Homemaking Organized Blog

Archive for the ‘Cleaning’ Category

I’ve been sorely neglecting cleaning the home. I prefer to clean a little each day as opposed to an all out cleaning in the Spring and Fall. This method helps me keep up with the home better and if I miss a day or two it doesn’t matter because the room gets touched up every several weeks.

I’m starting out in the dining room because it’s annoying me. I started with decluttering. Then moved on to cleaning overhead light fixtures. I’ll dust the ceiling today (I know I should have done that first) and then move on from there.

Trays of Plant Starts (Photo credit: OSU Master Gardener)

I put out my plant starts this week to start hardening them off. I have sweet potatoes, peppers, and basil (should I have started that from seed outside). That’s nothing to my friends 25 plants of Swiss Chard. I’m so jealous! I’ll also train the peas up the trellis and…make some calcium tea from egg shells.

That’s it for my procrastinating.

How about you? Visit New Nostalgia for more anti-procrastination posts.

Okay first to let you know I DO NOT ALLOW Silly Putty in the bed. So Sweet Peanut ‘says’ she doesn’t remember having it in the bed. She does keep it on her night stand but we haven’t been good about slipping it back in it’s case. She tends to sleep a little wild…All this to say I’m giving her an out as to how the silly putty got all over the bedding.

So how does one get that pink slick melted in stuff off?

Well I went to the Crayola website and followed their directions.

This is on cotton bedding. (as opposed to silk? hmmm)

1. First I scraped off what I could. It was mostly already melted into the fabric so
2. I happened to have a mini can of WD-40 lying around so I sprayed that on the spots (all of them) next per directions.
3. Then I waited a few minutes and wiped at the stain with a white terry cloth. Now it was just a light pink stain on the fabric.
4. Next I poured…yes poured some rubbing alcohol on it and wiped that with the cloth. The stain was mostly gone.
5. I poured a little laundry detergent in each spot, rubbed it in and washed everything on a regular load.

Voila!

Stain gone.

You can use something like Goo Gone too but I found that to have a high odor value and didn’t do as well as the WD-40.

I had no plans to Spring Clean the laundry room anytime soon but the breakdown of the exhaust fan was the impetus for it.

Don’t ask me if I vacuum it often. I’ll act like I can’t hear you.

So to reach the exhaust fan hubby needed me to move my nice tower of cleaning supplies and laundry supplies out of the way.

That was the impetus for wiping down shelves, walls, moping floors, purging excess clutter and wiping down the machines themselves.

It all looks rather nice.

And you know when I think I put all this off because I imagined it would take days and all kinds of inconveniences….it really took only an hour. Because I was motivation.

Ah! The key. Motivation.

Tesco and Sainsburys own dishwashing liquid (Photo credit: Kai Hendry)

All these years I’ve been a dish soap hog.

I admit it.

I wash with wild abandon.

A dish doesn’t feel clean unless it’s been bathed in luxurious soapy hot water. Ten squirts at least. Sometimes needing a fresh squirt all it’s own.

I’m shameless.

Until I forgot to buy dish soap last week.  I was perilously on the edge. Only enough for, in my past washing excess, 2 days at most.

I decided to quickly mend my ways rather than make a run to the store. Or better yet beg my husband to pick up some on his way home.

I was determined to squeeze it out.

I thought about making some. And while that is a good idea I don’t have any castille soap on hand.   And since, remember, we’re not running to the store just yet I had to make do.

So three times a day I fill the sink with hot water and a few squirts of dish soap. Much less than my usual ten (I know I’m shameless). I start with cups first per vintage instructions, then move on to plates, cutlery (that’s what I call it) and finish off with pots.

OHMYGOODNESS! With this way of washing I still have enough dish soap for several days. I’m going shopping tomorrow so I will pick up some just to be on the safe side but I rather pleased with this new revelation that I CAN wash dishes without half a bottle of dish soap!

Bathroom (toilet and bath) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Okay most likely this is not a topic you relish discussing. But it is something that needs to get done so why not talk about it?

The question is, what is the right way to clean the bathroom?

Even among professionals there are varying degrees (surprisingly) of what is right and wrong.

Within my own family we have different ways.

