Cleaning Wood Floors with Vinegar

 

    I have read on other cleaning experts' pages where using distilled white vinegar to clean a wood or laminated floor will cause it to become dull. That the "acid" will damage the floor. Then these same people recommend microfiber mops to clean the floor. Please do not follow this bad advice. It is NOT the vinegar that causes the problem.

 

    These people need to study their fabrics and do their homework. It is the microfiber mops that causes the damage not vinegar. Microfiber is made from 80 to 85% polyester. Polyester is plastic and plastic scratches. With time, it not only will scratch the dirt off the surface, it will continue to "scratch" the finish off the floor as well. It will take the clear or gel coat off a vehicle, the finish off cabinets and the paint off a wall. I have had microfiber manufacturers from Taiwan and China admit this to me only the advertising does not mention that with continued use microfiber will remove a finish, sealant or paint. 

 

     Also do not follow the advice of other cleaning experts who recommend using cotton string mops. It is impossible to wring out the excell moisture. That moisture will work between the boards and it will warp them.

 

Wood floor challenge: If you want to test this for yourself, take a brand new wood floor. Clean half of it with a 100% cotton terry towel (the towel must be made here in America or it may contain 20% polyester) 2 tablespoons of white vinegar per quart of water. Spray the towel until it is just damp enough to damp mop. Mop one half with this solution and the other side with water and a microfiber mop. Within a year the side that has been cleaned with the microfiber will have dulled and the vinigar side will still look brand new. I cleaned homes professionally for over 12 years - none of my clients floors were damaged in that time by vinegar and water.

 

Murphy Oil Soap: Other cleaning experts also recommend using Murphy Oil Soap. Two of my customers had to have their floors sanded and refinished because their prior cleaning ladies used Murphy's on their floors and it gummed up the finish by softening it. Murphy Oil Soap does not belong on wood or laminated floors.

 

     Vinegar is not like other acids. It's a natural acid. When mixed with water, the acid in the vinegar neutralizes the alakali in the water so the water is now a balanced PH. Water spots are slow to form if at all it cannot dull the floor. You do not need to use more than 1/4 cup vinegar per gallon of water unless your water is quite hard then perhaps 1/3 cup. The floors are dulling by microfiber mops or Murphy Oil Soap NOT by vinegar.

 

This article may be reprinted but credit must be given to Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com. All rights reserved world wide.

 

Prepare for an Emergency

When Tragedy Hits – Be Prepared   The tornado and horrible storms hit the Midwest while I was visiting my family. Those storms brought another house cleaning chore to mind and one that I need to bring current as well.

     So what would happen if you heard a tornado warning or listening to the news were told to evacuate? Your home and all your possessions are about to be demolished – everything gone in minutes. You have time to take only a few things. What will you grab?

     You best have your important papers handy and in one spot so you can grab them and head out the door.

Here is a list of things to help you prepare for an emergency:

1)      Take pictures of every item in your home – don't you love those digital cameras? Include pictures of everything, computers, jewelry, cars, collections like baseball cards, appliances, tools, computers everything you own needs to be on film including an overall picture of your closets, cabinets etc. 

Now copy those pictures to your computer and save that to a separate CD. Then start by placing one picture per page into a folder titled Household items or whatever is best for you. On that page list when you purchased the item, how much you paid for it and the item name.

2)      Also keep receipts for everything that is a major purchase. Appliances, computers, cameras, furniture tools, locate all the receipts you can. Beginning today keep all receipts for major purchases in one place where you can grab them easily.

3)      Your insurance papers and any and all important documents like birth certificates, SSN papers, CDs or stocks you may own, a copy of your last pay stub, passports, a few checks from your bank and a couple of withdrawal stubs, a copy of one statement from each of your credit cards and any other document that will give you the information you need to start your life again. 

Take Copies Make a copy of your drivers license front and back along with a copy of your insurance cards and your credit cards front and back. These items will help clear your identity.

Make a living will along with a regular will or instructions on how to settle your estate should something happen to you.

4)      Start a spread sheet folder with the names of all your banks, CDs, your stocks who they are with and the amounts, when and where you purchased them and when they are due along with the name and number of your broker or bank etc where they were purchased. 

Also list all your credit cards, who issued them, the amount owed and a phone number to call if something goes wrong. This is an excellent idea anyway in case your billfold is stolen. Include copies of your 401K plan and your IRA and savings deposits.

