Wednesday–the 160th day of the year

160

Happy Wednesday! Today we’re going to speed dust and vacuum, and make sure to bring out the furniture polish and shine up any wood that needs some extra love.

I had a lovely surprise yesterday when I read a review of my Make it Fast, Cook it Slow cookbook on Balancing Everything. If you’re not familiar with Jessica, you should be. Not only is she a fabulous mother of four, she owns her own business, does web design, homeschools, and is one of the most gifted writers on the whole entire Internet. I hope to meet her in person one day.

Today:

speed dust, vacuum, and wood polish (I like lemon oil, but mayonnaise or olive oil works in a pinch!)

daily 7

May 28–last friday of the month

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Happy Friday! My family seems to all have some sort of creeping crud, so I hope you are feeling better than we are. Lots of schools are out already, but we’ve got another two weeks. I’m as mentally checked out as the kids are—we all are in desperate need for a break. I’m looking forward to the long weekend.

Today:

daily 7

disinfect all doorknobs, remote controls, computer keyboards, and telephones. Don’t forget to clorox wipe the car keys and your cell phone, while you’re at it.

Breathe deeply and remind yourself how terribly lucky you are. Life is good. Hug your kids.

and? totally want one of these for the baby for our summer camping trip. I didn’t know they existed until Kristy posted a picture!

day 144–dust the icky parts

144

Hello, Monday!

We’ve got one more work week until the Memorial Day weekend, which (for most people) indicates the beginning of summer. Are you ready?

This week we’re going to clean and dust the icky up-high areas in your home that are regularly ignored. These areas only need attention about once a year, unless you live in a very dusty area (such as in a brand-new development still under construction).

Grab a handful of dust rags and a squirt bottle of watered-down all-purpose cleanser, a can of Clorox wipes, or a tub of baby wipes, and a step ladder.

These are the usually forgotten icky spots:

–top of the refrigerator

–top of kitchen cabinets

–top of book shelves

–top of high-hanging picture frames

–top of door jams

–top of doors (you’d be surprised at how much dust sits on top of an open door!)

You’ve got all week to tackle this project. If you have a large home, break it up into easily-managed areas, and by all means: DELEGATE!

Today:

dust the icky spots

daily 7

weekend recovery

133–clean the little appliances

133

Good morning!

I loved reading your emails yesterday—you are all wonderful. I wanted to make sure to point out that while my kids right now are okay in the car without a DVD player, that doesn’t mean that all kids are like that. Before having children of my own, I ran preschool centers. I definitely know that not all kids are wired alike! You’ve got to do what works for you, your family, and your own kids. Always. Definitely.

I realized yesterday when I pulled out the toaster that I should clean it. I think the spray of crumbs that came falling out was the trigger.

Today:

clean the microwave and toaster.

wipe down the fridge door, the gunk on the inner seal of the dishwasher, and wipe down any appliances you leave out on the contertop. I’ve got 4 crockpots on mine right now! (note to self: put crockpots away.))

daily 7

day 68–Tuesday toothpick cleaning

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We played softball last night. In hail.

I’m still warming up!

Today, I plan on toothpick cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. It sounds bizarre, I know. Toothpicks are great at getting the icky grime and gunk out from cracks around the stove handles and buttons. Our dishwasher has a seam around the control panel that hides gook as well. I also use them around the sinks and faucets in the kitchen and  bathrooms. This is a great (and amusing!) job for school-aged children.

Today:

daily 7

spring clean by toothpick cleaning

run errands

yesterday: weekend recovery

day 61–easy kitchen appliances

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Good morning! We’re going to dive head first into March with spring cleaning, and today we’re going to do the easy kitchen appliances.

The easy ones are the microwave, the range, and a self-cleaning oven. If your oven isn’t self-cleaning, it’s not easy. Shove it off for another day.

It really only takes a minute to clean your microwave. Wet a sponge or washcloth, and microwave it on high for 30 seconds. Then use it to wipe out the microwave. If your microwave oven smells, you can put 2 tablespoons or so of baking soda in a shallow bowl of water and microwave it for an additional 30 seconds to absorb icky odors.

I love it that our oven has a self-cleaning feature, and I love it even more that our range top is gas, and I can put the ceramic grates and the round thingy that covers the place where the gas comes out into the oven while it self-cleans, so the range top and the oven gets clean at the same time.

stuff like this makes me happy.

