Fall Round UP

Fall Round UP
     Before we delve into fall cleaning and some tips and trips there, several of you have been asking me why your washcloths and dishcloths continue to harbor odors after they have been washed. If I previously passed along this tip, ignore this paragraph. We have quite a few new members and I would like to pass this along to them.
     A gentleman at a recent rally, who worked in a laundry detergent plant told me that some powdered laundry detergents, including theirs, are made from saw dust that has been blown and treated. Saw dust has no cleaning abilities. It cannot rinse clean and it sticks to terry towels. That is one reason why towels scratch the side of vehicles when used to dry them. After I switched to a natural powdered detergent from a health food stores, my clothes are cleaner and my dishcloths and washcloths have ceased to smell.
      I suspect the sawdust is also the reason why cotton tee shirts, knits etc gets balls on them and become rough looking when they are laundered. And it would make sense that the sawdust would wear down fabrics quicker. I now turn knit shirts, pants, jeans, sweaters etc inside out and wash most everything on permanent press. It saves on water and electricity and my clothes don't seem to be wearing as quickly.  Pretreat stains with Bi-O-Kleen.
Fall cleanup tips:

1. Swimming pool: For the hard water line - use our Erase It for Bathrooms http://www.goclean.com/erase-it.htm  to remove those lines. It is faster than a pumice stone and won't scratch.


2. Add a quick sparkle to windows and screens. Clean screens by wiping with our Dry Sponge, use dry not wet http://www.goclean.com/dry-sponge.htm.  A one-inch paint brush whisks dust from window frames. Remove film on windows with a solution of three parts rubbing alcohol, one part white vinegar and six parts water.


3. Have your air ducts and fireplace chimneys professionally cleaned and clean the fronts of screens and glass enclosures to fireplaces. Be sure to check the date of your fire extinguisher! Do you have one on every level of your home and one in the garage? Are they easily accessed? Do you have a ladder to hang from your window for your second story?


4. Remove tree sap on patio furniture by freezing it with ice. Chip off what you can with a putty knife then apply a bit of concentrated Bi-O-Kleen. Let that set 20 to 30 minutes then clean with one-quarter cup of white vinegar to a quart of water.


5. Fabric patio furniture: Add one cup 20 Mule Team Borax and one-third cup laundry detergent to a bucket of warm water. Saturate the cushions, wait several minutes then scrub with a medium bristle brush. Rinse and air dry. Wipe them down with hydrogen peroxide if they mildew when stored.


6. Umbrellas: Open and brush off all dirt particles. Starting at the outer edge working towards the center, spray a section at a time with a foaming tub and tile cleaner. Foaming cleaners cling to vertical surfaces giving the cleaner time to dissolve the dirt. Scrub, rinse and air dry.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2006 All rights reserved worldwide.

Quick Cleaning Tip of the Day

This is not about cleaning house but your yard! Still struggling with broad leaf weeds? Simply pour half a cup of distilled white vinegar on top of the center of the weed. The weed will eat itself to death and be gone in a week or two. Mother Earth will fill in the hole. All without pesticides!

Blanket Care

Blanket Care
How to clean your wool, cotton and synthetic blankets
Autumn is close at hand and I'm sure for those of you who have sweltered through this summer it can't come soon enough. And that is just my point. It is warm out and the best time to wash the blankets and spreads since they can be put out to dry.
Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for cleaning. If you machine wash your bedding  be sure it will fit the washer with room to spare for effective cleaning. Otherwise the bedding will not come clean. Usually the large capacity washers at the laundromat are your best bet and faster since you can run 3 or 4 loads at one time.  (Always clean these tubs before using them)
To Clean Wool Blankets: Some wool blankets can be machine washed in cold water with much caution. Check the tag first. Dry clean when specified. Wash wool blankets in "Brown Sheep Shampoo." I recently learned that Woolite changed the formula. It is no longer considered safe by the yarn wool associations for cleaning wool. They recommend The Brown Sheep Shampoo made by the Brown Sheep Company.
Machine wash wool blankets by filling the tub with cold water and adding a small amount of the "shampoo." Pretreat any stains and clean the binding around the outer edges of the blanket with Bi-O-Kleen  (remember it's on sale) Let that set 15 to 30 minutes. Be especially gentle if the blanket is old and the binding could tear easily. Let the blanket soak for 30 minutes before allowing the cycle to run. After the wash cycle finishes allow the blanket to spin for just a minute then advance the timer to the deep rinse cycle. Then let the cycle finish.  Lay the blanket on a table outside or in your garage on top of some clean towels.
Or alternately fill the bathtub with cold water adding ¼ cup of the Brown Sheep Shampoo. Let the blanket or spread soak for 30 minutes, agitate gently then rinse in a tub of cold water adding a cup of white vinegar to help extract the shampoo. Rinse them a second time in plain water.  Do not wring. Fold them in half then roll them up to help remove most of the water while the blanket is still in the tub. Then roll them up placing large bath towels on top of the blanket as it is rolled to absorb the moisture.
Cleaning Cotton and Acrylic blankets can be machine washed in cold water and dried on low. These blankets dry faster without the expensive cost of electricity by hanging them outside to dry. They can be draped over a rail after the rail has been covered with plastic or hung on a taut line.
Cleaning Nylon Flock blankets like Vellux, can be washed in cool water. They dry quickly outside or in the dryer on medium heat. If you machine dry them do remove them promptly so set your kitchen timer as a reminder.    
Now you have your bedding ready for holiday guests giving you one less hectic thing to do during the holidays that are more than rapidly approaching.
This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2006 All rights reserved worldwide.

Cleaning a car interior

                                                        Cleaning a Car Interior    

     This is the third of a series of articles about cleaning your car. This one covers the interior. See the two articles below for tips on washing and waxing your car. You will also find helpful tips on how to clean and care for tires.
     Thank you to all who tried our Advantage http://www.goclean.com/advantage.htm and wrote to tell me how excited you were with the difference it made on the shine and looks of the finish of your vehicle. Now let’s tackle the inside and get that area sparkling as well.
     Get rid of car odors:
     First of all for anyone with odor problems, there is a product called Pure Ayre www.pureayre.com – they can tell you where to buy it – that is the most incredible odor remover I’ve ever used. From mold to pets to cigarettes it has permanently eliminated them all.
-         A dry eraser like what is used on dry erase boards does a fast job removing the film that builds up on inside windows. Alternately spritz a bit of rubbing alcohol on a clean dry cloth then wipe over the windows.  
-         A foam paint brush reaches into those small areas like cup holders that can be tricky to clean. Dip it in a diluted solution of our Bi-O-Kleen http://www.goclean.com/bio-kleen.htm wipe those areas then dry with one of our Swifter Towels. http://www.goclean.com/towels.htm#swifter.  They don’t fall apart like paper towels or even shop towels and can be machine washed and dried many times to save you money. The foam paint brush is also thin enough to clean the open storage areas on the sides of your doors.
-         Vacuum carpet regularly and put down protective mats to keep the original carpet in good condition. The rubber backed mats are wonderful to protect the floor against rain soaked shoes, spills and pets who occasionally get a bit overly excited about their trip in the car.  
Remove carpet stains
-         To remove most stains from carpet or cloth seats, spray on our Ion-A-Clean http://www.goclean.com/ion-clean.htm let that set about 20 to 30 minutes and blot. It’s an amazing stain remover and never needs rinsing. It even removes oil and grease.
** Go to http://www.goclean.com/stainremovalguide.htm to learn the proper way to remove a stain.  
      -         Vacuum the ceiling of your car to remove dust that accumulates in the cloth.
-         There simply isn’t anything better to use on any leather, vinyl or ultra leather seat than our Leather Care. http://www.goclean.com/leather-care.htm   Out of the 8 or 9 I tested, this is the only one that deep cleaned. The others removed dirt from the surface but none removed the imbedded dirt. It cleans and protects in one step. It will remove some ink stains and most blue jean dye. It can be diluted 1 part Leather Care to 6 parts water for regular cleanings.
-         If you have young children or pets take a plastic table cloth cut it in half and cover the seats with the fuzzy side up. The fuzzy side catches at least the small drips and spills while the plastic protects the seats.
This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2006 All rights reserved worldwide.

