Pssssst! Household secrets!!!! (HEPA filter, windows, cleaner, bathroom)

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by anifani821

Okay, Tia, you are gonna laugh on this one but it truly works!!!! I was taught this one years ago b/c I had the same problem w/ my kitchaid stainless steel tub (no longer have a stainless steel tub - different home - sure miss it).

TANG!!!! Yes, you heard it. Tang Orange Drink! You fill up your soap dispenser and run it through an empty dishwasher on a regular cycle!!!

It is a miracle . . . and not only that . . . I run it through my clothes washer every so often, too! I think I was told it works b/c of the ascorbic (sp?) acid and the granules in the Tang.

Hope this works for you as well as it has worked for me! Let me know.

Actually I'm NOT laughing because I tried that! When I was typing my post I'm like "I know there was SOMETHING ELSE we tried", but I couldn't think of what it was!!!! Unfortunately it didn't work. So now we have a whole container of unused orange Tang. But I'll use it in my washing machine though thanks to your tip - thanks!!!

[brokensky]

Originally Posted by tcs1366

anifani --- dont know what to tell ya about the soiled sofa and chairs... but my pooch does the same thing.... we obviously call it "wipe yer face"

If i had really nice furniture == i still have kids at home, so we have decided not to get anything "really nice" until the vacate .... but I too would use nice sheets ... I used to do that with our previous dog since we had a cream colored sofa.

Okay. I got out some sheets last nite . . . will fit them on the sofa and chair today. Hate to do that b/c I like to see my "pretty furniture" but you know - I am in a real situation here. Better to do this than ruin the fabric worse than it is already.

I have towels on sofas in the family room - got a color to try to match the sofa in there. I think the sheets will work fine in L/R b/c she does not "wipe her face" that often in that room. I have to wash the towels weekly as they do get nasty! ICK. Love my girl to pieces . . . she is so prissy. . . she just can't abide having her fur wet. I also clean her face and neck to try to keep her clean but she just hates the "wet" I guess. SIGH.

Also tried spot cleaning w/ Spray n Wash on the chair and sofa cushion last nite and it did help some . . . may try vinegar this weekend. The commercial stuff just leaves my fabrics greasy-feeling after while (anyone else know what I mean????) Like Woolite, Spot Shot, etc. . . .

I have a Bissell shampooer (well - shampooer or spot cleaner thing - discontinued now - the old "little green" thing) and will try the vinegar in that and see what happens w/ the upholstery.

[brokensky]

Originally Posted by tahiti

Actually I'm NOT laughing because I tried that! When I was typing my post I'm like "I know there was SOMETHING ELSE we tried", but I couldn't think of what it was!!!! Unfortunately it didn't work. So now we have a whole container of unused orange Tang. But I'll use it in my washing machine though thanks to your tip - thanks!!!

Well, so much for my MIRACLE!!!! Yeah, try it in your clothes washer and see what it does there! Heck, maybe we should dump it in the toilet and see if it takes out rings! LOL!!!!

Maybe I should find you a recipe that uses Tang, Hee Hee. Go to the Recipes section and find the thread we have going over there on "convenience foods" - we are posting recipes that use processed foods - Tang would fit RIGHT IN!

Sorry my brilliant idea didn't help a bit. Surely someone has a great idea out there!

[ontheroad]

As I have problems with both the dish-washer and the washing machine, I've been looking and learning. Here's some additional info .

I think I'll try one at a time, and see which works best.

[Tesaje]

Oh yeah, I remember the Tang thing. The reason it works is the citric acid in it. The reason it doesn't work is the citric acid isn't concentrated enough. If you can find straight citric acid crystals (my food coop carries it), that will work and it will even get rid of rust stains. I found something called Lemon Shine that is pretty much straight citric acid and it works great, but now I can't find it anymore. But the citric acid crystals work the same.

I think that dog face wiping is pretty common to dogs - mine does it too. She also just rubs her back on the couch when she is perfectly dry. The sheets are simply a way of living with animals without having to have junky furniture because they will ruin anything nice. There are lots of nice designs in sheets. If you really don't like how they look, you could spring for fitted covers that are washable. I do the towels too. It helps with the shedding accumulations and after awhile even the cat's habit of rubbing on things ends up being dirty, thank you very much.

For the cleaning, you could try the upholstery stuff, but go over it a few times and then at the end, use the vinegar in a 10-50% solution to rinse it well. Vinegar is good at getting the soap and detergent out so the film doesn't remain.

I put white vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser in my washer for every load so it does a better job of getting the soap out. I hate fabric softener and how it feels on everything plus it geatly decreases the absorbency of towels. But it is really good for stripping wall paper.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by Tesaje

But it is really good for stripping wall paper.

Just makes you wonder about all the stuff we use around the house, on our clothing, breathing the fumes, etc. etc. Yipe.

[tcs1366]

*** -- i know. I'm starting to use mostly sudsy ammonia, baking soda and vinegar for a lot of my cleaning.

[brokensky]

Originally Posted by Tesaje

For the cleaning, you could try the upholstery stuff, but go over it a few times and then at the end, use the vinegar in a 10-50% solution to rinse it well. Vinegar is good at getting the soap and detergent out so the film doesn't remain.

I put white vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser in my washer for every load so it does a better job of getting the soap out. I hate fabric softener and how it feels on everything plus it geatly decreases the absorbency of towels. But it is really good for stripping wall paper.

