Longer Lasting Razor Blades

 

     My son told me several months ago that water is the reason razor blades dull so quickly because the alkali in water wears the blade down. He said he has been using the same blade for a year now where before he was buying a pack of ten of them every few months. Jason has a heavy beard so he is a good test and he is right. One blade has lasted me 3 months so far and it's still quite sharp. Rather than rinsing off my blade I just pound it against the sink then wipe the blade dry with my towel. I also leave the cap off to make sure the blade doesn't build up moisture from shower steam. If you have small children be sure to tuck your blade in a drawer and not leave it on the counter where they can cut themselves. I purchase the more expensive blades as I found cheap ones nicked me and lasted about 2 shavings if that much. 

 

    Now just think of the savings to Mother Earth. One person does make a difference. With the number of mops I've sold so far, I've kept over 125,000 mops out of the landfill so far. When you multiple a pack of razor blades every six months by the say 100 million people who probably use them,  it's easy to see the savings to Mother Earth. Just this one small step reduces power wastage for manufacturing; packaging material including trees being cut down for shipping boxes; toxic ink used to print the packages and finally fuel for shipping to the distribution centers then again to the stores. Let me put it this way. If each person is buying a pack of blades every six months multiplied by 100 million people that is 2 billion - yes 2 billion razor blades a year that are not being thrown into the landfills. And that is just one very small way each of us can have a huge impact on Mother Earth plus save a bundle of money. I'll give you more sustainable living tips in future blogs.

 

     For more green cleaning tips be sure to visit my website www.goclean.com. Mary Findley copyright @ 2010.

   First Step to a Clean Home

 

     I started out the New Year determined to post daily memos on a step by step process to clean your home from top to bottom this year. I am now finding my tips posted on other websites without giving me proper credit. My content is copied word for word so I'm forced to stop this series. Instead I'll write a downloadable ebook. It will take time to complete but I promise I'll get it done. In the meantime read my book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning." It will give you a good start.  

   

    The very first step before you start any cleaning job is to refresh your cleaning supplies. Do you have a tote tray or are you trying to use an apron? Please stop using aprons. Triggers on bottles do get bumped and the spray damages furniture. Besides the additional weight around your neck slows you down and is literally a pain in the neck. Don't use them.

     If you don't know where or how to start putting a kit together this is the time to consider my Precision Cleaning Kit. This kit comes complete with various towels for dusting, cleaning windows, bathrooms, kitchen and floors. It includes my CleanEz concentrated all purpose cleaner, Benya, my streak free window cleaner and a signed copy of my book. Come Feb 5th, the kit prices go up. My free shipping will also go from a $100 purchase to $125. 

    Plus on my site you will find a list of the rest of the items you need for your kit, which are cheaper at the grocery store. Click on my website the click "my system" at the top. Clicking on the Precision Cleaning Kit above will also get you there.

     Now that your kit is ready to go, start by reading my blog from January 1^st forward to learn the beginning steps to cleaning your home. Don't put this off any longer as the weather will be warming up and the call of the sun will beckon you outside.    

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2010 All rights reserved worldwide.

A Proper Finish for Closets

I hope you have been doing your push ups and pumping iron because it takes a bit more muscle to haul those heavier boxes out of the bottom of closets.

Pull the boxes or whatever out of your closet, one box at a time. Start with whatever is closest to the door. Okay so your closet has sliding doors so which door am I talking about right? With sliding doors clean the closet like you do a room and that is from left to right. Whatever has been hiding in those dark corners get it out and go through it. Go through boxes and things with the GTS - not GPS but GTS. That is my acronym for Give, Toss or Sell idea. Anything that hasn't been used for 5 years goes - unless like I said earlier, it is high quality and could become tomorrow's antique.

As you pull out boxes, wipe down the carpet next to the baseboards with a damp cloth. If you live in a humid or rainy area get nose to nose with your carpet and sniff for any signs of mold or mildew. If you do smell mold or mildew you must find the source of the moisture and resolve the problem before you have major mold infestation. You might need to clear everything out of the closet and pull the carpet back to treat the carpet backing as well as the floor and carpet. Usually a good dousing with undiluted food grade distilled white vinegar will kill mold and mildew. Never use bleach.

For those of you fortunate enough to live in a drier area, after you have pulled out the first box or grouping of "things" then pull out the next batch. Remember the GTS as you work your way around the closet. Once you have everything out of the bottom of the closet and have wiped the baseboards and carpet next to the boards, vacuum and return what you are going to keep. Step back and give yourself a pat on the back. Better yet, give yourself a bigger boost and get down on the floor to stretch. Those boxes were heavy and your muscles need the stretch.

Your "home"work for the next 3 days is to finish the other closets. I'm still pretty swamped with getting information together for these magazine articls but I'll try to drop back in for a boost of encouragement.

This article may only be copied giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright 2010 all rights reserved world wide.

More on Closet Cleaning

It's already time to tuck my tail and make a confession. I promised I would post a blog everyday to keep you encouraged on your house cleaning adventures. As you can see it's easy to get behind. Even being tired and having 2 author signings in the past 3 days and information to get ready for a couple of articles is no excuse to sluff off this project and ignore you.

After you finish cleaning the top shelf, it's time to tackle the bottom shelf or shelves. Continue pulling everything off those shelves and discard, give away or put in a garage sale anything you no longer need. If you have the top shelves done and don't have any other shelves in your closet to do then take this time to tackle your linen closet. Yes that has to be done too.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright 2010 all rights reserved world wide.

Third Day of Closet Cleaning

Be prepared with the dust masks because today you pull down what is on the shelves of closet number one and the dust is going to fly. Have an old rag handy sprayed with my diluted CleanEz or your all purpose cleaner. Start with the top most shelf then the next shelf down. As you remove boxes, clean the lids, sides and wipe down the shelf. People tend to wipe down shelves after they have been completely cleared. Stop that. All you achieve is to scatter the dust on that shelf to your clothing or the floor. Who wants dust mites on their clothes? Hopefully not you. Wipe off the shelves.

Go through these boxes and take to Goodwill what is no longer useful and toss anything that can't be taken to Goodwill. If any of your closets contain used computer equipment take that equipment to a company in your area who recycles computers. Many communities have them now. Just make sure your computer has been totally erased. Replace the boxes and move to the next shelf if you have two shelves in the closet.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com. Copyright 2010 all rights reserved worldwide.

CLOSETS CLEANING CONTINUED

Today your goal is to go through the second closet and remove little used clothing. Yes it seems like I'm bouncing around but if you have picked up the clutter on the floor chances are a good part of that clutter is clothing. Thanks to New York City Mold removal for pointing out in their post that clearing out unusedcloset items makes room for the clutter you just picked up.

It may seem a bit strange that I'm not having you go through one closet at a time to thoroughly clean it. There is nothing that motivates me more than to walk into any room of a home and see progress. It's easy to visualize the overall picture of how your home will sparkle when we complete our year of duty if you see progress in every room. Besides if you focus on just your bedroom closet, the kids are going to whine when you get them started on theirs if they have to work on them every day. This way they have a few days break between their bedroom chores making cooperation a bit easier to gain. Yes I know the kid's rooms should be their private space. So give them the choice of them doing it all by themselves or having your help. The excess goes and the clutter gets picked up. Period.

This article may only be reprinted referencing Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. copyright 2010 all rights reserved worldwide.

Clean the Closet

A clean home doesn't happen haphazardly. There is a method to cleaning and that means starting at the back of rooms and cleaning your way out the door. What good does it do to clean a bedroom then tackling the closet later. You end up pulling the dirt from the closet onto your clean bedroom floor and scattering dust and dirt everywhere.

So today you get to go through all those old boxes and clothes you haven't worn for the last 5 years and give them to Goodwill or hand them down. Remember if you have fine clothing they could be tomorrow's antique. Eye what you give away carefully. It's going to take a couple of hours per closet to get them thoroughly cleaned out so we'll do this a step at a time. After we do the first closet I'll post small notes like I did on clutter cleanup days to give you time to plow through all your bedroom closets. We'll do hall and pantry closets later. So for today, rummage through your clothes that are hanging up and pull out the discards.

Remember to pick up a copy of my book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning" to learn my Precision Cleaning tips and to have access to the best stain removal guide ever. My book is your guide to becomming a Mary Moppins greener cleaner.

This article may only be copied giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright 2010 all rights reserved worldwide.

Air Freshener Warnings

Do you have the clutter under control? I have a confession to make. Although the rest of my home is tidy, my home office looks like - well you really don't want to know do you? The guilt started setting in as I typed my first three messages of our year long love affair for a totally clean home. After only a couple hours sweating, papers are filed, old books taken to Goodwill and my desk saw daylight for the first time in two years. Hey, I even fixed part of my bookcase that had broken.

As I was tossing things out I ran across an air freshener I used once for a seminar presentation. Folks kick the air freshener habit and get rid of those toxic things. Most of them work in one of two ways. They either numb your sinuses so you can no longer smell odors or they cover odors with toxic fragrances. Either way they are not healthy and probably causing a multitude of health issues. Switch to an enzyme based air freshener like Pure Ayre. Better yet sprinkle just a little cinnamon in your carpet and open the window.

Tomorrow we start tackling projects like closets so if your clothes are strung around the bedroom - get moving!

This article may only be copied giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright 2010 all rights reserved worldwide.

Pillows and Sinus Problems

Time for confessions. How many of you have cleared the clutter out of at least 2 rooms and hopefully 3 to 4? Not even started yet? Even after I talked about the health issues including sinus problems caused by dust mites, mold and mildew? You have today and tomorrow to get that clutter out of your home. After that we start other heavy duty cleaning jobs. This is a full year of a boot camp cleaning regime and at the end you will have one clean home.