Add to that the name and phone number of your insurance agent and who to call in case of emergency. Include any hospital phone number, your doctor, dentist and all pertinent phone numbers – family members included. When you are in the middle of a catastrophe it is easy to forget your own phone number let alone that of family. Don't assume you will remember – trust me you won't. I've been through both a hurricane and a tornado. You will not remember.  

5)      I have never read where experts advise this but after hurricane Katrina I have also included pieces of gold and silver. Paper money can get wet and be of little or no use. So if you want to put some paper money in with this information make sure it's in a vacuum packed bag so it can't get wet. Many of the Katrina victims could not get access to their bank accounts because their bank had been demolished. Keep enough money there to get you by for about a month.

Now most important, make a copy of this CD and send it to a family member, preferably whoever would be the executor of your estate. This should not go to someone in your own home town as their home may be destroyed as well.  If your executor is in your home town, then forward a second copy to a family member you trust but who is living out of town.  Even more importantly print out a copy to send to these people along with a copy for you to keep. You will not be able to get access to your computer to read the document.  Again vacuum pack this document along with the CD so they won't get wet.

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.

 

 

 

Five Top Reasons to Shut the Toilet Sea

 

Reason #5: The lid covering is far prettier than a toilet seat especially if it has been more than a week since it was cleaned.

 

Reason #4:  If your spouse asks you to close it. We are far too quickly becoming more concerned about what "me" wants rather than being courteous to each other. It's time to turn the corner and bring courtesy back into all our relationships.

 

Reason #3:  It is quite unsightly as a guest to walk into a bathroom with the lid up.

 

Reason #2: Children throw things in them then flush - the results of which are costly. It costs nothing but 1/2 second to shut the lid.

 

AND the #1 Reason to close the lid: Just like unexpected and perhaps unwanted guests,  things do drop in.

 

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

Getting Kids to Help Around the House

     People are asking how to get kids to help around the house. The draw to computers, TVs and the like are distancing families more and more and it breaks my heart. Personally I'll be glad when 2009 comes along with the forced digital TV. I refuse to buy one or the converter box. The TV goes off and good riddance. I've been listening to the radio for most of my news and will continue to do so. The vulgarity, violence and degrading way programs treat women needs to stop. Nor do I put it past these digital TVs to have added circuits that will track our phone calls etc. I don't trust them and won't have it in my home.

     Oops I got off on my soap box again. Let's get back to these chores. First of all children, young children in particular are like baby ducks: lead, they follow. You can't expect them to pick up their room, set the table or help with dinner when the house is cluttered, needs a good cleaning and dinner is always late because of distractions.

 Start them young and praise them often   

   Step one is to start young - very young. Even a one year old can put their toys away. And insist they do just that. They are not allowed another toy until the one they are playing with is back in its proper place. Yes you will need to show them how several times and help them but doing these things together can be a lot of fun. Make it a special time. Don't do it for them just because you are tired and don't want to wait for them. Your being tired is not their fault. They are slow and will also follow your wonderful example of patience.

     Next remember young children won't do things up to your expectations. A one year old will miss the toy box and a two year old won't get things in there neatly. By age four they can be shown how to do a neat job. In the meantime encourage them. Words like "Wow Gracie, how did you do that? You got the teddy bear in the box – way to go." It doesn't matter if it was the right box, praise her for her efforts.

   Criticism is the key to killing the joy of helping 

     This is the single most important thing to remember through their growing years. Kids of all ages will soon stop helping if they are criticized at every attempt. Praise them and give them tons of hugs and personal time with you and not a financial or material gain. Keep the allowance out of it. Yes a lot of people will object to this but allowance should not be a part of chores. There are exceptions if they need to earn money to pay for fees for school or clubs etc. Those should be extra chores after their primary chores are finished.

     So what happens if the child does not do his chores? Well you must do them for her. That means you don't have time to take her to ball practice or whatever and if she doesn't have time for chores she certainly doesn't have time to watch TV etc. Stick to your commitment on this one. It's difficult when they do have practice and must be there. They don't go until the chores are finished. If the activity is right after school, the TV, computer IPod whatever stays off until homework and chores are finished. No exceptions. Giving in even once means you have lost face and will be pushed to the limit from there out. Yes I found out the hard way.