If you have drips in your oven, it might smell while the self-cleaning cycle is running. Open a few windows if needed, and prepare to take the batteries out of the smoke detectors.

Today:

daily 7

clean the easy kitchen appliances

yesterday: spring cleaning for the sane

Day 13–Speed Dusting 101

13

It’s lucky number 13 today! Congratulations on making it halfway through another week. How’s it going with meal planning? Are you keeping up with the Daily 7 for the most part? Remember that this isn’t a competition—-no prizes will ever be doled out for the best-kept house—just do what feels right on any given day. If you are having a particularly taxing day today, it’s okay. Tomorrow or the next day is bound to be better and you can make it all up.

No worries.

Speed Dusting 101

How often you dust and vacuum is dependent on how dusty your home becomes. In our first apartment, we had a construction site right behind us. If you live near a construction site, you’ll notice more dust than you will in an established neighborhood. Carpeting collects dust and dirt, but you won’t notice it as much as you will notice dust bunnies on hardwood flooring. Dark furniture shows more dust than light furniture will.

I try to dust and vacuum weekly, although sometimes our schedule just won’t allow it, and I go a bit longer. In the summer, when the kids are home, and are tracking more dirt and sand in the house, I need to vacuum more often.

Do what’s right for you. On average, once a week is plenty for most families, although I’ve heard that the Duggars vacuum their living spaces a few times a day.

I like microfiber dusting cloths. I like the way they trap the dust and don’t spread it all around like dry dusting with a towel does or fluff it into the air like a feather duster. If you don’t have microfiber cloths, it doesn’t matter. You’re still going to have to dust.

Find a stack of old rags, t-shirts, cloth diapers, socks without mates, etc. Grab a bottle of your favorite dusting spray, or use a bit of warm water–all you need to do is super lightly moisten your cloth.

Pick a room and start moving. Tackle all horizontal surfaces from the top to the bottom and move in a clockwise manner until the room is finished. Don’t worry about ceiling fans or blinds right now. We’ll get to them, I promise.

Try not to get compulsive about dusting every little knick-knack perfectly. Pick it up, wipe it off, and move on. Only spend a few minutes per room. The name of the game is SPEED.

When the house has been uncovered from it’s layer of dust, dig out the vacuum. Crank it up and quickly move from room to room. If there are things in the way, vacuum around them. Do not move furniture. Quickly vacuum all flooring including the kitchen and bathroom flooring.

TIP: I like to use an extension cord when I vacuum (20-30 feet is usually a good length) and plug it in a central location. This way I can move from room to room without needing to stop and move to a different outlet.

that’s it!

have a fantastic day.

yesterday: efficient erranding

tomorrow: exercise? what’s that?

Day 7–Shower Challenge

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Happy Thursday! Thursday has long been my favorite day of the week. I think it stems from the show Friends being on Thursdays, and now I like watching The Office after the kids are in bed. I also like knowing that all I need to do is get through one more day before the weekend hits.

Thursday happens to be the day that I try to tie up loose ends at work, and around the house, which means I tend to be quite productive. Being productive feels good.

it’s also a good excuse for margaritas…

Today:

continue making The Daily 7 part of your routine

and:

The Shower Challenge

If your shower stall has seen better days, you can try the following:

1) Sprinkle a non-abrasive, powdered cleanser (or baking soda) liberally in the bottom of a wet shower. Let it sit for an hour or so (if you are on your way to work, let it sit all day–no worries there), then agitate with a stiff brush. Use the same brush all over the shower stall and door. Turn on the tap and let the shower enclosure rinse well. Leave the scrub brush inside the shower and finish the scrub brush (with water only) the next time you’re in there. If you quickly scrub the shower floor, walls, and door a few times per week while showering (no need to use cleanser or detergent, just elbow grease), they won’t accumulate grime.

2) If you have a shower curtain, take the liner down and wash it in the washing machine on the delicate cycle. I have never had good luck washing a decorative curtain (they seem to lose shape, wrinkle horribly, and fade on me), and prefer to replace them every few years. I’m usually ready for a change once the curtain no longer looks the best, anyhow.

yesterday: day 6

coming up tomorrow: end of week reflection

What Are the Necessary Cleaning Supplies?