Speaking of sinus congestions - are you suffering from a stuffy nose or headaches? Try switching pillows. It wasn't until I went to the Midwest to care for my parents for a month and a half this past fall that I realized my pillow was causing severe sinus congestion. I was gone long enough that my sinuses cleared up. After I was intentionally hit head on 7 years ago, I bought one of those latex foam pillows with the high bumps that supposedly supports your neck. Either the latex foam caused the sinus problems or the height of the pillow was pushing my neck into such a contorted position that my sinuses could not properly drain at night. It was probably a combination of the two. I switched pillows and my sinus problems vanished. Before you consume any more sinus medication, take a serious look at your pillow. If it's older, then dust mites might be the culprit. People are allergic to latex so that might be your problem or it could be that the pillow has your neck out of whack. Switch pillows for a month and see what happens.

See you tomorrow!

This article may only be rewritten by giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright 2010 all rights reserved worldwide.

Why Clutter Control?

 

     When was the last time you were around a two year old? Mommy why does a cat meow? Why do we have toes on our feet? After my first post yesterday you may want to ask why you have to clean up the clutter.

 

     My purpose in spending the next 5 or 6 days pumping you full of information like this is to give you time to get the rest of the clutter picked up in each room of your home. If I continue to give you cleaning projects each day, you won't have time to pick up the rest of your home so you'll end up quitting my 365 day regime to become a Mary Moppins greener cleaner. I like success stories and you are going to be one of them. So here's the down and dirty of clutter.  

 

     Clutter is not just unsightly but it's a breeding ground for dust mites. Ever wonder why you get headaches or a stuffy nose at home? Clutter could be your culprit. Mold and mildew also love growing in dark damp places like under clutter. And you wonder why your carpet smells. Sniff no further for the answer. Now why are you sitting at your computer instead of clearing out a room? Get moving!

 

This article may only be reprinted giving credit to Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com. Copyright 2010 all rights reserved worldwide.

Greener Cleaner Home

My first post of the year promised daily short tips on turning you into one mean, green, speed cleaning machine. Okay so that was 13 days ago and I'm just getting started on my New Years resolution. I ended up Jan 2nd on a long road trip to do a trade show and typically got behind in my postings. Does that sound familiar? You meant to get the kitchen cleaned up and you ended up sidetracked by other matters? So am I forgiven? No? Well hang on because you are in for 365 days of pure cleaning mania.

Day one: So we all get sidetracked - get over it and I mean that literally. Learn to stay focused. For the next 20 minutes your goal is to stay focused on just this one task. Grab a large box or three if the boxes are small. Trash bags will do but boxes are faster to stuff so you can pick up clutter faster. Set the timer for 20 minutes and go pick up the clutter in the most cluttered room in your home.

Keep a fast pace. Working quickly is good for your heart and doubles the amount of clutter you pick up. Fudging, whining and stopping to read a magazine or watch TV is not allowed. Cram all the clutter you can into that box during the first 15 minutes. The last 5 minutes you will put away, give away or toss everything in that box. You must use the full 20 minutes.The idea is to establish the habit of tackling one chore for a set period of time. If one room only takes you 8 minutes then go to the next room. The important step here is to stay focused for the full 20 minutes.

See you tomorrow - I need to go pick up the clutter I left in the garage after getting home from this trade show.

If you are just beginning to read this series please see my post of Feb 3rd.

This article may only be reprinted by referencing Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. All rights reserved world wide.

SIX STEPS FOR AFTER HOLIDAY CLEANUP

 

     This year I have vowed to post a short blog each day to help you organize and do little daily tasks to keep you ahead of harder cleaning jobs. And you'll learn easy ways to gently on Mother Earth. Toss in a few tidbits about improving your health and you have your New Years resolutions written for you. Not only am I going to post every day on my blog but I've resolved to get the rest of my articles posted on my website by the end of Feb. So stay tuned.

 

      Okay so what does all this have to do with a bad case of post holiday cleanup blues? Well I never was a great fan of blues music – give me Salsa and make mine hot. So put on some spicy music and let's get the decorations down and the dust bunnies tamed.  

    

     When you take down your Christmas tree surround it with plenty of plastic or old sheets. Most trees are cut so early they have to be spray painted to keep the color green. Unless you are Irish or like green, cover your flooring or the dye from these trees could stain.

Here are six quick tips for post holiday clean-up:

1) Stay focused – distractions double your work time. You have my permission to let the phone ring. And leave the cup of coffee as a treat for finishing the job.  

2) Set a goal. If you know it takes an hour to dismantle the decorations in the living room, set your timer for 50 minutes and go.  

3) Keep your cleaning tote tray with a diluted bottle of all purpose cleaner - you'll find a good one on my website at www.goclean.com and a terry towel near you. Don't forget the trash bag. Then when you come across a missed stain or an unexpected mess you are ready, without wasting time running to the garage for your cleaner or to dispose of trash. Eliminate trips.  

4) Work a room left to right and top to bottom. Tackling a room haphazard wastes time. Any accumulated dust from wall decorations or pictures tumbles downward. So remove decorations and dust top to bottom. The one exception is the tree. It has first place on your to do list.    

5) Yes dust and vacuum at the same time you take down decorations. Tuck a 100% cotton towel like a baby diaper dusting cloth  into your back pocket. Spray it with a wood care product and you have a fast easy way to dust your furniture. Got glass? Then spray a lint free towel with our Benya and tuck it into your other back pocket to quickly clean any glass you come across.

6) Get the entire family involved. I'm a huge stickler for insisting the kids help. Even 2 and 3 year olds can put away decorations and help pick up trash. As a grandparent I don't hesitate to hand my 5 year old granddaughter a dusting cloth and ask her to dust the living room or put the broom handle in the grasp of my 3 year old grandson and show him how to do the kitchen floor. He turns it into a galloping horse but the floor still gets swept.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2010 All rights reserved worldwide.

Cool Tools Post

 

Many thanks to Katie Bretsch for her post about my mop on the wonderful website Cool Tools. You can read her review here. http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004132.php

Cut Heating Bills

 

     The cold weather found me picking up the phone to get an idea of prices for the newer energy saving windows. The furnace was running continuously even set at 67. The temperature dropped to 9 degrees and I was shivering against the cold draft coming through the windows. The cost of new windows is just not affordable right now and besides they can't be installed in the Artic climate that hit our area.  

 

     Super insulator: Knowing cardboard is a a super insulator and having an abundance of it in my attic for shipping purpose, it took about 30 mintues at no cost to cover the windows. The temperature in the rooms immediately rose 5 degrees ane the funace quieted it's motor for the first time in a month.  

 

     It looks like I'm living in an igloo in the far northern stretches of Alaska and the cardboard is not my favorite cjhoice for window covering, but it's working. I'm warmer, my wallet will thank me and Mother Earth is smiling with the additional energy savings. If you live in a cold area and need some extra winter warmth, head out to find large sheets of the heavier weight cardboard and tuck those behind your blinds in the windows. Large shipping boxes from stores like U-Haul are ideal. They are heavier and one box, cut in half length-wise covers most of a window or sliding glass door. 

 

     Do the kids need something to keep their fingers busy since they house bound from this recent snow storm? Grab the crayons and let them have a ball coloring or making up their own board games on the large sheets of cardboard. 

 

This article may only be copied giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website Mary Moppins at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009

BEAT THE FLU

 

Beat the flu season this year by using some of the wisdom from our grandmothers. Here are a few ideas to help you avoid and prevent colds and flu. First need I remind you to wash your hands and face as soon as you return home? It's the #1 way to prevent illness. If you are out with people who are ill, wash your hands before you leave the building or carry hand sanitizer in your car.  Do not touch your face and keep your fingers out of your nose. Your nose contains staff germs that are easily spread to other parts of your body.

 

Here are some handy tips from my acupuncturist:

*Head to the health food store for a container of sea salt. Sea salt contains valuable earth minerals often lacking from our diets. Those minerals promote wellness in your body year round. Warm some water and stir in a fourth teaspoon of sea salt. Gargle three times a week swallowing some of the water. Warm salt water washes virus down to your stomach where the virus cannot live. Gargle 3 to 4 times a day at the beginning of the onset of the flu or cold.    

*Use a Q-Tip dipped in the warm salt water and swab your nostrils. This removes any virus that may be waiting to attack.

*Blow your nose heartily once a day to remove virus and mucus that harbor germs.

*Do not drink cold orange juice to get rid of colds and flu. In fact don't drink cold anything when you feel a cold or flu attacking. Drink warm liquids only to flush the virus out of your throat.

*A question was asked at one of our Chamber of Commerce meetings as to why flu was more prevelant during the winter months and not in the summer. A naturopath said it is because we are not in the sun everyday absorbing Vitamin D. He recommended taking additional Vitamin D every day to continue nature's natural resistence. Do be careful not to overdoes with Vit. D. It can have negative health issues. Check with your doctor of course.

 

Diet: *This is from Mary: Raise the alkaline level of your body. Sorry but give up the sugar, wheat, non-organic dairy, beef and processed foods. They are all acidic foods and are linked to various cancers and other serious ailments including celaic sprue if you eat wheat bread. Feeling sluggish or you just don't feel good most of the time? Give up wheat products for a month. I have a feeling you will notice a big difference.

 

Virus, including most cancer viruses, cannot live in an alkaline body. Eat lots of fresh fruit and veggies including a salad every day with dark greens. Stick with apples, prunes, and purple, orange and red fruits and veggies. Fresh fruits and veggies contain enzymes, which help with digestion and the natural elimination of bad bacteria.

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com copyright @2009 worldwide

 

 

FRESH LOOK ON MARY MOPPINS

 

     I'm finally back from caring for my folks so please forgive the long absence of blogs. My father took quite ill and I needed to care for my parents. Of course the leaves were falling, the house needed a thorough "Mary Cleaning" and my company business was put aside to care for my parents. I totally treasured the time I spent with them and now it's time to get back to business.

