Featuring

DIY Pine Sol®

Cleaner,
Mr. Clean®
Magic Eraser®,
AND MORE!

SAVE TIME, MONEY, AND ELIMINATE HARMFUL

CHEMICALS IN THE HOME
AND HAVE FUN DOING IT!!

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 3

Note From the author ...................................................................................................... 3

What Makes this Book Different? .................................................................................. 3

DISCLAIMER ................................................................................................................ 4

Follow Chemistry Cachet on Social Media .................................................................... 4

Friendly Tips................................................................................................................... 5

Chemical Reference Guide ............................................................................................. 5

Other chemicals you will see in this book: ...................................................................... 9

Lemons/Lemon Juice ...................................................................................................... 9

Lemon Infused Vinegar .................................................................................................. 9

Grapefruit Infused Vinegar ............................................................................................. 9

Table Salt (Sodium Chloride) ......................................................................................... 9

Lemon Infused Olive Oil .............................................................................................. 10

Pine Essential Oil.......................................................................................................... 10

Dishwashing Detergent ................................................................................................. 10

Phosphorous Capsules .................................................................................................. 10

Other essential oils........................................................................................................ 10

Part One: Kitchen/Bathroom Cleaners .................................................................. 11

Grout Cleaner ............................................................................................................... 11

Make Your Own Pine Sol® Cleaner ............................................................................ 12

Microwave /Glass Stove Top Cleaner .......................................................................... 12

Refrigerator/Counter/Freezer/Table/Sink Cleaner OTHERWISE KNOWN AS .......... 13

“THE EVERYTHING CLEANER” ............................................................................. 13

Stone/Marble/Granite/Travertine Cleaner .................................................................... 13

Chemist Paste ............................................................................................................... 14

Oven Scrub ................................................................................................................... 14

Oven door cleaner/ Oven Cleaner ................................................................................. 15

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 Burnt Pan Experiment................................................................................................... 16

DIY (Not So) Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser® ................................................................... 17

Cream of Tartar “Milk” (Rust Remover) ...................................................................... 17

All-Purpose Bathroom Cleaner ..................................................................................... 18

Quick Daily Bathtub/Counter Cleaner .......................................................................... 18

Toilet Disinfectant ........................................................................................................ 19

Silver Tarnish Remover (No Rubbing Needed!) .......................................................... 19

Part Two: Living Room/Bedroom Cleaners ......................................................... 20

Glass Cleaner (Ammonia-Free) .................................................................................... 20

Carpet Stain Remover ................................................................................................... 20

Carpet Refresher And Stain Remover .......................................................................... 21

Make Your Own Dust Spray** .................................................................................... 21

Lemon Air-Freshener.................................................................................................... 21

Part Three: Laundry .................................................................................................. 22

All-Purpose Pre-Wash Stain Remover for Clothes ....................................................... 22

Pre-Wash Stain Treatment ............................................................................................ 22

Quick Stain Remover .................................................................................................... 23

Easiest Way to Remove Mildew Odor from Laundry .................................................. 23

Easiest Way to Boost DIRTY Laundry ........................................................................ 24

Part Four: Garden/Outdoors.................................................................................... 25

Almost -Free Slow Release Plant Food ........................................................................ 25

Liquid Plant Food ......................................................................................................... 26

No Scrub Rust Remover for Tools ............................................................................... 26

Heavy Duty Rust Remover and Repair for ALL Tools ................................................ 27

Overnight paint remover/Paint Brush Cleaner .............................................................. 28

DIY Fast Acting Weed Killer ....................................................................................... 28

DIY Simple Ant Killer.................................................................................................. 29

Resources ...................................................................................................................... 30

ABOUT THE AUTHOR .............................................................................................. 31

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 INTRODUCTION
This book is full of everyday chemistry hacks to help make your life easier in the home and outside the home.
Not only do these hacks save time and money, but they are also fun! All these solutions contain safe,
household chemicals, eliminating harmful substances in the home that many store-bought items contain.

Chemistry Hacks for Home and Outdoors is a book that you can reference forever. Print it out, keep it on
your phone or tablet - whatever is easiest for you!

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

From the age of five on up, I have wanted to be just about every type of scientist there is. Veterinarian,
Paleontologist (thanks Jurassic Park), Geologist, Botanist, Meteorologist, Volcanologist (I loved Dante’s
Peak), and a few others scattered here and there.

I chose chemistry when I was 18 because I thought it sounded the most interesting and every other science is
based on chemistry. By Webster’s definition, chemistry is “a science that deals with the composition,
structure, and properties of substances and with the transformations that they undergo.” That covers
everything on earth! The further I got into Chemistry in college, the more I saw how much it impacted
everything we do. I thought chemistry was amazing and has allowed for so much technological advances in
medicine, home care, and food.

During my first few years of college, I began experimenting with household chemicals for fun. These were
the days before Pinterest or blogging, so I normally just threw things together. Thanks to a huge carpet stain
in our first apartment, I discovered I loved concocting homemade recipes. Over the years, I have worked on
microwave cleaners, floor cleaners, garden foods, even some kitchen things like extracts.

I created the blog Chemistry Cachet to share chemist solutions for easy baking, healthy living, pretty flowers,
and endless coffee! It’s a lifestyle blogged based solely on chemistry! Healthy living goes deeper than what
you put in your body or how active you are; it deals with the toxic chemicals in the home. Store-bought
cleaners are so effective, but many contain harsh chemicals not necessarily safe for kids or pets. These
solutions will help you eliminate some of those chemicals. And if you aren’t a huge DIY person, I share some
store-bought items I love too! There is something for everyone in this book!

Multi-tasking and short cuts are my cup of tea when it comes to cleaning, so you will notice one solution
works for many different things.

WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK DIFFERENT?

Thousands of homemade cleaning recipes and solutions are found online. The thing is, you don’t know if
they work or not. The solutions in this book have been tested dozens of times to make sure they work. The
goal of Chemistry Hacks for Home & Garden is to bring you easy homemade solutions to save time AND
money. This book also has the chemistry to back up WHY things work too! Many readers have reached out
to me over the past year because they want easy ideas that don’t involve expensive ingredients like essential
oils or special organic items. Only one essential oil is used in this book! And it it’s affordable, plus will last
at least a year. And if you enjoy essential oils, you can still incorporate those into any DIY solution!

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 DISCLAIMER
Chemistry Hacks for Home and Outdoors is intended for personal use. These are simple, DIY solutions
created, tested, and used personally by the author. Always test solutions on small areas like fabric, carpet,
clothes, plants, floors, and all other surfaces to make sure it works well. Check with manufacturer labels and
instructions if desired to see what chemicals are safe to use on the surface. BE SAFE when using all chemicals
in this book. Although they aren’t harmful, practicing safety is important. Do this by wearing gloves and do
not breathe in fumes. Consult with your doctor if you have any allergies or a history of sensitivity to any
household chemicals. This book is the opinion of the author, a degreed chemist. We are not responsible for
damage or injury.