1. My mother pre-sprays everything first, including the toilet, then wipes down using a separate cloth for the toilet.

2. I have two separate piles of cleaning clothes. One’s I have written ‘T’ on in permanent marker for the toilet and ones for everything else. Both are white and sewn like a tube so I fold and wipe etc. The ‘T’ ones get washed on sanitary in the washing machine.

3. My sister feels that anything that touches the toilet must be banished from the house. She uses disposable cloths on the toilet and those throw away wand thingys.

We sit around and laugh about our varying styles.

And then I went and watched a few videos on bathroom cleaning thinking I could find a nice one to post on the blog. Watching them I realized how different everyone was and so I left off finding one that I liked well enough to post.

The best are these ones from Expert Village by a nanny and housekeeper. She is very good and detailed but there are 29 of the videos just to show you how to clean the toilet.

So how do you clean your bathroom?

Well it’s done and I’ve been using it. I’ve also been having to hide it from my daughter.

I’m talking about my Housekeeping Card File.  The little file box designed to help me manage my cleaning chores. I’ve actually gotten back on track in the cleaning department but this was a nice little project to get done. I made little cards and dividers for the interior. I typed the information on each card. The only ones I haven’t done yet are the monthly cards. But that will come. It’s all very cute and colorful and now Sweet Peanut wants one.

I made it in a green and blue theme. That is scrapbooking paper Modge Podged to the outside. I had tried painting it but it looked awful and peeled off.

The pages are from Cajoline Scrap. She has some lovely stuff and is nice too. I printed the cards and dividers on cardstock but thought they were a little flimsy so I backed them with more card stock.

I used the Stampin’ Up Rounded tab punch to make the tabs. I don’t have many scrapbooking gadgets but I did get that.

Spring Cleaning is in the air. Even if we don’t do it like the ladies of old chances are you do a little something to usher in the fresh air.

The past week or so I’ve been wiping down walls in various rooms. I started with the  master bedroom, moved on to the master bath and next I will do the laundry room. I’m making my way across the upstairs and then down to the front door. It makes everything feel a bit fresher and takes no time to do (I’m not scrubbing). I aslo keep looking at the closets and cupboards knowing I need to clean a few out but I have yet to venture in. Also on the agenda are the washing of window treatments, winter comforters, and overhaul of the garden.

Are you doing any spring cleaning?

“It is not a good plan to make a general disaster the spring cleaning. We believe in going to work mildly, when everything seems propitious’ and doing “here a little and there a little’” until every place becomes a renovated whole.

~ Letts’s illustrated household magazine

Dishwasher, open and loaded with dishes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So my sister and I were gabbing the other day about regular cleaning things. She mentioned that her dishwasher has been really doing a number on their dishes lately.  She said at first there was a small smattering of white residue on the dishes after a load had washed. But that lately that had been bumped up to the point where she was re-washing the dishes by hand just to remove the icky residue!

We have the same dishwasher that is the same age.  But we don’t have this problem. What is the difference?

The dishwashing detergent.

To save money she had been using Palmolive Eco Gel Dishwashing Detergent (sorry Palmolive). It’s always on sale at our local grocery store so this only makes sense. I’m one of those that when I find a brand I like I tend to stick with it as long as it works. I look to save money on said brand with coupons and sales.  So we have been using Finish brand for many years.  Both of us have been using our respective dishwashing detergents in our identical machines for about 4 years.

In her dishwasher she found the buildup so bad and hard to remove that she has been using tweezers to dislodge the goop. Yes that’s right. Goop when wet and hard as a brick when dry! She has also tried vinegar. 2 cups per dishwashing load. To no avail.

So she asked me to warn you my loyal readers. Check your dishwasher. Look for buildup. Be wary of how your dishes are coming out. Pay attention to reviews. If you see problems it may be time to change your dishwasher detergent.

It’s time for the $5 books from Reader’s Digest Store! And this is my pick…

How to Make Everything You Own Last Years Longer Than It’s Supposed To. This unique book, will give you the hints, secrets, and tricks to making more than 400 everyday items last longer.

Long Life for your Stuff now only $5 when you use the code DEALFIVE at checkout

If you use Method home products already you might really like this deal from Drugstore.com

Spend $15 on method products and get a free 50-load method Fresh Air Laundry Detergent ($15 value) at drugstore.com!

Offer ends 02.29.2012 or while supplies last.

I’m thinking I might get this.