Homemaker Barbi » Cleaning

Housekeeping: The Power of Soap and Water

Courtney — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:57:00 +0000

Courtney is the perfect blend of 1950’s housewife and modern housewife. She keeps things simple. On her website, Homemaker Hero, she features tips and tricks of how things were done “back then” and applies them to modern living. You can also find Courtney on twitter @HomemakerHero.

Housekeeping: The Power of Soap and Water

If you’ve been following along every Tuesday, you’ve probably read my short bio that sits above the article. If you’ve read that, you’ll know that I am all about keeping things as simple as possible when it comes to all things homemaker. That’s how my grandmother did things and probably how your grandmother did things.

So many companies out there want us to believe their product is so much better than the basics. Isn’t there a different cleaner for every type of surface these days? When it comes to cleaning, there is no reason to pay store prices for chemicals that harm people when you breathe them in.

150 years ago, after dealing with mothers and infants who were dying from bacterial infections, doctors used soap and water for simple hand washing. They realized this technique was saving lives.

Soap and water remains one of the best defenses against germ-borne illnesses in hospitals and homes. Believe it or not, antibacterial soap is even less effective than using soap and water! In fact, it may even pose some potential risks.

There’s no longer a need for each surface of your home to have its own special cleaner. Get back to the basics with soap and water! Soap and water can actually take care of cleaning dishes, window screens, hand-washable silk materials, most hard-surfaces, floors, stainless steel sinks/appliances, and porcelain fixtures.

Where soap and water doesn’t do the job, there are plenty of other basic products to use for cleaning. They are all nontoxic, inexpensive, natural, and effective. Most of them are things you probably already have in your kitchen cabinet or pantry. Other cleaning remedies include using vinegar, salt, baking soda, or lemon juice.

I’m sure you know soap and water won’t clean the grime from your oven. Instead, combine 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 4 tablespoons of steamy water to create a paste-like soap. Apply it to the inside of your oven using a soft bristle brush – such as a toothbrush. Let it sit for one minute and then scrub it with the brush. Wash with water and a sponge until no traces of baking soda remain. For really tough grime, mix 1 cup salt, 1 cup baking soda, and 1 cup of water. Apply to inside of oven and then heat oven to 500 degrees and let it sit for 1 hour. Then wipe clean with a moist sponge and rinse well.

For a good all-purpose cleaner, combine 2 tablespoons of Borax, ¼ cup of lemon juice, and 2 cups of water. Dissolve Borax in the lemon juice and water. Then put it into a spray bottle and use it like you would a conventional all-purpose spray.

IMPORTANT: Don’t mix homemade cleaning products with conventional cleaners. Keep these and all cleaning products away from children. Keep large batches of cleaning products in tightly sealed containers or reusable spray bottles.

Find more helpful hints at Works for Me Wednesday.

Disclaimer: Treatments and cleaning methods are recommendations only from personal experience and research. Please use common sense in using these methods and understand that damage may occur to certain materials. HB World Media is not responsible for any damage that may occur due to the cleaning methods described.

How To Clean A Rug

Courtney — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:14:00 +0000

Housekeeping Heaven: How To Clean A Rug

Over the past few weeks I have discussed how to take care of your carpet and begin loving it again. I realize not every home has carpet flooring. Wood and vinyl flooring has become a popular trend in new homes because it’s easier to take care of.

That being said, many people who choose wood or vinyl flooring often buy rugs to decorate the living area, bathroom floors, and sometimes even bedside to keep their feet a bit warmer in the mornings when crawling out of bed. As a homemaker, I have been in home décor stores often enough to know that rugs are not cheap. If you choose to spend good money on a rug, you need to know how to properly take care of it.

There are three simple rules for taking care of your rug.

1. Do not beat your rug! You may have seen your grandmother or mother take a rug out back and beat it with a baseball bat to get it clean. Please do not do this to your rug! This can cause the woven threads to loosen and damage the back of the rug. If poorly made, your rug could separate completely from the backing with only one whack. The only rug that can tolerate a beating is a doormat.

