How many of us enjoy a quiet Sunday spending the entire day doing our own thing? How many of us would cherish an opportunity to do just that? This tutorial might be the answer you are looking for. Here are some ideas to help you get more benefits from your hard labour and help your products work better for you. Organizing your cleaning schedule can be very beneficial in helping you to do the things you enjoy so much . . . . a little more often.
Step 1: Organizing Your Time
•Pick one fifteen minute or half hour thing you can do two or three days a week during the week.
•Crock pot cooking has helped me a lot.
•Do a load of laundry in the evenings and fold the clothes while watching TV.
•Clean the refrigerator before you buy groceries. Maybe the night before.
•Clean rooms that are not used very much during the week.
•When cooking during the week cook extra for 1or 2 meals on the weekend and put it in the freezer.
•Have family members spend 15 minutes picking up the house every night during the week and reward them for their efforts.
•Make a grocery list and buy groceries after work during the week.
It really helps to be organized and committed.
Step 2: Cleaning Shortcuts Kitchen
Kitchen
- Oven racks come clean very nicely when you place them in a heavy black garbage bag. Take it out side and and spray them with what ever cleaner you use. Put them in the sun for several hours. Using gloves remove them from the bag and wipe with newspaper or paper towels. Put them in the dishwasher with no soap and run it through the heavy cycle. I have had great success doing this.
- When washing the floors use vinegar or very very little soap. It is soap build up that makes things stick to the floor causing them to get dirty quicker and more difficult to clean. Wash the floors a little more frequently.
- Place a few trash bags in the bottom of the trash can before you put the liner in. You have a trash bag right there when you need it.
- Use an oil base cleaning soap for greasy areas for best results. Put it on full strength and let it set while you clean other areas of the kitchen. Then go back and rinse it with a clean wet cloth. This method works nice on stove fronts and on the top of the refrigerator.
- Clean windows and mirrors with window cleaner, a squeegee, a wet and dry cloth. If you do not like to use a squeegee use a wet cloth to clean it and then buff it dry. This method reduces the streaks.
- Vacuum the floors rather than sweeping. Sweeping leaves dust bunnies floating around. If you don't have a vacuum that will work, I recommend a dust mop.
- The best time to clean the refrigerator is when it is time to buy groceries. A quick wipe the night before saves time.
- If shale is on your fixtures, coat them with vinegar and let them set while you do something else and then go back and rinse them. For shale on pans coat them with vinegar, let set and then put them in the dish washer.
- Keep your sponges sanitized by washing them in the dish washer.
Step 3: Bathroom
- Soap scum is caused mostly by using bar soap. Switch to a body wash and reduce clean up time.
- Hang up towels hooks to reduce towel laundry.
- Buy fabric shower curtain liners instead of plastic to avoid mold and mildew which is very harmful to your health. They are much easier to clean and they last longer saving you money.
- For mold, wipe bleach on areas that have mold. Leave it on while you clean the rest of the bathroom and then go back and rinse it. If it is not black it is gone.
- Wipe mirrors with a damp cloth that is sprayed with window cleaner. Buff to a nice shine. This methods reduces film and streaks.
- Use vinegar on shale build up. It needs to soak on the fixture for a while but it works.
Step 4: Laundry Room
- Soak whites in the washer with stain remover and laundry soap for 30 minutes on the soak cycle and rinse. Then wash them on the normal cycle add bleach if desired. This keeps your whites white!
- Rinse your jeans on the medium spin cycle to reduce wrinkles.
- Vinegar is a great static reducer in the rinse cycle.
- Baking soda boost your laundry soap performance.
- Peroxide removes blood stains.
- Wash your bathroom rugs in the washer but don't dry them in the dryer. Lay them on top of the dryer to dry. This makes them last a lot longer.
- It is drying your clothes that wear them out, not washing them. For your nicer clothing hang on hangers to air dry. You can lay them on top of the dryer to dry if you like.