I have a weird hobby. I enjoy browsing for cleaning supplies, and enjoy trying out new ones on the market. If I wasn’t so gosh-darn-cheap, I’d gladly pick up the phone to order the newest (and best! and brightest! and fastest!) cleaning whatever-it-is advertised on late night TV. You know the Scrubbing Bubbles shower cleaner thing with the “magical cleaning fairies” that clean your shower after you leave it for the day? I bought it. I also have tried KaBoom, and have owned a Scooba.

Oh how I loved my Scooba. I used it every single day for the six months that it worked, and talked about it incessantly. I even wrote a glowing review on Amazon, I loved it so much. And then it died. Thrice. And the shipping cost for sending it in for repair (not to mention the 6-8 week turnaround  time) turned my love into disgust. My Scooba now sits under the utility sink in the garage waiting for someone to love it again. I don’t think it will be me.

One of my favorite pastimes is to slowly walk the aisles at Target and ogle the new cleaning supplies on the shelves. I usually refrain from buying them, but I do love to read the labels and compare ingredients. I really shouldn’t share this outloud, huh?

The secret though, is that you don’t really need much to keep your home tidy and gleaming.

These are the items that I use in our home, and what I’d recommend getting if you are trying to streamline your cleaning process and materials.

Sponges

There are tons of different sponges that you can buy—some claim to keep bacteria from growing, some are sturdy enough to throw in the washing machine or dishwasher, some are all-natural, and some are synthetic. I buy these Scrub Buddies. I get them at the Dollar Tree, and have seen them in the 99 cent store, as well as non-name brand discount stores. I like that 6 come to a pack, and that I can switch them weekly (or more often, if they get terribly icky) or save them for non-kitchen use. I buy a dozen packs or so at a time, and then keep the old and used ones in a basket in the garage to use for scrubbing the floor, toilet bowls,  the car tires, etc. Then they are thrown out for good.

Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

I love these cloths for dusting, and for wiping up spills. They are super absorbent, trap dust and grime, machine wash well, and don’t require a spritz with a cleaning solution (although you certainly could use one if you prefer). They are relatively inexpensive, and last a long time. They are also able to be used on a Swiffer or the like dust mop—just shove the corners into the slots made for the throw-away dusting sheets. I’d suggest having 4 or 6 on hand, depending on how large your home is, and how often you choose to dust. 4 serves my family quite well. If you’d rather not spend money on cleaning rags, you can use old cloth diapers, or soft T-shirts just fine, but you’ll need to have a larger stack because the absorbency is just not the same.

I am not a fan of feather dusters. Although they are fun for children to play with, the dust spreads around instead of getting trapped (even with the expensive fancy ostrich dusters) and the maintenance is not worth my time.

Broom and Dust Pan

This is a no-brainer. You need to have a broom to sweep any hard surfaces in the home. Most people choose to have more than one, and don’t bring an outdoor or garage broom into the house. I like having a dust pan and whisk broom in a few places throughout the house so children can quickly clean up spilled pencil shavings, the little dots from the hole punch, and crumbs from under their seat at the table.

For Small Hands is an online company that specializes in Montessori teaching supplies and tools. They have a fantastic selection of kid-size cleaning tools (gardening, too!)

Mop

Mops are controversial. Everyone seems to have one that they absolutely love, and no amount of persuasion will change their minds. That’s fine. Whatever works the best for you, use it. The Swiffer Wet Jet system is WILDLY popular, and for good reason. It’s simple, the refills are readily available, and it works. Some people swear by the cotton “yarn” mops that you can toss into the washing machine. Those are fine, too. I like the sponge mops or the microfiber dusters with removable terry-cloth heads for mopping my floors. Some housekeepers don’t even use a mop, and prefer to wet a towel and shuffle it around with thier feet. It really doesn’t matter—all that matters is that you have some sort of cleaning apparatus that you use on a routine basis to get the stick and ick off of your hard floors.

One trick to mopping is to let the cleaner that you’re using work for you. If you have a high-traffic area that attracts stuck on grime, spray your floor with an everyday de-greaser (409, Fantastik, vinegar and water, or something similar) and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then wet your mop with hot water, and wash as usual. There is no need to rinse the floor afterwards, since those cleaning supplies are meant to just spray and wipe. Your floor will be left clean and shiny.