Start Young  

    The time to start with children is when they are very young. Even two year olds can clear their plates and take them to the kitchen. Saying something like, "Julie, I'm taking my plate to the kitchen bring yours and we'll rinse it off." Kids love to play in water so have them pull a chair or stool up to the sink and rinse off the dishes.

     Next, set up a chore chart. You and your child can choose chores that are age appropriate and they can set their chores each day. Then set one for you as well. Remember kids learn by example. So put up your own chore chart and each of you mark off each day when yours are done. And perhaps Mom or Dad's treat for getting their chore done is a 5 minute quiet time – no interrupting or a soak in the tub. Learning to respect your quiet time will teach them respect.

     Each evening before your child goes to bed, his room is to be picked up and his chore done.  

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.

Cleaning Awnings

 

This applies to awnings on RVs and homes as well. Be sure to brush all the debris off your awning first. Next mix a bucket of hot water adding one fourth cup of borax and just a bit of liquid laundry detergent. Dump the bucket of water on top of the awning and spread it across the awning. Roll the awning up and let that set for 30 minutes. Unroll, scrub, rinse and allow to dry. Rolling the awning up for 30 minutes allows the cleaners to soak both the top and the bottom of the awning making it much easier to scrub them.

 

This article may only be rewritten with credit given to Mary Findley and referencing her website www.goclean.com. All rights reserved world wide

 

Removing Grass Stains from Clothing

 

Whether grass stains come from kneeling down on grass digging weeds out of your yard or from your youngster sliding to catch a fly ball in left field, removing those stains is a simple matter. As soon as the clothes are removed rub on an ample amount of liquid laundry detergent then let them set overnight. Toss them in the wash!

 

Air dry the clothing to make sure the stain is gone. Heat sets a stain and oh can it cause an ugly mess. This process works equally as well for red clay stains. Grease and oil responds better to liquid dish soap. Unless you want your laundry room to turn into a bubble bath, rinse the clothing first when you use liquid dish soap!

 

This article may only be rewritten with credit given to Mary Findley and referencing her website www.goclean.com. All rights reserved world wide

 

 

Cleaning Mini Blinds

 

Design Life Products recently sent information about a holding device for mini-blinds, which hold the blinds on a shower wall with suction cups. I have not tried them as yet but the design of these MiniMaids looks inviting. This is a much easier process than hammering 2 nails into the back of your home like I have suggested in the past.

 

To clean your blinds, simply hang them from the hooks. Turn the slats so they face downward. Beginning at the bottom, spray them thoroughly with CleanEz or a foaming tub and tile cleaner spraying your way to the top. WAit a few minutes until the cleaner begins to drip down. Wipe the blinds with a wet sponge, spray them with the shower head, reverse the slats and flip the blind to the other side. Repeat. When you are finished, dry them with a towel and re-hang. The entire process should take less than 15 minutes.

 

They are sold mainly in mail order catalogues or call 847-266-7783 for purchase information.

 

This article may only be rewritten with credit given to Mary Findley and referencing her website www.goclean.com. All rights reserved world wide

Neat tricks for nylon net bags

Here is a little tip that might come in handy for those of you who camp, travel or just around the house. Rather than toss those little mesh bags that some grocery stores use to hold fruits and veggies - like avocados - into the trash toss them in your kitchen drawer. They are wonderful for holding small handfuls of grapes, berries, cherries etc to wash. No more losing them down the disposal.
Tuck two or three bags inside one, twist tie the other end. Use it as a scrub pad for scrubbing pans or cookware. These are wonderful for camping trips, on boats or in RVs not only for scrubbing pans but hands too! Double them for added strength, tuck a bar of soap inside and it will clean anything including childrenJ. It's easier to hold onto the bag than a slippery bar of soap.

Sponge Paint brushes aren't just for painting

The next trip to your hardware store, grab 3 or 4 each of several different sizes of sponge paint brushes. They are so handy for cleaning into those hard to reach areas like the corners of window frames, slats in convection ovens, slats in the vents on ceilings of RVs, corners of refrigerators drawers – just those little nooks and crannies where I usually remove my glasses and what dirt I don't seen doesn't need cleaning! Oh and don't forget in-between the keys of your computer keyboard. Please don't ask me how that came to mind as I shove the little dust bunnies aside to see the keys.