FOLLOW CHEMISTRY CACHET ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Keep up with all the latest details and behind the scenes from
chemistrycachet.com on social media!

Bloglovin.com/blogs/chemistry-cachet-14007699

Instagram.com/alexis.roch

Twitter.com/chemistrycachet

Facebook.com/chemistrycachet

Pinterest.com/asrochester87

Linkedin.com/in/alexisrochester

Snapchat(username alexisroch)

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 FRIENDLY TIPS
If you’re new to DIY cleaning solutions, keep in mind they will have a different scent and texture compared
to store-bought. Store-bought cleaners have many chemicals specifically for the scent and texture, but don’t
serve a purpose on the cleaning ability. Make sure to read any tips I have for each cleaner, so you will use it
on the correct surfaces. Check out this post on working with vinegar too.

Although all these solutions work without essential oils, you are welcome to add any just for a nice scent. The
only essential oil needed in this entire book is the pine essential oil which you will read about in a few pages.
I wanted to make sure anyone can create these DIY cleaning solutions at home without oils. If you have a
sensitivity to vinegar scents, you can always add a few drops of oils to mask scent.

Pay close attention to any solutions using hydrogen peroxide and vinegar. I do NOT mix these in the same
bottle since it can be dangerous.

CHEMICAL REFERENCE GUIDE

Before talking about the recipes, I want to lay out all the items you will need in your pantry, plus some fun
facts about each one. It is nice to know what the chemical is, where it comes from, and what it does!

Make sure to start here!!

It will make all these amazing solutions make so much sense!

You will also notice by all store-bought items mentioned in this book, I mention stopping by the Chemistry
Cachet resource page. This has almost all the items and resources listed for this book so you can see what
they look like. If you have trouble finding anything in the store, you can purchase it through the shop page
with the link.

Most items in this book are easily found, obtainable, and very cheap! Make sure to read through the chemical
reference guide to see what you need to stock up on to make everything and learn a little about each household
chemical.

Visit ChemistryCachet.Com/Resources for details on the items used in this book.

All the solutions which require dish soap use Blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid because it is most effective
after testing other ones. I talk about this in the chemical reference guide, but note that If you can’t find it or
live in another country where this brand isn’t available, substitute with a good quality concentrated
dishwashing liquid. Just make sure it is thick and good quality to maximize these homemade solutions!

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 Formally known as sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3. Baking
soda is a salt found naturally and mined. It can also be
produced from sodium carbonate (different than
bicarbonate) and carbon dioxide.6 You probably know it
best from baking. It is a great leavening agent! But in
cleaning, it is known to combat fungicide, act as a scrub,
and absorb odors. It is also affordable and can be found
anywhere!

Vinegar, formally known as acetic acid, is the perfect

household chemical. It isn’t dangerous, but is a strong
enough acid to disinfect, remove build up from things, and
create great homemade solutions. Acetic acid is made
simply from alcohol fermentation, although some
chemical industries produce it synthetically.5 The kind you
buy in the store has been diluted for household use. All
solutions in this book are made with 5% acidity (like
picture to the right).

Fun Fact! A French

chemist named Louis
Jacques Thénard first H202! One of my favorite household items. Hydrogen
discovered hydrogen
peroxide is an oxidizer so it works like bleach, but it is MUCH
peroxide in the early
1800s.
less potent.7 This is the kind you buy on the first aide aisle in
your store. It is 3% H202 so very safe for all household uses.
This plays a key role in almost all store-bought stain removers
too. It will oxidize or remove a stain from fabric without being
too harsh! It’s also an amazing disinfectant.

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 Fun Fact! 20 Mule
Team Borax brand got
its name from the
method that was Also
Alsoknown
knownasassodium
sodiumtetraborate.
tetraborate.ThisThisis is
a salt andand
a salt mineral
mineral of
originally used to haul boric acid,acid,
of boric originally discovered
originally in dry
discovered in lake bedsbeds
dry lake in Tibet. The
in Tibet.
it out of the California list oflist
household uses this
& Nevada Deserts.
The of household useschemical has ishas
this chemical amazing! It is used
is amazing! It is
inused
detergents, pH buffer for things like DNA,
in detergents, pH buffer for things like DNA, waterwater softener,
and
softener, insecticides!
even The bestThe
and even insecticides! partbest
of part
thisofchemical? It is
this chemical?
naturally occurringoccurring
It is naturally and typically
andjusttypically
refined for household
just refined use!for
Borax is slightly more alkaline than baking soda.
household use! Borax is slightly more alkaline than baking Found in the
laundry section.
soda. Found in the laundry section of the store.9

Typically
Typicallyreferred
referredtotoasasdish soap
dish soaparound
around the the
house. All items
house. All
in this book
items contain
in this book blue
containDawn®blue(ultra
dawn.or Can
regular is fine).
it be Can
another
itbrand
be another
or type?brand
I haveor tested
type? Iouthave tested dishwashing
different out different
liquids, but they
dishwashing but they
don’t work
liquids, don’t
as well. Blueworkdawnas haswell. Blue
a special
Dawn®
formulahas a special
that makesformula
it the that
bestmakes it the best
for these for these
homemade
homemade
solutions. Itsolutions. It hasscientifically
has also been also been scientifically
proven to beproven one ofto
17
be
theone
bestofdegreasers
the best degreasers and surfactants.
and surfactants. **If you live**If you live
outside of
outside
the US orofcan’t
the find
US it,oranycan’t
good find it, dishwashing
quality any good liquid quality
dishwashing liquid Make
can be substituted. can besure substituted. Make sure it is high
it is high quality.
quality.

Otherwise
Otherwise known as as magnesium
magnesium sulfate,
sulfate,MgSO
MgSO4.4.Magnesium
Magnesium
10
Sulfate
Sulfate is a mineral
colorlessthat
crystal originally found
was originally foundininEpsom,Epsom,
England.
England. Not seen in many many cleaning
cleaning solutions,
solutions,but
butititisisa agreat
great
addition
addition to your garden.
garden. Magnesium
Magnesium and and sulfur
sulfur arearebothboth
important
important nutrients for soil to encourage good plant growth.10
nutrients for
Found
Found inin the
thefirst
firstaide
aidesection
sectionof(do
thenot
store
use(do
thenot use the
scented scented
kind).
kind).

