Thursday, June 28, 2007

Tackling cobwebs
 
When you are cleaning your home tuck a one and one-half inch paintbrush into your back pocket. Outside of my mop for removing those remarkable works of art designed by our spider friends from the ceilings, a paintbush is the handiest tool for catching the webs around door hinges, windows and dusting into the nooks and crannies I often miss mostly because I'm busy in the garden and if I don't see the dirt I don't clean it. Best way to clean a room is to walk in and sweep it with a glance!
 

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Dirt Buster
   Dirt under your fingernails that is after you have been out in the yard or garden. That dirt stuck under your fingernails can be a bit more than troublesome to remove. Set your pressure washer to a strong stream and aim underneath your fingernails. It blows the dirt right out of there. Now remember my tips about cutting off the bottom half of a pair of ruined panty hose. Slide a soap sliver down into the toe part and tie the whole thing around the faucet. It's so much easier to wash your hands outside than having to clean your sink as well as your hands inside.
 
This tip may only be reprinted giving credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. All rights reserved world wide.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Cleaning vinyl boat seats
 
     I'm going to veer off my usual home cleaning tips and get into some boat cleaning tips for my boating enthusiasts due to the numerous questions being asked about vinyl seat stains. Actually this applies to anyone with vinyl seats whether in your car, truck, RV or boat, whatever and where ever.

    Remember "one" of my main rules on cleaning and care of anything is prevention. Stains become tremendously more difficult to remove when vinyl or leather is allowed to become dry. Dryness eventually leads to cracking, which leads to expensive replacement.

     You must be apply a leather/vinyl conditioner to any leather or vinyl seat, chair or couch at least twice a year and boat seats three to four times a year. This is especially important for boat seats that tend to become moldy and dry more quickly due to exposure to the elements.

     Just remember after you remove a stain if you are using a general cleaner or something I recommend below, you must condition the seats afterwards or they will dry which will only lead to more difficulty later in cleaning them.   

     Some common boat stains involve: tree sap or leaves from trees; swimsuits or towels that have left a dye on the seats; spilled drinks, grease or oil and mold or mildew.    

1)      For tree sap or leaves; grease and oil including fried food or Fido's slobbering on the seats and heavy dirt. Usually most of these stains can be removed with foaming tub and tile cleaner either that made by Lysol or Dow. No I do not like this stuff in the shower or bathroom. It's completely useless there and an expensive way to clean. But for some reason those little foaming bubbles seem to remove these kinds of dirt and grime.

If you are dealing with oil or grease from perhaps your engine then try a foaming shaving cream. The gel won't work but sometimes the 3 kinds of alcohol in the foaming shaving cream will zap that stuff off without damaging the vinyl.

2)      Dye from swimsuits, towels, red dye from food or drinks: I don't know that these stains will come out. Try pouring some baking soda on the stain then spraying that with hydrogen peroxide – a fresh bottle please. It will bubble and fizzle which helps sometimes to remove a stain. Do not leave this on longer than 10 minutes and rinse thoroughly. If that does not remove the stain leave it alone as anything else strong enough to remove the stain will "burn" the vinyl.

3)      Mold and mildew: My CleanEz will kill mold and mildew to prevent it from worsening. However, once mold or mildew has been allowed to get a strong hold in either vinyl or leather, the stain itself usually will not come out. Try the method in #2 but I doubt if you can remove the stain. 

4)      Dirt and grime: Try a foaming tub and tile cleaner then condition with Leather/Vinyl Care is the best you can buy for cleaning and conditioning vinyl or leather.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

    

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2007 All rights reserved worldwide.

 
 

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

DULL Utility Knifes
 
     Anyone who has cut a piece of cardboard lately with a utility knife lately has undoubtedly run into the same problem I encounter. Utility knives are manufactured in such a manner that they dull by the time you get to the middle of the box forcing you to change blades to finish the job. Gratefully these folks from Dull Town anywhere USA don't make razor blades. Or do they? Hum my razor blades seem to dull just as quickly.
 
     There is an easy solution: shapen the blade using a honing stone. It takes but a minute but will save you a considerable amount of money and time.   
 
This article may be reprinted but credit must be given to Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com. All rights reserved world wide.
 
 

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Two ways to alleviate a sore back when mopping your floor.
 
Both men and women ask how to avoid a sore back when damp mopping their floors.  Sore backs can be nearly eliminated in one of two ways.
 
1) If you are taller than 5 foot 5 or 6 inches then give some thought into obtaining an extension handle that will reach to your head height. Leaning over a too short of a handle will cause back and neck pain. Leaning over while cleaning your floor also takes you far longer since you not only fight the dirt on the floor but your cleaning equipment as well.
 
2) Change the way you hold a handle. Most people grab a handle with their thumbs on top of the handle and their fingers underneath. This hand position automatically pulls your back over. Switch your hand position so your thumbs are underneath the handle and your fingers are on top, much like you are playing a flute. This  keeps your back erect, eliminates back pain - most of it anyway - and you will find you clean faster and more effictively.
 
If you find you need to use any pressure at all on your mop to mop your floor, then it is time to find an efficient mopping system. Cleaning floors should be as easy as dancing across the floor when you are using terry cloth towels. If not there is something wrong with the system you are using.
 
This article may only be used referencing Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com. All rights reserved worldwide.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Removing red food coloring or red wine from carpet.

 

Gently blot what you can. Refer to my stain removal guide for blotting and general stain removal instructions.

 

Mix a 50/50 solution of a fresh bottle of hydrogen peroxide and water. Spray on the spot sufficiently to saturate the spot, wait 10 to 15 minutes then blot with 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar per quart of water. Then again with plain water. Wait 24 hours and repeat if needed.

 

If your dog or cat leaves red stains in your carpet after eating, switch food. It's the red dye in their food that causes the problem. Dogs and cats are color blind. Switching to a neutral color food eliminates that problem.