     Yea my new website is finally up and running. Have you been there yet? No? Then go take a look at www.goclean.com. I have several new additions to my cleaning tips  many of which I'm still writing and yes behind in getting them written as well. There is a community room where you can view my new videos, connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and Plaxo. I have a search page up at the top for an easy way to find your favorite product. My "site" page is up and will direct you immediately to the information you need to find.    

     Holiday Cleaning Tips: Last year I posted several holiday cleaning guides on this blog so I won't repeat an otherwise excellent cleaning reference for the holidays. From the archives selections at the right side, click on 2008 and scroll down to Tuesday November 11. That is an article on preventing house fires. Then keep going upwards for my holiday cleaning tips guides. This is the 10 days of cleaning I did last year. People constantly ask me for a cleaning guide this time of year. Or sometimes they just need a Mary Findley refresher course. 

     Be sure to pick up my book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning" from either me or a bookstore for the complete lowdown on Green Cleaning and a complete stain removal guide that will get you through the holidays with ease and speed. These books make wonderful gifts for your kids and grandkids who are just getting out on their own or for those who just want the latest lowdown on efficient green cleaning. 

     Most important don't forget to email me from my website if you have any questions. I'm here to help.   

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website Go Clean at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

CLEANING BABY'S NURSERY     

 

Toxic Chemicals: Always remember that the toxic effects of chemicals hit a baby or young child harder than they do adults because they are so small. Keeping a baby safe from the effects of toxic cleaners yet their room clean requires a bit of diligence and know how.

 

Disinfect: Babies put things in their mouths. Please make certain your baby's pacifiers, sippy cups, teething rings etc are not made in China as many of these products contain lead. Never disinfect baby items with bleach or standard disinfectants. Disinfectants other than food grade distilled white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are laden with toxic chemicals that cause far more serious ailments than the germs they supposedly kill.

 

     Make sure your vinegar is food grade otherwise it is made from petroleum. Vinegar has been proven to kill more germs than bleach. To sanitize your baby's pacifiers, teething rings and sippy cup lids, soak them in a 50/50 solution of water to vinegar. Then wipe them down with hydrogen peroxide and rinse with water. Don't even think of outsmarting my system and mix the vinegar and peroxide together. The two mixed together neutralize the germ killing ability of the other.

 

Disinfect:Vinegar and peroxide are the best way to clean and disinfect baby's room and things like diaper pails. Wipe down surfaces with the vinegar solution followed by the peroxide. Always date your peroxide when you purchase it. Any peroxide more than six months old has deteriorated past its prime. Use old peroxide to remove spit up off baby's clothes or instead of bleach in your washer.

 

Essential Oil: When cleaning baby's room with the vinegar solution add a drop of Pine or Rosemary essential oil. They are excellent cleaners as well as deodorizers, disinfectants and antiseptics. When you purchase essential oils buy only organic, Therapeutic, cold-pressed oils. Make certain they don't contain filler oils and store the remaining bottle in the refrigerator in a closed container. For more information on essential oils and cleaning tips, grab a copy of my book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning."

 

     When washing baby's cloths and blankets, do not use fabric softeners or dryer sheets as the chemicals soak into their skin and cause irritations. Instead pour 2/3 of a cup of food grade distilled white vinegar into the cup dispenser for fabric softener. It's cheaper, works better and won't soak into the skin where it can build up and cause health issues later in life.      

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

Tough Kitchen Cleaning Jobs

   

   My high hopes of having my website ready in July got dashed with the onset of a few glitches. Hopefully these will be resolved within the next 2 to 3 weeks. So stay tuned for specials.

 

 Smelly Drains: Most of us ignore discussions of smelly drains like we avoid discussions of hemorrhoids. Hum – that is a rather good analogy of smelly drains. You do need a bit of "Preparation" (leave off the H) so head thee to the grocery store for a cotton toilet bowl brush, a sink brush and bottle brush then to a pet store for a bottle of Nature's Miracle and my website for a bottle of CleanEz.

 

  Clean the drain pipes:  First empty the cabinet under the sink. I heard those groans, do it anyway. Get a bucket, one that doesn't leak, and stick it under the drain. Remove the pipe and clean it and the trap. Use the thinner bottle brush dipped in a quart of water adding a cap of CleanEz (CleanEz now carries the EPA seal and can't be beat for cleaning showers, toilets, counter tops and stains) and one-forth cup of food grade distilled white vinegar. Scrub the pipes as far as you can reach with the bottle brush. Replace the pipe and contents of the cabinet minus anything that has not been used for the last year. I thought you might like that new found storage space.

 

 Odors in the disposal: Next take the sink brush and dip it in the CleanEz solution and sprinkle the brush with baking soda. Scrub the disposal. Dip the cotton toilet bowl brush in the Nature's Miracle and swab the sides of the disposal and let that set an hour or so. The enzymes in the Nature's Miracle will "eat" away the rest of the debris on the sides of the drain.

 

    Pour half a cup of Nature's Miracle down each drain at night before you go to bed. The enzymes will "eat" any food debris that might clog your drains without adding to toxins that all too often are dumped down the drains. Then at the 1^st of every month clean the disposal as above (minus the under cabinet cleaning) and pour Nature's Miracle down the drain to prevent clogs. No it doesn't work for tree roots.

 

     This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

     Green Clean your Bathroom 

 

     Toilet bowl rings: Rid your toilet bowls of rings, rust and iron with our non-scratching Erase-It for Bathrooms. It's fast and will not scratch like pumice stones. Once your toilet is clean, treat it with Advantage, our waterless wash and protectant for vehicles. Advantage contains polymers, which make a surface slick. Nothing sticks to a slick surface. You will zip through bathroom toilets from now on.

 

     Next turn the water off at the back of the toilet and flush to remove the water from your tank. Scrub the toilet good with straight distilled vinegar and a stiff bristle brush. This will kill and remove mold or mildew as well as clean the tank to discourage stains from attacking your toilet. Sponge the vinegar on the tank and let it set, wipe a second time 5 minutes later and start scrubbing.

 

     Water Spots on Glass Shower Doors: There are two choices you have for removing water spots on glass shower doors and soap buildup on shower stalls. One is to boil some straight food grade distilled white vinegar and wipe it on every 5 minutes 20 to 30 minutes. Then scrub with baking soda and a non-abrasive scrub pad. The other is to use our TerraPlus that is on sale. Wipe it on, wait 5 to 8 minutes and scrub with the non-abrasive pad to remove. Neither can be used on marble, granite or Corian surfaces.

 

     People ask me how to clean mold and mildew from the flexible grout around shower doors. You can't. It must be replaced. After removing the grout, clean the surface first then wipe on straight distilled white vinegar. Wait until it has dried then wipe on hydrogen peroxide – make sure your bottle is fresh or it won't kill the mold and mildew. Do not combine these products to short cut this step. The two won't cause harmful fumes they just negate the effect each has to kill mold.

 

     You can remove soap residue and mold and mildew from shower tile grout by using a Stain Eraser. It works like a pencil eraser to remove stains, mold and soap residue from grout in bathrooms, floors or counters. 

 

    Wax your shower doors: When you finish, treat your showers and glass shower doors with Advantage to make them slick. The water will sheet down rather than forming spots.

 

     To remove ring around faucets you can gently rub them with the Stain Eraser or use a paper towel dampened with straight distilled vinegar. Place the towel around the faucet for an hour then scrub with a stiff bristled toothbrush. This cannot be done with gold, brass or gold or brass plated faucets or the vinegar will tarnish the plating. Use Brazzo found in the grocery store to clean these faucets. Always wipe them dry to prevent discoloration.

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

GREEN CLEAN YOUR LAWN

 

     Let's take a look at green, healthy alternatives to cleaning up around the outside of your home. This next series of posts focuses on earth friendly alternatives to caring for your lawn and around the outside of your home. 

 

Broadleaf weeds – Dandelion leaves are yummy so cut them off and toss them in your salad. Then mix a solution of 50/50 water and food grade distilled white vinegar. Dig the root down about an inch from the top of the soil and pour about a tablespoon or two of the mixture top of the root. Don't water it in.  Within a week the root will be dead then flush thoroughly. Add a bit of soil and grass seed if necessary.

 

     Conserve water and use a push broom (health allowing) to clean your driveway and sidewalks. Pushing a broom is a great upper body workout and takes less time than hosing. If your health doesn't allow this kind of work, hire a neighhood child.

Earth Day Cleaning Tips

 

     Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22. My last post on the 10th of April showed you some neat tricks with vinegar. Let's keep going and see what we can do to reduce the toxins in your life and improve the health of Mother Earth. I told a friend today that I felt Mother Earth was not going to be able to handle much more of the toxic habits of we two leggeds. She said "Oh no Mary, the Earth will live through this. She has been revolting against this attack for several years. The massive destruction from tornadoes, hurricanes and flooding has wiped out town after town. We are the ones who will not survive. She will remain forever." Thank you Barbara for wise words. 

 

First of all be sure to read my last post on Sodium Laurel Sulfate. It's very important.

 

     So let's celebrate Earth Day in ways that will benefit both you and Mother Earth. Here are a few ways you can help:

 

1) Stop using anything disposable. These use them once and toss them leave tons of carbon footprints. A tree looses a limb to make the box in which it comes. Toxic ink is applied to the box. It takes fossil fuel to cart the box from the box manufacturer and the ink from the ink manufacturer. It requires considerable resources to manufacture the machinery to makes the ink and the box. Then it takes more fossil fuel to cart the box from the factory to the distribution center and again from the distribution center to the store. The stoage at each facility requires electricty and gas to power the fork lifts to haul them around the warehouse and load them onto trucks. All for what? One wipe and you toss it? 

 

Use hand towels that aren't being used in the bathroom anymore to clean. Old white cotton t-shirts make great dusting cloths. If you don't have any of these items head to Goodwill for very inexpensive and recycled towels. If you do any sewing cut bath towels that aren't being used anymore into thirds, hem them and use those for rags. 