Kick the Habit of Wearing Shoes indoors

How many of you are now in the habit of kicking your shoes off at the door to keep the dirt off your floors and outside where it belongs? Um that's not many hands and yes the kids can be taught too. Just gently take them back to the door and sit them down until the shoes are setting on the mat by the door.

Extra Tread on Slick Surfaces

For my Rvers, boaters and professional cleaners who clean slick surfaces like those of boats or Rvers who need to be on top of the roof or professional cleaners hosing down large warehouse spaces: Grab a pair of the "sticky" Tevas. They are around $50 or so. They have only been sold mostly to boaters for that added footing needed to prevent landing bottom side up in the water. I tried on a pair and they will work quite well for roof walking on RVs, ware house cleaning, for kids around the pool this summer or anywhere slick surfaces might be a preface to bruised tailbones. They would even be great for taking showers at camp – TEVA's are far cooler for kids than flip flops. Yes I'm going to email the company and purchase stock!

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.

The Dirty Side of Lawn Work 

 

 In some parts of the country Spring may not come for another 5 months but for those who have dug out of the snow and frozen pipes you now have spring yard cleanup to start. As common with most gardeners, you start a project and find a dozen others that need immediate attention. This means washing your hands between jobs.

 

A handy trick for cleaning hands outside: Take an old pair of panty hose, cut off above the knee and slide your soap slivers into the toe part. Tie the top end around an outdoor faucet for an easy way to wash hands outside. The panty part makes an excellent polishing cloth for shoes. Old panty hose also make wonderful tomato stake ties.  For you men who don't wear panty hose, several layers of cheese cloth work just as well just make sure it's long enough to tie around the faucet. Rubber-band the cheese cloth just above the soap to prevent it from falling out.

 

 

Remove Soap Scum from Showers/Water Spots from Glass

 

Removing soap scum from showers can be an all day job with all the scrubbing, waiting for product to work and so on. Our TerraPlus is an industrial strength cleaner that removes the hardest water spots and soap residue buildup in minutes not hours.

 

Alternately boil apply distilled white vinegar to glass shower doors every 10 minutes for an hour. Then scrub with a non-scratch pad like Scotch Brite pad.

 

Clean Soap Residue: To remove soap residue apply a concentrated cleaner wait 45 to 60 minutes. You will need to return to the shower every 10 minutes to wipe the cleaner back up onto the walls as it drips down. Then scrub with a non-scratch pad like Scotch Brite. You will need to repeat this 2 or 3 times to remove all the residue. TerraPlus will remove the residue in 2 to 3 minutes and one application

 

Prevention is key to speedy housecleaning. Switch to liquid, glycerin or all natural soap to prevent soap scum buildup in showers and tubs. The talc in most bar soaps causes that problem. Simply by changing soaps you will eliminate 80% of your current shower cleaning problems.

 

This information may only be used with proper recognition given to Mary Moppins referencing www.goclean.com.

 

 

Vacuuming and Caring for Your Vacuum

Last issue covered selecting a new vacuum but what about caring for the vacuum you have?  Vacuums are such troopers. They keep working week after week when the majority of us – yes me included J do nothing to take care of them until their wheels start squeaking.  

Cleaning or Replacing Beaters and Bags

*NOTE: I tape a note to the front of my vacuum with the date I changed the belt and the beater so I don't have to track down or remember the last time I did it.

Before you begin vacuuming, check the beater if your vacuum has one. Remove any strings or debris that wind around the beater. If it is soiled clean it using our CleanEz. It removes dirt and grime in one quick swipe. If you don't remove the dirt your carpet will. Also remove any dust or dirt that has collected in the housing unit where the beaters attach to the vacuum. The vent needs attention as well. Replace the beater if the brushes seem worn.

Most important though, replace your belt at least once a year. They stretch with use, which means the beater cannot properly clean your carpet.   

Next check your bag. Vacuums loose their suction ability when the bag is filled. Micro-particle bags are available for those with allergy or sinus problems. They claim to prevent dirt from escaping. I have never used them so I cannot tell you if they are effective or not. 

How often should you vacuum? 

This is a general guideline only. Your vacuum schedule will differ depending on your families circumstances

Carpet manufacturers recommend vacuuming wall-to-wall carpet daily. I feel it depends on traffic. With children and pets, high traffic areas may need frequent daily vacuuming. Light traffic areas usually just need a weekly cleaning. Daily vacuuming is designed to prevent dirt from being ground into the carpet lengthening the time between shampoos.

