Make Soapy Ammonia Cleaning Solution

A favorite cleaning product is "Sudsy Ammonia" - a pre-mixed cleaner readily available in most US supermarkets. It is not readily available elsewhere, or you might not be able to find it. Since "Sudsy Ammonia" is a trade name, this is called "Soapy Ammonia." You'll be able to make gallons of soapy ammonia solution from the one bottle of pure ammonia and save money over the supermarket price. Vary the concentration, depending upon the job. Use it without the detergent for windows instead of brand name window cleaners.

Steps

 * 1) Locate pure ammonia solution. It's readily available in supermarkets in the household cleaner sections of larger supermarkets in the US. Otherwise, try hardware shops and places that sell industrial cleaners. You will probably want to buy the smallest possible bottle since you won't need a lot.
 * 2) Use rubber gloves and goggles - ammonia can burn skin and eyes.
 * 3) Be sure to make your mixture in a well-ventilated area.
 * 4)  Do NOT lean over the bottles while you are pouring.
 * 5) Organize this task so that you will be pouring over a sink just in case there is any dripping.
 * 6) Use a 12 oz. plastic bottle spray bottle. These are widely available in grocery stores, chain stores, hardware stores. Basic safety rules say never reuse old commercial cleaner bottles. Old labels or color schemes can be confusing, and new bottles are inexpensive.
 * 7) First Fill the bottle with tap water. Always add ammonia to water, not the other way around
 * 8)  Pour out a third of a cup of water from the bottle to make room for the ammonia.
 * 9) With a funnel, pour about a third of a cup of ammonia into the bottle.
 * 10) Add a squirt of dishwashing liquid.
 * 11) Close the bottle tightly.
 * 12) Shake gently.
 * 13) Write "Soapy Ammonia" on the bottle with the indelible marker.
 * 14) Write "Danger: Do not mix with Bleach"
 * 15) Write "POISON" and keep the mixture, and the bottle of ammonia out of children's reach.
 * 16) Write the US Poison Control number 1-800-222-1222 on the bottle.

Tips

 * Clean jewelry that has hard precious stones, such as diamond, sapphire, or ruby rings. (Never use anything with water on an opal.)
 * Make stainless steel shine.
 * Remove old floor wax from tiles, linoleum.
 * Remove stale cigarette odors from a room. Place a saucer of the solution in the room for an hour and it will make the room smell fresher without the flowery, fruity cover-up odor of room deodorizers.

Warnings

 * Never mix ammonia with bleach. It will form chlorine gas, which will kill you.
 * Never mix ammonia with any other product unless it is instructed to do so. You could create poisonous fumes.
 * Do not use on a car window with UV protection or tinting - ammonia will remove it. Just use water or a cleaning detergent for car windows.

Things You'll Need

 * ventilated area
 * a funnel if your hand is shaky
 * protective gloves and a sponge in case of spills
 * a clean empty plastic bottle
 * pure ammonia
 * a small amount of dishwashing detergent
 * water
 * indelible marker pen

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Clean a Bathroom Using Natural Products