TWEETCHAT

 

     Have some fun and spring into cleaning by following my Tweet Chat this Thursday 11 AM Central Time and 9AM Pacific Time. Go to TweetChat.com then log into your account. Where you see the # sign type in AskCIG. It will take you to the Tweet sponsored by Alpha Books & WIlkes Communication. Alpha are the publishers for my book "The Complete Idiots Guide to Green Cleaning, which is available on my website or bookstores, Amazon etc. If you get your copy through me, you receive a signed copy plus one of my Swifter towels that are so handy for quick wipes. 

 

     Bring your cleaning questions and ask away. Just be sure to end each question with a space then #AskCIG so your question goes to the right Tweet. See you there!

 

Mary Findley owner of Mary Moppins www.goclean.com

     Spring Cleaning

Where do I Start?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     Clutter - An Easy Way to Banish It

 

     Many areas of our country are still covered with snow and ice with people cuddled close to a warm fire. The dead of winter is the best time to tackle 'spring' cleaning chores when you aren't yearning to be outdoors. How far did you get on my 'to do' list from my early January post?

 

     In that newsletter I suggested listing everything in your home that needs cleaning to help you organize your priorities and double as a checklist. I encouraged you to pick up the clutter but didn't go into detail as to how to accomplish that task.

 

     So let's talk about ways to declutter your home. I have a feeling many of you, like me, have been pouring over spring seed and flower catalogs rather than tending to spring cleaning.    

 

    Separate and Conquer: Without a doubt you have read other articles that suggest making two piles. One pile of clutter goes either to Goodwill or as garage sale items and the other needs to find a proper place in your home. Only I've changed that to only one pile, which is the pile for either Goodwill or a garage sale. Why one pile? Because you will immediately put away those items you want to keep. Ah, now you know why I encouraged you to clean out the closets and cabinets first. It gives you room to store the things you want to keep.     

 

     The easiest way to de-clutter is to never leave a room empty handed. Yes picking up the entire room at one time is ideal, but time generally doesn't permit this luxury. Grab an armload of 'stuff' and decide immediately if it goes to you one pile or is to be saved. If the item is to be saved then put it away immediately, without stopping to answer the phone or attend to other distractions. It's amazing how quickly the clutter will vanish.  

 

     If the pile has been up against a wall, grab your Mary Moppins Mop and your diluted bottle of CleanEz. Spray a terry towel with CleanEz, clean the wall and dust the baseboards. Spray the carpet lightly with a 50/50 solution of distilled white vinegar to water. Allow the spray a few minutes to dry then vacuum. Vinegar freshens the carpet and is not toxic like most carpet fresheners. It's also far less expensive. If you want a scent in the carpet then add a few pieces of the pith from an orange or lemon.           

 

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

     POST HOLIDAY CLEANING

     Remember how I encourage you to walk through your home with pen and paper in tow and list everything that needed to be cleaned? Then to list those chores into a time schedule with weekly must do, bimonthly cleanings, quarterly and yearly jobs? Oops it’s still not done huh? It takes about 30 minutes to complete a “tour de dust” and get your list typed out on your word processor.


     Right now is a quiet time for most households. Christmas or Hanukah and other spiritual celebrations have come to a close. Decorations have been tucked away and it’s time to grab the rag bag.

     To make things easier, I’ll skip cleaning a room in my home each week. When I have larger tasks to do like treating the cabinets I'll skip the guest bedroom or formal dining room to give me time to tackle these chores. 

     First on your to do list is to condtions your woodwork including doors, window sills and cabinets. Winter air and wood stoves dry wood. Then comes the intense rays of the sun in summer all of which contribute to dry, cracked cabinets and wood furniture. Our Wood Care http://www.goclean.com/product-16.php does an excellent job conditioning all your wood furniture and cabinets. Painted cabinets or antique furniture with the original black lacquer finish are the exceptios.

     NOTE: If you have been using a product like End Dust, Pledge or Old English do not switch products. These products contain chemicals when combined with other products can leave a sticky residue on furniture. Other products like Guardsman, Orange Glo etc are just fine when used Wood Care.

     The next several posts will cover more winter time cleaning chores. Don't wait till spring when the weather is nice and you want to be outdoors to tackle spring cleaning. Switch to winter cleaning and I bet these jobs get finished. 

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website http://www.goclean.com/. Copyright @2011 all rights reserved world wide.

