Entries Tagged as 'Whole House'

Spring Cleaning: room-by-room

March 13th, 2008 13 Comments

retrochick.JPGIvy says:

Thanks for all the great comments on my post yesterday. No, you are not alone, I promise. There are plenty of people with super messy houses, it happens. Now you’ve just got to get it clean and I know you can do it! There were a couple of questions in the comments I wanted to address.

Angela wrote “I always have the problem of once it is clean the kids think that is the best room to play in…therefore not lasting very long” Ha, I know, what’s up with that?! That’s one of the reasons it’s best to start with one of the smallest rooms in the house- the kids are less likely to want to play in there, and it’s easier to clean up afterward if they do.

CanadianCarrie asked “I’m wondering if the mess gets more managable when the kids are all in school all day? ANYONE?? Does it?” Well, yes and no. Yes because they’re just not there as much to mess things up, but no because it seems like they work overtime to make a giant mess. But yes again, because by the time they’re in school, they’re old enough to put to work.

If your kids are anything like my 4 year old who is part Tasmanian Devil, it can be hard and frustrating to have kids who go right behind you messing up as you’re cleaning. Don’t stand for it- put them to work. Even the youngest two year old can be put to work with a spray bottle filled with a water/vinegar mix and a rag, washing fingerprints off walls and doors. Make the work age-appropriate and don’t let them get away with playing when they should be cleaning. Talk to them about how great it feels to have a clean house, and enlist them in helping to keep it clean. Eventually, it will sink in and they won’t be so messy- or so I keep telling myself. My two older kids are pretty good about cleaning up after themselves, but I’m beginning to wonder about my 4 year old.

So, remember yesterday I told you I was going to give you room-by-room cleaning tips? Here they are:

Kitchen

  • Start with the dishes. If you have a dishwasher, load it, then hand wash the rest of the dishes, dry them and put them away.
  • Once the dishes are dealt with, fill up your sink with some hot, soapy water. Completely clear off your counters and give them a good wash-down.
  • Then move on to the refrigerator. Clean it out and wash it thoroughly, inside and out. Don’t forget to vacuum the coils!
  • Dust the ceilings and tops of your cabinets, then wash the fronts of the cabinets. Pull your stuff out of the cabinets and re-organize. Wash the insides of the cabinets if necessary.
  • Yes, you are going to have to deal with the plastic stuff cabinet, too. Suck it up and just do it.
  • Go through your pantry or wherever you keep the food. Get rid of anything that is expired or you’re just never going to eat. Don’t give expired stuff to a food pantry, but anything you’re not going to eat can be donated to a food pantry.
  • Wash the floors and woodwork on your hands and knees*. Yes, yes, I know. A mop is so much faster. But washing the floors on your hands and knees gets it cleaner. You can mop normally, but for spring and fall cleaning, get down there and do it right.

Bathroom

  • Start at the top. Dust the ceilings, light fixtures, walls, etc.
  • Put some toilet bowl cleaner in the toilet bowl to get it soaking. Same with spraying your shower.
  • While you’re giving the toilet and shower some time to soak, pick up any trash that may be out, and then take the trash out.
  • Clean everything off the bathroom counters. Just set it aside for now, you’ll deal with it later.
  • Wipe down your shower walls and rinse them off. If you have tile grout that needs to be dealt with, deal with it.
  • Now, the crappy part. (Pun totally intended) Tackle the toilet. Start with cleaning the bowl, then clean everything else. Take it apart, if you need to. If cleaning the toilet really grosses you out, imagine you’re a crime scene investigator or you’re cleaning some rich and famous person’s toilet. I used to clean toilets of the rich and famous and their toilets were as nasty- sometimes nastier- than anyone else’s. Then you can imagine yourself telling your friends how nasty your Kix Brooks’ toilet was**.
  • Clean your sink and bathroom counters. Use an old toothbrush to get around the corners.
  • Get out the Windex and clean your mirrors and chrome bathroom fixtures, if you have chrome.
  • Go through your cabinets and all the stuff you took off your counters. Get rid of anything that’s expired or you won’t use. Same with your towels and washcloths. Anything that’s torn or really worn, put it in the rag bag. What, you don’t have a rag bag? Start one!
  • Finally, wash the floor, cabinets, and woodwork. Again, on your hands and knees unless you have a physical problem preventing it.