I really like that suggestion re: the vinegar and will do that and see how that goes. I had not thought about using vinegar rinse in the washer! Gonna do that this evening!

And as for our furkids . . . you are right . . . just have to figure out how to work around some of their behaviors. I really did not know - until posting here - that anyone else had a furkid who wiped his/her face on furniture! LOL!!!

[Cecilia_Rose]

Originally Posted by anifani821

Cecelia . . . I edited out to let you know what tips I am going to try! I found all this very interesting and am soooo glad you took time to tell us about your routine and how you clean. We women have things we have learned but who ever finds out if someone is not kind enuff to pass it on????

I have always been taught to dust last. However, reading about your whole routine, I can see how this would work. And I also understand what you mean about "spot touching up" as opposed to having to always scrub down. I also prefer washing terry cloth wash cloths and towels than doing a lot of scrubbing! (I don't mind doing laundry - that is a rather passive activity for me-I try to see the process as Zen - you know - kind of calming to sort colors, smell clean laundry, put in dryer, then sit and fold, Hee Hee).

One of my biggest pet peeves - and why I miss having a housekeeper - is b/c I am really hung up on floors and baseboards. I have a lousy back (slight scoliosis plus some injuries - not a good thing). So I have been lucky to have help from housekeepers for 25 years. Well, since our last move, we just have not found anyone whose standards are ours (for what we are willing to pay, maybe!) We had a pretty good one (B- to C+) for a few months but she moved. :-( I say all this as background for explaining my interest in your method of "micro-mopping" around the baseboards and edge of the carpet. Have never considered this and it is very hard on my back to do what I usually do - get the vacuum crevice tool out and then hand wash baseboards (on my knees).

I am going to try this and see if that helps me as I won't have to bend and work so hard using your method. What a great idea!!!! I can run the microfiber mop along the baseboards as it swivels. And the paint scraper - WHO KNEW!!!! Great idea.

Just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your sharing this! I am not going to pay a housekeeper $90 a week. Just ain't gonna do it. These tips are not only helpful . . . they are making it possible for me to keep my standards w/ my home and my BUDGET as well!

Ladies, keep those tips coming! Tell us your routines, your shortcuts - what products work for you!!!!

No problem. Sorry about your back. I got a bum knee so I feel for you. Im laughing cause Im a cleaner part time. Im good . I have a waiting list. LOL.

By trial and error Ive learned the "easy" way to do stuff. For one thing we make things harder by over doing. If you keep up with stuff you dont need to douse every thing with a jug of cleaner. Like I said this is just the way I do things. Im trying to think of stuff to make things easier for you. Been doing it for a while now so mostly its second nature now. Other peeps may have better ways tho. I do lot of stuff cause I got a bum knee and its hard for me to get down,

You dust last? Doesnt that put dust on what youve already cleaned. I dust first. I start at the top and work down. I love my swiffer duster with the extending handle for the high stuff and chair legs and very light dusting. For regular dusting I like to use my microfiber clothes very slightly dampened. But if its heavy I dry dust first. .

Oh and Ive down the hands and knees route too. Knee surgury will cure you of that little number. LOL. Ive become very adept at using my feet. I clean bare foot. Depending on the floor I use my foot to get my scrubbie sponge or Mr Clean or mirofiber cloth up next to the baseboard or in the corner or behind the toilet etc. I do this for shower floors and tub bottoms too. Another thing is I use a long handled kitchen brush to do the toilet and around the base etc. I also like those dish wand things for tubs floors etc.. The ones with detachable scrubbie sponge and a hollow handle. Thse two things will give you a litte more reach so you dont have to bend so much. And of course we all use old toothbrushes for around faucets and cracks and crevises.

If you do the mop thing make sure you just use plain water only and not too wet. I like th microfiber mops with the red handle from Walmart best. Theyre the easiest to wring. I dont like the ones you have to wrassle into submission. Truthfully I think the mop/broom thing does a better job than using a crevase tool.

Ill probably think of more later. Like I said I just do it I dont think now. Also since Ive cleaned my peeps houses to within an inch of their lives most of my cleaning is maintenance now, Altho occasionally I do a onetimer as a favor and have to get out my heavy duty stuff and whip it into submission.

[brokensky]

Originally Posted by Cecilia_Rose

By trial and error Ive learned the "easy" way to do stuff. For one thing we make things harder by over doing. If you keep up with stuff you dont need to douse every thing with a jug of cleaner.

Ill probably think of more later. Like I said I just do it I dont think now. Also since Ive cleaned my peeps houses to within an inch of their lives most of my cleaning is maintenance now, Altho occasionally I do a onetimer as a favor and have to get out my heavy duty stuff and whip it into submission.

Cecilia - I so enjoyed this post! I edited to highllight two things. First of all, you have made me really think about how I clean. I started cleaning at 12 - I mean really cleaning - b/c my mother was ill and so I took over the house (as much as a kid can at 12). So I have been trying to figure out the best methods for cleaning for a long time. THen you add the physical limitations - I have tried to come up w/ the best tools and cleaning agents.

Well, after reading your posts, I feel like I never got past Cleaning 101 and I thought I was in Cleaning Doctoral School. I really have learned from you. I love so many of your suggestions and would never have thought of these ideas.

I can just see you "whipping a house into submission." I got a good giggle on that one . . . you made me actually look forward to trying out some of your suggestions today.

Thank you so very much for sharing. Please keep the ideas coming!