, and other metals in your house. All you do is add a little salt or baking soda to a freshly cut lemon and rub it onto the metal’s surface.

For added cleaning power, lemon juice can be mixed with other natural cleaners. We’ve already said that borax and baking soda can help boost your all purpose cleaner. Try mixing lemon juice with baking soda to make a great drain cleaner. It works as well as vinegar and baking soda, but leaves that lemony scent.

These are just a few of the many uses of this powerful cleaner. It’s a great way to leave you house looking and smelling great. It also is good for the environment and your family!

Dominique W. Brooks, MD, MBA offers articles, e-books, and e-courses to improve the health of you and your family — from nutrition and exercise to better work habits. For more information, please visit http://www.totalhealthrevolution.com

Chandeliers are essential accent pieces in dining and living rooms of homes. Chandeliers bring life to holidays and special occasions, and nothing beats an elegantly set table with crystal, china, silverware and linen like having an equally sparkling and gleaming chandelier.

However, despite its allure and stature, many chandeliers suffer from neglect and improper cleaning. Since these pieces are sensitively intricate, people would resist cleaning them until it’s absolutely, positively necessary to do so.

If a chandelier is dirty and filled with dust, grime and cobwebs, it is time to clean it before that special occasion arrives and when should you be in a hurry, you could cause some of the crystals to drop, or probably damage the fixture itself.

Be sure to your chandeliers in advance before any major event, so it will be ready when the special occasion comes.

Ways to clean chandeliers

There are a lot of ways on effectively cleaning chandeliers, however there are two standard methods used when it comes to cleaning a chandelier. The methods pertain to the way you clean the fixture and the 2 choices are either to wet clean or dry clean them. Should one have an ornate and opulently designed chandelier or one that is placed too high too clean, you may probably have to wet clean the fixture.

If you have a particularly fine crystal chandelier, you must first contact the lighting center of your choice, or where you purchased the fixture, and inquire about the proper way to clean it. It is also advisable to ask for advice from a lighting professional or an electrician. However, it is also recommend that one uses a spray cleaner or try individual hand cleaning. If one has any concerns at all, hand, or dry cleaning could be the best choice.

Safety tips for cleaning chandeliers

Before proceeding with cleaning your chandelier, take note of the following safety precautions:

- Turn off the electricity first at the circuit breaker box, to prevent electrocution.

- Plug another light at another outlet, on another breaker switch, to lighten the area and guide you when cleaning the chandelier.

- Move anything breakable away from the cleaning area.

- Use a tall ladder so that you won’t have problems reaching inner areas of the chandeliers.

- Put a mat or a large of plastic on the floor to serve as a catch basin for any drips, and also place a soft blanket or cloth on the floor to catch any crystals, should one fall

For the proper and thorough cleaning of chandeliers, it would be best to follow these important procedures:

- Take out all bulbs and put them aside.

- Lay a large towel above the bottom of a sink or dishpan. Fill this halfway with medium hot water. Add soap, detergent and swish up to create suds.

- Fill up a large container or pan with clean hot water for rinsing and pad this up with a towel to keep fine, crystals or glass from breaking.

- Take the crystal drops and saucers off of the chandelier and wash a one at the time. Wipe the frame of the chandelier with a cloth filled with suds.

- Continue washing, and re-changing parts of the chandelier until the whole fixture is clean. Afterwards, wipe them dry and put them back into their sockets.

Vanessa A. Doctor from Jump2Top – SEO Company

Pressure washers are one of a homeowners best all-around cleaning tools. Pressure washing your house is one of the quickest ways to revive the look of your house, your driveway, sidewalks, or decks. Every house can use a wash, so if you’re thinking of repainting, consider pressure washing your house first before determining whether you need to repaint or not.

Often, simply removing accumulated dirt and mold is all that’s needed to make your house look clean again and make the paint look fresh. Besides, if you do need to repaint, one of the first things you’ll need to do anyway is to wash the house to get it ready to be painted.

Pressure washers can be used on outdoor lawn equipment, for washing decks and fencing, washing down driveways, walkways, and garages. They are versatile and wonderful instruments for cleaning all around the house. Choose a well-made pressure washer with a good name so it will last and give you the performance you’re looking for.

Here are some tips to consider if you want to pressure wash your house

Know your pressure washer. It’s important to always read the owner’s manual before using your pressure washer. Pressure washers work on just that — pressure. That means that they can be dangerous to operate if you don’t know what you’re doing. You must also be aware of all the particulars of your individual washer, such as whether you can turn it on or not without water, for example.

Practice safety first. Avoid standing on ladders to use a pressure washer as you can easily fall off. You should also wear appropriate footwear, not flip flops, and be careful of electrical outlets and elements. Eyewear, such as goggles, is another important consideration. Your individual pressure washer should provide good safety tips for pressure washing.

Don’t wash too closely. One of the most common problems with pressure washing is washing too closely. It can cause scarring of paint or wood. Always check the nozzle and make sure it is the correct nozzle for your task as using the incorrect nozzle can cause paint to be damaged or other problems.

Be careful about plants. If you use chemicals with your pressure washer, you will want to make sure that you do not let these chemicals settle and sit on your plants or there could be potential for damage. Always spray plants with water to make sure no chemicals have settled on the leaves.

Kathryn Weber is a decorating and lifestyle columnist and the publisher of RealHOME E-zine, the e-zine with ideas and tips for today’s real families. To subscribe, log on to http://www.realhomeezine.com and get this free special report, The 10 Habits that Help You Keep a Cleaner House.