Whew, that’s a lot of information for one post! Tomorrow, we’ll explore cleaning the bedrooms, living room, dining room and all that fun junk.
*Unless, of course, you have some physical reason you can’t. In that case, use your normal method. Or, make someone else do it.

**I have never cleaned a toilet Kix Brooks has owned, so I don’t know if he has nasty toilets or not. I just wanted to type “Kix Brooks” a few times.

Tags:   ·

And when Mama’s happy, everyone’s happy

November 12th, 2007 5 Comments

WinkIvy says:

I remember when I was in college, I didn’t feel like I had time or energy to deal with cleaning, so my house was constantly messy. My mom was constantly on me about making sure my house was clean. I’d get depressed for long stretches of time, and she told me if I’d only clean my house, I’d feel better.

It made me incredibly mad. To me, my depression was caused by real problems not just a dirty house. I figured cleaning my house wouldn’t fix anything, so I left it dirty.

Now that I’m older and (ha!) wiser, I’ve been struggling with depression again, and my housework has suffered a bit. This past week I’ve been cleaning and decluttering furiously, and my house is back to being the paragon of cleanliness (ha! again!) I like it to be.  I realized something. My mom was right.

When my house is cleaner, I feel better, cheerier. And while having a clean house won’t singlehandedly pull me out of a depression, it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

Tags:   ·

Divided We Stand?

October 14th, 2007 2 Comments

Dear Home Ec 101:

My husband and I both grew up in homes where the father worked, and the mother largely stayed home and attended to all of the household duties. We both work, and sometimes have a hard time agreeing on who should be doing which chores, how often, and how well. I tend to feel
like I’m expected to do more than my fair share. How can we successfully negotiate housework?

I’m really tired of hearing complaints about how I didn’t magically know to wash that specific pairs of jeans that wasn’t in the hamper by a certain day, etc. Of course, I get all worked up in my head about expectations b/c I’m a woman, and so on. Ultimately, I would like for
everybody to have clear expectations and get things done without it being a constant struggle and source of criticism.

Thanks for any advice you have!

Heather says:

It sounds as though there may be a breakdown in communication. One of you is bound to have a lower tolerance for mess and that one will end up with the lion’s share of chores unless boundaries are set. I know it does not sound fun, but you may have to sit down and actually discuss the division of chores. Consider making a list of chores in three columns: daily, weekly, and seasonal. Then, taking turns, take colored pencils or markers and indicate the chores you don’t mind with one color and chores you abhor with another. This should help fairly divide the list. For the chores you both hate institute a rotation, but the rotation should last long enough that it would be obvious if one of you is slacking. Passive aggression should not be tolerated, it will only increase resentment.

Letting him know what you need is not nagging, additionally expecting him to intuit those needs is unrealistic. Extend him the courtesy of telling him your expectations and ask him to do the same for you.

Best of luck.

Tags:   · ·

De-Flea

September 27th, 2007 5 Comments

Dear Home-Ec 101,

My boyfriend has recently gotten bug bites, mostly on his right arm but other places as well (legs, etc.). They are small, red, and itchy. Smaller than mosquito bites. I haven’t gotten any. He thinks they happen more on a particular couch, but it’s hard to pinpoint (the bed and a computer chair have also been suspected). He can’t catch them in the act, and we haven’t seen anything.