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 Also
Also known
known asaswashing
washingsoda, soda,Na
Na2CO
2CO3.3.This
Thismay
maysound
soundsimilar
like
to baking
baking soda,
soda, whichis issodium
which sodiumBicarbonate.
BIcarbonate.They
Theyare
areslightly
slightly
different
different though.
though.

Washing
Washing soda has a very high pH pH,making
so it is ita astrong
strongbase.
base.ItItis
used in many
is used applications
in many including
applications water softening,
including neutralize
water softening,
chlorine in swimming
neutralizing chlorine pools, and usedpools,
in swimming for a foaming
and for agent.
foaming
8
agents.

Fun Fact! Isopropyl

alcohol can be oxidized
Commonly known as rubbing alochol. alcohol. This This is
is the
the type
type to form the
found ininthe
thefirst aideaide
first section. Thisofis athe
section flammable alcohol,
store. This is a corresponding ketone
which is acetone!
so you will alcohol,
flammable only findsothisyouin will
certain
onlycleaning
find thissolutions.
in certainIt Acetone is used in nail
works great
cleaning for glass
solutions. cleaners
It works since
great for itglass
evaporates
cleanersquickly
since it polish removers.
and doesn’tquickly
evaporates leave streaks! The few
and doesn’t solutions
leave streaks! 11
I useThe
this few
for
are the 91%
solutions isopropyl.
I use Youthe
this for are can alsoisopropyl.
91% use 70%.You can also
use 70%.

Fun Fact! It has been

known to deter ants!
Sprinkle where they Chemically known as potassium hydrogen tartrate, KC4H5O6.
have been, they won’t This comes
actuallyfromcomes
the from the byproduct
byproduct of winemaking!
of winemaking! Cream of
come back! Cream
Tartar isofmost Tartar is mostknown
commonly commonly known
as a food as a food
stabilizer, like
stabilizer,
when making like meringues.
when making It ismeringues.
also part ofIt baking
is also powder
part of
baking powder (along 16
with baking soda). For
(along with baking soda). For cleaning uses,cleaning uses,
it is great at
it is great atstuck
removing removing stuckamong
on foods on foods among
other other
things! things!
This can be
found in the baking section of the store.

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 OTHER CHEMICALS YOU WILL
SEE IN THIS BOOK:

LEMONS/LEMON JUICE
Long time readers of Chemistry Cachet know my love of lemon juice. It is amazing for your health (Read
more at http://www.chemistrycachet.com/reasons-why-you-should-eat-lemon/). Lemon juice is seen in many
of these homemade solutions because it is a great acid, smells good, and is easily obtainable.

LEMON INFUSED VINEGAR

This solution is in many of the cleaners you will find in this book. It is perfect for anyone who
doesn’t like the scent of vinegar, but also works better than plain vinegar due to the addition of
lemon. It cleans better and leaves a little shine for cleaning products. It is so simple to make. I
recommend doing this first thing before diving into these solutions.

 Large Jar
 Vinegar to fill up the jar
 3-4 Whole Lemon Peels (or more)

Fill your jar completely with lemon peels. The peel is where all the benefits are, so it is better than
the juice. I like to peel my lemons then juice them after. I keep the juice for cooking, tea, etc. Top
the jar with vinegar, and infuse (saturate) for 2-3 weeks. Strain when you are done, now it is ready
to use!

GRAPEFRUIT INFUSED VINEGAR

Grapefruit is another amazing scent for vinegar and is particularly good for fabric, metals, or plastics.
Follow the same instructions as above.

TABLE SALT (SODIUM CHLORIDE)

Just a few solutions in this book contain salt, sodium chloride.13 This can be any cheap table salt you
have on hand. No need for anything special or expensive. This is not to be switched with Epsom salt
(Magnesium Sulfate).

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 LEMON INFUSED OLIVE OIL
This works like essential oils, but still has the benefits of the olive oil. This is something I always
keep on hand for homemade dusting spray. It creates the best scent and works better than just regular
olive oil.

This must be done in a ceramic crock pot.

 2 cups olive oil

 2 tbsp of finely diced lemon rind pieces (almost grated)

Cook on low heat for 6 hours. Strain it once cool, then store in a glass jar.

PINE ESSENTIAL OIL

This cannot be replicated at home without special equipment. It is the key ingredient to homemade Pine-Sol®
and is an important agent for cleaning. View the resource page here to find where I buy it online. It is cheap
and will last a long time.

DISHWASHING DETERGENT
There is one solution in this book that contains just dishwashing detergent. This is the substance you add to
your dishwasher. For this solution, you can buy the cheapest brand. I always get it at a dollar store or the local
grocery store for a few dollars or less. No need for anything good quality for this use!

PHOSPHOROUS CAPSULES
This is specific for plant foods. Visit the resources here to buy it for very cheap. It will last for a year or more
depending on often it is used.

OTHER ESSENTIAL OILS

I don’t use many essential oils for my solutions since they can get expensive and aren’t always obtainable.
The ones I mention can be purchased online for minimal costs, and they will last for a long time. You can
visit the shop here to see which I prefer.

I have been experimenting in my own home for years on what works best. It is all about how you put these
solutions together! These have been tested repeatedly. If you see a store-bought item mentioned, be sure to
head to the resources page to see more about the brand and where to buy.

10

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 PART ONE: KITCHEN/BATHROOM
CLEANERS
The kitchen is the most used, and probably the dirtiest part of the home. The sink, dirty pans, floors, the
microwave, the oven….so many things that are constantly being used! It seems like the kitchen is also the
hardest place to clean. The stuck-on food, the stained grout, the grimy floors, are always the hardest to get
clean

Most of these cleaners will work in the bathroom too! I also have exclusive bathroom cleaners.

GROUT CLEANER
Ingredients:

 1 tbsp baking soda

 ½ tbsp blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid
 Salt (amount depends on area)
 Lemon juice (amount depends on area)
 Hydrogen peroxide (amount depends on area)

Directions: Spray peroxide on the grout area to be cleaned. In a small

bowl, mix the baking soda and Dawn® until it’s a paste (adjust amount
as needed for paste like texture). Sprinkle salt on the grout where
peroxide was sprayed. Sprinkle lemon juice next. Now, apply the
baking soda/soap paste with a scrub brush and just scrub the grout in a
gentle circular motion until clean! You can use any amount needed
depending on how much grout is being cleaned.

Wipe up with a dry towel. You can also use a damp towel to reactivate
the soap and get more cleaning up. If it is hard to remove, use a dry
towel to wipe up.

The baking soda/soap paste can be multiplied if you need more, but this
is a good ratio.

Lemon juice is a great smelling acid that helps remove stuck on build
up. If you have unsealed grout, skip the lemon. Although lemon juice isn’t very strong in small
portions, acids can eat away at unsealed grout over a long period. The baking soda/soap paste is a
nice sudsy cleaner that also disinfects and gets build up off. Salt is purely for activated scrubbing;
peroxide is the oxidizer that whitens grout!

