General Cleaning Tips Links To Related Sites Homemade Window Cleaner:

To make your own cleaning solution for windows that's easy and less expensive than commercial solutions, add 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol to 1 quart water. Either use it in a pail or pour it into an empty spray bottle.

Broken Glass:

Use bread or damp cotton wool to pick up the fragments of broken glass safely.

Pet Odors:

Use 1 part white vinegar, to 2 parts water. Put it in a spray bottle you can let it dry on the carpet. You don't have to rinse.

Clean Sinks:

Club soda--removes stains, cleans sinks.

Rusty Steel Wool Pads:

Put steel wool pads in your freezer after you use them. They won't rust, they last much longer this way. Or, steel wool scouring pads won't rust if you sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of the dish you store them in.

Removing Crayons From Carpet:

Take a warm iron and put a brown paper bag over the crayon marks and gently iron over it, the crayon should adhere to the bag.

Project List:

Keep a running list of projects you want to get to. When you're feeling energetic, look at your list & you'll know right where to start. This will also alleviate the frustrating feeling of knowing you want to do something but being worried you'll forget.

Play Zone:

If your house allows for it, have a designated play area where you can let the kids play. Preferably it will have a door you can shut if company unexpectedly drops in. You won't be constantly picking up toys off of your living room floor & they will be consolidated into one play area.

Toy Clutter:

Have a toy basket in each room. For a quick clean-up, just toss the toys in that room into the basket nearby. This is also an easy method for teaching children to pick up their own toys.

Shiny Tile:

Keep your tile floor shiny by using only water to wash. You may also use a little white vinegar or a very small amount of lemon dish soap. Any other cleaners will build up and leave a film.

Reward Yourself:

Reward your efforts at the end of a project by sitting back & admiring your hard work. Give yourself a reward of a good book, your favorite tv show, or a fun shopping trip.

Picky About Help?

If you're the type of person that likes things "just so" write down how you like things done, such as your laundry sorting, laundry folding, your dish washer loading, etc. This will enable those who want to help to do it the way you like it. They will appreciate knowing how you usually do these things. Be appreciative of any help someone offers--accept it!

Cleaning Chrome:

To make the chrome really shiny on your faucets use rubbing alcohol.

Quick Cleaning:

Only concentrate on one room a day. Give that room a thorough cleaning top to bottom and ignore the rest of the house. In a week the whole house will be spring cleaned!

Handy Supplies:

Keep a bucket or basket of basic supplies under each sink so you don't have to hunt for cleaning supplies. It's much easier to clean a bathroom in a hurry if the supplies are all ready, rather than going to different parts of the house to collect the necessary items.

Scheduling Chores:

Make a cleaning schedule for yourself. Divide your cleaning chores into one or two items per day. For example: Laundry on Monday, floors on Tuesday, bathrooms on Wednesday, grocery shopping on Thursday, dusting on Friday, etc. Then you can then schedule a "fun" day with no chores.

Daily Cleaning:

Have some projects you do each day, such as empty garbage, do all dishes, start at least one load of laundry.

More Cleaning Tips
E-mail BusyBee your tips : cgibbs@amen.net.
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(c) Copyright Carin Gibbs 2001
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