Freight Increases

     My best wishes that the New Year bring you bounty and much happiness. Just a heads up that freight charges are being raised substantially by UPS starting Jan 1, 2011. I am going to wait until Jan 5th before I raise my rates to give you time to place your order. They will go up $1.50 this time. Also my product costs will increase mid January as well. Some will see a substantial increase. So you may want to place an order to beat the freight and price increases.

Happy New Year, Mary Findley

How to Take Wax out of Carpet

In spite of my best efforts to warn people of the dangers of burning candles, I receive a dozen or more emails each year asking how to remove candle wax from carpet. With the holidays quickly approaching let's go over some important points to prevent accidental fires and candle wax from attacking the carpet.

First here are a few candle burning precautions:

NEVER burn a candle near flammable material. They do not belong on window sills, next to walls or near lamps or furniture. Here are a few tips for safe handling:

1) Place all candles, burning or not, on a glass plate. Wax sweats even if it is not being burned and will leave un-removable color stains on furniture.
2) Never move a lit candle or one that has been blown out. Heat sets a stain and the color from hot wax is permanent.
3) Look for candles without lead wicks and made from soy. Soy candles emit less smoke and therefore fewer toxins into the air.
4) People love scented candles. Only the scents could be causing lung and breathing issues as well as allergic reactions. Burn unscented candles and instead simmer a pot of cinnamon sticks, cloves or other fresh herbs on the stove. Or place cinnamon sticks in small bud vases around a room.
5) Avoid the scented air fresheners as well. They numb your sinuses so you can't smell odors, the fragrances are often toxic adding to indoor air pollution and the chemicals in them can cause polyps and sinus infections. Plug-ins and the fresheners that go off when you walk past them are even worse.

How to remove candle wax from carpet:
1) Scrape off what you can with a blunt knife.
2) Grab a hair dryer and several white paper towel - never use a printed paper towel
3) Turn the heat on the hair dryer to medium high and beging heating the wax.
4) As the wax softens, dab it with the paper towel.
5) Continue heating the wax and blotting until all the wax has been removed. If the candle was colored, the heat from the wax has set the color and is nearly impossible to remove.

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

A List of Holiday Cleaning Tips

 

     During the Holidays people love cleaning shortcuts, how- to tips and safety information. Since I've written past articles around holiday cleaning here is a list of my favorites going back to 2006 through 2008. Yes 2009 is not included. I was home transfering my father to a nursing home for Alzeheimers and caring for my mother who has cancer. The prior years contain dozens of excellent tips. Look to the right, click on the year then the month.  

 

November 11, 2008   Prevent Winter House Fires. Very important to read.

 

December 03, 2008  Safety Cautions for the Holidays from Underwriters Laboratories. Please make certain you read this article.  

 

December 07, 2008 through Dec 17^th. Ten Days of Christmas Cleaning. A simple cleaning schedule for the holidays.  

 

November 11, 2008 Prevent winter house fires – Another article that could save your home from fire.  

 

December 21, 2007 Last Minute Holiday checklist – handy review

 

December 14, 2007 Six Cautions for the Holiday Season – more tips to protect your home from hazards

 

December 13, 2007  Five Easy Cleaning Stress Relief Tricks for the Holidays.

 

Nov 26, 2006 Holiday Cleaning Tips – Handy tips for holiday disasters including how to remove red wine and punch stains.  

 

May your Holidays be filled with great cheer, joy and blessings from Creator. Joy to you for the New Year.

Mary Findley

 

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

Ten Tips for a Green Holiday 

 

     My stomach turns into knots every year as I take my nightly walk on trash day just after Christmas. Trash cans overflow with non-recyclable plastics from toys and games while piles of cardboard line the streets. A week later Christmas trees are dumped along roads or in parks by people who pay $40 for the tree and refuse to pay $5 to properly dispose of them.  

 

     Let's take a look at easy, affordable if not free ways to reduce carbon footprints and have a very merry and green holiday season.  

 

1) Rather than buy name tags to put on packages, cut a small piece of wrapping paper instead. Close to a billion presents will be given this year. Eliminating that many tags reduces natural resources, energy to manufacture them and fuel consumed to get them to market.