Car Care Part 2 Wax

Car Care Part 2 - Waxing

     Last issue we talked about the care and washing of the exterior of a car.  Let's cover the basics of waxes, polishes and sealants for your vehicles.  Next issue we will cover the interior care.

     Test your vehicle for oxidation twice a year by rubbing wax on one spot on your vehicle for several minutes. Any paint that comes off on your rag indicates oxidation problems, which will tell you one of two things:  

1)     If you are applying your wax often enough. Four times a year is best especially if your vehicle sits outdoors full time. If you are applying your wax only once or twice a year, you may need to treat it more frequently.

2)     Or two - if the wax you are using contains a low grade of petroleum distillates. Most wax contains petroleum distillates. There are high grade and low grade petroleum distillates. A company doesn't necessarily have to tell you that it contains petroleum distillates if it contains less than I believe it's 6 to 7% distillates. If the bottle does say it contains distillates you don't know if it is low or high grade until you start to oxidize. Given time, a low grade distillate will deteriorate the clear/gel coat sealant on a vehicle, which then causes oxidation and eventual deterioration of the paint.

     If the bottle you have does not say it contains petroleum distillates or if it says that it contains aliphatic hydrocarbons beware. Write or call the company and ask for the MSDS sheet - material safety data sheet. The name petroleum distillate is often hidden behind other names such as aliphatic hydrocarbons, which is one of two hydrocarbons making up distillates. I have also seen it as hydrocarbon, petroleum or mineral oil.

     My Advantage does not contain petroleum distillates or hydrocarbons. I have it specially formulated for me to not contain distillates because first of all paints have changed in the past three years and they are now lead or Chroma based paint, which is not as hard as lead based paints. Water or Chroma based paints will oxidize within 3 to 4 months if they loose the clear/gelcoat finish. Lead based paints take up to 18 months or longer to oxidize.

     Also Avery and 3M who manufacture the decals and striping used on many vehicles specify not to use products containing distillates as they dissolve the adhesive that holds the decal or stripping to the side of the vehicle. That is why you often see them peeling off and oxidizing.

*NOTE: If the striping is oxidizing then use a foaming tub and tile cleaner to restore the color. This works well on cars, trucks, RVs, boats, motorcycles etc.

     Be cautious about using any wax or protectant containing silicone or Teflon if the product contains petroleum distillates. If the product contains a low grade petroleum distillate, it will deteriorate the gel coat causing the vehicle to oxidize. Only the vehicle cannot be repainted because nothing sticks to silicone or Teflon. An acid remover can be used to remove the silicone or Teflon but it very rarely removes 100% leaving you with an oxidizing vehicle that cannot be repainted.

Word of caution: If a wax company refuses to tell you what is in their product to protect your vehicle, you should not be using it. Many claim it is proprietary information. Ask for the MSDS sheet. If you notice a reference saying "if the product reaches a temperature of 150 degrees it will turn to formaldehyde and silicate dioxide" beware. Silicate dioxide only occurs when a 50/50 solution of silicone and water are mixed and brought to a temperature of 150 degrees.  

     If your vehicle is oxidizing then you need a sealant. Look for a treatment that says for heavy duty cleaning or "for removing oxidation." Advantage has also been formulated to remove mild to medium oxidation and old petroleum distillates as well. As a result the color is deepened and the shine is remarkable.  

     If a product states that it is a wax, it is made from carnauba. Protectants are made with polymer. Carnauba actually seals the surface. If the body of the vehicle is metal carnauba works quite well. Fiberglass - used on boats, RVs and some cars - however, must breathe. If it is sealed by carnauba wax it prevents the fiberglass from breathing. Over time that causes fiberglass to yellow. Polymers give the UV protection like Carnauba but without sealing the surface. A polymer based protectant is best for all surfaces and recommended for fiberglass.

Follow these directions when applying Advantage or any product:

1)     Always use Advantage or any product when the vehicle is cool and out of the direct sunlight. Otherwise the product will solidify quickly and cannot protect the surface as it is designed to do.
2)     Never wash your towels in powdered laundry detergent unless it is from a health food store. I have been told by a man who worked for one very large detergent company that their laundry detergent was specially treated sawdust. That is why it won't rinse clean out of clothing or towels, why it can leave skin irritations and why it will scratch your vehicle. Use liquid detergent instead then pour some white vinegar in the rinse cycle to remove all soap.
3)     Never wash or protect your vehicle using a circular motion. You don't sand wood against the grain of the wood or else it will scratch the wood. Same thing with your vehicle. A vehicle of any kind is painted with a left to right sweeping motion so work with the grain of the paint for best results. Work right to left and left to right.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2006 All rights reserved worldwide
 

Car Washing Tips

Car Washing Tips

Wash your vehicle in the morning or evening to avoid water spots. You must dry quickly to prevent them from forming. Yes I hear continuously the marvels of how wonderful microfiber towels are drying a vehicle. I've hollered good and loud for many years about the problems associated with microfiber. DO NOT use it on any kind of sealed, finished or painted surface including walls, vehicles, floors, furniture, cabinets etc. Microfiber is made of 85% polyester, which is plastic.

Plastic scratches. If you want to use it on a vehicle (or any other surface other than glass) that is up to you just be sure to order several bottles of my Advantage to remove the oxidation when it sets in because the gel coat is now gone. Don't wait for your vehicle to oxidize before you order it though. Advantage keeps your vehicle looking better than it did in the showroom!  

Use only Woolite or baby shampoo to wash your vehicle including RVs. Some detergents like Mr. Clean, Simple Green and even dish soap can leave a residue that is difficult to rinse clean. Over time they soften and damage the clear or gel coat finish. Our Lambswool Mitt is one of the best on the market and is far thicker and plusher than most you find in automotive supply stores. It's gentle and will not scratch like most brushes.

Lambswool To Wash

Most brushes will scratch when you apply a bit of pressure to clean the dirtier areas. The bristles collapse, leaving you without the soft protective flagged ends. Paint manufacturers recommend lambswool for vehicles newer than 2002. The paints have changed from lead based to either Chroma based or water based. If a lead based paint looses its gel or clear coat finish, it won't begin oxidizing for around 18 months. Chroma and water based paints being oxidizing within two to three months. This happens because a Chroma or water based paint is not as "hard" as a lead based paint.