 

2) Don't use air fresheners and that includes sprays, plug ins and the air freshener candles that are burned. Most of them are highly toxic and actually numb your nose so you can't smell the offending odor. If you like the fresh scent,  purchase your favorite scent as an organic essential oil and a carrier oil like almond oil. Follow mixing directions - essentials oils should never be used full strength so mix the two and put just a drop on the leaf of a plant or boil it in water on the stove. Tuck a cinnamon stick into the dirt of a plant or place some sage leaves or lavender leaves in the base of the plant.  

 

3) Kick your shoes off when you first come into your home. The dirt you leave at the door will extend the life of your carpet and hard floor surfaces by a decade or more. Flooring is the most toxic product in our landfills today due to the glues, stain retardents, fire retardents and sealants used to make them.      

 

4) Cut your driving speed by 5 mph and save half a gallon of gas per tankfull. If you are filling up each week as most people do that is saving 26 gallons of gas a year. Now let's do a bit of math shall we? There are nearly 251 million registered vehicles in the United States. With each one saving 26 gallons of gas a year that is 6 trillion 526 million gallons of gas a year that is saved. Now can you imagine the savings when you start carpooling the kids or combining trips to the store?  

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

USES for VINEGAR

 

I see lists for "101 ways to use vinegar" and even complete books dedicated to the remarkable abilities of such a simple earth friendly product.

 

WARNING: Always buy food grade distilled white vinegar otherwise the vinegar might be made from petroleum, which is not healthy to use. I have even seen vinegar listed as being safe for pickling. Folks that does not mean it is food grade distilled vinegar. Vinegar is not expensive. You can get a gallon of it for around $3.50 so get the good stuff and stick with Heintz. No I don't own stock but I as much as I promote the company I may buy shares.

 

1) I love vinegar for killing broad leaf weeds in the yard. Pour it directly on top of the center of the weed and don't worry about watering it in. The plant will die within a few days. Pull it up then water the spot thoroughly so you can replant grass seed without the vinegar killing the grass seed. Use fish meal for fertilizer in your yard and garden. I compost my veggie scraps and mix some of that into the soil around my plants every spring along with fish bone meal. Boy do they love the TLC.

 

2) Pour a cup of vinegar into your toilets once a month before bed to prevent ring around the toilet.

 

3) if you have a hard water ring around the sink drain, pull the plug and pour in 1/4 cup vinegar and let it set several hours then scrub with baking soda. The vinegar is a mild acid and when it comes into contact with the alakline of hard water the two bring each other back to a neutral PH balance so the stains are easy to remove.

 

4) Use vinegar in your washing machine. I add 1/2 cup to the wash water, which boost the cleaning ability of my organic laundry powder so I use about half the amount of powder. Then I soak an old dish cloth with 1/3 cup of vinegar and toss it into the dryer. Wow talk about an effect earth friendly dryer sheet. Throw away the toxic dryer sheets and liuqid fabric softeners. You don't need them.

 

5) Vinegar is also a good cleaner. Add just a bit to your concentrated all purpose cleaner like my CleanEz when you dilute it for use. You only need half as much cleaner.

 

6) Oh is it wonderful as a toilet bowl cleaner. Spray it in the toilet, sprinkle in a bit of baking soda and you clean the toilet the earth friendly way on about 2 cents. Geez does this mean I finally got my 2 cents in after all these years?

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide

 

 

 

DANGERS OF SODIUM LAUREL SULPHATE

 

Now that you are in the middle of spring cleaning don't stop decluttering until you have switched out your personal care products and dispose of anything containing soduim laurel sulphate (SLS for short). It's an agent that makes product foam. Products like hair shampoo, liquid dish soap, cleaners, bar soap, hand lotion and even soft swirl ice cream. SLS pulls the petrochemicals out of the plastic bottle it's stored in and can the combination chemical change can turn into sodium dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals known to man. Sodium dioxin has been linked to a long list of health issues including cancer. To check the toxicity of your personal care products go to www.cosmeticsdatabase.com and click on "What's in your products." You'll be shocked the toxic levels of the products that absorb into your body everyday.

 

For a greener tomorrow read my new book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning."

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

A Look at Carbon Footprints

 

What are Carbon Footprints? No doubt you are hearing more about this thing called carbon footprints. What is it and what part can you take to reduce your footprints?

 

Carbon footprints have been defined as "the total set of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product" (UK Carbon Trust 2008). It is the effect human activity has on the climate. It includes things like fumes emitted from your vehicle, emissions from factories, or the application of  fertilizers and pesticides.

 

Here are ways you can reduce your footprints and walk gently on Mother Earth. The steps you take to reduce and reuse will affect global greenhouse gas. You will also reap the cost savings and improved health.  

 

1) Stop spraying anything in the air. Even inside your home, fumes from sprays seep outside adding to greenhouse gasses. Sprays linger inside your home for two to three days. You breathe those fumes adding to the bio-accumulation of toxins in your body. Don't use sprays.  

 

2) Buy used items. Your recycling center can teach you how to make tables from solid doors; repaint cabinets rather than buy new and refinish sinks and tubs. I find great bargains at second hand stores for furniture, clothing and such. Used furnishings have off gassed the fumes from adhesives, paints and finishes so they are no longer toxic to your body. When you paint or refinish, use only eco friendly products.   

 

3) Car pool the kids, combine errands, bike or take the bus to reduce emissions and save gas. Reduce driving speed 5 MPH to boost your gas mileage by one-half mile per gallon. Accelerate slowly and use my FiltaKleen for another 2 to 3 MPG for a total of 3 to 4 additional miles per gallon. All of these save you $400 to $500 a year. FiltsKleen is only $44 a bottle and treats 1200 gallons of fuel. My mops save you another $400 during their life span. Both combine for a savings of nearly $1000 for only $74 cost.

 

4) Always wait 30 days before buying anything that isn't immediately necessary. Resist impulse purchases at the stores and don't grocery shop hungry. You will be pleased with the amount of money you save. Mother Earth will love you as well.  Take reusable bags with you when you shop.  

 

5) Before you buy anything new always do an online search for an eco-friendly alternative. Type something like "eco-friendly bedding" into your browser.

 

Join other like-minded folks in your community to spread the word on sustainable living.  The green spirit is growing!

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

  SPRING CLEANING TIPS CONTINUED

 

     If you have read this blog or taken my newsletter for very long, you know I ignore the subject of cleaning glass chandeliers on tall ceilings. Those darn things stumped me the entire 12 years I professionally cleaned homes. The best I found was to pull a clean, white tube sock over an extendable handle lambswool duster. Spray the sock with our Benya or your streak free window cleaner. Work carefully over the top and inside of the glass.

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

Spring Cleaning Continued

 

Here is a continuing spring cleaning to-do list to put a spakle back in your home after a long winter. I'll post a new one each day for 3 or 4 days. Please read my posts below this one for more.

 

     While you have the ladder out to change the batteries in your Co2 and fire alarms take time to clean ceiling fans and light fixtures. Most people use a bendable duster to remove the surface dust from ceiling fan blades. Twice a year give them a thorough cleaning with a good wood cleaner and conditioner. Be sure to use a wood treatment like our Wood Care that does not contain harmful petroleum distillates. Wood Care even covers scratches, most water marks and cabinets that have dulled from the steam in bathrooms. Keeping fan blades clean means the motor doesn't work as hard and lasts longer.

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

 

The FAST WAY TO CLEAN BLINDS

 

 

If you have read any of my blogs or take my newsletter you know how I promote preventive cleaning. Preventive cleaning is even more important today with the economy in such turmoil. If dirt is allowed to build, it means replaceing an item sooner, which is costly to you and our Mother Earth. Walk gently and clean proficiently.

 

When I was professionally cleaning homes, some blinds had dirt buildup so bad you could write your name in bold letters. Yet 5 minutes a month per blind and the problem is prevented.

 

Wood, metal and vinyl blinds can be safely cleaned with 2 tablespoons of food based distilled white vinegar per quart of water. Lightly dampen a lint free cloth like an old cotten t-shirt or one of our baby diaper cleaning cloths.

 

Turn the slats downward so the main part of the blind faces you. Start at the top and wipe them down. Reverse the slats, pull the blind out and walk around behind the blind. Repeat from the backside. If your blinds have heavy dirt buildup then use an all purpose cleaner like our CleanEz. Take the blinds outside and hang them from two nails pounded into the back side of your home. Make sure they are up high enough so the blinds clear the ground and wide enough apart to keep the blinds balanced.

 

Turn the slats so they face downward. Begin at the bottom and spray the cleaner on your blinds working your way to the top. Rinse them with a sponge then dry and reverse the slats. Repeat from the back. Then rinse, dry and rehang the blinds. Do not use this method with wood blinds. Contact the manufacturer for proper cleaning procedures.

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright 2009. All Rights reserved worldwide

 

 

 

SPRING CLEANING AT ITS EASIEST

 

Green, spring cleaning. If you have been a regular reader of my blog, you have freed your home of toxic chemicals and beauty products right? RIGHT? If not scroll down and find where I give you suggestions on what rooms to scavange for toxins and how to spot them. Please for your sake, take this small step to improve your health, that of your family and our Mother Earth. Together our small actions speak volumes.

 

This next series starts tackling the smaller spring cleaning jobs. No you may not ignore cleaning the tough stuff I talked about in my last several blogs.

 

First step) While you have the ladder out to change the batteries in your Co2 and fire alarm take that time to thoroughly clean ceiling fans and light fixtures. Most people use some kind of bendable duster to remove the surface dust from ceiling fan blades. That works well but once or twice a year you must wipe them down with a good wood cleaner and conditioner. If you are looking for a completely natural yet effective wood cleaing and conditioning product then take a look at our Wood Care. It even covers scratches, most water marks and cabinets that have dulled from the steam in bathrooms.