 

2) Packages decorated with yards of ribbons and bows are pretty but they add to landfill waste and consume energy and fuel for manufacturing. This year go green and get playful instead. Children love being outdoors and feeding the birds. Decorate their package with a soot ball they can hang from a tree rather than a bow they yank off the box and toss in the trash. Is there a chocolate lover in the house? Tape a bar on the package and write the recipients name on the bar. Craft persons, wood workers, fishermen or hunters always need new supplies or the latest gadget and those items make a delightful and appreciated addition to a package. Small books are a thoughtful box topper.  Children love finger puppets so add a few to their box.  A recipe for your favorite dish is always enjoyed or perhaps an individual packet of hot chocolate or tea bag. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

 

3) Speaking of wrapping paper, young children love reading the funny pages and it doesn't matter to them if they have read them before. The funnies are colorful and the kids can read them as they sit under the tree. Even better, wrap their gift with art paper or coloring book pages and color their gift together. The Christmas my son turned 15, I wrapped his gifts with maps of various cities around our area. One requisite to his getting his driver's license the next year was he had to learn to read and follow a map.

 

4) When placing a phone order or an online order, tell the shipper to put your packing slip inside the box and not in the usual envelope they stick on the outside of the box. Those package envelopes are a huge waste of paper and resources and are not necessary. Remember to think large scope. If 300,000 boxes are shipped in the next two weeks, the reduction of paper is tremendous. Make this a year round habit.  

 

5) Put together a list of things needed for dinners, entertaining etc. and combine trips rather than make last minute darts to the store. Those extra trips consume thousands of gallons of fuel. Then keep up the practice all year.  

 

6) Just because tradition calls for putting up Christmas lights up during Thanksgiving does not mean they need to be turned on. Wait until the 15th of December to start turning on the lights. Then plug them into a timer that shuts off at 10 PM. The energy savings is tremendous.  

 

7) Opt for an artificial tree this year rather than a real tree. Goodwill and other thrift stores carry them and I've seen really nice trees for excellent prices in these stores. Thousands of gallons of fuel are consumed transporting trees to their destinations. Yes artificial trees require natural resources for manufacturing but it is a one time proposition. If you prefer a regular tree cut your own at a local tree farm. Buying local is good for the local economy and good for Mother Earth.  

 

8) This is not just for the holiday. Turn the heat down one or two degrees at night and 10 degrees if you are gone for even half the day. Then set the thermostate to turn up the heat a half hour before you arise or return home.  

 

9) Buy gifts from local craftspeople or local companies. These gifts usually don't come encased in plastic bubble packaging with a ton of cardboard surrounding it. Did I mention the benefits to buying local? 

 

10) This year give yourself a gift of a vegetable garden. It's the healthiest thing you can do for you and your family. If you don't have yard space, large hanging baskets make  excellent containers for salad fixings. Water them daily and feed them once a week.  Planter boxes are great for carrots, beets, onions, garlic, herbs and other small veggies. You will feel better and save a bundle of money at the grocery store. What better way to reduce carbon footprints than to grow your own food. Be careful - it's addictive!

 

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

Reduce your Heating Bill

 

     Each year heating bills generally increase as the temperatures decrease at the start of winter. Articles start appearing in magazines and newspapers giving tips on how to reduce your heating costs. Most suggest turning down the thermostate, which is a good idea albeit a chilly one. I faithfully did this only found even with layering my clothing, I froze. Last year during one very cold spell I covered my windows and sliding glass door with cardboard because cardboard is a good insulator. It prevented the cold air from drawing my nice warm air outside. The temperature immediately rose in the house and the furnace stopped running non-stop. 

 

     Only you can't see out the windows during the day and taking down and putting up the cardboard every day became a bit much. The hardware stores carry a box of thin plastic sheeting made for going over window frames. It comes with double faced tape that holds the plastic to the windows. The pocket of air created by the additional layer of insulation helps keep warm air inside. It costs around $10 to $12 a box, which insulates 2 large windows. We bought two boxes one for the largest windows and one for the sliding glass door, which had enough left over to do my cold north bedroom window. We turn our heat down 2 degrees, save around $35 a month on heating bills yet we stay warm.  

 

    If you need quick tips for cleaning this holiday season and year round learn to Precision Clean by picking up a copy of my book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning." My book contains a thorough stain removal guide so keep it handy when entertaining. They are also available at bookstores or on my website www.goclean.com.