2. Do not use carpet shampoos or sprays! Shampoos usually attract more dirt than they take away. Plus, the brushes from a shampoo machine can damage your rug. Never drench your rug with water as it could damage the backing of the rug and any floor surface underneath the rug. Carpet sprays have a tendency to discolor rugs. To spot clean, use a gentle stain solution when necessary. Your best bet for deep cleaning your rug is to have it professionally cleaned.

3. Vacuum your rug! Vacuuming is key to keeping your rug clean. It’s best to do it once a week and no less than once every two weeks. To vacuum your rug, you will need to vacuum the top side to remove excess dirt. Then flip over the rug and vacuum the backside. Finally, flip the rug back over and vacuum the top side once again. If your rug has fringe, do not use the beater bar on your vacuum! This will suck the fringe into the vacuum causing it to get caught around the beater bar and damaging the fringe and possibly even damaging your vacuum. If your vacuum comes with a curtain cleaning tool that allows you to adjust to a low setting, use this.

Of course, the best way to keep your rugs clean is to avoid stepping on them. Remove your shoes. Wearing socks or going barefoot is easier on the carpet than hard soled shoes or heels. Following these tips will help give extended life to your rug and allow it to look good year after year.

Next week, check out Housekeeping Heaven for “The Power of Soap and Water”. Make sure you don’t miss any of Courtney’s housekeeping and cleaning posts by getting our free updates now!

How To Treat Pet Stains

Courtney — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:18:00 +0000

On her website, Homemaker Hero, Courtney keeps things simple by blending the 1950s housewife with the modern housewife. She features tips and tricks of how things were done “back then” and applies them to modern living. You can also find Courtney on Twitter @HomemakerHero.

Housekeeping Heaven: How To Treat Pet Stains

Fact: Most puppies are cute. Fact: Puppies are suddenly less cute when you get them home and find out they aren’t potty trained. Fact: That’s gross. How do you control the stains and smells? Never fear! I have tips!

Try an enzyme product. You’ll find enzyme products at pet stores, RV or marine stores. They are used in the holding tanks to dissolve solid material. Pour enough over the stain to saturate the pad and the entire area twice as large as the stain. Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there. The urine hits the pad underneath the carpet and spreads. This is why you want to make sure to cover an area twice as large as the stain you do see from the surface. Let that sit for a couple of hours.

To work on the odor and any part of the stain left behind after the above treatment, baking soda and peroxide should take care of the rest. Mix 30/70 solution of peroxide to water adding ½ teaspoon of baking soda per cup of mixture. It will bubble and fizz, but it will also remove the stain and smell. Blot what you can with an old towel and rinse well with a 1/3 cup vinegar per quart of water.

Remember, peroxide is bleach and may discolor the carpet. Be sure to test a small hidden spot of carpet for colorfastness.

Wood and vinyl floors are generally easier to care for. This is why most people put their dogs in the kitchen or bathroom when they aren’t home and the puppy can’t wait for them to get home before needing to “go potty.”

For wood floors, gently scrape the floor to remove the solids. Wipe the area with a cloth dipped in warm sudsy water and then rinse with a cloth dipped in clear cool water. Wipe dry. Wax or polish as usual. Treat vinyl floors the same way.

Next week, check out Housekeeping Heaven for “How to Clean a Rug”. Make sure you don’t miss any of Courtney’s housekeeping and cleaning posts by getting our free updates now!

Disclaimer: Treatments are recommendations only from personal experience and research. Please use common sense in treating household stains and understand that damage may occur to certain materials. HB World Media is not responsible for any damage that may occur while treating your pet stains.

House Cleaning: Love Your Carpet (Part 2)

Courtney — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:44:00 +0000

House Cleaning: Treating Carpet Stains

Are your carpets loving you back yet? Still have some stubborn stains? Try some of these tricks!

Most food stains can be cleaned by spraying shaving cream over the stain and letting it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse with a vinegar and water solution. For more stubborn food stains, pull out some brake cleaner. Yes. Brake cleaner. Brake cleaner contains the same chemicals professional dry cleaners use to clean the stains on your clothing. Dab some on a clean cloth and blot the stain. Rinse with soap and water. Do NOT pour brake fluid directly onto the carpet.

