The first think you’ll think is “how in the world does this relate to a sewing blog?” Well, I believe it has everything to do with sewing. All of us in the sewing / crafting “work at home” field STILL are required to do housework. Sometimes we get so bogged down with projects / alterations / sewing / kids / cooking, etc, that the housework takes a back burner. All of a sudden we realize what we’ve done, and have to spend the next few days doing “clean up” on the house. So, here are a few tips I’ve gotten from a friend who is in the professional house cleaning business (might even save you some money if you don’t have to buy commercial cleaners):
WINDOWS: For greasy windows, inside or out, add ammonia to the water. If the glass is extremely dirty use a little dishwasher detergent in the water, because it’s not too sudsy.
MIRRORS: Add vinegar to the water to loosen and break up dirt. The same vinegar solution is also good for cleaning sink fixtures.
MOLD AND MILDEW: Don’t buy expensive commercial products – simply use a diluted laundry bleach. Wipe it on the surface with a paint brush, leave it on and most of the mildew will disappear.
BATHROOM TILES: Use baking soda for bathroom tiles and walls. It disinfects, gives the bathroom a clean smell and makes the tiles sparkle. It removes soap and scum from the shower as well.
CARPET ODORS: Simply sprinkle baking soda over the offending area, leave it there for a couple of hours and vacuum. The baking soda will help to neutralize the odor.
FLOORS: To make your floors sparkle without scrubbing, use a wet mop rather than a damp mop. Use a commercial floor cleaning product or add half a cup of bleach to detergent and water. Swish the mop around the floor a few times and leave for a few minutes to give the cleaner a chance to absorb the dirt. You’ll be surprised how clean the floor will be when you use the damp mop to clean up the water/cleaner you’ve left on the floor.
WALLS: When washing walls you should work from the bottom up, my professional house cleaning friend says, that way you’ll avoid streaking the walls. When water runs down onto a dirty wall, the streak becomes a stain and is hard to remove; BUT if you wash from the bottom up, the water will run down onto a clean surface and can easily be wiped away. Use a little liquid dishwashing detergent and a very damp sponge to clean walls, she added.
There you go — get the house cleaned in a jiffy and get back to the sewing and crafting projects!
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