- Washing the laundry at a laundry mat can cause us to overlook a load. Take magnets to mark the washer and dryers you are using. It really helps.
Step 5: Dusting
I have always paid close attention to dust in my house. It is actually the dust that makes the home feel dirty. People with allergies suffer most when dust is in the home. Dusting is one thing that takes time to do. It is also one thing that makes a noticeable difference in the home. By reducing the decorations and clutter, dusting is hardly any effort at all.
I recommend changing the air filters on heat pumps 1x monthly. This reduces the dust particles in the home as well as prolongs the life of the heat pump. Dusting appliances like the refrigerator, stove. washer and dryer will prolong their life as well. If you have been remodeling I suggest cleaning the duct work because when you remodel dust can be a real problem. My neighbor recently experienced this problem and I suggested she call and have the duct work cleaned. It is actually fairly reasonable in cost.
If you have an area of the home that tends to get overlooked alternate your cleaning habits. One week start upstairs and the next week start down stairs. This helps keep the cleaning balanced. Rotate your cleaning priorities. Pay close attention to dusting one week and the next pay close attention to windows and so on. In a couple of months you should be caught up on areas that have been neglected.
If you want to tackle a big job skip cleaning the guest room or other areas that can be overlooked for a week or two.
Step 6: The Miracle Odor Destroyer
Step 7: Supplies
Large bag Baking Soda ( Sam's has it in a very large bag priced reasonably.)
Several old towels or cleaning cloths
Step 8: Clean and Mop
Clean and mop the floor.
- Sprinkle plenty of baking soda on the problem area.
- Generously spray peroxide over the baking soda.
- If it is in an area where people are walking cover it with a towel and let it set for 24-48 hours.
- I repeated this process for about 3 days applying and re-applying the solution. I cleaned the floor in-between the applications and mopped it. Then I re- applied the solutions.
- If you are cleaning the carpet, throw a towel over the stain and step on it working out any moisture. You can do this even if an accident occurred a few hours before.
- Then sprinkle the area with baking soda.
- Spray generously with peroxide and let it set for 24/48 hours as directed.
- Repeat the process if necessary.
- It worked! I was so excited! The whole house finally smelled clean.
- Please note: I used this method on old wooden floors and was not concerned about staining. Always test small areas using the same techniques you would on the entire problem area before doing this without testing. This method did not harm my floor.
Step 9: Amazing Results
The results were amazing! I have not smelled that odor again. It actually surprised me when I sanded the floors. I was expecting to smell it again while I was sanding but did not notice any odor.
I use this solution for a lot of things.
People this works!
I have used it on yellowed pillows, a stained mattress, blood stains in carpet, colored drink stains, pet bedding and of course odors.
Here is a picture of tennis shoes cleaned with this solution. I did very little scrubbing to achieve these results. I simply sprinkled the soda over the top portion of the shoe and sprayed it with peroxide, and lightly used a tooth brush to rub it in. Pictured are the results.
As you can see the results are convincing. This is just one example of how well it cleans, not to mention deodorizes.
If you have carpet that has pet stains, it may take a few applications. Sometimes if an area has had much abuse this method might not work, after all nothing is perfect. But it well worth trying before replacing the carpet. The best method is to clean it up as soon as possible. At least if you don't have time place an old towel over the top of the mess and step on it to remove most of the moisture. This will prevent it from soaking into the carpet further and getting between the carpet and pad.
Visit Our Store »
Go Pro Today »
CAT OWNERS: Cat's urinate instinctively in the same spot where they smell urine. If your cat is peeing on the carpet, the furniture or clothes, the chances of it continuing are very strong unless you actually completely remove any trace of previous urine. The best way to get your cat going in the litter box is by fully removing the stain and odor. There are several cleaners that claim to do this, however you are very fortunate if they work. Enzymatic cleaners are live feeding cleaners and tend to wear themselves out before they get to the heart of the stain. Anything that contains ammonia or vinegar is a MAJOR no-no for cat owners. The Humane Society even recognizes and advises against using these to remove cat urine. The reason for this is because they contain elements found in cat urine. If you use these items to clean cat urine, and they have the same elements in cat urine, you are only reinforcing your cat to urinate in the spot where you “cleaned” with it.