 

Keep toasty, Mary Findley

Clean the Bathroom in 15 minutes

 

       With the holiday season quickly approaching and time getting pinched, this is a great time to learn insider tricks to clean your bathroom in 15 minutes. Laura Eckstein, a writer for AOL's Shelter POP, called me last week for an exact time table to clean a bathroom in 15 minutes. Did we have a ball. She has it posted for you to not only enjoy but gleem the fast way to clean a bathroom. Read the article here  http://www.shelterpop.com/2010/10/21/clean-a-bathroom/ then return to my website for more speed cleaning tips for each room of your home. http://www.goclean.com/go-clean.php.

 

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

Cleaning Windows 

 

     Specific calander dates are helpful when setting up cleaning schedules. Around my home the day the clocks are turned forward an hour in the spring is my reminder to change the Co2 and smoke detector batteries and ceiling lightbulbs. The weekend before Halloween is set aside to clean windows. Everyone loves my speed cleaning tips but hard as I've tried, I just cannot find a fast way to clean windows. I do have a few handy tips to make the job easier using the most unsuspecting tools. 

 

     1) Head to a hardware store for a 1 1/2 inch paint brush, a new empty spray bottle, several sponge paint brushes in various sizes and a dividable tote tray if you don't already have one

     2) Order a Dry Sponge; Benya, an earth friendly, streak free, concentrated window cleaner and Lint Free towels from Mary Moppins or gather your collection of these items

     3) Put a new blade in your window squeegee

     4) Grab several old terry cloth towels out of the rag bag and put them in a plastic bag along with the lint free towels, then grab a spare plastic bag to use as the dirty rag bag. 

    

     First mix the Benya with distilled water in the new spray bottle and put it and the dry sponge, paint brushes and window squeegee in the tote tray. 

NOTE: Due to water quality varying from town to town, distilled water gives consistent results.

 

     *Next use a terry cloth towel over your Mary Moppins mop head or broom and dust the cobwebs around the windows, skylights etc.

     *The day before you you clean the outside of the windows clean the inside windows. Start by placing a terry towel on the window sill to catch drips.

     *Lightly spritz the window with Benya starting at the bottom of the window and spray your way to the top. Begin at the left top of the window and wipe with your lint free towel straight across to the right then back to the left. I do not like using window squeegees inside the home because a window cleaner quickly drips down the window and onto the sill. 

 

     *Never clean outside windows while the sun is shining directly on the window. You can however clean the screens so remove those and clean the windows first.

     *Open the window from the inside and remove the screen. Use the paintbrush to brush away any cobwebs in the window frame and along the bottom of the window. Then dip the sponge paint brush in sudsy water to clean the crevices of the frames. Spray any mold or mildew with hydrogen peroxide or food grade distilled white vinegar. Close the inside window.

     *On the outside, first dust for cobwebs then place an old towel down on the bottom of the window frame. 

     *Spray the window in the same manner as you did the inside window. Only this time use a window squeegee starting at the upper left coming across the top to the right and back to the left continuing to the bottom of the window. Use a lint free towel to wipe any remaining Benya from the window.

     *Finally clean the screens with the dry sponge and replace the screen. Sand the dry sponge with a fine grit sand paper as it soils. The sponge will save you hours of time and gallons of water washing screens. Now sit back, enjoy a cup of coffee and watch the display of colors as trees show off their fall beauty. 

 

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

Mold and Mildew Smells

 

   A month has slipped past and I'm quite late posting about smells. Between trade shows, four articles and three projects, time got the upper hand on me just like mold and mildew sneaks in under your nose. So what about those moldy smells?

 

     First up: find the cause of the mold. Unless you find the source of the mold, it will only return after treatment. Mold only grows when moisture is available. It may mean crawling under the house, pulling up carpet or even calling in a janitorial remediation team to find the source of the odor, but it must be found. It is just as important to try to determine whether the mold can be self-treated or whether you need the help of professionals.

 

     Some molds are toxic and can cause grave illnesses. If you have been suffering unusual headaches, sinus infections, loss of energy or long term health issues that are out of character or the doctor cannot find a cause for your problems, you may be dealing with a toxic mold. Call your insurance company then a janitorial company who specializes in mold remediation. This is not a do-it-yourself project.

 

     Normally mold can be self-treated. Are there bushes or shrubs next to the outside walls of the home? If so, cut them back as they are holding moisture against the house and causing mold problems. If the cause is from humidity or an over abundance of rain then dehumidifier in each room or a whole house dehumidifies is necessary to prevent the return of the mold once it has been irridicated.