Clean the windshield wiper blades monthly to prevent them from smearing the windshield when in use.

Apply a very, very light coat of Advantage to your windshield. Glass is porous so when the bugs hit they dry into the pores making them difficult to remove. Advantage coats the glass so the bugs can't penetrate into the pores. If you are using a wax that contains petroleum distillates do not get it on the gaskets. Distillates will dissolve the rubber and cause your windshields to leak.  

Clean gaskets with a stiff bristled toothbrush. To help with bug removal on the front of your car, apply Advantage twice a month until you have 5 or 6 coats of a protective layer built up.  

Clean Your Car Tires

Tires require regular cleaning. Rubber naturally oxidizes with time. That oxidization causes the tire to appear like they are cracking. Grab an SOS pad and scrub the tires four times a year to remove the oxidation.

If after scrubbing, the tire is still cracked and is under warranty, have them inspected. If you apply a tire treatment you have just voided your warranty since the treatment will be blamed for the problem. Goodyear and Michelin have both issued warnings not to use any kind of treatment on their tires. Many of the tire treatments contain petroleum distillates, which deteriorate rubber. The problem is if the bottle contains less than 7% distillates the manufacturer does not have to make the disclosure. Their MSDS sheets will hide the name petroleum distillate behind other names like aliphatic hydrocarbon, hydrocarbon, petroleum, mineral oil to name a few or they may simply say it's proprietary information.  

Rule of thumb - If you don't know what is in a product don't put it on your vehicle. What you don't know will hurt – your wallet that is.

*NOTE: when you go to purchase a new vehicle and the tires are shiny and you want the vehicle insist the dealership change the tires. That shiny surface is petroleum distillates and the tire warranty has been voided even before you drove it off the lot.

Wheel Care

if you have aluminum wheels I found two products at a recent trade convention that did an excellent job cleaning and polishing them. Met-All and Flitz seemed to out perform the others I tested. Both can be found at automotive stores. Yes I know there are others that are quite good. If you are using a good polisher then stick with what you are using.

Any vehicle that has a sealed wheel – these are very shiny and are on newer RVs and some cars and trucks - can only be cleaned by using mild detergent. Any kind of metal polish will remove the finish. To make wheel cleaning a bit easier, head to a department store for a toile bowl brush or bottle brush made with the cotton fibers. They work into the holes and crevices so cleaning is much easier.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2006 All rights reserved worldwide.

Cleaning Clogged Dra

Cleaning Clogged Drains

The drains plug up, they smell and a host of numerous other annoying things happen inside those dark tunnels generally when you have the least amount of time to deal with them. This brings me to my main point and driving point behind all cleaning – prevention!

There are preventive tips you can take that will greatly help keep your drains from clogging.
1)      Switch soap. Oke you Irish Spring (etc) lovers hand over your bars of soap. That white residue you get on your thumbnail when you run it across the bottom of the shower? Well it is soap build up caused by the talc in bar soap.

Guess what? If it's sticking to the shower wall, it's also sticking to the walls of your drains. The soap residue builds up in the drains followed by hair clinging to the soap. Then water can't drain out quickly so that causes green slime. Then you pour toxic drain cleaner down there which goes straight to the city sewer system, which can't process the millions of gallons of that stuff it gets every day so it comes back to your home for your cooking and drinking pleasure. Would you cut that out? And take the rest of your toxic chemicals to the dump for proper disposal. Trust me your health will love you for it and so will your checking account.

2)      Once a month pour one cup Bac Out down all your drains at night right before you go to bed. Bac Out http://www.goclean.com/bac-out.htm are made with active enzymes that "eat" away at bacteria. It's wonderful for kitchen drains to prevent clogs there as well. It "eats" any food that sticks to the sides of the drains keeping those drains clear and preventing them from smelling.

How to unclog your shower and tub drains:
1)      First pour one cup of baking soda down the drain after removing the plug in bathtubs
2)      Follow with one cup of distilled white vinegar
3)      Wait two to three hours and flush with hot water – repeat if needed
4)      That night pour Bac Out down the drains to finish the job. You don't need to flush with water.
5)      Follow step 2 above in the prevention section

How to unclog sink drains:
1)      Turn off the water to the sink and place a plastic bucket under the sink drain
2)      Remove the stopper from the sink  and then remove the curved plumbing fixtures just below the sink.
3)      Use a bristled bottle brush to clean the pipes you just removed and down into the drain as far as it will reach. If you pipes are heavily clogged you may want to use an augur. Pouring baking soda on the brush will help clean the drains even better as will borax.
4)      Replace the pipe and the stopper
5)      Mix the baking soda and vinegar in a quart size bottle. Shake thoroughly to mix and very quickly pour down the drains. That will work down into the rest of the pipe and bubble and fizzle the slime off the drains. Wait  several hours then flush with hot water.
6)      Now pour two cups of Bac Out  Out http://www.goclean.com/bac-out.htm into the drain (one cup if it is not clogged) right before you retire for the night. The enzymes will finish "eating" away the remaining residue. Bac Out is healthy for the sewer systems and your septic tanks. They help "eat" all solid waste helping to keep the entire system in balance like I talked about in my last newsletter.concerning holding tanks and our bodies.
7)      Follow step two above in the prevention section and do this monthly. Not only will this eliminate the frustration of clogged drains it will also keep the toxic chemicals out of your drinking water after it cycles back into your home from the city sewer system.
8)      You will find healthy green cleaners on my web site including the best carpet stain remover you can buy. Ion-a-Clean. http://www.goclean.com/ion-clean.htm. You will love what this does for stain removal and it can be used on Granite or Marble counters and is excellent for people with chemical sensitivities or who have had cancer and should not be around any kind of cleaner.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2006 All rights reserved worldwide.

Spring Cleaning

     My last article talked about using microfiber only for cleaning windows and mirrors. One reader emailed "Caution: many automobile mirrors (the ones on the outside) are plastic with a metal-like coating. It is neither very hard nor very thick. I don’t use microfiber on my car mirrors." Thank you Jeff for taking time to write!

     See http://www.goclean.com/floorcareguide.htm for information on floor care and further discussion of microfiber. This "wonder material" will get you wondering where the shine went on most surfaces.

     Several people have emailed lately asking where to start with spring house cleaning. They have improved with keeping the clutter picked up and improving on their organizational skills. Congratulations! I love to hear the stories!!

     When you spring clean here are the main areas to focus on:
*Remember what I feel is important may not be important to you. These are areas when left unattended could be costly, time consuming difficult to repair and very probably all of the above.

Cabinets: This was the worst area. Neglect causes the wood to warp, crack and turn grimy from cooking oils and oil on your fingerprints.  Our Wood Care http://www.goclean.com/wood-care.htm restores the graying to cabinets when they dull and it covers scratches and water ring marks on furniture.

At least yearly (twice is best) whether you use my wood treatment or another

1. Clean them first (you can dilute our wood cleaner 6 parts water to 1 part cleaner as a regular cleaner) or dampen a cloth in a vinegar and water solution.


2. Treat with your wood treatment. If your time is short consider doing just a section of cabinets weekly. They only take a few minutes and will save you considerable time and money in the long haul.

