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In the Spending Smart column and the book, “Living Rich by Spending Smart,” I rarely get into cleaning and stain removal. That’s mostly because cheapskate authors cover those topics so thoroughly — Mary Hunt, for example.

But such tips are worth passing along. The blog is a good forum because the tips are usually quick and easy. Here are a couple recent ones I came across:

• Carpet wear. To brighten heavily used carpeted areas, sprinkle cornstarch on the carpet to absorb dirt. Vacuum it up an hour later. You can spot-clean carpets by rubbing in white shaving cream and blotting with a damp white cloth. Of course, you should try such tips on an inconspicuous area to make sure color doesn’t come up from the carpet.
  Source: “Mrs. FixIt Easy Home Repair,” authored by Terri McGraw. Tip by way of Bottom Line Personal newsletter.
  
• Window cleaning. Spray Rain-X, a product made to keep car windshields clear, on the outside of home windows to keep them looking clean longer.
  Source: Bottom Line Personal