**Need a quick grout solution: Spray peroxide, sprinkle lemon juice (skip lemon for unsealed grout), let
it sit a few minutes, then scrub! This won’t get as good of a scrub like the above solution (like food
removal, sticky gunk, or similar things), but it does whiten it up nicely!

11

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 Chemist Solutions for Store Bought Grout Cleaner

The best store bought solution I have found is Resolve®! Resolve® carpet stain remover’s
number one ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, so it works like this homemade solution. It is a
little pricy, and contains more chemicals, but is incredibly effective. See the Chemistry Cachet
shop for details.

MAKE YOUR OWN PINE SOL® CLEANER

Ingredients:

 ¼ cup borax
 10 drops Pine Oil Essential Oil (see chemical reference guide)
 1 tsp blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid
 6 cups warm water

Directions: In a large bowl or bucket, mix the borax with the warm water until dissolved. It may take a few
minutes. Next, add the Dawn®, and pine essential oil. You can use this in place of pine-sol! It is already
diluted, so just put in a spray bottle or use right out of your mixing bowl.

I LOVE this for tile floors, linoleum, sinks, bathrooms, and anything I used Pine-Sol® on. It is best to use
this right after making while water is still warm. You can also half this recipe if you are cleaning something
smaller. A little goes a long way! Storing in a spray bottle is fine. It is a great cleaner for almost anything.

Important Chemist Tip!

I have researched the current ingredients of Pine Sol® Cleaner,

you buy at the store, and it does not contain pine oil anymore! It also contains caramel dye
for coloring. 4

MICROWAVE /GLASS STOVE TOP CLEANER

Ingredients:
Reader Favorite! This
 1 cup water was first posted on
 1 cup vinegar chemistrycachet.com.
 1 lemon It has a 100% approval
rating with thousands
Directions: Add water, vinegar into a microwave safe bowel (works better if it’s of readers!
shallow), squeeze the juice of one lemon into mixture (I also throw the lemon rinds
in too). Microwave for 8-10 minutes, until solution is a rolling boil and has steamed
microwave. Remove bowl and wipe clean with a towel! Bonus: Use this warm
solution (be careful!) and wipe down your glass stove top. It will clean off any food
and doesn’t leave streaks. It smells good too

12

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 REFRIGERATOR/COUNTER/FREEZER/TABLE/SINK/
GLASS CLEANER OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
“THE EVERYTHING CLEANER”
I made this specifically for the refrigerator, but the combination was so great, I use it for everything around
the kitchen. Glass, metal, ceramic, appliances, anything except for natural stone (see recipe below for that).
The key to why this works so well is the amount of each substance. They create the perfect trifecta for
cleaning! That’s why this is called the everything cleaner!

Ingredients:

 ½ cup vinegar (can use infused vinegar for nice scent)

 1 tbsp blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid
 1 ½ cups water

Directions: Shake it up in a spray bottle, use on almost everything in kitchen. Especially good for
freezers, refrigerators, etc.

IMPORTANT CHEMIST TIP

Vinegar is not good for natural items like stone, marble, travertine, or granite. It is best not to
use a strong acid that may eat away anything overtime. See the next recipe for cleaning those
things. For extra cleaning power: spray hydrogen peroxide on first, then spray this solution
on. Let it sit of 4-5 minutes then wipe it up :) (peroxide gives that extra boost of oxidation to
clean up stains! READ THIS ARTICLE ABOUT VINEGAR USE!

STONE/MARBLE/GRANITE/TRAVERTINE/GLASS
CLEANER
Ingredients for marble and granite (Try this on glass too! Car glass, desk glass, glass stoves!):

 2 cups of water Cheap Store-bought Option? Try

 1 tbsp blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid 409® Stone and Marble cleaner.
 1 tbsp of rubbing alcohol (to diminish streaks) It’s affordable and I have tested it.
It works great, just as well as
Ingredients for stone: expensive brands. Find more
details:
 2 cups of water tchemistrycachet.com/resources

 1 tbsp blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid

 1 tbsp hydrogen peroxide

Directions: Mix this up in a spray bottle and use for natural stone, marble, etc. For stone and travertine,
you can eliminate the rubbing alcohol and use peroxide instead. The rubbing alcohol is perfect for
eliminating streaks you can see in marble and granite, but the peroxide can be substituted for stone.

13

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 CHEMIST PASTE
This paste is perfect for almost anything in the kitchen. I especially love this for discolored dishes, plastic
containers, and scrubbing dirty pots. I first threw this together for a plastic container dish that was stained red
from tomato sauce! I tried everything, but this just soaked up the color right away! I call this chemist paste
because it is two of the best household chemicals combined into the perfect disinfecting, cleaning, whitening
paste!

Ingredients:

 Hydrogen peroxide
 Baking soda

Directions: Sprinkle the dirty dish (or whatever you are using) with baking soda. It works best if the surface
is a little damp. Add a nice thick layer, then spray hydrogen peroxide on it. It will form a thick paste (almost
like wet snow). Let it sit about a minute, then scrub in circular motion. For very tough stuck on burnt food in
pans (like on page 16) you may need to scrub a little longer, but it works great. Rinse with water!

OVEN SCRUB
The oven is probably my least favorite thing to clean! It is a pain to bend down and scrub off all that fused
food! I have tried so many different methods, but finally found the quickest concoction! The key to this is the
scrubbing and abrasive powder of cream of tartar. I tried it with baking soda first, but it wasn’t as effective.

Ingredients:

 Cream of tartar
 Everything Cleaner (page 13)

Directions: First, clean the oven with the Everything Cleaner. Most of the gunk comes off with this cleaner.
For the stuck-on material, sprinkle cream of tartar on the area. Spray everything cleaner on top and allow it
to sit for a bit. With a good scrub pad that has been soaked in hot water, scrub in a circular motion. Wipe
with a damp, clean towel. Make sure to wipe up all the area that had cream of tartar to minimize streaks.

For extra cleaning power: Mix some blue Dawn® in boiling hot water until it’s a thick
mixture (For a small area, boil 1 cup of water, add 2-3 tbsp dawn). Gently pour on area after
scrubbing with the cream of tartar, and before wiping it with a towel, for any lasting gunk. Let
it sit for about 10 minutes, until it has cooled down. Scrub, then wipe up! This is particularly
good for oil splatters! The key to this is the boiling water which is like using a self-cleaning oven. Self-
cleaning ovens just heat up to incredible temperatures essentially burning off all the stuck-on foods.