 

     Talk to your local janitorial supply company for organic, human and pet friendly remediation products to treat mold. It will be necessary to pull up affected carpet, treat the flooring, seal it and treat the carpet and the padding or possibly replace it or it may be necessary to crawl under the home. If at any time headaches or any reaction to the mold occurs, get treatment immediately and call a remediation team to finish the job.

 

     If the mold is in a closet, launder all the clothing, remove all boxes, shoes etc and treat them then replace the carpet in the closet with a hard floor surface. It is rare for mold to be growing in the wallboard but it does happen. It is best to call a janitorial company and have them test the wallboard and do the necessary treatments.  

 

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

 

    

Smelly Drains - Get Rid of the Odors

 

     Smelly Drains - what can be worse than fixing dinner with the odor of last night's fried onions hanging out in the kitchen drain? There are worse odors but drains can definately be offensive whether it be mold in the tub drain or food clinging on the side of your kitchen drains. Let's get a grip on these drain issues.

 

Get rid of Disposal odors: I always keep my used sink brushes for cleaning the disposal. Grab that, a box of baking soda and Mary Moppins CleanEZ. 

 

1) Run the water and disposal to remove any food that might be lingering. 

2) Warning: do not use a lot of baking soda or it could clog the disposal.

3) Dampen the sink brush then pour on just enough baking soda to scrub. Reach down in the disposal with the brush and scrub the inside thoroughly.

4) Pour some diluted CleanEz on the brush and scrub a second time.

5) Run the water to rinse the baking soda then run the disposal a final time.

 

Odors in standard kitchen and bathroom sink drains:

 

1) Turn off the water at the back of the sink and place an empty bucket below the sink under the counter. 

2) Remove the pipe allowing the water to drain into the bucket. While waiting for the water to drain, use a scrub pad to clean the interior of the pipe with baking soda and Mary Moppins CleanEz. CleanEz kills any mold and thoroughly cleans the drains.

3) Use a thin nylon bottle brush and pour a bit of baking soda on it and scrub the pipes as far as the brush will reach.

4) Reattach the pipe fitting and run the water checking for leaks under the sink.

5) Every month before going to bed pour a cup of Nature's Miracle or for my RV or boating friends - use Happy Camper - down the drain. These two products are enzymes that "eat" bacteria and get rid of the rest of the odors.

 

Unclogging tub and shower drains:

 

I've covered this topic in my blog but a repeat is always handy. To prevent drains from clogging, switch soap. Use a a glycern or organic soap. Stay away from antibacterial soaps. They do nothing to destroy germs on your hands and are made from chemicals that have been linked to cancer. Anti-bacterial products are marketing hype geared to make money for the manufacturers. Good ole soap does a fine job of getting rid of germs. Besides if you are going to take ill from a virus on your hands, it has attacked long before you get to any bathroom to wash your hands. 

 

Bar soaps are made from animal fat and lye. Animal fat clogs the drains, leaves soap scum on your shower walls and clogs the pores on your skin. The pores are there to help move air into your body and germs out. When you clog them with soap and lotion you keep your skin from breathing and letting go of the germs antibacterial soaps are supposed to kill. Switch soap and you solve a lot of problems!

 

Baking soda and food grade distilled white vinegar helps unclog these drains. Call a plumber if you suspect tree roots. Otherwise pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a cup of vinegar. Let that set a good hour or so and rinse with hot water. Pour one cup of Nature's Miracle or a scoop of Happy Camper down all the drains once a month to end your clogged drain issues and the odor problems. These two enzyme products also continue to "eat" debris in the city drains as well so you do the environment a huge favor as well as keep your drains running free.

 

There are articles pointing to the fact that when we urinate in a toilet, any vitamins or medicine that is unused by our bodies gets flushed into the water ways and is making it's way back to us in our water supply. The municipal water systems are not able to flush it out. The enzymes in Nature's Miracle and Happy Camper help eat these products as it finds it's way to the municipal water system. They won't totally solve the problem but they help.

 

Raw veggies and fruit also have enzymes that will help get rid of these excess medicines and vitamins in your body before it hits the toilet. Eat lots of raw foods then stay away from processed foods and you will stay healthy this flu season and the rest of your life. It's far safer and healthier to eat organic fresh fruit and veggies than to take a flu shot or down cold medicine.