Did someone spill red wine during that awesome party last weekend? While club soda generally gets rid of red wine, to remove any red stain (popsicles, juice, etc), mix a 30/70 solution of peroxide to water. Peroxide is a bleach so be sure to test it out on a small area if you have colored carpet. Wait 30 minutes after applying the mixture and then blot to remove as much moisture as possible. Rinse with a vinegar/water solution. If needed, apply a little more peroxide to a new mixture and try again.

There is an over the counter product called Desolvit that works wonders on other carpet trouble. It works great for grease, oil, ink (including magic marker), and even gum. For gum, I recommend freezing the gum with ice cubes and break it away from the carpet with the dull side of a knife. Then Desolvit will take care of the rest.

Dripping candle got you down? Freeze the wax spill with ice cubes and chip it off using the dull side of a knife. You will need heat for total removal. Test a small area before using heat as some newer carpets are sensitive and can scorch easily. I recommend using a hair dryer on the hottest setting. If using an iron, set it to a low to medium heat. The less heat you use, the less scorching to your carpet. Take a white paper towel or paper bag with no writing on it (the dye can bleed into the carpet). Put the towel down on top of the wax and iron the towel for no longer than two seconds. Move the towel and redo if necessary. Generally once is enough.

Next week, check out Housekeeping Heaven for “How to Treat Pet Stains”. Make sure you don’t miss any of Courtney’s housekeeping and cleaning posts by getting our free updates now!

House Cleaning: Love Your Carpet (Part 1)

Courtney — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:57:00 +0000

House Cleaning: Love Your Carpet

Let’s start this one off with a little brain tease. Close your eyes (slightly opening them enough to read the rest of this article). Think about a piece of sand paper. Now think about the dirt on the bottom of your shoe and how it can be just as rough as that piece of sand paper.

Now think about your oily skin – especially when sweaty. Now think about the bottom of your bare feet and how much oil and sweat secretes from there on a daily basis. Just those two things alone explain so much when you wonder why your carpets can’t get clean.

The first step to loving your carpet is to wear socks or slippers around the house. You are now a socks and slippers gal. Your carpet will love you back for this one.

You will also need to vacuum regularly and avoid using liquid shampoos on your carpet. The liquid shampoo cannot be completely rinsed out and leaves a sticky residue that attracts all that shoe grime and various other things that come in contact with it.

Use a carpet cleaner that cleans with water only. Mix 1 cup vinegar for every 2 ½ gallons of water and clean according to directions. Go over the carpet again with warm water only. The vinegar will help pull out the grime the old shampoo left behind. You will probably need to do this a few times to see complete results, but your carpets will once again feel soft and grime-free.

Treating Carpet Stains

Never rub a stain! Just blot. Rubbing breaks down fibers and just smears it everywhere. Got food stains? Break out the shaving cream and spray it over the stain. Do NOT rub in the shaving cream. Just let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse with a vinegar and water solution.

Need more cleaning tips? Come back next week for more carpet cleaning tips or visit Works for Me Wednesday! In the meantime, you can read How Do I Set Up a Housekeeping Plan?

How to Clean a Gas BBQ Grill (Video)

Homemaker Barbi - Danelle Ice — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 09:57:00 +0000

This short video shows how to clean a gas grill or bbq in such an easy way, you’ll be wondering why you haven’t cleaned yours lately! These quick methods will teach you how to clean a barbecue grill in 15 minutes, even after just finishing grilling your food for a cookout.

The only supplies you’ll need to clean your barbecue are:

aluminum foil
grill brush
nonstick cooking spray

(Subscribers will need to click through to this article to watch the video.)

A Little Cleaning Goes a Long Way

Courtney — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:57:00 +0000

Visit Courtney’s site, Homemaker Hero, for more homemaker tips. She blends the 1950s housewife with the modern housewife to create the perfect blend of homemaker simplicity. You can also friend Courtney on Twitter @HomemakerHero.

A Little Cleaning Goes a Long Way

There’s an unspoken rule that housewives cook, clean, and take care of the kids. There will be a day (if you’re not there already) when you, as a parent, will be too busy for housekeeping. There’s a simple organizing trick that works for housekeeping when you’re just too busy but still want your home looking tidy.