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 OVEN DOOR CLEANER/ OVEN CLEANER
This is particularly great for the front of the oven door that has glass, but also works for dark stains around
the opening of the oven or you can try for any part of the oven. I tested out many methods of this, and I have
found it is ALL about technique for maximum results.

Ingredients:

 Chemist Paste (from page 14)

 Everything Cleaner (page 13)

Directions: Chemist paste (page 14) is baking soda and peroxide. Open your oven door, spray the oven glass
with peroxide. Next, sprinkle a good layer of baking soda on top. Top with a light spray of peroxide. It will
look a little like snow.

Let it sit for a few minutes up to 30 minutes. I typically just wait about 5 minutes. Now, with a good scrub
pad or your fingers, start rubbing in a circular motion on all the splattered area. If this concoction is too wet,
it won’t work. It needs to be the texture of snow to get maximum scrubbing power. Circular motions are best
to peel off all those stains. After the area is scrubbed and all stains are removed, just scoop up this snowy
looking residue and put in a bowl. If it isn’t too dirty, I reuse it for other things! IMPORTANT: Follow up
with everything cleaner or the stone/marble cleaner to get rid of residue and make it shiny. To minimize any
streaks, wipe with a wet towel too.

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 BURNT PAN EXPERIMENT
I have tried out dozens of methods for cleaning burnt pans. The outside of a pan can get especially discolored
with burnt food particles that can be almost impossible to remove! After many experiments, I discovered it
truly is in the technique and application. Here is how I got this pan to look new again.

Ingredients:

 Chemist paste (page 14, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda)

Step One: Make sure the pan is cleaned with regular soap and water,
and completely dry.

Step Two: Spray the entire area that you want to remove the burnt
residue from with hydrogen peroxide. With a good coarse sponge, rub
the peroxide around for a few seconds.

Step Three: Sprinkle a thick layer of baking soda on top of this.

Step Four: Spray a very thin layer of peroxide on top. Just like the
oven cleaner, you want this to resemble snow. I have tried leaving this
on for extended periods of time, but it works just as well leaving on
for 10 minutes.

Step Five: This is the important step! Spray your good DRY coarse
sponge with some peroxide and start rubbing in SLOW circular
motions on the area. I do some circular motions, then move the snowy
baking soda mixture back over the spot and rub slowly. It is amazing
to watch! At first, nothing happens, but after rubbing for a few
seconds, it starts coming off easily. You don’t need much elbow
grease, but just repetitive movements.

Step Six: After you have done step five over the
entire area, you should have a mound of dirty baking soda mixture. Now you can
rinse the pan. If any areas didn’t come off, just repeat the steps again.

For the actual food stuck on pan:

That method works great for the bottom burnt like areas. The side of my pan also had food
gunk fused on (probably egg!). For this, I sprayed peroxide, sprinkled baking soda on top,
then sprayed with peroxide. I added a few drops of Dawn® to my coarse DRY sponge.
The Dawn® is the key for this since it is the ultimate degreaser. Now, do the circular
motion on the area over and over. Once this peroxide/baking soda paste gets into the
particles of the food gunk, it will start scrubbing it off!

After all the methods of wetting the sponge, pre-making the mixture, etc., this is by the
far the MOST effective way!

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 DIY (NOT SO) MR. CLEAN® MAGIC ERASER®
Magic Erasers® are amazing on almost everything! I call them not so magic because it is a simple scientific
process. The chemistry behind this product is all in the special sponge, melamine foam. It’s not the cleaner
that makes these amazing, it’s the sponge itself. I’ve researched that the cleaning agent in magic erasers® is
sodium bisulfite. This homemade solution is just as effective and better for you chemically!15

Ingredients:

 1 cup warm water

 1 tbsp borax
 1 tbsp baking soda
 Melamine sponge (see the resource page on where to buy)

Directions: In a medium bowl, mix the warm water with the borax and baking soda until combined.
Dip the sponge inside, flipping a few times until saturated. Squeeze out excess and use on anything!
Once you are done using it, just store it. Reactivate with warm water. I have used the same sponge
until it falls apart. Borax works as a disinfectant, along with the baking soda. It is a great combination
with the melamine sponge.

Funny Story: We have a white wooden mantel above the fire place. When I was testing out this
sponge to see how this mixture worked, I wiped the wood with it. At first, I thought I was wiping
off the paint. I thought oh no! Then, I realized it was wiping off all the soot! I have cleaned the
mantel numerous times, but apparently, nothing took off the soot. It was a night and day difference!
So, these work great for removing fire soot 

CREAM OF TARTAR “MILK” (RUST REMOVER)

I refer to this as milk because it looks just like milk when it’s mixed. This is the ULTIMATE home rust
remover. Perfect for rust in the dishwasher or oven area, exceptionally effective on porcelain, tile, appliances,
kitchen knives, and plastic surfaces.
Doesn’t work for rust removal on tools
or things like that, see garden section
for that rust removal.

Ingredients:

 Cream of Tartar
 Water

Directions: Add a tablespoon or so of cream of tartar to a small bowl, add a very small amount of water.
About ½ tsp to start. This mixture needs to be a paste to begin with since it will break down as you use it. If
you add too much water, that’s okay, it still works great as a liquid, it just won’t have as much scrubbing
power. Dab onto the area to be cleaned, leave on for a few seconds, wipe off! Use under the stove area,
around the dishwasher, washing machine nooks that are dirty or rusty, window seals, etc. I use it on kitchen
knives that have rust around the edges!

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 ALL-PURPOSE BATHROOM CLEANER
Ingredients:

 ½ cup lemon infused vinegar (page 9)

 2 tbsp borax
 1 tbsp blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid
 2 cups warm water

Directions: Mix the warm water with the borax until dissolved. In a spray bottle, add in this borax water,
vinegar, and soap. Give it a little shake.

This works exceptionally well on ceramic showers, outside of toilets, sinks, bathroom counters, bathroom
floors, and anything around the bathroom. Since it contains vinegar, do not use on stone.

Chemist Solutions for Store Bought Bathroom Cleaner

I like to call this copycat 409®. Formula 409 Cleaner® was invented by scientists and it took 409
times to get it right (I feel like many of mine have too). This is one of the only store-bought
cleaners I use in the bathroom since it has minimal fumes and only a few ingredients compared
to other brands.

QUICK DAILY BATHTUB/COUNTER CLEANER

This solution is perfect to keep right next to your shower. It works exceptionally well after the shower/bathtub
has been used with hot water. Everything is already steamed and ready to go. Using this every few days helps
eliminate soap scum, mold, water spots, and keeps everything clean. The acidity of the vinegar loosens up
build up, the deterring qualities of Dawn® help remove soap scum. Also, great for spraying on counters! Not
good for stone tiles due to vinegar! You can use the stone cleaner mentioned on page 13.