Next up – Open those freshly cleaned cabinet doors and poke around. Oops, been awhile huh? Children love scrambling around inside cabinets so let them pull everything out. By age six they are old enough to use a damp rag to wipe them out.  Don’t have kids? Offer to baby-sit the neighbors for the afternoon ( Clean cabinet shelves yearly – at least the ones containing food.

Baseboards – they may be out of sight but they aren't out of dirt's mind, Baseboards and the unrelenting black marks in the carpet in front of them.

!) Clean baseboards with our diluted Wood Care
2) If you have black marks spray with Ion-A-Clean http://www.goclean.com/ion-clean.htm or your cleaner. Wait 10 minutes and blot.
*This is a sit down job and I don't mean in an easy chair. Let this little task go unleashed and you will have a nightmare on your hands cleaning this area.
3) Pull your furniture out as you go wiping the walls and doing a thorough job vacuuming as well.

     If you still have energy left tackle the closets. If you live in a damp area this is a yearly must. It affords you the opportunity to treat carpet for mold and mildew and rid the closet of musty smells. There is a product called Pure Ayre www.pureayer.com/marine.htm that works quite well removing all kinds of odors. Remember there is a cause for musty odors – play Sherlock Holmes until you get to the cause. Pulling things out of your closets also gives you a chance to carefully check the walls and carpet for any leaks in the plumbing of your home. Look for dark spots on the walls and feel the carpet for dampness.

     I had a lady email me about some dark spots on the floor in her kitchen that would not come out. I told her it was a mold growing and the dampness had to be coming from somewhere and to check the plumbing. It ended up her dishwasher was leaking and draining onto the floor underneath the linoleum. It had softened the wood underlayment to the point where the floor was close to collapsing. This was the top floor of a two story home. It is important to check your walls and floors yearly for problems, which is easy to do as you are cleaning.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2006 All rights reserved worldwide.

Cleaning Windows

Cleaning Windows

     Several people have emailed asking my opinion of a recipe for a furniture polish using olive oil and vinegar. Olive oil is very healthy for your body. It is not healthy for furniture. It turns rancid in a short period of time especially when exposed to air. Rancid olive oil will smell (do you really want that in your home?) Please use products only for their intended use unless you thoroughly check the validity of what is recommended.

     Spring is here and it's time to clean the windows. First of all use the Mary Moppins mop http://www.goclean.com/mops.htm to remove cobwebs around windows and under the eves of your home. Always wash windows from top to bottom. When using a squeegee wipe the blade often and change the blade if it continues to smear. Wash any towels you will be using adding ½ cup white vinegar to the rinse water. Do not use fabric softener, bleach or dryer sheets as all three will cause windows to smear. Wash windows out of the direct sunlight to prevent streaks. Wipe squeegee blades frequently. Replace your blades if they are more than a year or two old.

1)      Remove the screens cleaning them with our dry sponge http://www.goclean.com/dry-sponge.htm. This is faster and less messy than washing them.
2)      With a 1" paint brush remove cobwebs and dirt from around window frames
3)      Vacuum the frames to remove any dirt that is left
4)      Clean inside windows that can be reached by hand using a microfiber cloth http://www.goclean.com/towels.htm. Use microfiber ONLY on glass or mirrors. It will eventually take the finish off furniture, cars etc. We do carry very high quality microfiber that won't leave lint or stop working after washing it.  
5)      For inside windows that are up high including Sun Rooms, lightly dampen the wash pad of our Window Wizard http://www.goclean.com/ww-wizzard.htm with water only. If you have a microfiber mop, (please do not use it on your floors. It will eventually strip the finish off any floor) it will work quite well for you. Wash it then rinse it in a white vinegar and water solution to remove the soap residue.
6)      Alternately for sun rooms or windows up high you will need a step ladder and either microfiber cloths or lint free towels like our huck towels. Cotton baby diapers work quite well. Just do not use newspapers as the ink has changed and will leave streaks. Paper towels and newspapers contain pulp which will scratch glass. Mix 1/3 of a cup of distilled white vinegar and ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol in a new 32 ounce spray bottle. Fill with distilled water, which gives consistent results. Put a terry towel on window sills to catch the drips.
7)       Outside windows: Use the same window cleaning recipe as above. Spray the window thoroughly, let it set a minute then squeegee down starting at the top. If you are using the Window Wizzard, dampen the wash pad with water clean the window and squeegee.
8)      For those of you who like to use a bucket of window cleaner wash your bucket and wipe the inside with rubbing alcohol to remove any film or oil left behind. Fill with water adding two-thirds cup of white vinegar and one-half cup of rubbing alcohol. Some people also add a bit of automatic dish washer detergent. That works too. I would use one-fourth cup.

     Generally smears are caused by towels that contain laundry detergent residue, squeegee blades that are old or dirty, cleaning in the direct sunlight or not drying the window quickly enough.

     If your window does smear, use an old cotton tee shirt (clean please) spray it with straight rubbing alcohol and wipe over the window. A neat trick is to tuck a lint free towel sprayed with rubbing alcohol in your belt loop. After you squeegee the window, wipe the window with the towel. A friend of mine (thank you Jerry) told me that wiping windows with a dry eraser will also remove smears. It would be fast! Just make sure the window is completely dry. You don't need to take this precaution if using alcohol.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2006 All rights reserved worldwide.

Ideas for Half Day Cleanings

                                          Half day cleaning ideas

    Down on the farm every spring, Grandma would haul out the pillows, mattresses and throw rugs and have us shake, beat and rattle them to freshen them for the spring and summer. Those may be old fashioned ideas but they should be time honored. All that shaking and beating removed the winter's coat of dust, pollen and who knows what else that decided to hibernate between the layers of blankets and mattresses.

     Even if time is tight for spring cleaning and you need to limit the time spent on deep cleaning, don't neglect your bed room. When you spend 6 to 8 hours sleeping on top of dust - sinus and allergy problems tend to rear their ugly heads. You'll be surprised how much easier you will breathe simply by cleaning your bed thoroughly.

     Wash all the bedding including your mattress cover. Remove the mattress and box springs. Turn your frame on the side and clean it with our Bi-O-Kleen. Vacuum the carpet. If there is any dirt marks along the wall use the Ion-A-Clean to remove them.

     Replace the box springs and vacuum it. Next replace the mattress, vacuum the first side, flip it then vacuum the other side. Clean your pillows by either air drying them in the dryer or washing them if they are feather pillows.

     Next pull out your dresser or chest of drawers and vacuum then dust the walls. If you get real energetic tackle the closet. Take to Goodwill anything you haven't worn for the past 2 years and this includes those items we all toss on the top shelf thinking we might need it one day. Well, this is 5 years later and you forgot you had it – toss it in the Goodwill bag.

* In the kitchen: Ok this is time to fess up. When was the last time you treated your cabinets to a good wood treatment? Our Wood Care is just the answer to prevent the drying and cracking that can and does happen. It will revive those areas that have dulled from water splashing.

     Remember though if you have used a product like Pledge that contains chemicals, it's best not to mix products. It could cause the finish to soften. Wood Care can be used successfully on top of pure lemon oil as long as the product does not contain petroleum distillates. Petroleum distillates should never be used inside the home. Check your products carefully. Researchers are just now beginning to associate d-limolene with physical ailments as well.