How to vacuum - The art of vacuuming

Ok art is stretching this a bit far but there are right ways to tackle your carpet. And there is my way and that is to walk into a room and sweep it with a glance!

Before Vacuuming: Pick up chucky objects first keeing an eye out for small toys, if you have children or little reminders from your pets if they roam your home. These things hide in carpet and sneak into your vacuum with not so pleasant aftermath.

Pre-treat most stains with CleanEZ. Not only is it an industrial strength cleaner but an excellent stain remover for both carpet and clothing. CleanEz pulled gum out of my truck carpet in less than two minutes. Spray on CleanEz diluted, onto the spot. Wait only a minute or two, blot then rinse with one-quarter cup white vinegar per quart of water.

If you have a two story home – start vacuuming on the second floor. On all floors start at the back of your home working towards the center so you don't accidentally drag dirt over freshly vacuumed carpet.

First pull out your furniture if you didn't do this while dusting.  Start at the back of your room, vacuum behind the furniture replacing it as you go. Work your way out of the room. The carpet and rug industry recommends going over each area 4 times - twice in each direction. Well theories are wonderful but do vacuum slowly so your vacuum does have time to inhale the dirt.

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.

 

 

Selecting a Vacuum Cleaner

Selecting a Vacuum Cleaner

Hardly a week passes that I'm not questioned about the selection of a vacuum cleaner. Personally, I have found the Miele canister to be an excellent vacuum. I have used dozens of vacuum in years of professionally cleaning homes and I'm very pleased with the Meile. It's expensive but has done a wonderful job.

Carpet Stain Remover: My New CleanEz is proving to do an excellent job removing all kinds of stains from carpet. The new trick at rest stops is to drop fresh gum at your car door. Yes I stepped in it smearing it all over the carpet of my brand new truck. CleanEz removed the gum in a matter of a minute and I was on my way. 

Here is an article from the Carpet and Rug Institute on selection of a vacuum cleaner. Their website also contains a list of their Green Label approved vacuums. Interestingly enough Eureka vacuums are not included in the list.

"High performance vacuum cleaners have a significant impact on improved indoor air quality (IAQ). At the same time, vacuums that effectively remove and contain soil while keeping the carpet looking good will help carpets last longer. So, ultimately, better performing vacuums provide a greater return on your investment and ensure a healthier indoor environment.

Recognizing the need to identify superior cleaning equipment, CRI introduced its Green Label Testing Program for vacuum cleaners in 2000. This program tests two general categories of vacuums: a) general purpose vacuums approved for use on all conventional carpet styles; and b) vacuums specifically approved for use on carpet with a low pile, or surface texture, measuring approximately 1/4 inch or less.

To qualify for the Green Label, these vacuums must go through a stringent testing process that measures three key performance factors:

• Soil Removal — The vacuum must remove a set quantity of soil from carpet in four passes
• Dust Containment — The vacuum must not release more than 100 micrograms of dust particles per cubic meter of air. This protocol evaluates the total amount of dust particles released by the brush rolls, through the filtration bag and via any air leaks from the system, and is more stringent than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards
• Carpet Appearance Retention — The vacuum should not affect the appearance of the carpet more than a one-step change based on one year of normal vacuum use

Vacuums meeting the above protocols, which have been peer reviewed by scientists, can display the CRI Green Label on packaging, merchandising displays and on the machine itself. Since the launch of this test in 2000, CRI has certified more than one hundred machines in the following categories: backpacks, canisters, central systems, and uprights.

Ultimately, proper carpet maintenance is assured and made significantly easier with high quality machines that are CRI Green Label-certified. This important testing program has raised the bar for all vacuum cleaners on the market, resulting in cleaner, longer-lasting carpet and improved IAQ."

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.

 

 

 

Your 15 minute Guide: Get a Grip on Housework  

 

Several times a week new ideas for short 15 minute jobs will be posted to help you get a Grip on Housework now that you have your house decluttered. You did keep that New Years resolution - right? There are so many good articles out about how to declutter your home but few teaching you step by step how to clean once you gave booted out the clutter. Hopefully these short 15 minute jobs, presented several times weekly will help you get a Grip on Housework one chore at a time.

 

When you clean, it's best to start with high places so any dust can settle on lower areas. You don't want to vacuum the floor then have dust from ceiling fans falling on your freshly vacuumed carpet.