 

How long has it been since you removed the base of the fan and thoroughly cleaned the motor housing? This one measure -It only takes minutes - adds years of life to your fan.

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright 2009. All Rights reserved worldwide

SPRING CLEAN ALL YEAR ROUND

 

As you begin your spring cleaning keep in mind your goals of ridding your home of toxic chemicals. See my prior posts on how create an eco-friendly green home. Spring cleaning is not restricted to just the spring time. Creating good habits for a naturally clean home is a year round project. Remember the very first step to cleaning any room is to get rid of the clutter. You will read this on every website and every article about cleaning.

My rule of thumb on clutter removal is "Never leave a room empty handed." Pick up something and take it with you then put it away. Next rule - never enter a room without putting something away. If the item belongs in the room - put it away even the small stuff. The small stuff quickly adds up when it comes to clutter.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright 2009. All Rights reserved worldwide.

SPRING CLEANUP FINALE

 

Vacuum Your Drapes. There is nothing I dislike more than vacuuming drapery to remove the dust. To me, it is the worst waste of time invented, well almost. Grab a partner and remove the drapes. Put some plastic on the ground either out in the garage or outside if it is warm enough to be out there for 10 to 15 minutes. Please use common sense and don't do this with snow on the ground. Take the drapes outside or to the garage and shake them good. Wear a face mask because the dust does fly. Covering the ground with plastic protectes the drapes in case they take on a life of their own and go flying out of your hands. 

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

 

 

Project #5 for Spring Cleaning

 

 

When was the last time you vacuumed your mattresses? Don't remember? Guess what? It's time to tackle this yearly job. Repeat after me "I won't stop until I have the mattresses and all fabric furniture vacuumed." Dust mites in mattresses and pillows reigns as the #1 cause of morning sinus headaches. Take your pillows outside and shake them good, wash the mattress cover pad and vacuum the mattress. 

Speaking of vacuuming your mattress - how often to you turn or flip it? You should do that every time you wash the sheets. Turn it one time and flip it the next. This way the mattress wears evenly and it will last you years longer.

STEP FOUR FOR A GREEN SPRING CLEAN HOME

 

This next step to deep cleaning is actually superficial but must be done to keep dust mites at bay. All the magazines, books, CDs and DVDs hanging around the nooks and crannies of your home need your clean thumb as well. The dust that lingers on them deteriorates the covers and provides a wonderful hiding spot for dust mites. Dust mites are known for their allergy causing irritations as well as skin rashes and asthma attacks. Get out the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner then pull out all these books etc. Give them a good vacuuming. And yes clean the shelves while you have them pulled out. Yes this lightens the weight of the bookshelf or stereo cabinet so pull it out and clean behind and under it and you have two jobs accomplished!

On The Third Day of Spring Cleaning my House Said to Me...

Please clean my baseboards. Okay so sometimes it takes a bit of humor to encourage us to tackle these unpopular chores.  Hopefully you make humor a vital part of your everyday life. It is healing to the spirit and physically as well. Next up on the spring cleaning list is to pull all furniture away from the walls. Wipe down the walls and work your way along the baseboards cleaning them and the carpet as well. Use a barely damp towel or a "dry sponges" found at the pet stores and sometimes places like Bed Bath and Beyond. Remember any musty odor or visable mold or mildew in these hidden spots has an originating cause. Find it and take care of the moisture problem.

This is why I'm so adamant about deep cleaning. You spot potential trouble areas like water spots on walls, before the problem becomes severe. One of my customers wrote to ask me about gray splotches on her linoleum kitchen floor. I told her it was mold and to immediately find the source and repair the source of the water. By the time she finally followed my advice their floor had rotted so badly it was close to collapsing. Their main living area was on the second floor so the consequences of ignoring my advice nearly cost them their home. Their insurance would not have covered the damage since it was due to flooding. The dish washer was leaking and they were unaware of the problem. 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

 SPRING CLEANING #2

 

Here is the second of your spring cleaning chores to tackle. I find scheduling a certain day to tackle these deep cleaning chores works best for me. All other activities are planned so they don't interfere with "my" day. I stay focused, which means the chores are finished faster. Fast is good right? 

 

If you agree then let's get started. When was the last time you pulled everything out of your closet to clean the floor and walls?  This job is even more important if you live in an area with high humidity.  Mold and mildew must be kept under control or you risk a whole home contamination. Green clean any mold by first using a 50/50 solution of food grade distilled white vinegar to water. Wait 30 minutes then follow with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Place a fan near the door of the closet, or room if you are treating your room for mold, and allow the fan to run for several hours to dry the carpet. Do not use a heater in these areas as heat encourages mold growth.

 

 I used to be a fan of giving away anything in your closet that you haven't worn in the past 3 to 4 years. With the economy the way it is, I'm finding new combinations for my older clothes. A few are funky but fun. In Eugene funky fun is the norm so I'm having a ball mixing things up a bit. Any clothing you aren't going to way, definately give to Goodwill. Dust mites love to gather at the local unused clothing hut.

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

  A STEP AHEAD OF SPRING CLEANING

 

    The next few posts are geared to get you ahead of regular spring cleaning jobs. These are the deep cleaning areas that need yearly attention. Yes the ones we all tend to ignore. Remember to do all your cleaning with organic green cleaners and tools. Be sure to read my website for my warnings about the use of microfiber. It is on the floor care section. http://www.goclean.com/floorcareguide.htm. This "environmentally" friendly cleaning cloth and mop has a nasty side.

 

Here is the first spring cleaning chore to tackle:

 

    Trust me after cleaning homes for 12 years, I've figured out every possible trick to put off deep cleaning my home. Unless you like dust mites and the ailments that accompany them, get thyself geared up for the tough stuff.  

     First up - tackle the kitchen cabinets. Sorry I'm the President of the Procrastinator's Club and it's time to tackle this job. Don't try getting by with cleaning a few cabinets now with the promise you will finish them next weekend. When was the last time you finished one of these jobs after doing only half of it? Well, I didn't finish it either. Set aside the time and clean them all at once. Kids love to pull things out of cabinets so let them help. Older children can wipe down shelves. 

     Pull everything off one shelf then wipe it down. Toss anything if it's so old you don't remember when you bought it or it's past the expiration date. Discard cans with visible signs of rust, or bulging ends. Open your spice bottles. If you can't smell the spice, it's not going to flavor a thing. Keep the bottle, dump the contents then head to an organic store and buy bulk spices to refill the bottles. Bulk is far cheaper and organic herbs have a hefty flavor so you use less. I grow and dry all my own herbs. Their aroma and flavor is unsurpassed.  Plant one sweet basil plant this spring and I promise you'll find space for a dozen herb plants next year.   

    When you finish the shelves, wipe down the doors with our Wood Care. It gives wood a luster and conditions it to prevent cracking.  It even revives bathroom cabinets that have grayed from steamy showers plus it covers over scratches and water marks on furniture.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2009 All rights reserved worldwide.

Christmas Cleaning Days 8, 9 and 10

 

Here are days 8, 9 and 10 of your Holiday Cleaning schedule. Please remember to email me with any cleaning questions. Happy Holidays!

Day 8: Don't forget to clean the blinds.  

Day 9: Clean and condition leather or vinyl furniture using our Leather Care. Our Wood Care puts life back into wood furniture or cabinets and removes water stains or light scratches.  

Day 10. Remove soot from glass fireplace fronts, clean the bricks and the fireplace. Do you have enough kindling to get a fire started?

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2008 All rights reserved worldwide.

 

 

 

 

Holiday Cleaning Days Five, Six and Seven

Here are your next 3 days of cleaning. Be sure to email me if you have any specific questions. My contact information is at the top of each of my websites. Don't forget to print out my stain removal guide. It comes in handy when those unexpected spills happen.

Day 5: If you have any kitchen appliances like a blender that are infrequently used now is the time to make sure they work properly. Clean them if needed. Check you stock of food storage bowls and freezer bags as well as your supply of candles if you use them. At the same time  change your flashlight batteries, fire detectors and CO2 batteries and make sure you have soy free candles with lead free wicks close by in case the electricity goes out.

Day 6: Touch up guest rooms and freshen bedding by drying them on air dry for 10 minutes.

Day 7: Wash your holiday dinnerware and begin making extra ice if you have a large freezer.

Copyright @2008 all rights reserved World Wide. The cleaning tips from Mary Findley may only be used giving her full credit and referencing her website at www.goclean.com.

     The Thrid and Fourth Days of Christmas Cleaning

 

Here are your assignments for days three and four of the Holiday season. Dig in, put on your favorite music and don't stop until the jobs are done. Remember if you stop in the middle of a project, even to answer the phone, it takes considerable time to work back up to speed - if you even finish the chore. Keep going then have that cup of hot tea - forgo the cocoa to avoid the extra pounds this year. Speaking of pounds, make a cherry crisp with Agave syrup rather than cherry pie and you save the artery clogging fat and the calories from the pie crust. Or just do a pumpin custard with lowfat condensed milk. Warm, homemade applesauce with no more than a teaspoon of  sugar free whipping cream is another favorite. Substitute baked rice crackers for crackers or chips and give your heart a break. 

   Day 3: Deep clean the bathrooms. Use our EraseIt for Bathrooms to remove "ring around the toilet." Then treat the showers and toilets with Advantage. Advantage is my car protectant that protects with polymers. Polymers make a surface slick so water slides right off shower walls and glass shower doors. And it makes toilets slick so nothing sticks. Cleaning toilets after guests leave is so easy when nothing sticks. Advantage will lessen the damage water spots cause to showers as well.

     P.S. This is the perfect time to use Advantage on your cars. It will make the surface slick and help protect your vehicle against the harsh winter that is quickly coming. Okay you folks snow birding down South can laugh at those of us stuck up north.