*Don't forget to clean your refrigerator and toss any bottle that is past the "best used by date." Wipe out the freezer and thoroughly clean the drawers and shelves. They will soon be full of the summer's harvest.

     Then each day where you have a few spare minutes, remove everything from one cabinet and wipe down the shelves. Start with the shelves where food, spices etc are stored to discourage ants from hauling off the leftovers.

     Spring is a great time to go through your home and disguard your toxic cleaners. Call your local toxic waste management company and take that stuff to them for proper disposal. Give your body a spring cleaning as well by getting rid of all that stuff. It literally is killing you.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2005 All rights reserved worldwide.

Mary Moppins Happeni

Mary Moppins Happenings

     This past Sunday, our local paper ran an article about Mary Moppins. You can read it at this website.  

http://www.registerguard.com/news/2006/03/05/ol.marymop.0305.p1.php?section=oregonlife

     Mary Moppins and my new book, "A Complete Idiots Guide to Cleaning" will also be featured in an upcoming article for the Boston Globe. I'll keep you posted with updates as soon as it is available.
    
     Also on Sunday, March 19 at 8 PM Pacific Time, the products I have donated to ABC's Extreme Makeover, home edition will be aired.

Second of 3 part series

This is the second part to a three part article. Last issue I began an article suggesting tips on what to clean if you have 15 minutes on your hands and suggestions on how to get started in your own home. Please see my blog dated yesterday for the first part.

The second part continues with suggestions on what to clean with 30 minutes and an hour. Remember these are only suggestions. Adapt them to your schedule and your circumstance. I'm only giving you suggestions so when your busy schedule allows a few minutes you don't waste half that time deciding what to clean.

Thirty minutes:

1)      When was the last time you cleaned your refrigerator coils? That should be done twice a year to keep your motor running smoothly.
2)      Clean the inside windows in your kitchen and family or living room and sliding glass door if you have one. In other words remove those smudges. Then apply just a little bit of Advantage to keep the smudges at bay.
3)      Clean the drawers in your kitchen you most frequently use or the ones that tend to gather "stuff" like coupons and knickknacks.
4)      Pick up and put away clutter in two rooms – if you have more than 15 minutes of clutter to remove in any one room then this 30 minutes is a great time to get rid of the clutter in one room. Yes it is plenty of time – stay focused. That cup of coffee comes as a reward after the clutter is gone not before or during.
5)      Dust the mini blinds or window coverings in one sector of your home
6)      Clean your light fixtures and change light bulbs that are getting old using the energy saving bulbs.
7)      Change smoke detector batteries
8)      Change your furnace filter

One hour:

1)      Bathrooms – do all the bathrooms at one time to eliminate dragging out your tote tray two or three times. Mary Moppins Bi-O-Kleen will make short work of bathrooms. Read my article on bathroom cleaning for more tips to speed clean your bathrooms.

Don't forget to treat your shower walls and inside of the toilet with Advantage. It is my waterless car wash and protectant. The polymers in Advantage make surfaces slick. Water sheets down shower walls so they are faster to squeegee. I'll let your imagination go to work to tell you the advantage of slick toilet bowls (.  
2)      Dust one sector of your home like the bedroom sector or the living room, dining room and family room areas using our diluted Wood Care. .
3)      Clean out the refrigerator – it should take less than hour so use the remaining time to clean up under the hood of your stove or the surrounding cabinets. 
4)      Clean the ashes out of the fireplace or wood stove and clean the glass insert
5)      Condition your leather or vinyl furniture with our Leather Cleaner and Conditioner
6)      Winter is harsh on wood window sills. Prevent them from cracking with our Wood Care.
7)      Clean smudges on walls and light plates.
8)      Dust lamp shades. Use a clean paint brush with the bristles cut down one half inch for pleated shades and our dry sponge for flat ones.

Now you can see why I recommend making a list of everything in your home that needs to be cleaned. It's so much easier to refer to your list and check them off as you get them done.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2005 All rights reserved worldwide.
 

Things to clean in 15 minutes.

If you don't have clutter under control these 15 minute exercises will take an hour or longer. Follow this one rule: Never leave a room empty handed – never. When you leave a room, look around for items that have not been used for three or four weeks. Either toss them, give them away, recycle or put them in their proper place.

Keep current magazines in a rack by the side of a chair. Do not keep an entire magazine for one or two articles. (there are exceptions) Purchase a two to three inch 3 ring binder and tabs. Remove any article you wish to keep punching holes in it with a three hole punch. Label a tab for the appropriate title adding the article. Not only does it get rid of the magazine but you can actually find the article when you need it.

Immediately refill your bottles when you finish cleaning. That way they are ready to tackle those unexpected spills. Keep everything stored in one place. Use a tote tray and not an apron for holding your cleaners and brushes. Aprons are a hazard waiting to happen let alone the weight hanging around your neck.

For the quick fifteen minute cleanups keep a spray bottle of our diluted Bi-O-Kleen or Ion-A-Clean, (the best stain remover I've ever used and the reason I carry it) in the kitchen along with a towel or two. For those of you with chemical allergies, Ion-A-Clean is a must. It contains no chemicals, surfactants or cleaning agents of any kind. It's so safe a fish will live in it yet it is a remarkable cleaner. You will love what it does and how easily it removes nearly all carpet stains including magic marker. Click on Ion-A-Kleen to read more.

The secret to speed cleaning no matter how much or how little time you have is to keep focused and work up a sweat. Put on some fast paced music and move quickly. Get your heartbeat raised and a sweat on your brow. Your body will love you and you will love the additional time you have.

Homework: Grab a clipboard and piece of paper. Walk through each room of your home as if for the first time. Using a critical eye, list everything that needs cleaning both quick and long job like pulling out cabinets and cleaning inside under and around them and the wall behind them. Include cleaning walls, windows to easier chores like dusting cobwebs or removing clutter or perhaps decorating changes you want to make. By each chore, mark how long you think it will take. ie: 15 minutes 30 minutes and hour half a day or maybe a whole day.

Here is a sample for what you want to achieve for a 15 minute cleaning job. You don't need this much detail but it gives you an idea of my concept behind "giving your product time to work." Soak one surface while you clean another. You use your time efficiently which is the essence of speed cleaning. Now apply this concept to everything you do.  

15 minute cleaning suggestions:

Kitchen: Begin filling the sink with hot sudsy water. Place a coffee cup half filled with water in the microwave - if it's dirty - and turn it on high for 3 minutes. Remove the drip pans from the stove putting them in the sink to soak. Spray the stove top with the Bi-O-Kleen or Ion-A-Clean. Time: 3 minutes.

Grab an SOS pad and scrub the drip pans then the grates. Wipe down the microwave with a towel then clean the front of the stove, spray the hood and under the hood and clean them. Then wipe the stove top. Time: 7 minutes.

Remove the bins from the refrigerator and spritz down the bottom of the refrigerator. Dump the contents of the bins on the counter and toss old fruits and veggies. Run hot sudsy water in the bins. Then wipe down the bottom of the refrigerator, clean and dry the bins and return the fruits and veggies. Spray down the top and exterior of the refrigerator and wipe it clean. Time: 5 minutes.