 

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

The Cure for Smelly Socks and Shoes 

 

     Sorry guys, but nothing smells worse than the odors of socks or shoes of teenage boys. Okay in all fairness the underarms section of teenage girl's gym shirts comes close. I'm not sure if stinky sneakers and socks pose health issues but finding a cure for smelly household issues will improve air quality and should reduce a few germs. So for the next few blogs, let's cover these smells and ways to eliminate odors. 

 

     Let's start with the sock, shoe and clothing problems. Train your children early on to hang their socks or gym or uniform shirts on the side of the clothes basket after removing them so they can dry. Even easier buy a few of the plastic hooks that go over doors to hang clothes. They fit shower rods and glass shower doors as well and are quick and easy way for the kids to hang their clothes to dry.   

 

     Next buy a spray enzyme product like Nature's Miracle and spray the clothes before hanging them. Enzymes love to "eat" bacteria and will help irradiate these unpleasant atrocities. Launder all sports clothing including socks together. Never launder odorous clothes with other laundry or your other clothes could end up smelling as well. 

 

     Begin filling the washer and add your organic laundry detergent - Bio-Kleen is my favorite - and a cup of food grade distilled white vinegar. Swish that around a bit then add the clothes. Remember never fill a washer past 2/3 full. Clothing must have room to move otherwise the odors will remain and so will the stains. When the tub is filled turn off the machine and let the clothes soak for 5 minutes, then finish laundering. Never dry clothes if you suspect the odor still lingers. Heat permanently sets stains and odors. 

 

     Shoes: Never stuff socks inside shoes. Shoes must dry out or the trapped moisture increases nail fungus and skin disease. Spray the inside of shoes once a week before bed with Nature's Miracle to help control odor. It's always wise to avoid wearing the same pair of shoes two days in a row. They must dry thoroughly to prevent problems nail fungus and skin issues.   

 

     If you have specific odor problems you wish covered, please post a note in the comment section and I'll answer in my next blog.   

 

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

 

More on Cleaning Schedule

 

     Many thanks Foxyenglishcrafter for your story on what happened to your life when you abandoned your cleaning schedule. My thoughts are with you as you re-establish that balance you once knew. It is amazing how quickly other areas of your life begin to slide when just one area is allowed to become lax. I too have struggled with lapses in both my professional and personal life. And I found a tremendous peace and power when I regathered and returned to balance. Please Foxyenglishcrafter keep us posted on your progress. 

 

     If you have not read her story, go to "Comments" on the right side of my blog and read her story and let it catapult you into writing down then working your own schedule. Post your story, your successes and your problem areas. I want this blog to be a community of sharing, where we support each other through encouragement, trust, ideas, laughter and camaraderie.

 

     Have you started writing a cleaning schedule yet? Well why are you sitting there reading this post? Get busy then share with us. 

 

This article may only be copied by giving full credit to Mary Moppins and her website at www.goclean.com copyright@2010. All rights reserved worldwide.

Five Free Ways to Reduce Carbon Footprints

 

      My sustainable living seminar attendees frequently comment that the information on reducing carbon footprints is confusing and they have all but given up trying to make changes. They complain that the suggestions they read are expensive and ask for free if not low cost ways to help our Earth. I agree installing solar panels and even replacing all your light bulbs with LED lights can be costly. Here are some cost free suggestions that reduce carbon footprints and will save you money! As you reap the savings perhaps switch your light bulbs to LED lights in one room per month.  

 

1) Each time you place an order to be shipped to you, ask the shipper to tuck your packing slip inside the box and not in a pouch on the outside of the box. Those pouches take years to biodegrade. There are over a million packages shipped each day. Eliminating these pouches is a huge overall reduction of paper and plastic. This one small step also reduces the precious energy used to manufacture the pouches as well as the fuel to ship them from the factory to the store. 

 

2) Stop using Styrofoam plates and cups. They do not biodegrade and are one of the biggest contributors to toxins in our landfills. Forgo using paper plates or plastic eating utensils as well. Although it is a bit of a hassle, take washable plates, silverware and cups to picnics or get togethers. Use only washable eating plates, glasses and utinsils  when you entertain at home. The holiday season is not far off and millions of people buy paper plates, plastic utinsils and paper cups to entertain as Mother Earth sheds another tear over the waste. Perhaps hire a high school student the night of your party and have her wash dishes as guests bring them to the kitchen. Whatever it takes but invest in reuseable dinnerware. You will save money down the road.     