Day 4: Clean the refrigerator using our CleanEz and toss anything that has not been used in the last 3 months.

The Ten Days of Christmas Cleaning

     The Twelve Days of Christmas has been one of my all time favorite Christmas songs. Well I promise not to sing the Ten Days of Holiday Cleaning since my vocal cords need more polishing than my silver serving spoons. But here is a list of cleaning chores to help you get through the holidays with a bit more expediency. As always adapt this list to your own circumstance but it's a guideline.  Today I'm featuring the first two days. I'll post one each day for the next eight days so come back every day for help with your cleaning schedule. 

     Remember before you put a tree or other plants like poinsettias on a floor, put clear plastic down first then a terry cloth towel, then the plant or tree and finish with a decorative skirt. I found a piece of discarded Corian that I now place on the floor first. Clear plastic goes on top of that followed by the white terry cloth towel, tree then the tree skirt. Don't use plywood as water soaks into the wood and it can still damage the floor.  

Day 1: Polish your silver and wash any bowls or plates that must be done by hand.

Day 2: Launder table cloths and napkins. If you have lace cloths that have yellowed place them in the bathtub adding a forth cup of Borax and a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let them soak 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly in white distilled vinegar and water. See my website for a stain removal guide http://www.goclean.com/cleaning.htm. Click on Stain removal at the top.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2008 All rights reserved worldwide.

Safety Cautions for the Holidays from Underwriters Laboratories

 

Underwriters Laboratories sent me some holiday tips to safeguard your home not just during the holidays but year round.

 

1) "Make suree at least one smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm are instilled on each level of your home near sleeping areas."

 

2) "Turn off any electrical lights, decorations and space heaters before leaving home or going to bed."

 

3) "Keep flammable materials like bedding, wallpaper and curtains at least three feet from space heaters and other heat sources."

 

4) "Practive a fire escape plan with your loved ones. Every family member should know at least two ways to exit each room in the home."

 

5) "Place your tree in a sturdy stand and keep it filled with water."

 

6) "Inspect decorations for cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections. These all pose fire or shock hazards."

 

7) "Position your tree 3 feet away from fireplaces or other heat sources and it doesn't block an exit."

 

8) "Connect no more than 3 miniature light strings together. Strings with large bulbs should have no more than 50 bulbs per string."

 

9) "Remember to 'Just Look For' the UL symbol when purchasing electrical products."

 

This is a suggestion from Mary Findley: Never leave your home or go to bed with the dryer running. Remove dryer lint after every load to prevent fires. Use a lambswool duster once a month to remove lint beneath the lint filter and clean out the corners of dryer doors where lint is trapped.

 

For more safety tips visit www.safetyathome.com

Green Energy Savings Tips

for the Holidays

 

The Holidays are here along with cold weather and higher heating bills. Here are seven tips to help keep you fuel bills down.

 

1) Spend the extra $20 to $30 to buy a thermostat that can be set for various times. Going out shopping for the day or headed to work? Set the temperature to 60 degrees until a half-hour before you return. You save 7 to 9 hours of heating bills yet your home is toasty warm when you walk in the door.

 

2) Next set the thermostat for no higher than 67 during the day and 63 at night. Depending on where you live, it will save you between 15 and 17% on your heating bill. 

 

3) Clean your light bulbs. Yes the dirtier they are the more energy they use.

 

4) If you have tall ceilings then a ceiling fan is a must. Turn it so the blades run clockwise during the summer and counterclockwise during the winter. Why have all that warm air hanging around your ceiling? Set it on low speed to conserve electricity.

 

5) When you need to replace your water heater, switch to the "on demand" water heaters. They consume far less space and only heat the water that is being used. That can be a whopping 10 to 20% fuel savings.

 

6) Leaving for the day? Keep shades pulled in bedrooms and windows at the back of your home to prevent heat loss. Leaving your shades closed on front windows is an open invitation for theives so open them when you leave for the day  Close them from dusk to dawn however to keep the heat inside your home.

 

7) People love outdoor decorations for the holiday season. Consider cutting back this year to help conserve valuable energy. Put a timer on the lights so they turn off at 10 each night. Never leave lights on all night.

Prevent Winter House Fires

Before the holiday season gets underway let's review and prevent the major ways house fires get started.

*Dryer lint: Now is the time to pull your dryer out from the wall and run a duster into the hose. Wash your lint screen and clean around the inside of the door as well. Always turn a dryer off when you leave home. More homes catch fire from this practice than by any other method. Lint catches on fire and if you are gone you will never hear the fire alarm. Do you have a fire alarm in your garage? Rarely do you find them in the garage or the attic. By the time the fire reaches an alarm inside your home it might be too late.

*Candles: There is not a holiday issue that goes by without my warning of candles. Please burn soy candles which emit very little smoke. Make sure your wicks do not contain lead as they let off poison when they burn. Keep all candles on a holder even if they are not lit.  Never move a lit candle and keep them away from any flammable materials including walls, window sills and lamps. For your safety sake avoid the candles that burn by floating in oil and avoid gel candles as they have been known to explode. Never burn a candle where a cat, dog, pet or small child can bump into them.

*Fireplaces: Have you had your chimney or wood stove vents cleaned yet?

*Extension cords:  Please check your extension cords. Look them over carefully for any frayed areas. Plug a hair dryer into the cord and let it run 5 or 6 minutes on the hottest setting. If the dryer plug is hot then replace your hair dryer. If the extension cord plug is hot replace the cord. It is usually wise to replace extension cords every 10 years or so just to keep on the safe side. Never use a cord that is kinked or frayed.

*Water heaters and furnaces – never store flammable material near these areas. Be sure young children don't drop their plastic toys, pens, markers or crayons down into the furnace grate. Furnace heat can melt and catch these items on fire.

*Never set a portable heater on top of carpeting. Always set them on a large one inch thick piece of wood.  Take extra caution if using a propane or oil heater inside the home. If an oil heater is faulty the carbon monoxide poisoning will silently kill you. Have them checked before using them for the winter.

*We all tend to over load circuits during the holidays. Always check the amount of voltage you plug into one circuit and that means checking the entire circuit. There are usual clusters of rooms on one circuit so don't be fooled into thinking that the voltage of the tree lights in the living room won't affect the floor heater voltage in the den. Never use more than one extension cord per circuit and unplug your cords at night.

Please conserve energy and turn off your outdoor lights after 11 PM. Timers are inexpensive and ideal for holiday lights.  

*NEVER leave a room without turning off and unplugging appliances like hair dryers, electric shavers, curling irons, electric blankets or heating pads and tree lights.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2008 All rights reserved worldwide.

Anti-bacterial Soaps and Cleaners

 

Stop before you leap onto the antibacterial soap band wagon. First of all, most germs only live an hour or so on most surfaces. Definitely wash your hands after using the restroom or wash frequently if someone in your home is ill. Just don't use antibacterial soaps. Why? Because the chemicals used to kill the germs are more toxic to your body than the germs. Many of them have been linked to cancer.

 

Remember a dime size patch of skin contains millions of cells. Those cells absorb everything you put on your body where it hitches a ride throughout your body courtesy of your blood cells. Thus antibacterial soaps likewise absorb into your body through those cells. Once inside they continue to do their job of killing bacteria both good and bad. Our bodies need the balance of good and bad bacteria to stay healthy. Killing them throws your body off balance and could lead to serious illness.

 

The same holds true for using antibacterial cleaners on surfaces. If a surface has come into contact with raw food like egg, meat, or milk then it should be disinfected. Disinfect it first with 3% hydrogen peroxide then a 50/50 solution of water to vinegar. This combo is far more effective than bleach and it certainly won't destroy your health like chlorine. Other than that disinfecting a surface on a regular basis actually introduces more harmful toxins into your home than the germs. Stop to think a minute - how did the germs get onto your floor? Probably from you walking on them - right? Do you disinfect your feet? No? Then why do you need disinfectants on your floors?

 

This article may only be reprinted giving credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2008 worldwide.

Remove Soda Can Mars

 

Soda cans that bump into the walls or doors of a refrigerator leave ugly grey mars. Remove them by using a dab of toothpaste or by making a paste of *organic liquid dish soap and baking soda. Scrub gently and rinse with warm water. Next clean the entire shelf and dry thoroughly. Cut a strip of clear, self-adhesive plastic shelf  paper wide enough to cover the bottom of the shelf and put it on the shelf. Then cut another strip 2 inches wide and the length of the door or wall of your refrigerator depending on where you store the cans. Press it into place at the same height as the can to prevent wall mars. 

 

*Regular dish soap works just fine.  I cannot encourage you enough to toss your toxic chemicals and switch to soaps that are approved by the EPA or carry the Green Seal of Approval. They are safer for our environment and your health. 

 

This article may only be reprinted by giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Rights reserved worldwide. copyright @2008.

Ten Steps to Take Now to Winterize Your Home 

 

Now is the time to prepare for the cold months ahead. Here is a short "to do" reminder list.

 

 1.  Clean your fireplace. Soot-filled chimneys are a fire that will happen. A professional cleaning is recommended.

 

 2.  Wash and wax your vehicles especailly if you live in snowy areas.

 

 3. Clean and winterize lawn mowers, chain saws or any other equipment that uses gasoline. Never store gas near heat.

 

 4.  Wash all bedding including blankets. Vacuum mattresses and spray for dust mites if you live in humid areas. See the prior post on how to use geranium oil as a natural bug deterent.