Here are a few other ideas for 15 minute cleaning jobs:
1)Dust cobwebs
2)Declutter one room
3)Clean lampshades or ceiling fans
4)Clean sliding glass doors (apply just a bit of our Advantage Waterless Wash and Protectant to your sliding glass doors and fingerprints will have a difficult time sticking if they stick at all.
5)Dust miniblinds
6) Wipe down the fronts of kitchen cabinets or the bathroom cabinets – our diluted Wood Care is excellent for this
7)Dust baseboards in one section of your home
8)Clean the inside of a cabinet and toss anything that is over a year old
8)enjoy a cup of tea!

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2005 All rights reserved worldwide.

Club Soda

Club Soda
The flip side

     Several popular cleaning websites promote the use of club soda for removing various stains from carpeting, which it does a wonderful job – if – the bottle is fresh. Club soda is a carbonated beverage and like any soda, looses its "fizz" within a short period of time. Once club soda has flattened you must open a fresh bottle for it to be effective either for removing stains or for drinks.

     Club soda is not an inexpensive item. Since it does quickly loose its effectiveness this means keeping several bottles of it in your pantry at all times. Just what you don't need – more product to consume an already overloaded pantry.

     Try our Ion-A-Clean instead. Ion-A-Clean is water that has been ionized. Under most conditions water only holds ionization for only 24 hours.  Ion-A-Clean has been patented to have a three year shelf life. Now you have one bottle in your pantry rather than half a dozen and it has cost you far less as well. Spray Ion-A-Clean on the stain and leave it alone for 30 minutes – do mark the area of the stain because most dissolve into the carpet. It encapsulates both the fibers of the carpet and the dirt. Both surfaces are now negatively charged acting like two negatively charged magnets. The stain "peels" away from the carpet fibers since they no longer have a death grip on the dirt.  

     Club soda must be rinsed or the ants will be beating a path to the spot. With Ion-A-Clean blot and that's it. It needs no rinsing. Ion-A-clean even removes magic marker from carpet and fabric furniture and won't leave a residue or stain behind like other products that claim to remove marker.

     Ion-A-Clean is so safe a fish can live in it as long as you feed it (. It is a wonderful cleaner for anyone with chemical sensitivities, asthma, heart problems or where breathing fumes of any kind should be avoided. It is safe to use around children and pets can lick the floor without the worry of ingesting a cleaner. Drop a nail into a glass of Ion-A-clean. It will not rust even after a year. And it is the only product safe for cleaning granite and marble counters and showers. It will not damage those surfaces.

Cleaning Tips for Fe

February Tips
   Spring is quickly on the way so now is the best time to attend to those cleaning chores we tend to ignore but need attention to prevent major problems down the road.
    Cleaning and conditioning wood cabinets and furniture. Wood furniture and cabinets dry and crack if ignored. Feel your bathroom cabinets. After several years of suffering through daily steam baths they crack and turn grey. Treat them at least once a year with our Wood Care to prevent this. Our Wood Care can be diluted eight parts water to one part Wood Care for a wonderful weekly furniture cleaner.
    Deep treat leather and vinyl furniture to prevent sun damage if they are near a window and drying and cracking. Our Leather/Vinyl Cleaner and Conditioner deep cleans and conditions. It can be diluted the same as the Wood Care for regular cleanings.

1. Clean the inside of kitchen cabinets. Grab two plastic clothes baskets. Use one basket to toss anything you haven't eaten including old spices, medicines etc. that are past expiration date. The second will hold any item you haven't used for the past 3 to 4 years. Either have a garage sale, take them to Good Will or sell it on EBay. Then wipe down the shelves and walls of the cabinets.


2. If storage is a problem in your kitchen, places like Bed Bath and Beyond, department stores and hardware stores have great storage ideas. Just let your creative side take over when you go looking.


3. Resolve once a month to thoroughly clean one to two rooms of your home. Designate a day then keep the appointment with yourself. Pull the furniture away from walls. Clean the walls and baseboards then vacuum thoroughly. Use our Dry Sponge to clean dog hair and surface dirt off fabric furniture. Our Ion-A-Clean will remove most stains on the furniture even magic marker.

Pull everything out of the closet repeating the idea with the baskets as above. Getting rid of things you haven't used for years, there are exceptions of course, simplifies your life, makes cleaning much easier and finding things too!

Holiday Party Hints

Holiday Party Hints
Cleaning Tips
By Mary Findley copyright @2005

Ah the joys and wonders of the Holiday Season – The brightly decorated homes, warm spiced cider by an inviting fireplace, traditional family festivities, guests coming for the Yuletide party. Wait a minute did someone say guests and party in the same sentence? Oh my, it's getting late and nothing has been done yet about party planning let alone cleaning or preparing for family for the traditional gathering of the clan.  

All the preparation and cleaning must have been the scary things Scrooge dreamt at night. It may be late but Santa does not have sole rights to helpers nor is Rudolph the only one in town with a bright shiny light.  Here are a few holiday guidelines to ensure Scrooge gets a sound night's sleep while you borrow Santa's helpers who happen to have hidden flashlights.

Take Note:  Keep a pad handy to write down the extra items you'll need for a party or Christmas dinner. A second pad keeps a running tab of your "to do" list as they come to mind at three AM. Keep an extra pad in the car as well.

●Weeks before your party, enter each room where people will linger and look around with the eye of Sherlock Holmes. Find a cubby hole for any unnecessary item until after the New Year. The less left out, the less that needs cleaning or can get broken. Remember the fastest way to declutter a room is never leave that room empty handed. Take something with you then put it away. Toss or take to Goodwill any item that passed its usefulness.

Plan Ahead: As you plan for your party or holiday dinner, write down things that your guests can help prepare when they arrive. These might include taking coats, opening wine bottles, mixing drinks, emptying trash, keeping nut dishes filled, arranging fruit, vegetable or cheese platters. Keep the list posted so when guests ask to help, it is easy to refer them to the list. Ask them to mark it off the list once they finish. No more last hour kitchen mayhem directing people on how they can help. Save this list on your computer for other parties as well.

● Carry a clean 1 ½ inch paint brush in your back pocket while you are decorating your home for the holidays. It is within easy reach to whisk away cobwebs around lamps, door hinges or other area we all miss during our regular cleaning. Tuck a barely damp cloth into your other back pocket to wipe down baseboards as you move furniture making room for holiday decorations.

● Purchase additional plastic tablecloths if you have small children or pets coming for visits. Turn them soft side up and place a towel on top of the tablecloth on a bed or sofa where the pets or young children might sleep. The towel catches any accident while the plastic protects the bed, chair or couch. Then place the table cloth under the small fry during meal time to prevent carpet stains. Turn them into a place for children's activities either on a table or the floor to prevent stains, scratches and confine the toys.  

Speed cleaning PhD:

● Let the phone ring

● Put on some fast bouncy music

● Hold off that latte as a reward for getting the cleaning finished not for getting it started.

● Ignore the advice you often read to do laundry etc as you clean – what are they nuts? Your goal is to pick up speed while you are cleaning. Every time you stop what you are doing you loose that speed and it takes 10 minutes to get going again.

● Tuck all your cleaners in a tote tray. Forget the cleaning aprons. They are trouble waiting to happen. Put clean rags in one plastic bag and carry a second for used rags. Then carry a trash bag to discard trash. Gather everything you need before you start. Remember don't stop keep moving.