 

3)  Use washable glasses in the bathroom and save the money buying paper cups. Plus they save landfill space, the energy used for manufacturing them, the paper used to box them and fuel for shipping. If even one million people stop tossing bathroom cups in the landfills each day, it reduces waste by a staggering 360 million cups per year. Now extend that by the 300 million residents of the United State for a total yearly savings of around 100 billion bathroom cups each year. Takes your breath away doesn't it?  Ten years from now it has saved over 10 trillion cups from finding their way to the landfill.

 

4)  Rather than spending money on paper napkins, buy washable cloth napkins. See the above numbers for the number of napkins kept out of the landfills if each person would switch to cloth napkins. Likewise invest in a few washable, reuseable towels like the Mary Moppins Swifter towels. Use them in place of paper towels in the kitchen. It saves you over $30 a year buying paper towels, reduces landfill waste, the fuel used for shipping them and energy used to manufacture them plus the plastic used to wrap them.  

 

5) Buy concentrated cleaners. On my website http://www.goclean.com/greenregister.php you can read the astonishing waste racked up by "ready to use" cleaners and how they affect the entire eco-system. Sign up to be a Mary Moppins Greener Cleaner and you will also receive a copy of my practical guide to convert your home into a healthy place to live - free of toxins.   

 

You have now walked far more gently on Mother Earth and saved a nice chuck of money doing it. Going green feels great doesn't it? Gee even the air smells fresher with less toxins being emited from the paper manufacturing plants and all for making just a few small changes.

 

Can one person make a difference? You bet you can especially when you share this with others. It takes each of us making small contributions to make a huge impact on the future of our lives and the life of Mother Earth.

 

This article may only be copied giving proper credit to Mary Findley and her website Mary Moppins www.goclean.com. copyright @2010 all rights reserved world wide.

 

 

Cleaning Schedule part 3

 

     Okay it's time for truth or dare. I dare to email me and tell me you did go through each room of your home and started working on your cleaning schedule. How far did you get? Yes I understand how little time you have. I'm hanging by a thread most of the time too. If you can't manage your whole home at one time aim for canvasing one room a week. I do recommend doing the entire home so you don't do one room and put off the rest. I am notorious for getting a project started and 3 years later it is still at the "start" stage. Trust me once you take the time to sort through the clutter in a room or just re-organize and write down how often you need to clean what in that room, you will love the time you save cleaning.  

 

     A set cleaning schedule also prevents damage to surfaces. I cannot tell you the number of cleaning gurus who say if a surface isn't dirty don't clean it. That is the #1 way to ruin a finish because that surface gets ignored far too long. For instance, wood dries and cracks because you don't remember the last time you applied a wood conditioner like our Wood Care. With the economy in the tank, it's more important than ever to take extra care of your things. Replacement is expensive and many of us cannot afford the luxury of replacing floors, cabinets or furniture. Knowing exactly when they need extra maintainenance prevents them from being damaged. Leather, vinyl and ultra leather furniture is the same. Schedule cleaning leather or vinyl regularly using our Leather Care to prevent drying and cracking.  

 

     Have you noticed I'm nagging you to get disciplined with your cleaning? Well I'm beat at the end of day too. But I know the weekend is coming and when I look at my schedule and can cross out a short chore, it leaves me a bit more "free" time on my weekend. Plus if you have children at home, they see your discipline and will follow your example. What a great way to teach a child to set priorities than for them to see you do the same.  

 

     If you have children at home, set up a cleaning schedule for them too. As you do a chore in the evening, they do one too. Kids love to help so encourage this at a young age. Any child who is walking can put away toys.

 

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

Cleaning Schedule Step 2

 

      Cleaning schedules can be overwhelming until you understand the system behind this madness. So grab a tablet and pen and start a walk through your home. Write down each room and don't do this by memory. It really is time to take a serious look at your home. Maybe you have things you haven't used in years. Can you part with them? Your goal is not only to figure out a schedule but perhaps to weed out "things" that you really don't need and are slowing you down when you clean. 

 

     As you walk through your home jot down how often the room is used. Once a week? Once a month? Several times a day like the bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen? Are there items in that room that you could put in a garage sale and really not miss? Could any of your knicknacks be put behind a glass curio cabinet where they don't need to be dusted so often?