The next time you have this issue, first clean the urine with a paper towel and nothing else. Take that paper towel and place it in the cat's liter box. This will redirect the cat where the odor belongs. Next you have to fully remove the stain and the odor. This can be done with Genesis 950 as follows:
1. Clean stained area (furniture, carpet or rug) of any loose debris.
2. In a bucket, mix 1 part Genesis 950 to 7 parts warm water
3. Using a sponge, absorb the mixture of Genesis 950 and water
4. Squeeze excess mixture out of the sponge
5. With the sponge, wipe down any stained or dirtied area of the furniture, carpet or rug - do not wipe in a scrubbing manner, just gently wipe and let moisture from sponge absorb into the stain
6. Let the area you have wiped absorb the mixture - Genesis 950 is designed to work with water to soak into the stain and break the bonds of the stain, which then lift the stain from the surface. This is what will remove the stain and the smell.
7. After about 2 minutes the stain will be loosened and can be lifted from the surface
8. Empty your bucket and fill with straight water once you have cleaned all the dirty spots on your furniture, carpet or rug
9. Use a sponge with straight water to wipe off the cleaned areas
10. Allow furniture, carpet or rug to dry.
DOG OWNERS: Dogs are also instinctive in marking their territory and urinating. They develop a routine when going to the bathroom and every dog owner knows that dogs prefer to relieve themselves in the same spot. Even if they are going outside, they generally prefer to do their business in a familiar spot. If they begin to mark spots in the home, it is very important that you act immediately to remove the stain and odor to prevent repeated behavior. By removing the smell they have created in your carpeting, you are controlling the urge for the dog to repeat the unwanted behavior. This holds very true for puppy training as well. Genesis 950 is the perfect aid in training puppies not to urinate inside your home. By eliminating the smell from previous accidents, you are redirecting the instinct to go in that same spot. For spot cleaning, use the above mentioned instructions.
For larger stains, and a more professional look, clean your entire carpet using Genesis 950 in any steam cleaner. Use the amount recommended by the steam cleaner manufacturer as you would any other cleaner they suggest. Steam cleaning carpeting with Genesis 950 will make your entire carpet look and smell professionally cleaned. As the mixture of water and Genesis 950 are absorbed by the carpet, any stains, dirt or grime will be loosened. Germs and bacteria will be destroyed. Your carpet will be completely deodorized. After cleaning the carpet using a steam cleaner and Genesis 950, be sure to go over the area a second time with straight water. When you do this, you will see all the dirt and grim that the previously applied Genesis 950 loosened from the carpet.
You can get info on Genesis 950 at www.amerikalstore.com
I use a combination of spray bottle peroxide, activated carbon (I bought it in bulk) and silica sand for catboxes to keep their smells under control (it is hard because BOTH my males are very proud of their poo and refuse to cover it when they do their business in the catbox).
sunshiine
Sunshiine
Sunshiine
sunshiine
I discovered peroxide years ago when I had a couch covered in what was called "Haitian cotton" - rough spun, unprocessed stuff supposed to be dry-clean only. The reason for those directions was a natural yellow-brown discoloration that would come out of the chaff in the fiber and stain it all to heck once it was wet. I discovered that, if I humped the thing outside in strong sunlight, saturated it with 50-50 water and 3% peroxide, ran a steam/suction cleaner over it, and let it bake out there - turning all the cushions and such so they'd get sun as they dried - it would actually come lighter than it was. Woot. Glad those days are behind me. ;)
Is your cat fat or pregnant ..
by the way it is very sweet.