Ingredients:

 2 cups of vinegar (you can use lemon or grapefruit infused here if you want)
 ¼ - ½ cup blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid**

Directions: Add the vinegar to a spray bottle, pour in the Dawn®. Shake vigorously. Spray the shower or tub
area (preferably after its been used and still a little damp). Let it sit a few minutes, wipe or scrub off! You can
rinse again if necessary.

** For heavy duty soap scum, use ½ cup of Dawn®. For just an everyday cleaner to keep up with, only ¼
cup is needed.

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 TOILET DISINFECTANT
This is a strong disinfectant for toilets and cleans them too! It also cuts through water stains!

Ingredients:

 ½ cup of all-purpose bathroom cleaner (from page 18)

 ½ cups of everything cleaner (page 13)
 Hydrogen peroxide

Directions: Mix up the all-purpose bathroom cleaner and the everything cleaner with vinegar in a spray bottle.
Spray the entire inside of the toilet and let it sit for a few minutes. Scrub it well, then flush. Next spray the
entire inside toilet with hydrogen peroxide (extra cleaning and whitening power). Let it sit for at least 10
minutes (more if needed). Now just scrub!

Important Chemist Tip!

You may notice that I never mix hydrogen peroxide and vinegar products in the same spray bottle.
I always add them separately when cleaning. This is due to the chemical product that forms when
mixing the two together in a bottle. In the same container, they form peracetic acid which isn’t
safe. Adding them in stages is completely safe for you though! Read this post for more details.

SILVER TARNISH REMOVER (NO RUBBING NEEDED!)

I learned about this in high school and was shocked at how well this
works! Silver Tarnish is a chemical reaction due to oxidation. Silver
tarnishes from the sulfur in the air and chemically forms Sulfur
Sulfide, Ag2S. Instead of removing this by rubbing it off, you can
just reverse the chemical reaction electrochemically with aluminum!
14

3Ag2S (silver sulfide) + 2 Al (aluminum)  6Ag (silver) + Al2S3

You can see that this reaction turns back into silver! To get the
aluminum to work, you do need a carrier which is where the water,
baking soda, and salt13 come into play.

Ingredients:

 ½ cup baking soda

 8 cups of boiling water
 Foil
 4 tbsp table salt
 Large bowl or use your sink

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 Directions: Line your bowl or sink completely with foil. If you don’t have something large enough to hold 8
cups of water, just cut this recipe in half! Boil the water on the stove. In the large bowl, pour the baking soda
and salt inside. Top with the boiling water. Put your silver pieces inside, making sure it touches the foil. Turn
the silver a few times and pull it out. Mine usually works within a few seconds! You can use this for a few
pieces while water is hot.

PART TWO: LIVING

ROOM/BEDROOM CLEANERS
This list of solutions is perfect for any living area including living rooms and bedrooms! Although it’s a small
list, it covers just about all the areas that need cleaning. You can also use the “Everything Cleaner” from the
kitchen section to clean walls or plastic pieces in the bedrooms or living rooms.

GLASS CLEANER (AMMONIA-FREE)

I always forget to purchase glass cleaner at the store! It’s a good thing too because many ingredients in glass
cleaner are unnecessary. I played around with this solution for weeks until I found the best non-streak formula.
Equal parts water and alcohol are best. The dish soap is very necessary to get grim off glass, but a little goes
a long way so it doesn’t foam. I have tried glass cleaner with vinegar and this works better! Also, this stone
cleaner mentioned previously also works wonders on glass.

Ingredients:

 ½ cup water
 ½ cup isopropyl alcohol (see chemical reference guide)
 2 drops of blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid

Direction: In a spray bottle, add water and alcohol. Then add 2 drops (about 2 tsp) of soap. Use right
away or store for later. Best to give it a little shake before use.

CARPET STAIN REMOVER

This is particularly good on dark carpet stains. It also disinfects and deodorizes! PLEASE TEST SMALL
AREA FIRST!

Ingredients:

 The Everything Cleaner (page 13)

 Hydrogen Peroxide

Directions: First saturate stain with hydrogen peroxide, next saturate with everything cleaner, then top with
more peroxide. Allow it to work for a few minutes. You can leave it up to 20 minutes or so. With a damp
cloth or sponge, dab up the area. Then scrub it a bit. I always use a towel for this solution. It will foam up just
like store-bought versions. Let it dry and vacuum. For very bad stains, use two treatments.

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 CARPET REFRESHER AND STAIN REMOVER
This is a great freshener for overall dirty carpets and odor. The addition of Peroxide can help combat stains
too. You can use this first, then use the stain remover from above for deep stains.

Ingredients:
Reader Favorite! First seen on chemistry
cachet and readers LOVE it!!:
 Baking soda
http://www.chemistrycachet.com/easy-
 Vinegar
homemade-carpet-cleaner/
 Hydrogen peroxide

Directions: Sprinkle a very thin layer of baking soda to be treated. Next, spray on a layer of vinegar. Allow
that to bubble up, then let it dry for 30 minutes or so. It should be dry by this point. Vacuum it up well. Next
spray peroxide on any other stains left, make sure to saturate the area and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Scrub
it well and dab it up. You can vacuum the area again if needed.

MAKE YOUR OWN DUST SPRAY**

Ingredients:
Chemist Favorite! This is my
 ¼ cup lemon infused vinegar (page 9)
favorite solution! This lemon
 1 cup water infused solution makes the perfect
 2.5 tbsp lemon infused olive oil (page 10) dusting spray. It works better than
store-bought and keeps dust away
Directions: Simply add the ingredients to a spray bottle. Shake it up and use. longer!
Always shake before using. This is best used within a few weeks for
freshness. Always test wood with small portion first.

**Chemist tip: This solution will work without using lemon infused ingredients, but not as well. I have tested
both and the infusion of lemon gives a great scent and better dust removal power!

LEMON AIR-FRESHENER
Ingredients:
Reader Favorite! Find a similar air-
 2 cups of water
freshener recipe using essential
 5 lemons, peeled oils that readers love:
 1 tsp baking soda http://www.chemistrycachet.com/
 ¼ cup isopropyl alcohol** easy-homemade-air-freshener-
infused-rose-orange/
Directions: Add the water and lemon peel pieces to a medium size sauce pan.

Bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 2 hours, then remove from heat. Allow this to
cool completely, then strain into a spray bottle. Add in the baking soda and alcohol. **The alcohol will help
eliminate water drops and help solution dry faster when sprayed. You can also substitute vodka in this for a
milder scent. If you enjoy essential oils, feel free to add a few drops into this solution, but not needed.