 

#1 15 Minute Cleaning Job- Ok so you spray painted the cobwebs yellow and black last Halloween and it's finally time to take down the decorations. Grab a barely damp towel place it over Mary Moppins Cleaning Head or over a broom and sweep them down. I find it far faster to use lightweight terry towels rather than feather dusters for cobwebs since you don't need to stop to clean cobwebs out of the duster. Why clean them twice? Toss the towel in the washing machine.

 

Those of you with textured ceilings, popcorn ceilings and wood beams think this is one job you don't have to do since the cobwebs smear everywhere - well you don't get off that easy. Attach a metal paint roller to our extension handle. Now buy several replacement lint rollers made for clothing and place them over the roller. The cobwebs stick to the tape without smearing into the surface. Some stores also carry ready made lint rollers. I have not tried them yet but they look like they should work and would be far easier than lint rollers.

 

These ideas may be used only with giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com.

 

Mary's Top Five do ahead Spring Cleaning Tips:

Spring Cleaning doesn't have to start in the spring and shouldn't wait until you are busy painting the house and working on the yard. Now is the time to get a step ahead of it.

Cleaning your computer: First of all how long has it been since you last took the cover off your computer to dust it with the cleaner you can purchase at office supply stores? Ouch that one hurt huh? Yes I'm a nag about these things. Cleaning extends the life time of your computer keeping it running at top speed the entire time of its life.
Removing the casing should be done monthly but few of us have the time. Don't drag your feet or you may find you feet hitting the gas peddle to the electronics store for a new computer. Clean all screens including the newest screens with a 50/50 solution distilled water to rubbing alcohol.

My top 5 "don't wait for spring cleaning" chores:
1) Deep Cleaning: Each week when you vacuum pull the furniture out from the walls in one sector of your home ie the bedrooms, living area or dining area. Then scratch one spring cleaning chore off your list. Our dry sponge http://www.goclean.com/dry-sponge.htm is wonderful for removing dust and dirt that has collected along the walls.
Wrap a damp towel sprayed with a bit of CleanEz around one of Mary Moppins mop heads http://www.goclean.com/mops.htm and quickly and easily dust baseboards. It even does a fast and easy job dusting the back of cabinets and bedroom furniture. The less you have to crawl around on the floor the faster you will clean.
If you smell any musty odors, CleanEz does an excellent job killing mold and mildew even in carpets. Our Pure Ayre for Marine http://www.goclean.com/cleaners.htm kills all mold and mildew odors. The Pure Ayre for Home works exceptionally fast to permanently rid your carpet, bedding or furniture of urine or fecal odors. These are all on sale for 20% off for readers only.
2) Clean the clutter: We recently had the carpet re-stretched in the bedrooms of our home, which means moving everything out of closets, pulling drawers out of dressers to move them etc. Only having been in this home for five years it was shocking how much "stuff" had accumulated. I need to pay closer attention to my own advice "If it's not a family heirloom or could become one and it has not been used for over 3 or 4 years, give it away or have a spring garage sale. This is an easy step when you are pulling furniture out from the wall. Plus you have a couple of months to get the items marked for your garage sale!
3) Cleaning drapes: Clean your drapes with our dry sponge or your vacuum attachment. If the drapes are not to large consider removing them and taking them outdoors (if possible) and give them a good shake. Many people also take them to a Laundromat and put them in the dryer on "air" to draw out the dust. Having tried both I vote for shaking them outside. It took far less time without chancing death by dryer if the dryer is not working properly.
4) Cobwebs under the eves: Removing holiday lighting around your home also provides an excellent time to turn off the lights on cobwebs. For those of you living in the plain states like Colorado your lights and cobwebs may need to wait until spring. Hopefully you have dug your way out of the nasty storms. Professional pesticide companies use Mary Moppins mops to quickly remove those cobwebs without the dust and dirt falling in their face. Alternately use a broom to knock them down.
5) Clean and Condition Kitchen and Bathroom cabinets to prevent cooking oils or bathroom steam from penetrating the wood, which will dry and crack the wood. Bathroom cabinets turn a grayish color. Our one step Wood Cleaner and Conditioner keeps them in top shape if used regularly. Then dilute it 5 parts water to one part Wood Care to use as a regular cabinet cleaner. Discover what it does for your furniture as well. It removes scratch marks on furniture.
Clean acrylic faced cabinets using a barely damp soft cotton cloth. These cabinets have a very high gloss shine that looks like the floor of a basketball court. Most cabinets have a gloss shine but Acrylic cabinets look like they have 10 to 15 layers of finish and they do.
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.