Take a look at your desk (if you have one). Imagine how tidy it would look if you put pens in a jar and stack up the paperwork. Not only does it look more tidy, but it’s somewhat organized by putting like items together. You can use this same trick throughout your home. It makes it a lot easier to go back and finish up the job when you do have the time without feeling overwhelmed.

While it’s up to you how you want to go through and organize your mess, here are three easy tips to get you started:

1. Instead of the mess of dishes on your kitchen countertop, try stacking them in the sink. Sure it’s just two more steps to wash them and load them into the dishwasher – but you don’t have time for that. Just stack them in the sink and reduce the appearance of clutter on the countertops. Give the countertop a quick wipe down if you have time.

2. In your bedroom, gather all of your dirty clothes and put them into the laundry basket. Then make your bed. While you may still have clutter, you will be amazed how much better the room feels just by having linens off the floor and your bed not looking like you just rolled out of it.

3. For toy rooms (which could include the living room), I recommend that the first child who suggests going outside or doing something other than playing with the toys (like watching a DVD), should be the one to clean up the toys. A nice big wicker basket or plastic storage container does wonders in the living room. Kids are able to play with toys and still have a place to store them neatly.

Using this method, what are some other ways you can think of to make a room in your home look a little better without consuming all of your time to do it?

Next week, check out Housekeeping Heaven for “Love Your Carpet”. Get all of Courtney’s housekeeping and cleaning posts by getting our free updates now! Learn how to subscribe here. Find more helpful tips at Works for Me Wednesday.

How to Clean Refrigerator Coils (Video)

Homemaker Barbi - Danelle Ice — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 09:57:00 +0000

You probably already know that keeping the coils of your refrigerator clean will allow you to cut your energy use down and lower your utility bills. What you might not know is how to clean refrigerator coils properly.

This project is much easier than you might think, and should be done every 3 months to keep your refrigerator in tip top shape (and lower your household expenses). The video below shows how to clean a refrigerator’s coils. (Subscribers will have to click through to this article to watch the video.)

How to Clean Your Garage

Courtney — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:35:00 +0000

How To Clean Your Garage

While you might believe your bathroom is the ickiest place in your home, there’s one other place with just as much grime. Your garage! While I won’t go as far as polishing my water heater, I know my garage does deserve some TLC.

The garage area gets dumped on a lot. From asphalt, gravel, and leaves from the outdoors to car oil and fuel from your vehicle, the garage is a pretty dirty place! It’s up to you how often you maintain a clean garage. It could be a monthly sweep or seasonal overhaul. Bottom line – it needs cleaned.

For some, a seasonal overhaul works best when your garage is used as personal storage space. It’s not as easy to move out boxes of junk as it is to move out a lawnmower and back up your vehicle.

Easy Steps for Cleaning a Garage

That being said, moving everything out of your garage is the first step to cleaning it. Once you’ve moved it all out, get a broom and knock down all the spider and cob webs from the ceilings and walls.

Next, wipe down the walls and shelves with a dry rag. Do NOT get drywall wet.
Sweep the floor with a broom. You can put this dirt into your compost heap if it is free of oil, fluids, and other chemicals.
Wash down concrete floors with a bucket of water (or hose it down if available) just enough to wet the floor. Sweep dry with a big push broom.

For those spills and gunk build up, rinse with buckets of water (or the hose) making sure to remove debris from corners. Go green by using a bucket of nonpetroleum, rapidly biodegradeable soap and water. Then let the floor air-dry. Most garages are built on a slight angle so water will flow outside and your garage will dry quickly.

Maintaining Your Furnace and Water Heater

There are two other areas (usually found in the garage) that need some maintenance: furnace and water heater.

Make sure the areas around your furnace are cleared of clutter, for safety and easy access. Most maintenance contracts include two house callas a year to make sure everything is working properly with your furnace and air conditioner. In addition, change your furnace filter once a month, especially if you have pets.

Wrap up your water heater. If your water heater gets a chill, it works harder to provide you with warm water (costing you more money). A tank wrap is a thick piece of insulating material or reflective metal film that can reduce your standby heat loss up to 45 percent (according to the U.S. Department of Energy). You should also cover the first few feet of piping from the heater with pipe insulation. You can find all of these materials at hardware stores.

