10 Ways To Use Ammonia Effectively In The Home

When it comes to basic cleaning supplies, ammonia is a potent and economical option for multiple chores in the home. Networx states that ammonium hydroxide is the proper name for the liquid form of ammonia that we commonly employ as a household cleaner. Recipes for cleaning solutions typically call for a ratio of 5 to 10 percent ammonia mixed with clear water. Therefore, the strong ammonia is highly diluted when it's used for cleaning tasks. Solutions of ammonia mixed with water serve as effective cleaning agents for numerous applications in kitchens, bathrooms, basements, garages, and outdoor areas around the home.

A few guidelines and precautions apply when you use ammonia for cleaning. Ammonia produces fumes that may be harmful to the eyes, throat, and lungs. Therefore, Chemical Safety Facts recommends that you open a window to ensure ample ventilation while working with ammonia. If possible, run an exhaust fan to evacuate fumes from the area. Additional precautions include wearing protective gloves as well as eye protection. Always keep ammonia away from children and pets, as the liquid substance is toxic when ingested and the fumes are harmful when inhaled. Finally, keep in mind that you should never mix ammonia with chlorine bleach. This combination produces a highly toxic gas that can cause serious physical harm or even death.

In the bathroom, soap scum accumulates on glass shower doors, tubs, sinks, tiled surfaces, and metal fixtures. You can remove it with a homemade cleaning solution featuring ammonia. Tips Bulletin notes that the calcium and magnesium found in hard water produce a sticky substance when they combine with the ingredients found in soap. This stubborn, sticky mess known as soap scum adheres to hard surfaces throughout the bathroom. Ammonia is an inexpensive cleaning agent that cuts through and gets rid of soap scum.

Open the bathroom window and activate the exhaust fan before working with ammonia in the enclosed area. Then, mix a solution of 1 cup of ammonia with a few cups of warm water in a bucket or spray bottle. House Cleaning Central suggests spraying the solution onto the areas where soap scum builds up. Then, leave it for 30 minutes, but don't allow the ammonia and water solution to dry completely. Come back with a nylon-bristle brush and scrub the area that is soaked in the ammonia solution. After scrubbing, rinse the area with hot water and follow up by drying the surfaces with a soft cloth.

You can mix a homemade ammonia solution that successfully removes unsightly stains from carpets and upholstery fabrics. It's not a recommended procedure for cleaning the carpet in an entire room. Instead, the application of an ammonia cleaning solution is effective as a spot remover for limited, defined areas of carpets, rugs, and furniture. For example, if you spill a cup of coffee on the carpet or the sofa, ammonia can come to the rescue, removing the brown stain.

Van's Carpet advises mixing a solution of 1 cup of ammonia with 4 cups of water. According to ProLux Cleaning, you can also add a bit of vinegar and a tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap to the solution. Place the mixture in a spray bottle and saturate the stained area of your carpet or upholstery. Open a window to ensure necessary ventilation while the ammonia is present in the room. Let the cleaning solution sit for a few minutes to soak into the fibers of the carpet or upholstery. Then, blot the area slowly with a clean cloth. Allow time for the blotting cloth to absorb the ammonia solution along with the stain. Always blot from the outer edges of the stain, working your way toward the center. This method will ensure that the stain does not spread to become an even larger eyesore.

Use ammonia to remove the stubborn, burned-on grease that collects on stove-top burners (via The V Spot). Instead of employing elbow grease to scrub the burners with detergent, you can allow the chemical process from ammonia fumes to break down the hardened gunk overnight while you sleep. Place each burner in a zip-closure, plastic, freezer bag and add ¼ cup of ammonia. Seal the bag tightly and let it sit overnight. To avoid fumes in your home, you may want to place the bags outdoors in a protected area, away from kids and pets. With the plastic bags completely sealed, the ammonia fumes will break down the cooked-on mess that sticks to the burners. After at least 12 hours, open the bags and remove the burners. Pour the ammonia down a drain in a well-ventilated area. Then, rinse the burners with clear water, and wipe them with a cloth.

According to Fabulessly Frugal, this cleaning method works on the greasy grates from your outdoor grill. Instead of zip-closure plastic bags, you'll want to use plastic trash bags. Pour 1 cup of ammonia into the trash bag and add the grill grate. It's a good idea to double-bag each grate and seal the bags with duct tape before you let them sit for 12 to 24 hours. Then, follow the same procedure that you would use for stovetop burners, making sure to properly dispose of the ammonia and thoroughly rinse and wipe the grates.

Use ammonia to make a DIY repellent that chases away squirrels, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, armadillos, and other problem-causing wildlife. Wizard of Yards points out that small animals move away from areas where the smell of ammonia is present because it mimics the odor of a predator's urine. To repel unwanted animals from an outdoor shed, you might saturate rags with ammonia and place them in bowls around the premises. Alternatively, you can deposit cotton balls in a plastic bag and soak them in ammonia. Then, using gloves, carefully remove the ammonia-saturated cotton balls from the bag and place them around the area. Similarly, you can soak a rag in ammonia and drop it into the bottom of your trashcan to deter night-raiding raccoons.

Greenwood Village suggests a similar application for an ammonia-based wildlife repellent. Use a small plastic container with a lid, and puncture a few small holes in the top. Inside the container, place a rag soaked in a solution of ⅔ cup of ammonia and ⅓ cup of water. Leave the container in a location where the pesky animals live. For nuisance animals who tunnel underground, you can apply the ammonia-and-water solution through a hose. First, stuff the opening of the animal's hole with a few pieces of crumpled paper. Then, insert a hose a few feet into the tunnel and pour the solution in so it can run underground. This should drive the animal to vacate the tunnel and move on to a new location.

Ammonia is an effective cleaner to remove ugly stains from unsealed concrete floors, patios, walkways, and driveways. You can start by mixing a solution of 1 cup of ammonia in 1 gallon of water. Splash the solution onto the stained concrete to saturate the area and allow the solution to soak in for a few minutes. Then, scrub the concrete with a stiff brush and rinse it with a garden hose. If the stain is still visible, you may need to repeat the process.

Occasionally, cars and trucks leak oil and other automotive fluids onto driveways. These fluids may create stubborn and unsightly stains that detract from your home's curb appeal. The Columbus Dispatch recommends ammonia as a cleaning agent for concrete stains, even when the stains do not respond to power washing. Mix ammonia and baking soda to create a thick paste. Spread the paste on the oil stain and scrub with a stiff brush to work the paste into the concrete surface. Allow the paste to sit until it's dry and follow up by rinsing it away with a garden hose. For complete stain removal, you may need to repeat the process. Of course, it's necessary to keep children and pets away from the ammonia-saturated area while it's drying.