 

     Then jot down things in the room that need extra cleaning like brass lamps that must be polished or glass shower doors that attract water spots. By the way my book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning" gives you wonderful tips to prevent many of these issues. Next write down how often those items need extra attention. Is it weekly, twice a month, monthly every 4 months or once a year?  Make columns across the top of your tablet. Write down the time frames I just mentioned. Then as you come to each room write down all items that needs cleaning under the appropriate time. 

 

     Don't overlook things like baseboards, blinds, windows, cobwebs, lights, cabinets, appliances etc. Anything and everything in that room needs cleaning. It's up to you to decide how often. Also note how often the room needs cleaning. Spare bedrooms or formal dining rooms may only need dusting and vacuuming once a month. On the weeks you don't clean that room, you have extra time to dust baseboards or clean the refrigerator. 

 

     As you go through your home keep in mind your living conditions. Are you in a humid or rainy area where mold or mildew is an issue where you need to treat moldy areas? Are you on a country road or in an area of high dust that requires frequent dusting? What about pets, small children? All of these factors make a difference in your cleaning schedule. 

 

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

Cleaning Schedule

 

     People ask me frequently how to set up a cleaning schedule. Face it, cleaning, let alone taking the time to learn the nuisances of green cleaning is not on the top of most people's priority lists. Although for the sake of your health and that of Mother Earth it should move to the #1 position. For the next few blogs, let's delve into a few ideas to help you set up a schedule.    

 

     EXERCISE: First and most important - exercise regularly. I know time is tight and the kids need attention. Take a serious look at your schedule and you will find plenty of time. What is more important - sending that text message or enjoying life through good health? You can't achieve good health texting on a cell phone or sitting watching American Idol. Nor does it come in a pill bottle. It's only through diet and exercise that you will look years younger and feel on top of the world. Even 30 minutes a day of a fast paced walk and the right diet void of processed foods, dairy, wheat and sugar that you will truly return to health.

 

     I've been told plenty of times to take a hike. Well I started doing that when my son was young. I took those 30 minute hikes during his ball practices or before his games. Then I started getting up 30 minutes early. Trust me you will feel invigorated and not miss the extra sleep. Diet and exercise are the miracle cures you have been looking for. After my next cleaning book is finished, I'm writing my life's story and how I've beat the medical world without their pills and scalpels. You can too.

 

     Next, grab a notebook and decide what schedule will best suit your situation. Do you have time on a specific day to clean your home all at one time? Or would it be easier to do one chore a day like dusting on Monday, the bathrooms on Tues etc. I suggest doing your most dreaded chore first. By the time the end of the week comes or you get to the end of your cleaning jobs, you start to wear down. Having the harder tasks out of the way helps you plow through the easy stuff. So save the easier stuff like dusting, for last.

 

     Today's assignment: Write down your cleaning schedule. Writing things down creates that psychological edge of  importance and it makes for a quick reference sheet as well. Then make up your mind that you will stick to it.    

 

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

Cleaning Tips Gone Astray

 

     A well known cleaning expert listed ideas to avoid cleaning chores. Some of the ill-thought suggestions upset me. One tip was to keep your windows closed to prevent the dust from entering your home. This supposedly reduces the number of times per month you need to dust. It is a well known fact that women who stay home or people who work in their home, have higher rates of cancer than do people who work outside the home. Why? Because in the confines of a smaller area of the home the buildup of toxic fumes multiplies. Take carpet for instance. It contains over 100 chemicals. Add those fumes to what off gasses from the adhesive in flooring, cabinets, furniture and bedding and you have a toxic cocktail waiting to happen.

 

     Purchasing plants that absorb these toxic fumes helps, but the best way to release these fumes is to open the doors and windows several times a week so they can escape. For the sake of your health, give cleaning tip suggestions thorough consideration before implementing them. You will never regret that hour a week dusting if it helps prevent a life with cancer. Now pick up a copy of my book "The Complete Idiots Guide to Green Cleaning." You will learn all my tips for cleaning thoroughly yet rapidly. It teaches you how to: improve the quality of your indoor air, how to speed clean like the pros along with a host of preventive measures you can take that reduce cleaning time. 

 

This article can only be reprinted with giving credit to Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com. All rights reserved world wide @2010