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 PART THREE: LAUNDRY

ALL-PURPOSE PRE-WASH STAIN REMOVER FOR

CLOTHES
This is great for almost anything and especially very dirty items like dirt spots, etc. This is best for larger
areas of clothing or towels to brush on.

Ingredients:

 1-part blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid

 1-part borax
 1-part sodium carbonate (washing soda)
 1-part hydrogen peroxide

Directions: Depending on the amount of stains you have, you can change up the quantities. I typically use a
tbsp of each. Add the borax and sodium carbonate to a jar. Mix until combined. Add in your soap, mix until
a paste. Add in peroxide. Put this solution on your stain and gently rub it. Add to your washing machine and
wash like normal!

**Chemist Tip: Yes, peroxide is an oxidizer, but it shouldn’t stain clothing or change coloring.7 I have used
this on black clothes, blue, pink, etc. BUT to be safe, please test a small portion of clothing first to make sure

PRE-WASH STAIN TREATMENT

Like the one above, except it is more for stains than overall dirtiness. For small stains, especially good on
sweat stains, food stains, etc. Best if you let it sit for a few hours to work through stain.

Ingredients:

 Hydrogen Peroxide
 Blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid
 Baking Soda

Directions: This is best to make it as you go along to keep it activated. First, saturate the stain with peroxide.
Sprinkle on a layer of baking soda, then drizzle on the soap. With a scrub brush or sponge, scrub it around in
a circular motion. Allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes, but best for a few hours. Wash in cold water on the
normal cycle.

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 QUICK STAIN REMOVER
Another use for “Chemist Paste” is a quick stain remover. Sometimes, I drop food on my shirt and need to
get the stain out. I make up a quick paste, rub it on good and just leave it!

Ingredients:

 Chemist paste (from page 14)

Directions: You can either spray on peroxide to the stain saturating it and then dab on baking soda, scrub in
a circular motion and leave it for as long as you want. Or you can mix up 1 tbsp of baking soda and a few tsp
of peroxide to make a paste. Rub the paste on the stain, rub in a circular motion and leave it. I have used this
on coffee stains that seem to always appear on my shirt in the mornings 

EASIEST WAY TO REMOVE MILDEW ODOR FROM

LAUNDRY
Have you ever forgotten your laundry? I admit I have more times than I should. I will pop in a load of towels,
wash them, and the next day I think OH NO! Then you get that mildew, soured odor that is almost impossible
to get rid of. The best solution I have found is below. I have tried other methods, but the acetic acid is powerful
enough to dilute scents.

Ingredients:

 1 cup vinegar per large load

Directions: This works for wet or already dried clothes. Just add in the laundry and laundry soap like normal.
Next, add in 1 cup of vinegar. Works best on the hot water setting. If necessary, wash again.

If it is set in and has actual mildew on the clothes or towels. Do this method with vinegar, then wash again
with ½ cup of baking soda. The baking soda has a great anti-fungal ability that helps remove this from fabric.

Important Chemist Tip:

Using vinegar all the time in your laundry is not a good idea due to the acid. It is fine to use
occasionally, but not on a regular basis. Regular acid use can harm plastic or rubber parts in
a washing machine. This only happens with frequent use, so using it occasionally for mildew
is safe! If you need to use something regularly for bad odors, just use baking soda!

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 EASIEST WAY TO BOOST DIRTY LAUNDRY
If you have some dirty clothes that need a little extra washing boost, or that have a bad sweat smell, this is
the easiest thing to do:

Ingredients:

 ½ cup sodium carbonate (washing soda)

 Your regular laundry detergent

Directions: For a large load, use the amount of laundry soap you would normally have.

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 PART FOUR: GARDEN/OUTDOORS

ALMOST -FREE SLOW RELEASE PLANT FOOD

This is one of my favorite solutions! I wanted to create something that you could mix up and leave on plants.
This contains all the necessary big nutrients needed for plant growth, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorous, and
potassium among other nutrients found in these foods.3 After about a week of using this, my plants have 80%
more flower blooms, and they are vivid in color! It is amazing!

Ingredients:

 2 cups of used coffee grounds (Nitrogen source)

 12 or so used egg shells (Calcium source)
 Phosphorous capsules (see chemical reference guide) (Phosphorous source)
 Lemon peels (Potassium source)
 Save the coffee filters (optional Carbon Source)

Directions: Rinse eggshells and allow to dry. Pat the coffee grounds in between two paper towels until most
moisture is out of it. Crush eggshells up with hands and mix up with the coffee grounds. I like the eggshells
to be pea size or smaller. Now, take about 10 phosphorous capsules and crush up until almost powdery (there
can be some chunks). Mix with coffee ground/eggshell mixture. For the lemon peels, cut them up into 1 inch
or 2 inch pieces, these will be kept separate.

Add about 1 tbsp of the coffee ground mixture to a large potted plant, for small pots add ½ tbsp around the
base of plant on the soil. Add in about 3-4 pieces of lemon peel into the soil, burying just a little bit.

For flower beds, add a few tbsp around the base of the plants, bury some lemon peels.

Bonus: Save the coffee filters for a carbon source. You can add this into the coffee ground mixture or bury it
with the lemon peels.

Add another boost to this!

You can also add a few tablespoons of Epsom salt to the coffee ground/egg shell mixture. This
will give some magnesium sulfate to the plants! This mixture works fine without the addition of
Epsom salt, but you can easily add it in.3

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 LIQUID PLANT FOOD
Although I don’t use ammonia much for household uses, it is an excellent source of nitrogen for plants. This
liquid plant food contains a tiny amount of household ammonia giving plants a small boost.

Ingredients: Reader Favorite! This is a reader

favorite on the blog. See more
 1.5 tbsp Epsom Salt10 FAQS, chemist tips, and details
 1.5 tsp Baking Soda here:
 0.25 – 0.5 tsp Household Ammonia http://www.chemistrycachet.com/e
 1 gallon of water asy-homemade-plant-food/

Directions: In a large one-gallon watering can or old water jug, add in the Epsom salt, baking soda, ammonia,
then top with one gallon of water. The amount of ammonia varies depending on the weather and this is
HOUSEHOLD ammonia12 found in the cleaning section of any grocery store. In hot weather, I use less to
avoid anything burning (as with most fertilizing options). Apply around the base of plants. This was
formulated for potted flowers, so use ¼ of a gallon per large potted plant. Apply once per month in the growing
seasons. Not needed in the winter.

NO SCRUB RUST REMOVER FOR TOOLS

This is an old favorite chemist recipe and a great way to remove rust from tools. It typically doesn’t require
any scrubbing for normal rust. The key to this solution is reversing the chemical reaction, neutralizing the
acetic acid, then removing the rest of the moisture from the tool. I have tried many methods over the years,
but this has been the most effective for garden tools, hand tools, and even large power tools that have rust
problems (not recommended for damaged tools in the corrosive stage).