So we think they’re fleas, but we’re not sure. We don’t have pets or any reason they would be here, but who knows (neighbors have cats, and we live in an apartment building). We’ve read a little about bed bugs but feel like we would see those…

What’s the best way to deal with this? Preferably without having to remove our dishes somewhere while we wait 4 hours? I don’t mind bug bombing, just don’t wanna have to worry about all my plates and stuff…

Anything we can do right away and cheaply to get my boyfriend relief?

I’ve searched the internets so far for help, but it’s confused, usually sponsored by some pest company trying to sell me something I’m not sure I need, and usually pet directed… we have no pets and want to figure out if these bugs are living ON my boyfriend or what?! Eww!

I figure I’m getting bit as well but just don’t have a reaction to it or whatever.

Signed,

Scratchin’ in Scranton

retrochick.JPG Ivy says:

It definitely sounds like you have a flea infestation. The reason your boyfriend has bumps and you don’t is because some people are allergic to flea bites and other people are not. I’m not allergic to them, either. Better them than us, eh? ;)

Since you don’t have pets, flea removal is going to be slightly easier. I have two cats and a dog, and when we got fleas a couple of years ago, I went ahead and went the flea bomb route, because I wanted to knock it out as soon as possible. If you do go the flea bomb route, you’ll need to make sure you are vacuuming really, really well, and make sure you wash everything you possibly can in hot water. Curtains, area rugs, everything.

I don’t think you will have to go the flea bomb route, though. I did a little research and found this nifty contraption on Amazon. It’s a flea trap, and the reviews are largely really good, and it’s priced right, $16.

I’d probably get a flea trap and then vacuum the absolute heck out of everything in my house. Make sure you are taking the vacuum bag (if you have one) entirely out of the house immediately after a vacuuming session. You can even put the bag in a plastic bag and put it in your freezer to kill them all before you take it outside. If you have a bagless vacuum, empty it outside directly into a trash bag. Seal the bag and throw it in your dumpster (if you have one).

Wash everything that can possibly be washed in hot water. Take the sofa cushions out and put them in one of those giant plastic bags and leave it outside in the sun. Then vacuum the entire couch really well again, making sure to follow the bag procedures outlined above.

I think that’ll take care of it! If you do get a flea trap, let us know how well it works, it looks neat. I totally want one, except I don’t have any fleas (knock on wood).

Send your domestic questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Tags:   · ·

Gnat Killa

August 28th, 2007 6 Comments

Dear Mavens of Fabulosity,

Our family went on a 3 week vacation only to come home to flock of little tiny gnats in the kitchen. The sink was clean, dishwasher clean and empty, but alas they were there and from where, I don’t know. I cleaned the sink again with Clorox.

We don’t have a disposal, so that was not the culprit, and the garbage was empty. I’m still not sure where they came from. We did the ole’ bait and spray to get ride of them. Placed a bit of ripe banana on a paper plate on the counter and when they came to rest on the banana we fumigated them. We got rid of them all, for about 2 weeks, and now they are back with a vengeance. Suggestions on how to rid my (mainly kitchen) of the little menaces? Thanks!

Signed,

“Gnat” more flies!

Wink Ivy says:

Oooh, I’ve had the same issue before, it sure is annoying. Putting gnat heads on tiny little stakes doesn’t work. I’ve never found stakes small enough for a gnat’s head, that’s part of the problem.

The first thing you need to do is find out where they are coming in from. Check to make sure you don’t have any windows open, then make sure there are no cracks or other ways they could possibly be getting in. If you find nothing, they may be living in your plants. Otherwise, try putting all your fruit except bananas in the refrigerator. Keep bananas in a covered bowl.

There are a couple of ways to kill them. Heather leaves a sink filled with soapy water every night, during gnat season. The gnats are attracted to the soapy water and will drown themselves in there.

I like to leave a bowl of white vinegar out half-covered with plastic wrap. I change out the vinegar every couple of days. Eventually all the gnats should die. Just make sure you keep places they can come inside closed, otherwise they will keep reinfesting.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Tags:   ·