Monday, March 14, 2011

     Spring Cleaning
Where do I Start?

     My last newsletter encouraged you to pull the plug on clutter and gave short easy ways to get rid of it. Now you are ready to tackle the spring cleaning. Pick up a copy of my book “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Green Cleaning.” It takes you through my Precision Cleaning methods with room by room speed cleaning directions along with a multitude of helpful green cleaning tips. For those who buy my book through my website by mid-April and want a copy of my booklet for cleaning RVs “Whistle While You Work*Three," the cost for “Whistle” will be reduced another dollar making it $3 rather than $4 on sale. The price will be changed before your card is billed.

      Clean the closets. What a great feeling to start on spring cleaning by doing the small stuff like baseboards and dusting door frames. Only I tend to put off the more time consuming chores for next year. Five years has gone by and my door frames are clean while my closets hide dust bunnies.

      This year takcle the closets first and do one per weekend. Start by sorting through clothes hanging on the rod. Any ill-fitting or clothes that haven't been tried on for the past three years get the boot. If they are keepers then store them in plastic stackable containers with tight fitting lids so the moths can't get to them. The rest either go to Goodwill or a garage sale. 

     Next clear the top shelf. A towel sprayed with diluted all purpose cleaner, CleanEz, makes short work of cleaning the shelves. If you suspect a mold problem anywhere in your closet, first clean the surface with CleanEz then straight food grade distilled white vinegar. Let that set an hour or two so the vinegar has time to kill the mold. Then wipe the shelves with hydrogen peroxide. Get a fresh bottle from the store. Peroxide more than six months old has lost its fizzle. Do not mix peroxide and vinegar together as they neutralize the effect of each other.

     Return the boxes and haul things out of the bottom of the closet. Use your terry towel sprayed with CleanEz and wipe the baseboards and carpet close to the baseboards. Separate any items you haven’t used in some time. Vacuum the floor and replace the keeper items.

     Should you smell mold or mildew on the floor, pull the carpet away from the wall and spray the floor boards and carpet backing as mentioned above. Janitorial supply companies also carry good mold and mildew retardants. Make sure it does not contain bleach and ask for the MSDS sheet. Read the MSDS (material safety data sheet) looking for any caustic chemicals or any number ratings over a “1.” That is why I stick to vinegar and peroxide. They are safe to use.

     If mold or mildew is problamatic, find the source of the problem. Mold and mildew only grow where moisture is present. You must find the source of the moisture. In areas of high humidity a whole house dehumidifier helps. Store items kept on the floor on open shelves so air can circulate to help keep the carpet dry.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com.  Copyright @2011 All rights reserved worldwide