Ingredients:

 2 cups of vinegar
 1/8 cup of salt
 2 cups of water
 1/3 cup baking soda
 WD40®, rubbing alcohol, or mineral oil

Directions: In a jar, mix the 2 cups of vinegar with 1/8 cup of salt. Stick your tools inside so the rust is
covered (this recipe can be easily doubled, tripled, or as much as you need). Allow to sit overnight, about 10-
12 hours is best. Remove the tool, it should have flakes floating in the vinegar and a little stuck to tool. Just
wipe it off.

Now, you must neutralize the acetic acid (vinegar) so it won’t continue to work on the metal. In a jar, mix 2
cups of water with the 1/8 cup of baking soda. Allow the tool to sit in this solution for 1-2 hours.

The last step involves removing ALL the moisture from the tool to protect it from further rust. My personal
favorite is using WD40®. Spray the entire tool. You can also rub mineral oil on it or even rubbing alcohol
which will evaporate the moisture.

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 Preventing rust: Rust occurs from moisture and oxidation. The best prevention for rust is to keep your tools
in a dry, clean place. If you have problems with that in your climate, stick your tools (especially garden tools)
down in some sand with just the handle sticking up.

Chemist Tip

WD40® is one of my favorite store-bought solutions! It was invented by a chemist and stands
for water displacement 40. It was the 40th solution that worked! Water displacement methods
remove water completely. It not only removes moisture from metal, it protects it from further
rust. It also works on many items around the home!

HEAVY DUTY RUST REMOVER AND REPAIR FOR ALL

TOOLS
While the above recipe is PERFECT for everyday rust, this recipe is the best, easiest solution for extreme
corrosion. This not only removes rust, but it will also repair pitting and prevent further damage to your tools.

Ingredients:

 1 Liquid Blue Kit (see the chemistry cachet resource page for details on buying this)

Directions: This in-depth tutorial is found on the blog here: http://www.chemistrycachet.com/how-to-

remove-rust-from-tools/

For a quick overview to have in this book, the details are very simple. This little kit contains everything you
need to clean, remove rust, and repair. First, use the cleaner-degreaser bottle to clean your tools (we like to
do multiple ones at a time). After sponging and cleaning with this, rinse with cold water. Next is your rust
remover bottle. With the applicator, apply the rust remover all over the tool where needed. Scrub well with
the steel wool. This is the longest part of the process. Make sure to scrub into the pitting of the tool. You
can also use the sandpaper for this part to ensure the rust is removed inside all the cracks or pitting. Rinse
with cold water. Last (and working quickly), apply the liquid blue with the applicator, let this sit for 30-60
seconds (NO LONGER). Rinse with cold water while rubbing with the steel wool (this makes sure the blue
gets into all the cracks). You may repeat the blue process if you feel it needs more coverage, for tools we
typically just do it once.

Last step, using the oil, coat the surface well, then rub the oil with the cloth. Let this sit overnight and the
next day your tool is ready. Remember to visit the blog link for more details.

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 OVERNIGHT PAINT REMOVER/PAINT BRUSH CLEANER
This was a request from my husband. He ends up buying dozens AND dozens of paint brushes for each paint
job because they always go bad after one use. He is sensitive to paint thinners and mineral spirits, so unless
he washes the brush right away with water, they get crusty with paint.

I wanted to create something for him that was fast, easy, safe, and effective for all his old paint brushes sitting
around.

Ingredients:

 Dish washing DETERGENT (not Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid)

 Jars

Directions: You can use the cheapest dish washing detergent available. I bought the generic from my local
grocery store, it was a little over $2.00. Using smaller jars is best for this so it will cover more of the brush.

Fill the small jar with enough dish washing detergent to cover the brushes bristles. Stick 3 or so paint brushes
in the jar and leave overnight. I have left these for 3-4 days before too. You will notice that the liquid turns
the color of the paint and almost resembles glue. Take out the brushes, with a high-powered rubber hose
nozzle, spray out the brushes until clean. It should spray off quickly, leaving a clean brush. Allow to dry, then
fluff the brush. It will be as good as new!

Chemist Tip

Dish washing detergent is a deterrent, hence the name. It works great at pushing out
particles of things like food or even paint.

DIY FAST ACTING WEED KILLER

This was featured on the blog and was a big hit with readers! I had many write in saying it worked well.
BONUS it works on killing ants too. I am adding it to this book so you can have an easy reference if needed.

Ingredients:
Reader Favorite! This is a reader
favorite on the blog. See more
 3 cups distilled white vinegar
FAQS, chemist tips, and details
 3/4 cup regular table salt
here:
 2 tsp blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid
http://www.chemistrycachet.com/e
 3 tsp liquid arthritis rub (visit ChemistryCachet.Com/Resources)
asy-homemade-weed-killer/
Directions: In a spray bottle, add the salt, vinegar and capsicum type rub. Shake it up until well mixed.

Apply directly to the leaves of the weed. It starts working almost immediately, by 24 hours, the weed is
almost completely gone. It will continue to die and wither away! It will not grow back.

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 DIY SIMPLE ANT KILLER
Borax is a well-researched natural insecticide. I have used it alone for years and found it kill ants just by
sprinkling it over areas where ants travel or ant beds. Using sugar enhances the effect in areas like the home
since they are attracted to the sugar.

Ingredients:

 Borax
 Sugar (optional)
 Water

Directions: I have done this a few ways over the years. Using borax alone has worked for most insects like
ants. Just sprinkle borax over ants or ant trails you want removed. It kills them in a day or so.

For stubborn ants, you can also mix about few tablespoons into 1 cup of warm water and add in a 3-4
tablespoons of regular white granulated sugar. Soak a cotton ball into the solution and set out where ants are.

Chemist Tip

If you want to just deter the ants from coming inside, spray vinegar around openings they
travel through. I have also used the DIY weed killer recipe above to spray on the outside of
the door area. The vinegar inside keeps them from coming in!

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 RESOURCES
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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexis was born and raised
in Texas. She and her
husband married in 2007
and lived in southern
California while he was in
the Marine Corps. They
live in Texas again with
their English Bulldog,
Ruger. Alexis received her
degree in professional
chemistry with a minor in
mathematics from Tarleton
State University. After
spending many years
writing and editing for
professional companies along with tutoring in chemistry, she started the
healthy lifestyle blog Chemistry Cachet to share her love of science
through better living. As a 20-year veteran of Rheumatoid Arthritis, she
loves sharing inspiration and encouragement for living healthy with auto-
immune diseases too. When she isn’t experimenting in the kitchen, Alexis
is outside gardening, taking walks, and enjoying God’s beauty in nature.
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