 

 5. Remove drapes with the help of your partner or a friend and take them outside and shake the dust out of them.

 

 6. Clean your dryer vents and hoses. Have your air ducts professionally cleaned as well. 

 

 7. Kill any mold yet growing on sidewalks and driveways. These areas get extra slick with frost and snow.

 

 8.  Stock up on healthy snacks, candles and emergency supplies in case of an electrical outage from a snow or ice storm.

 

 9. Trim any dead branches from trees and sweep your roof especially if you have a fireplace and

 

10. Go out for a final hike in the woods to enjoy the autumn colors.

 

 

 

GO GREEN - REMOVE THE CLUTTER

 

"Declutter your home." "Get rid of anything you aren't using." Every article you read on cleaning your homes shouts "Declutter." Why? Clutter is another main element that elevates the toxicity of your home. Clutter encourages moisture, upon which mold, mildew, and dust mites grow. What an ideal time right now to declutter your home, before the hectic holiday season starts. After you declutter your home, spray your carpeting and upholstered furniture with 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar in a quart of distilled water. Vinegar helps kill mold and mildew and has been known to discourage dust mites. Add 2 to 3 drops of  geranium essential oil to the mixture. Geranium oil kills fleas and bugs like dust mites. Make sure your essential oils are organic and processed by a reputable company. Inexpensive oils may contain petroleum distillates or other toxic additives.

 

This article may only be reprinted by giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Rights reserved worldwide. copyright @2008.

Tackle the Bathroom

Next up on my Go Green list of rooms to tackle is the bathroom. Flip over your bottle of hair shampoo, rinse, soap, toothpaste, lotions and anything else you have tucked in the cabinet that cleans or conditions. Did you read "sodium laurel sulfate" on most of the bottles? SLS, for short, turns into dioxide after leaching out the chemicals used to make plastic bottles. Dioxide is now classified as one of the most toxic products known to man. You should recognize its more well known name "Agent Orange." Yes you are shampooing your hair, washing your body, brushing your teeth and lathering on lotions with Agent Orange.

Next out the door is your deordorant, most of which contain aluminum. Women, you apply aluminum right on top of your breasts and it does soak through your skin. Aluminum is a known carcinogen and contributes to breast cancer in both men and women. To check the ratings on the personal care products you use, go to Skin Deep at http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php?nothanks=1. Type in the name of your product for a rating from 1 - 10. If your product is above a 2 it's time to switch to a healthy alternative. Beware though, even cosmetics labeled as "Organic" may contain toxic chemicals. Research before you purchase organic products to make sure your personal care products are safe.

This article may only be duplicated by giving full credit to Mary Findley, owner of Mary Moppins www.goclean.com copyright @ 2008.

Your Lean, Green Home 

 

Going green means making changes in the products you buy and how you clean your home. Some folks freeze when it comes to making any changes in their life. Afterall change can be scary to some people. Whether you decide to go green and rid your home of toxic chemicals and save your health and our Mother Earth, is your choice. I'm here only as a guide along "The Green Brick Road." What I can tell you is that "Oz" awaits at the end of your journey.

 

Tackle one room at a time.

 

It is far easier to tackle one room at a time but don't dwaddle between rooms. The sooner you rid your life of toxins, the sooner your health will improve. Start in the kitchen by switching automatic dish washing detergents to an organic product. Look for the Green Seal of Approval or other affirmations that the contents have been validated as being eco-friendly. Rinse dishes thoroughly before loading the dish washer. Then even if your detergent is a bit on the weak side, your dishes will come wonderfully clean.

 

Next switch out your liquid dish soap. Rid your life of all products containing sodium laurel sulfate as you read in the last post. If you keep an all purpose cleaner under your sink for those quick cleaning jobs, then head thee to the health food store for a bottle of organic all purpose cleaner or try Mary Moppins CleanEz.

 

Baking soda and baking powder both work as healthy alternative scrubbing compounds. Boil a bit of distilled white vinegar, add a drop of CleanEz or liquid dish soap and enough baking soda to make a paste and you will be amazed at the scrubbing power when those products join forces. 

 

Then start replacing your plastic storage containers and bowls with ceramic or glass containers. Plastic leaches nitrates and dioxin into hot food. Dioxin is bio-accumulating in your body. In other words it never goes away and carries serious health issues. Check the dates on your spices, flour etc. Do you have any cans of food that have rusted or the bottoms are "pouching" out? If so, it's time to replace them.

 

This article may only be reproduced giving credit to Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com. All rights reserved @2008

 

Green Your Home

Let's start taking small steps to rid your home of toxins that could be causing health issues. Remember most health problems caused by the products you use and the food you eat may not surface for years. Like dirt and grease ill health is a build up problem and prevention is the only cure. A green home is a healthy home and usually free of serious diseases I discussed in my last post.

First a bit of prep work. Chemical companies are not required to list the ingredients used in their products. Supposed organic green products may contain toxic chemicals. Always stay clear of any product containing sodium laurel sulfate. It is found in anything that foams: dish washing detergent, shampoo, toothpaste, laudry soap, most body care products and even soft swirl ice cream. It leaches the chemicals out of plastic bottles and gasses off dioxin or nitrates.

Aubrey body care products are excellent as are Bi-O-Kleen, Mary Moppins and the Clean Team line of cleaners. Bi-O-Kleen carries excellent dish soaps, laundry soaps and dish washer soaps. When I tossed my Cascade dish washer soap and started using Bi-O-Kleen my sinuses cleared up. The "clean" smell that hits your nostrils during the wash cycle of a dish washer is not so "clean." It is off gassing some highly toxic gasses. Until you can make the switch, open a window and turn on the fan to rid your home of those toxic fumes.

This article may only be reprinted giving credit to Mary Findley and Mary Moppins www.goclean.com. Mary Findley @ 2008

Green Cleaning

About the time you think you have mastered a subject like green cleaning, along comes a 4x4 plank that knocks you across the head turning your world into humble pie. I've been preaching the glories of using eco friendly products like white vinegar and baking soda for over a decade and thought I knew the world of toxins.

I quickly found out that my "PhD" in green cleaning was barely an elementary education. I knew nothing about the nasty world of things like sodium laurel sulfate, ethylene dichloride, phthalates, dioxin, 2-butoxyethanol, chlorides, diethanolamine, ethylene glycolhydroxides, d-Limonene, Morpholine, Naphtha or Phenols.

That is just the beginning of a long list of products that cause brain and neurological damage, liver and kidney dysfunctions, asthma, a multitude of cancers and lung problems. Did you know that the sodium laurel sulfate in hand soaps, shampoos, liquid dish soaps and bar soaps etc reacts to the plastic from the bottles? That reaction emits toxins like nitrates and dioxins into the product which leach into your body every time you use it. Dioxin is otherwise known as Agent Orange and recognized by the EPA as the most toxic chemical known to man. Dioxin is stored in your fat cells and never goes away.

Dioxin is also formed whenever chlorine comes into contact with other chemicals and it doesn't have to be ammonia. Please discard your bleach and turn to borax or hydrogen peroxide instead.

Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to be aware of the toxins you have invited into your home and your body. You read articles declaring that there is nothing you can do about preventing cancer that one out of two or three people will succumb to it.

Well I'm here to tell you that there is plenty you can do to prevent these serious illnesses. All of that will be covered in another book I'm starting this weekend. It will talk about my life with Hepatitis C and celiac sprue and cover the wholeness approach for a healthy life. Going green and staying disease free encompasses every part of your life.

Getting the toxic chemicals and personal body care products out of your life is a great first step. Remember when you replace your personal care products and cleaners with healthy green products, read the labels. Not all green products are green.

More Hidden Dirt

     When was the last time you cleaned your air ducts? Dust mites, mold, dust bunnies and a host of rather unpleasant "things" hang around in your air ducts. If it has been over 5 years since you last had them cleaned then tackle this job along with the rest of your spring cleaning. If you or any family member has allergies, asthma, sinus or bronchial conjestion cleaning your air ducts is especially important. If you are a do-it-yourselfer who likes to save money call some rental companies. A few of them stock air duct cleaning equipment. 

    

Cleaning Window Screens

Cleaning Windows can be a bit troubling especially when it comes to screens. Rather than washing them, which wastes water and time clean them with a dry sponge found at pet stores, Mary Moppins and Bed Bath and Beyond. They are great for removing pet hair from furniture. When they soil, simply sand them with a light grit sandpaper and continue cleaning.

More on Hidden Dirt

Cleaning Refrigerator Coils: I was not a happy camper when I found out my refrigerator coils could not be cleaned with a brush or vacuum. What were the designers thinking? Oh right. They are depending on my laziness to not clean those coils which means the refrigerator breaks down sooner which means I replace it more frequently.

     Those coils must be cleaned a minimum of once a year preferable twice. If your coils cannot be reached with a vacuum cleaner or with a bottle brush then renting an air compressor is your only option. Please be kind to Mother Earth and clean the coils to extend the life of your refrigerator. Remove the back and blow the dust and dirt from the coils using a lower pressure setting.

     While you have the compressor rented, it doesn't hurt to clean dryer hoses and vents. Move the washer and dryer out and give the floor a good cleaning as well. Use the same bottle brush to clean the drain pipes to prevent them from clogging. Yes pour a cup of Nature's Miracle down those drains after they have been cleaned.

     Still have an hour of time left for the rental of your air compressor? Then blow the winter debris out of your gutters. Yes it is fast.  I've also used it to blow dust and dirt out from window enclosures and my sliding glass door. Call me lazy if you want, but if there is shortcut that makes life a bit easier yet still does a great job, I'm going to take advantage of it.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com Copyright @2008 All rights reserved worldwide. 

Kitchen disposal drains

     The thought of kitchen disposals emiting even a mild odor while I'm preparing dinner will run me out of the kitchen in no time.  Toxic chemicals of any kind are high on my list of things to leave on the grocery store shelf. Most of them clog disposals. 

     So how do you keep your drain clear and not smelling like last night's fish? Easy - head to a pet store to buy Nature's Miracle. It is an enzyme product used for removing fecal and urine matter from carpet and furniture and it works. Those enzymes "eat" away at bacteria, any bacteria whether it's in the carpet or your drain. Pour a cup of it into all your drains once a month at night before bed to keep them running clear and get rid of those toxic drain openers.  