Vacuum Cleaner

Much like mops, many people love their vacuum and wouldn’t switch brands or models, ever. If you are in the market for a new vacuum, I’d suggest reading the reviews on Amazon, and at Consumer Reports to find one in your price range and with your personal specifications. I have never owned a Dyson. Many of my friends have one, and I’ve used it a few times at their houses to see what the fuss is. My favorite feature is that you can get it in purple or pink. Otherwise, my $99 Dirt Devil seems to do just fine, and has lasted a good 5 years. I, personally, just can’t justify spending much more on a vacuum (says the woman who plunked down $250 for a Scooba which died 6 months later…)

If you are in the market, I’d suggest getting one that has a canister instead of bags, so you aren’t trying to ration bags. Most vacuums come now with an air filter, which is a huge plus for anyone with dust or mite allergies. Vacuum your flooring regularly to keep carpeting looking the best, and to keep sand and dirt from scratching your hardwood, Pergo, or tile. All of the new vacuums are perfectly safe to use on a variety of floor surfaces, and they do such a better job than sweeping or dust-mopping to keep the dust level of your home in check.

One trick I do with my vacuum is to attach the cord to a 30-foot extension cord and plug in at a central location in the house. That way I can move from room to room without turning off the machine or taking the time to find a new outlet in every room.

Scrub Brush

Gotta have one. The stiff bristles are great for cleaning tile, grout, and sticky jelly off of the kitchen floor.

Toothpicks

Yes, toothpicks. I promise I’m not losing it. Toothpicks are the exact perfect size and pointyness to get into little cracks where you can’t get to the dirt and scum. In the kitchen, you’ll find them useful around stove knobs, around the control panel on your microwave and dishwasher, and around the buttons on the ice dispenser on the fridge. In the bathroom, they are ideal for getting the ick out of the crack around the white flappy-thing that hides the toilet seat bolt. Toothpicks are cheap, and do a great job. If you have a particularly dry grit that’s stuck, wrap a corner of a clorox or baby wipe around the toothpick point for an itty bitty cleaning tool.

And then there are the cleaning products…

I’m not a name brand girl when it comes to the powders, sprays, and goops. I gladly get off-brand products from the dollar store, if they fit my needs.

Glass Cleaner: yes, you can use vinegar and water, but I happen to like the smell of the blue stuff. There are many new products available that are friendlier to the environment than the old standbys, which is fantastic.

Degreaser: Spic and Span, 409, Fantastik and the like. These will cut through grease quickly, saving your back and elbow. Let these products do their job–spray them on, and let them sit. Then wipe with a scrubby sponge or microfiber cloth. You can buy large bottles of concentrate and pour into your own spray bottles, diluting with water to save money. These products will work just fine sprayed directly onto flooring, saving a separate cleanser purchase. If prefered, vinegar and water can be used instead.

Powdered Abrasive: Baking soda works just fine, as do the standard powdered cleansers. Some have a bleach in them, take care to not let the dust get in your eyes, or sprinkles on nice towels or bathmats. A powdered abrasive is helpful to get tough stains out of porcelain sinks, tubs, showers, and toilets.

Bleach: Sometimes you just need bleach. It works phenomenally and is inexpensive. (now I’m off to make a sacrifice to Mother Nature…) I like the bleach pens, too.

Disinfectant Wipes/Baby Wipes: The convenience factor of these products beats out any uncomfortableness I have about using disposable products. If these bother you, opt for cleaning rags instead.

Magic Erasers: The “magic” in these is that they are abrasive, and will scrub away any surface dirt, grime, or grease. They work great on walls, refrigerator doors, soap scum, and floors. They will take the finish off painted banisters, or on delicate wood, please be careful and check on a “hidden” spot. Due to the abrasive quality, watch children carefully so they don’t scrub their skin—their skin will come right off.

Lemon Oil: Lemon oil is a great product to use in small doses for polishing hard wood furniture or flooring. It also works great in the shower to wipe down shower doors—the built up soap scum will come right off, and the remaining slick surface will deter future build up. Do not use on stainless steel faucets or fixtures, lemon can cause pitting.

What are you favorite cleaning supplies? Anything particular I should try out and add to the list?

for further reading:

Clean Less, Play More

The Daily 7 for a Highly Successful Household

Super Simple Spring Cleaning

A Beginner’s Guide to a Clean and Organized Home

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