● Turn your house cleaning into an aerobic exercise. Nearly everything, except vacuuming, is a matter of speed. Get both hands working - one moves objects as the other cleans. Move fast enough to get your heart rate up and put a sweat on your brow. You will love the time savings and your body will love you!

Tricks of the trade include:

● Quickly remove water ring marks in toilets with our Erase It for Bathrooms without scratching the bowl like a pumice stone. Then back the water out of the toilet and dry the bowl. Spray the bowl with our Advantage waterless car wash, wipe it to cover the entire bowl and go clean the shower. Wipe the toilet with a dry towel and allow the water to flow back in. Advantage contains polymers, which makes surfaces slick so "things" don't stick. Oh is post party cleanup a breeze. Then treat your Corian countertops with Advantage as well to add luster and help prevent stains.

● Get rid of all leftovers in the refrigerator, clean the refrigerator tossing any bottle that has not been used for six months.  

Preventive cures:  

● If you burn candles, place them up high or in areas where people won't move them and never place them close to flammable objects or where a child or pet might knock them over. 100% soy candles are best to burn. They emit very little smoke and most do not contain lead wicks. A 16 oz soy candle will burn for 30 to 40 hours. If you light candles at a table or for a special ceremony, make certain the surface is well protected.  

● You might want to decorate window sills to prevent guests from placing glasses on the sills otherwise place three or four coasters and napkins on the sills as well as around all rooms that will be used.

● Remove any antique or valuable furniture. Prevention is wise for any party.

● Replace end tables with folding tray tables setting one or two extra in each room along with a decorative trash can.

● Cover coffee tables first with plastic then a holiday table cloth followed by decorations and snacks if you serve them in that room. Never serve nuts that must be cracked open or snacks that have toothpicks. Both are deadly to carpet and require hours of extra cleaning labor.

● It is permissible to ask guests to remove their shoes before entering your home especially if you live in a rainy or snowy area. One friend had everyone bring colorful Christmas socks to wear. It was a riot with everyone in their holiday dress.

● Allow any mud to dry that does find its way onto your carpet then vacuum it.

Keep it handy:  

● Our Ion-A-Clean, a patented, ionized water that is a remarkable stain remover. Most stains can merely be sprayed and left alone. Ion-A-Clean surrounds both the stain and the carpet fibers negatively charging both surfaces. The stain then releases from the carpet and an hour later or after guests leave is quickly blotted to remove the stain. It does not need to be rinsed.  It works quite well on red wine stains without leaving the sticky residue that white wine or seltzer water leaves behind both of which are more difficult to remove than the red wine and damage carpet fibers.

● Along with the Ion-A-Clean have several dry towels and damp towels ready to tackle those spills. Keep a few dry towels inside a cabinet front if possible in every room where guests will linger. The faster you attend to a stain the less damage the stain will cause.

● Resist the temptation to serve colored punch drinks. If you do keep a spray bottle filled with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide to water. Immediately spray the spot with the solution. Wait 15 to 20 minutes then blot with a 50/50 solution of white vinegar to water.

● Dampen a towel placing it and a mop just outside the garage door. A towel is much faster to use than any other mop to quickly remove spills from floors.

● Keep a bottle of Bac-Out or Nature's Miracle found at pet stores, close at hand for spills on flooring with grout. Detergents cannot be used on any stone floor. The enzymes in either product "eat" bacteria and will not damage stone flooring.

● A small cordless vacuum comes in quite handy and should be close at hand as well as a pair of pliers and a screw driver with all four heads tucked into the handle. Keep these and a pair of scissors in a kitchen drawer.  

● Copy motels and tuck one or two extra trash bag at the bottom of a trash container before placing the trash bag inside. This prevents rushing around finding replacements when the container needs emptying.

Be sure to watch for Mary's book "The Complete Idiots Guide to Cleaning" coming to her website and bookstores Jan, 2006.

With the snowy weather settling around already, there are a few winter tips for making life a bit easier. All of you in the southern states can retreat to the patio and bask in the 75º sun with you glass of ice tea. The rest of us are cuddled up around the fireplace in warm blankets.

Speaking of fireplaces have you cleaned the chimney yet? A quick way to clean the glass fronts of a wood burning stove is to carefully scrape it with a single edge razor blade making sure to put plastic down on the floor to prevent stains. Then use our Bi-O-Kleen and Red Scrubbie Pad to remove the rest. Wipe on the Bi-O-Kleen concentrated, wait 30 to 45 minutes then scrub with a dampened Red Scrubbie Pad.

I receive quite a few emails asking for easy ways to clean and dry a dog's feet after he comes inside from the wet, snowy outdoors. Place an old towel on the floor. Then grab a good sturdy bowl adding a small squirt of our Liquid Dish Soap. Fill the bowl part way with warm but not hot water. Your pet will love the warmth on their cold feet. The dish soap, which is safe for pets because it does not contain the usual harmful chemicals of other dish soaps, removes the mud and caked on snow. Then dry with the towel.

The best prevention for winter time blues is to kick your shoes off at the front door! Do this year round to save wear and tear and cleaning bills on your carpet. Yes it is a hard habit to adapt. People who have made the switch have written back with buckets of gratitude. It's worth the effort and will save hours of agony removing carpet stains. The best product I have ever used for cleaning stains is our Ion-A-Clean and that is why I sell it. It is also is wonderful for people with chemical sensitivities. It is an all purpose cleaner as well yet contains no chemicals or harsh cleaners.

Save on your heating bills this winter by keeping the blinds closed in rooms that you don't use often like formal living rooms, dining rooms or bedrooms. The cold air draws the heat out of your home.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at http://www.goclean.com. Copyright @2005 All rights reserved worldwide.

Time is tight, cookies need baking, kids demand attention and your home screams for a thorough cleaning. Where do you start? Make a list and check it twice. Write down your holiday activities including what needs to be baked, cleaned, rearranged, disguarded or ignored. Remember that commitment you silently made to spend more time with your family this holiday season? A good hard look at your list quickly reveals what you can eliminate to free your time this holiday season.

A list also helps prevent those last minute "I forgot to wash the tablecloth" catastrophes. Check off each chore as you complete it. A computer spreadsheet program allows you to quickly rearrange that schedule so priorities or do ahead projects make the top ten. Keep the master copy to use again next year and work from a second copy.

Starting mid November make double meals twice a week. It only takes a few extra minutes to throw together 2 meatloaves or double a casserole or favorite chili recipe. Freeze the second meal for a homemade "fast food" meal. It's faster and healthier than heading to the local drive through.

Now comes the tough but essential part to give you added time during the holidays. Make a commitment to run errands nor more than twice a week. It takes at least 30 to 40 minutes just driving to and from a store. Keep spare rolls of tape, paper, glue, screwdrivers and pliers within easy reach.

This is the time to multitask: if you go to the garage take a load of laundry. When you head out to the store, take out the garbage. Get three days worth of dinner out of the freezer in the garage. Pay attention to the trips you make and do double duty. You'll save a couple hours a week simply by combing trips around your home.