     Now back to the kitchen disposal. Purchase a brush made for cleaning bottles or use a small sink brush. Dampen it with CleanEz or your all purpose cleaner and scrub away. A nylon scrub pad like the blue ones you find at grocery stores also do a fairly good job and will clean the blades a bit better than the tip of a bottle brush. You can sprinkle just a bit of baking soda onto the brush but PLEASE make sure you use less than half a teaspoon. Anything more than that can clog your drain. Run plenty of water before turning on the disposal.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com Copyright @2008 All rights reserved worldwide. 

SPRING CLEANING

 

This next series of cleaning tips is geared to help you do some deep cleaning for spring. Be sure to check back each day for a new tip for spring cleaning.

 

Cleaning Toilets to Remove Stains

     How many of you see those dreaded brownish or reddish streaks running down the inside of your toilet bowl? A quick look inside the tank provides an instant answer as to the source of the problem. Our Erase It for Bathrooms quickly removes those stains as well as iron and hard water rings without scratching. Let's tackle cleaning the tank to diffuse future problems. 

First you will need: A plastic bucket; several old towels and two extra to place on the floor around the toilet; an SOS pad; diluted CleanEz or your all purpose cleaner; a sponge and rubber gloves.

Next: Turn off the water at the back of the tank and flush removing the water from both the bowl and the tank. If there is water remaining in the bottom of the tank, it can be used to help clean the tank. Clean the toilet with the Erase It for Bathrooms to remove those ugly marks.

Next: scrub the tank with diluted Clean Ez or your all purpose cleaner to remove surface scum and mold. Then dampen the SOS pad giving the tank a good scrub.

Finally using a dampened old cloth, wipe down the tank and do a final rinse with the sponge. Finish by using the sponge to remove any water in the bottom of the tank.

Quick Cleaning Tip: If you want to make toilet bowl cleaning a breeze in the future, dry the inside of the toilet before you let the water back in. Grab your bottle of Advantage spraying the inside of the toilet. Wipe it around to spread evenly. Let that set 5 minutes and allow the water back in the tank. Advantage contains polymers, which make surfaces slick so nothing sticks. Oh is cleaning a toilet easy when it is waxed.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com Copyright @2008 All rights reserved worldwide. 

Six Ways to Conserve Water

 

 As you well know the Northwest and California are under severe weather seizures as is much of the Northeast. However years of drought have dried up reservoirs that will takes years of rain and snow to refill. Many other parts of our country like Georgia have been under a five year plus drought. Some of their main lakes that supply water, linger on the dangerously low side in spite of recent rains.

     This area of water conservation is stretching the cleaning realm of this newsletter a bit but it is so direly important, I feel compelled to share tips that could mean extending our water supply for years. If 5 million people would conserve just 1 gallon of water a day, it would save nearly 1.9 billion gallons of water a year. Just think of the savings if each person in the United States would conserve just a gallon of water a day. It would run into the trillion of gallons saved each year.

     Let's take a look at some of the water conservation RVers use to avoid using excess water.

1)       When they warm up the shower water in the morning, they let the cold water run into a bucket, which they use for washing dishes. Use that water for plants or trees if you live in an area that prohibits the use of sprinklers or outdoor watering. Take short five minute showers. If you are in a drought area, purchase a shower head that turns off at the head itself. Soak down, turn the water off, soap up then turn the water back on to rinse off. Turning the water off at the head keeps your water hot when you turn it back on to rinse.  Savings? Around 2 to 3 gallons of water a day per person.

2)       Don't run your dishwasher. Use it only as a drying rack for dishes you wash by hand. Dishwashers require enormous amounts of water. This measure alone will save you 10 to 15 gallons of water a week depending on the number of times you run your dishwasher. . As you cook, fill up one side of your sink with hot water. Use that water for washing pots or utensils as you cook.

3)       Sorry men but turning off the water while you shave you will save half a gallon of water. Fill the sink half full of water instead – yes using the water you caught in the shower.

4)       Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth or wash your face. Use a washcloth rather than running water over your face. Savings? A half gallon of water.

5)       Do your flower beds a favor and save a corner of your yard for table scraps – no not meat or bones. Any kind of vegetable or fruit peel, including rinds, break down quickly in the soil. Use your shovel to chop them into small pieces, dig them under and you have the richest garden soil you could ever want. Egg shells don't break down very quickly. Savings? 3 or 4 gallons of water running the disposal. You also save those scraps from going into the sewer system when you put them down your disposal, which is a huge plus for Mother Earth.

Deep Clean 

 

    Happy New Year!  The holiday season is over and time to get decorations put back. There is no better time to deep clean than now when that space is already empty. Vacuum or sweep, clean and then treat the area if needed for any bugs like ants or spiders.

     Any area where things are stored for long periods are breeding grounds for mold and mildew especially in humid or rainy climates. Our CleanEz does an excellent job not only removing dirt build up especially along the edges of carpet but it kills most mold and mildew. Our Pure Ayre is the best odor remover around. It will not mask odors but destroys them. Treat carpet or flooring early on if you suspect mold or mildew. Left unchecked it will spread.

      Storing Leftovers

     Take care storing your holiday leftovers. Anything that set out for more than 4 or 5hours should be tossed. This is especially true of dips, salad dressings, meats or anything cooked. At the very least make sure to turn your refrigerator down just a bit if it is quite full. Freeze leftovers that won't be eaten immediately.

     Don't forget to download copy of my stain removal guide from my website. It is handy to have when cleaning up after a party or anytime.

Last Minute Holiday Checklist

 

NOW IS THE TIME to check for any last minute items you may have overlooked for your holiday entertaining.

 

1) Is your bottle of hydrogen peroxide fresh? If peroxide is more than four or five months old it will not work to remove red dye or red wine stains. Please don't pour white wine in your carpet to get rid of red wine stains unless you want an army of ants parading across your carpet. See my stain removal guide for instructions. Print it out and keep it handy.

2) Have you planned to have punch that contains something other than red, purple or orange colors? The dye from those colors is quite difficult to remove.

3) Do you have a trash can for each room of the house where guests will linger?

4) What about candles? Are there coasters that will go under each of them?

5) Is your bottle of all purpose cleaner filled and handy under the kitchen sink along with a few towels for quick clean ups?

6) Have you cleaned out your chimney or wood stove pipes?

7) Are there plenty of extra coasters for glasses, plates and anything that might be hot?

8) Have you taken time for a long hot bath?

 

This article may only be rewritten with reference to Mary Findley, owner of Mary Moppins and her website www.goclean.com

KEEP IN SHAPE THIS WINTER

 

     Winter and the holiday season is upon us as well as the loosening of our belt buckles when we overindulged with that last cookie or helping of mashed potatoes and gravey. Diets get blown away this time of year faster than the kids can figure out your new electronic gadgets.

 

     Then comes the traditional breaking of the New Years resolutions made after eating that piece of pecan pie. Oh I've heard the words all too often "I'll never induldge like that again. I promise to take brisk walks every day." So what is stopping you besides that sleet and 12 inches of fresh snow on the ground?  

 

   Just how do you drop that weight and get back in shape when the weather is nasty and the warm fire convinces you to stay indoors? Grab your coat, jump in the car and and head for your sporting goods or video store for workout tapes. Buy four or five tapes not only to prevent boredom from having to repeat the same one over and over but also to give your body a thorough overall workout. The ones I enjoy the most are a Salsa workout tape by Crunch. I have two pilate tapes by The Method and another by The Firm called Tough Tape 2. To really get your heart rate going try the Boot Camp - jumping jacks and skipping rope included. Then also pick up a beginners tape of Yoga for the stetching and flexibility to help prevent arthritis and stiff joints.  

 

   Next set your alarm 30 mintues earlier in the morning and stop whining. Your joints ache, your back hurts and your pants won't zip.  After a week of dedicated effort trust me you won't miss a day. Your new found energy will amaze you. You will  breeze through your work and still have enough energy at night to walk that new puppy. It opens your breathing, gets your blood circulating and puts a glow in your complexion. No amount of prescription medicine or face cream can put the kind of glow on your face as that of a good diet and hearty workout. 

 

     Beat the rush and start you New Years resolution now!

 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley, her company Mary Moppins and her website www.goclean.com       

 

 

 

IDENTITY THEFT

 

My precious daughter-in-law recently sent me her connection to a popular social website, My Face. When I began entering information to join, I was shocked to see along with your name they ask for your date of birth. With identity theft in full throttle around the world please always remember to keep your personal information personal.

 

Here are a few general guidelines:

 

1)  NEVER give you birthdate to any website etc on the internet. Write them and insist they remove that requirment. Do not have anything to do with any site that asks for this information. When the money stops flowing because people stop using them they will change their ways and quickly.

 

2)  Take this a step further. Do NOT disclose your mother's maiden name or the city where you were born. No one needs this information for any reason. 

 

3) NEVER let anyone write down the expiration date on your driver's license. Most of them are the day and month of your birthday. This practice must stop so write your congress persons to change this law.

 

4) NEVER allow a clerk to write down your driver's license, birth date or any other personal information including your address when you pay with a credit card. I am a Visa Master Card merchant. Anyone asking for such information should be turned into the bank processing companies.

 

5) Follow your table host or hostess when you give them your credit card to pay for a meal. Make certain they do not place your card in their pocket. Some tuck small recorders in their pockets that scan your card number and 3 digit number on the back of your card.

 

6) I recently read where debit cards are dangerous to use. Stop using them. If someone lifts your debit card number, they can wipe out your bank account within minutes and you have no recourse for reimbursement with a Debit Card. Credit cards are safer and carry a small limit should someone steal your card to make fraudulent charges.  

 

7) Stop using ATM machines. It is easy to hide a very small camara just above the card swipe that records your card number. Take the extra care to get to the bank before it closes for extra money if you think you will need it.

 

With a little care and planning you can keep your identity safe and save months of anquish.