©Copyright 2006 Mary Moppins All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Charging and care of your cell phone battery

From my local cell phone provider: Recharge the battery every night whether it needs it or not. Batteries only have so many "lives" to live before they die. One life means running a battery nearly out before recharging it. It only takes a few times before the life of the battery ends and you then turn over $35 or $40 for a new battery.

Extend the life of your battery by charging it nightly and if you are going to be on your cell for an extended period of time, plug it in if possible. He also told me that unlike batteries of years past charging them nightly does not wear them down but now prevents that from happening.

He also reminded me to use my car charger as little as possible if at all. Car chargers are hard on batteries and wear them down quickly.

Also stay away from the converters that convert a car charger to an outlet charger. That is the fastest way to give your poor cell phone battery a heart attack and insure its immediate death.

Yes this information is brought to you by personal experience. I was in a small town for a show and left my outlet charger at home. Not wanting to spend 2 hours in the car to charge the phone, I headed to the nearest nationally known electronic store since I thought they would carry high grade products. Well those thoughts blew away right along with all the tumbleweed in town when the wind stirred. This particluar converter allows you to plug a car charger into the base and then into an outlet. Only the directions don't warn you about sudden death caused by electrical shock. Stay away from those converters. Purchasing a new battery is how I learned about the charging tips!

Happy New Year!

Keep the environment green and clean

When I lived in the Midwest it was customary to carry a bag of sand in the car for those times when we took corners a bit too fast on snowy roads and found ourselves in a snow bank. Poured under the tires, sand gave me enough traction to get me back on the road again.

Since travels now take me over the mountain during winter months. Carrying sand or kitty litter is not all that appealing since I've taken a strong stance of treading as lightly as possible on Mother Earth. Instead, explore the idea of using wild bird seed. It's natural and the birds will appreciate your thoughtfullness.

*Note: Lindsey very kindly wrote to let me know that the birds would not eat all the seed. The following spring the seeds would sprout with the potential of introducing foreign grasses, which would disturb the eco system and that sand is far better to use. Thank you Lindsey for emailing. I should have been aware of this problem since I live in Oregon where Scotch Broom was introduced many years ago. It has destroyed so much of our natural habitate.

In addition, head to the hardware store or a capet company and purchase a large size carpet sample. They generally run around $2. Place that in a plastic bag. It doesn't take up much room on the floor of your backseat or trunk of your car. If you need to stop and put chains on your car, the carpet sample will keep your legs dry. Tuck it inside the plastic bag when you finish so it won't soil your car.

Mary Findley's Top Three Rules for Speed Cleaning

1) Buy the best equipment you can afford. Men, when you go to buy tools do you head to the local dollar store for your tools or do you go to Sears for Craftsmen and then a good quality hardware store for DeWalts, Makitas and Snap On?

Head out to the garage ladies and take a look at the tools on your husbands workbench. The majority of people do not use these tools every week let alone every day. The majority use them maybe once or perhaps twice a month and some even less than that. Even if they use them twice a year they still buy the best on the market. Why? Because men especially know high quality tools do the job, they do it right the first time and they don't brake in the middle of the job - exceptions noted.

So why are you using poor quality tools to clean your home, car, Rv etc when you use them daily if not more often than that? Look at your broom closet. How many mops have you thrown away in the last year because they just didn't work and you gave up. How many bottles of cleaners do you have hidden on the back shelf because the ad on TV made it look so wonderful and you found out it would be wonderful if it would even clean a smudge let alone real dirt.

Good quality tools cut your cleaning time down to a third of the time. They last for years not weeks and when you finish, the surface is actually clean and it sparkles. You will save hundreds of dollars a year just by buying top quality tools.

2) Give your product time to work. It takes time for a product to dissolve some grease and grime. Spray your cleaner on the surface then wait 5 to 15 minutes depending on the dirt and your cleaner. For those of you using my new cleaners 1 to 2 minutes is more than enough time.

3) Prevention, prevention, prevention. Wipe down surfaces regularly even those that don't get that dirty like window blinds. Done monthly cleaning window blinds is a five minute job. Put it off - well cancel all plans for the afternoon. This holds true for any household cleaning job.