It is impossible to speed clean a cluttered home. Put on some calypso music and start decluttering. Fast moving music takes the burden out of this job. Besides you'll find yourself dancing to the beat and the exercise is wonderful! Small children love to dance so let their imagine run free. Get the entire family involved in decluttering. If the kids want holiday cookies they need to pick up after themselves then let them help.

If you serve finger food rather than a sit down dinner, purchase good sturdy, oversized plates so your guests have plenty of room to place napkins, silverware and their glass on the plate while they walk to a chair. A sturdier plate balances better in a lap as well. Think twice about serving things like chips, popcorn or things that crumble like crackers or cookies. Not only do they leave grease stains in fabric, but they are often dropped and crushed into the carpeting or hard flooring and they find their way into the crevices in furniture, all of which can take hours to clean.

Place extra coasters along window sills etc where people linger to talk and often put down a glass. Keep a look out for glasses left behind and pick them up quickly to prevent spills. Use burning candles sparingly perhaps on the buffet or main dinner table only. Extinguish them right after dinner. Fires often start because a candle is moved during the evening and placed close to a flammable item.

After guests leave, straighten up before retiring for the night. You will spot any stain that might have been missed. Our Ion-A-Clean can be sprayed on a stain and left until the next day. Ion-A-Clean is ionized water and will not cause damage to any surface. The negatively charged ions "peel" away the stain from the fabric making removal easy.

You are welcome to download my free stain removal guide. It does come in handy all year long and especially during the holiday season.

Buy a large size carpet sample to place at your front door. Carpet does a great job cleaning the bottom of shoes. Then put a non rubber backed throw rug just inside the door to catch what the carpet sample missed. Rubber backed throw rugs leave yellow stains on surfaces especially when they get wet. Make sure the throw rug is light in color. Otherwise the dye will seep into your carpet. Hold the throw rug in place with non skid padding you find in most department stores. It should not yellow like the rubbed backing on rugs.

Speed clean your home like a pro: That cup of coffee can wait. You don't have to answer the phone unless you are expecting a call and it won't hurt a thing if the mail gets left in the box for another hour. Stay focused when you clean. You pick up speed while cleaning. Stop to do laundry and you just lost 15 minutes regaining your speed, if you can even do that at all.

Next take a serious walk around your home. If a room isn't to be used during the holidays, thoroughly clean it early in the season then shut the door. It will keep clean for a month until the hustle and bustle pass. Each evening after dinner clean one kitchen counter top, a shelf in the refrigerator, the microwave etc. Go through your refrigerator before the holidays and get rid of anything that has sprouted legs and is doing the two step by the light of a 20 watt bulb.

Holiday Cheer
By Mary Findley copyright@2005 all rights reserved

Please be careful this holiday season of candles. Many contain lead, which emits toxins in your home. The black smoke also plays havoc on walls, which takes hours to clean. All too often I receive an email from someone whose home has received fire damage from a candle sitting too close to a lamp shade, fabric furniture or placed on a holder attached to the wall. Please take extra caution where and how you burn candles. If children of any age are present, keep lit and unlit candles out of their reach.

Look for lead free and smokeless candles. Soy candles are my favorite. They have a long burn time, light scent and don't leave black soot on anything. They are more expensive but your lungs will thank you and if means spending 3 or 4 less hours cleaning walls, your arms will also thank you!

Place a holder under all candles. Candles sweat whether they are burning or not. The dye from the candles stains whatever surface they sit upon, especially wood and it does not come out.

When company comes for dinner or a social gathering, avoid serving foods and particularly drinks with red, purple or orange coloring. For a complete stain removal guide head to www.goclean.com and print out my free stain removal guide.

Here are a few handy tips for holiday parties. Store a dampened mop just outside the door going to your garage. If a spill happens it is ready to clean the spill. Keep a few terry towels in a plastic bag under the sink along with a spray bottle of your all purpose cleaner, a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide to remove red dye stains (not everyone heeds my warnings,) your liquid dish soap for greasy food stains and foaming shaving cream for most other food stains.

Next have a bottle of seltzer water handy if you serve red wine. Make sure guests use saucers for coffee cups and hand them a large napkin with each glass of wine. Be sure to keep coasters handy on all tables and surfaces and see to it they are used.

It is perfectly fine to ask guests to remove their shoes at the door. Do let them know ahead of time. The mud, slush and so forth carried in on shoes plays havoc on carpeting. The heels of shoes leave scratches in wood floors. Place a neutral colored throw rug just inside the door for shoes. Any color in a rug will transfer to the carpet or linoleum flooring.

If you are expecting small children or guests with pets purchase several plastic table cloths. Turn one upside down on a bed or sofa where the little ones or pets might rest. Then place a terry towel on top of the table cloth. The towel catches any "accidents" and the table cloth prevents the liquid from saturating bedding or furniture. Then place one underneath children's chairs at a meal. Shake the table cloth outside after a meal, the birds will love the leftovers, wipe clean and return to your guests within seconds without the worry of stained carpet.

Look for Mary's book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cleaning" coming to bookstores in Jan, 2005

Along with the beauty of the fall colors, comes a yearly winterizing check of your home. Make certain your list includes cleaning and checking the following:
*Gutters

*Chimneys

*Fireplaces and wood stoves and pipes

*Furnace filters and ducts (cleaning air ducts is best left to the professionals and is necessary once a year)

*Drain lawnmowers, replace spark plugs etc

*Check car tires, belts, plugs, radiator fluids etc. Make sure your chains are ready and you have a good ice scraper handy.

*Use an augur, drain cleaner or call a plumber to clear your drains before they clog. Winter is a terrible time for overflow problems. It's colder and takes longer for water to dry if a drain overflows giving mold and mildew time to cause structural problems.

*Wash or dry clean stored blankets, bedding, coats and sweaters before you need them.

*Dispose of any and all old paint, varnishes etc. Be sure the cans you do keep are stored away from sources of heat along with any flammable material.

*Check your home for any cracks that might need sealing. Clean windows and framing making sure the drain holes are unplugged.

*Trim bushes back away from the house so they don't hold in the moisture. This helps reduce mold and mildew growth next spring and gives your foundation that breathing space it needs.

*Replace smoke detector batteries.

*Have your fire extinguisher checked to make sure it is working. Do you have the right fire extinguisher? There is a difference. Do you have one conveniently located in each part of your home and not tucked away at the back of a closet?

*Clean outdoor grills. Properly store propane gas.

*Toss out old candles. Replace them with soy candles that burn with very little smoke. Look for ones that burn with natural, not lead, wicks. Your lungs and arms will love you for it. It takes a lot of elbow grease removing soot stains from walls. Breathing that smoke and lead can be a killer – literally.

*Look for natural cleaning products to clean your home. The toxic buildup of chemicals fumes cause a multitude of health problems. This worsens during the winter when windows and doors remain shut. Homes are built to be air tight. They don't let cold air in or fumes out. If you are suffering from headaches, asthma or other health problems it could be caused from the chemicals you use.

*Winter is especially hard on leather, vinyl and wood furniture. The heat from fireplaces and furnaces dries and cracks them. Clean and condition all your furniture.

Reprinted from "Mary Moppins" a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for cleaning just about anything. This article may be reprinted only with proper credit given to Mary Findley, owner of Mary Moppins at http://www.goclean.com/