Next week, check out Housekeeping Heaven for “A Little Cleaning Goes a Long Way”. Get more tips and inspiration at Homemaker Mondays and Works for Me Wednesday.

4th of July Holiday Housekeeping

Courtney — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:57:00 +0000

Housekeeping Heaven: 4th of July Holiday Housekeeping

While your family is boasting over 4th of July parades, bonfires and fireworks, you might be silently praying that they’ll all agree to go somewhere public rather than invite over your friends and family on the 4th.

Holiday housekeeping is at the top of the “most dreaded” list for most homemakers. In reality, holiday housekeeping is the easiest cleaning you’ll ever do because you don’t have to do all of it!

Let’s think about the holiday parties you’ve been invited to. Have you honestly ever gone through someone’s entire house (including closets and dresser drawers) and complained that it wasn’t spotless? Probably not. If you have children, have you ever walked into some other child’s bedroom and expected it to be neat and tidy? Definitely not.

Unless you have a friend or family member that has serious Mysophobia (fear of germs), you won’t have to worry about it either. Your friends and family are there to have fun – not rummage through your home wearing white gloves.

4 Tips for Fourth of July House Cleaning

1. Start by making a list of the obvious high traffic areas that your guests will be viewing. Estimate how much time it will take you to clean each area. This way, you will know if you should schedule an entire afternoon or the entire day prior to the party to get it done. Check things off your list as you complete tasks and you’ll feel that much better about all that there is to do.

2. Delegate tasks. Your list won’t seem to overwhelming if others pitch in to help. Only delegate tasks to other household members if they are capable of doing that task in a timely manner. For example, do not delegate the task of cleaning mirrors to your daughter if she is easily distracted by her own reflection. This is housekeeping – not acting school.

3. Think ahead. Plan the food menu days ahead so that you can get a head start on the cooking and baking. If a cookout is your thing, remember you can make pasta salads, cookies, pies, and more ahead of time (and reheat the day of if needed). This will save you time on party day.

Try to spread out your to do list as much as possible. You will drive yourself crazy if you try to do all of the cooking and cleaning the day of the party. If you plan on polishing silverware or need to put the leaf in the table, these are tasks that can be done prior to cleaning day.

4. Keep it simple. I know some holiday parties are going to require more detail than others, but stick to the norm as much as possible. In other words, don’t bother digging out the fine china and family heirloom silverware when you host a backyard barbeque. Don’t worry about cleaning your teenager’s bedroom when you plan to host the party in the living and kitchen areas. Close all of the doors to the rooms you will not be using during the party.

However, do put a sign on the bathroom door to make it easier for your guests to find it when you direct them down the hallway to do their business. Don’t bother cleaning rooms that you don’t plan to use during the party – unless you have the time and just want to. This is about having fun! You won’t have any fun at all if you wear yourself out beforehand.

Enjoy yourself and your guests will enjoy your 4th of July party.

Next week, check out Housekeeping Heaven for “How to Clean Your Garage”. Make sure you don’t miss any of Courtney’s housekeeping and cleaning posts by getting our free updates now! Learn more about how to subscribe.

Get more helpful tips at Works for Me Wednesday. Photo by stock.xchng.

Homemaker Barbi » Cleaning

Housekeeping: The Power of Soap and Water

Housekeeping: The Power of Soap and Water

Related Articles:

How To Clean A Rug

Housekeeping Heaven: How To Clean A Rug

Related Articles:

How To Treat Pet Stains

Housekeeping Heaven: How To Treat Pet Stains

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House Cleaning: Love Your Carpet (Part 2)

House Cleaning: Treating Carpet Stains

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House Cleaning: Love Your Carpet (Part 1)

House Cleaning: Love Your Carpet

Treating Carpet Stains

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How to Clean a Gas BBQ Grill (Video)

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A Little Cleaning Goes a Long Way

A Little Cleaning Goes a Long Way

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How to Clean Refrigerator Coils (Video)

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How to Clean Your Garage

How To Clean Your Garage

Easy Steps for Cleaning a Garage

Maintaining Your Furnace and Water Heater

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4th of July Holiday Housekeeping

Housekeeping Heaven: 4th of July Holiday Housekeeping

4 Tips for Fourth of July House Cleaning

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