Creating a Cleanser

• Ammonia can be used to create a safe, inexpensive, all-purpose cleaner for not only your kitchen floors, but other hard surfaces as well. Mix 1 tbsp. of ammonia, 1 tbsp. of liquid detergent and 2 cups of water in a small bucket or cup. Use the mixture to wipe off any tough stains on the kitchen floor or as a general wash on its surface. This same mixture can also be used on counter tops, refrigerators and cabinets. Check with your manufacturer, however, if your cabinets are made of a wood that has been pretreated or sealed.
  
  

Concentrated Ammonia

• Most over-the-counter ammonias only contain about 10 percent concentrated ammonia; the rest is usually water or a mixture of water and detergent. If you have a specific problem with your kitchen flooring, such as a stickiness or a stain that won't go away, dab a wash cloth with some ammonia and try it out on one portion of the problem flooring. If it works well, proceed to attack the entire problem area with ammonia. If you're worried about the overpowering smell that ammonia can produce, you can dilute your solution even further by adding more water. You can also keep the windows open while the solution is on the flooring. To remove the solution, simply wet another wash cloth and wipe it over the affected area.
  
  

Cautions

• Ammonia is a very powerful cleanser that is perhaps too powerful for certain people and appliances. It has been known to cause breathing problems and eye irritation for some. Therefore, small children, the elderly and anyone with respiratory or eye problems should not be present when ammonia is used. Proper ventilation is also key to preventing irritation. Ammonia must also never be mixed with chlorine bleach, as the fumes this mixture produces can be toxic. Remember that this warning not only applies to concentrated versions of chlorine bleach, but to any cleaning or byproduct that utilizes this substance as an active ingredient. Be sure to check the cleaning solution's label before using the two products in conjunction.