This article may only be rewritten giving full credit to Mary Findley with Mary Moppins www.goclean.com. World wide rights reserved.

Removing Wax from Carpets

Cleaning wax from carpets takes time and dilligence yet can be avoided with a few easy precautions:
1) Don't move a lit candle or one that has just been extinquished
2) Leaving a lit candle burning near any kind of flamable material will cause a fire. They do not belong on window sills, near lamps or walls or on top of covered tables.
3) Always place a holder under all candles whether or not they are in glass containers.

Remove candle wax safely from carpet:
1) Freeze the wax with ice cubes placed in a zip loc bag
2) Chip off what you can with a blunt knife
3) Grab an all white paper towel and a hair dryer
a) most cleaning experts recommend an iron. Use an iron only if you like brown scorch marks in your carpet.
4) Begin heating the the wax with the dryer set on medium to high heat.
5) Blot the wax as it melts with the paper towel.
6) If you insist on burning red candles please don't email me asking me how to remove the red dye from the carpet. Heat sets a stain and that red dye is permanently heated into your carpet. If you burn red candles put them up where little ones and guests can't move them.

This article may only be used giving full credit to Mary Findley, owner of Mary Moppins and using her website www.goclean.com

Cleaning Lace Tablecloths

As lace tablecloths and runners age, they often darken. Returning them to white again can pose problems. Regular chlorine bleach usually makes matters worse. Instead, fill a sink with lukewarm water adding 1 to 2 cups of hydrogen peroxide - make sure the bottle is fresh. Peroxide does loose its "umph" after a few months - adding a tablespoon of borax. Soak for 30 minutes, rinse thoroughly and dry on heavy towels.

A book that keeps on Giving

“The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Cleaning” http://www.goclean.com/bookclean.htm coauthored by Mary Findley. This is one gift that will keep giving for years to come just as our mops and other products continue to do. We gladly ship all our products direct to their recipient and even tuck in a gift card as well!

Cleaning for unexpected guests
So this is the busiest time of year. Your best friend calls after just arriving in town and wants to come by for an unexpected quick visit and will be there in an hour. Your home is still disgruntled from putting up all the decorations and you are elbow deep in cookie dough. Where do you start?
If you have a laundry basket (a large plastic bag or box will work just fine) start at the front door and make a quick swoop through each room where you will probably be entertaining. Starting at the front door enables you to see what they will see when walking in the door. Time? 10 minutes.

With the larger items out of the way, tuck excess magazines etc into a spare bedroom or closet picking up books or shoes along with them. Don’t use the hall closet since you hang coats there! Time? 8 minutes.

Clean fast with environmentally safe cleaners

Next grab our Benya, it cleans and shines most hard surfaces except wood. Give the kitchen counters and guest bathroom a quick once over. If your microwave needs cleaning tuck a coffee cup half full of water inside and heat it up for 2 minutes then squirt a bit of CleanEz inside and quickly wipe it out. Time? 12 minutes. – How do I know these times? Experience J
Benya is one of very few glass cleaners that will not smear or streak. It removes grease and fingerprints from black refrigerators and appliances and leaves a wonderful shine on counter tops.

You will love using Clean Eze for hundreds of cleaning chores. It’s a wonderful stain remover for carpet and clothing doing an awesome job cleaning awnings and even removes black streaks off RVs and motorhomes. It is the best I’ve ever used as an all purpose cleaner and the best part is highly concentrated.

Run the vacuum if needed only on traffic areas and grab a cotton dust cloth wiping over only the visible areas using our Wood Care diluted. Time? 15 minutes.

That leaves you 15 minutes to put on a pot of water for hot tea and scatter a few holiday decorating books on a dining room table, opened in hopes of them being a good distraction. When the door bell rings you are ready to share new ideas you have for holiday decorating over a cup of warm tea and the magazines.

Cleaning showers and soap scum

Ah but they might stay over for the night and the shower needs a quick clean. Our brand new TerraPlus removes soap scum and hard water spots in under two minutes with little or no scrubbing and even removes oil from driveways or garage floors. TerraPlus is the only product I’ve ever used that doesn’t back down from the really tough cleaning jobs. It’s fast, effective yet environmentally safe just like Benya and CleanEz.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday season!