Simple Window Cleaning
Step 1
For the cleaning solution, fish out of the garbage or recycle bin an empty spray bottle from any type of cleaner. If you can’t find one, you can by an inexpensive spray bottle at any discount store. But I’m cheap and I recycle, so a discarded one is perfect. Clean the bottle thoroughly.
Step 2
Into the bottle, add three ounces of common household ammonia. Then add 12 ounces of tap water. This will yield 15 ounces of cleaner, which most spray bottles will easily hold. You can make more or less, just keep the ratio of ammonia to water at 1 to 4. Put spray top on the bottle. Label your solution so that it is used only for the intended purpose.
Step 3
Lightly crumple one full sheet of newspaper into a ball. That’s right…common newspaper with print. Any type will do, but avoid the slick finished ads that you typically find in the Sunday editions. The print on the newspaper can be black or color, as long as it is porous in finish.
Step 4
Spray the glass to be cleaned with the solution. Wipe the window with the crumpled paper, turning the paper occasionally. The print ink may come off on your hand, but not on the glass. You can use a disposable latex or plastic glove if you desire.
Step 5
When finished, flatten the paper out to some extent. It can then be recycled along with your other papers.
Dirty Sink?
Out of your favorite window and glass cleaner? Try using a little rubbing alcohol on a ball of cotton. Alcohol also works well to clean the caulking around bathtubs.
Ammonia diluted with three parts water makes for a good all-purpose cleaner for countertops, appliances and windows.
Your copper bottomed pots and any brass items you might have can be easily cleaned with a half cup vinegar mixed with one teaspoon of salt.
Everyone dreads cleaning, but a little organization can go a long way towards making the job easier and more pleasant. One of the most important things you can do to make cleaning easier is to approach it with a schedule in mind. Many people find that by assigning major areas of their home to a certain day of the week, they are able to get more accomplished. Such a schedule might go as follows: Monday-laundry; Tuesday-kitchen, Wednesday-home office; Friday-deep cleaning for all rooms.
When you begin cleaning, keep in mind that the way in which you approach the matter can make a tremendous difference in how efficiently and easily you clean. You should always start from the top and work your way down. For example, if you need to clean the ceiling fans, tops of curtains, high shelves or anything else that is located up high; begin there before you do anything else. Similar, all flat surfaces should be dusted before you attempt to do the floors.
By investing in a bucket that can hold your basic cleaning supplies, you can save time and avoid going back and forth from one room to the next to retrieve the items that you need. Stock your bucket with the basics, such as dust cloths, glass cleaner, furniture polish, all-purpose cleaner, duster, etc,; then take it with you as you move from one room to the next.
While it's a good idea to give your home a thorough deep cleaning once a week, every week; cleaning as you go can make that task much easier to manage and handle as well as actually reduce time spent on cleaning. One way you can do this is by keeping cleaning supplies in all bathrooms; such as a sponge and all-purpose cleaner. After you're done with your shower, give the room a quick once over. Since the dirt is already loosened from the steam, the job will be easier to tackle.
Make a point to keep extra cleaning supplies especially in the guest bathroom. In the event that you have guests drop by unexpectedly, you can quickly give the room a once over without having to search for the cleaning supplies and waste valuable time.
One of the best things you can do to immediately make your home look cleaner and neater is to simply de-clutter. One day every week, make it a point to trash papers that are not important. File those papers that need to be retained.
If it seems like cleaning duties are overwhelming you, do take the time to make out a schedule and priority list to keep you on target and organized. While not every single surface of your home needs to be sparkling clean at all times, there are a few musts that can go a long way toward making the whole house seem as though it's clean. Take a look at these priorities:
In the kitchen, wipe down your cabinets and countertops; wash and mop floors. Put away clean dishes and load dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
In the bathroom, clean the toilet; wipe out the sink, take out the trash and fluff the rugs. Don't forget to pick up laundry and lay out fresh towels.
In the living room, vacuum floors, replenish air freshener, polish furniture.
In bedrooms, make the bed and pick up clutter/laundry.
About The Author:
Jason Petrina is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com
3 Homemade Natural Cleaning Products
One of my earliest memories is of my mother cleaning with what looked to me like cooking ingredients. She would be listening to the radio as she poured baking soda, lemon, and vinegar combinations on the surfaces of our home. Magically these natural cleaning products kept our home clean and smelling fresh, without stretching an already thin household budget. Here are a few basic household ingredients and items you can use to clean your home.
Vinegar
Uses:
Vinegar naturally cleans like an all-purpose cleaner. Mix a solution of 1 part water to 1 part vinegar in a new store bought spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean most areas of your home. Vinegar is a great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Always test on an inconspicuous area. It is safe to use on most surfaces and has the added bonus of being incredibly cheap. Improperly diluted vinegar is acidic and can eat away at tile grout. Never use vinegar on marble surfaces. Don't worry about your home smelling like vinegar. The smell disappears when it dries. Here are some uses for vinegar in the rooms of your house. Use it in the…
- Bathroom - Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops. Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings. Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down. Pour the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim. Scrub down the bowl. Mop the floor in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution. The substance will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile. Make sure it is safe to use with your tile.
- Kitchen- Clean the stovetop, appliances, countertops, and floor.
- Laundry Room- Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. (A plus when you have a family member whose skin detects every trace of detergent.)
Lemon Juice
Uses:
Lemon juice is another natural substance that can be used to clean your home. Lemon juice can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. Lemon is a great substance to clean and shine brass and copper. Lemon juice can be mixed with vinegar and or baking soda to make cleaning pastes. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section. Use the lemon to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains. Mix 1 cup olive oil with ½ cup lemon juice and you have a furniture polish for your hardwood furniture.
My favorite use for the fruit is to put a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal. It freshens the drain and the kitchen. Orange peels can be used with the same results.
Baking Soda
Uses:
Baking soda can be used to scrub surfaces in much the same way as commercial abrasive cleansers. Baking soda is great as a deodorizer. Place a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. Put it anywhere you need deodorizing action. Try these three kitchen ingredients as natural cleaning products in your home.
By Sarah Aguirre, About.com
Care of Silk Flowers
Step 1
Clean a light buildup of dust from silk flowers by using a handheld blow dryer. Set the dryer to a low or medium cool setting. Hold it close enough to do the job, but not too close. Wave the dryer back and forth across the flowers.
Step 2
Clean silk flowers quickly (like when you're expecting company) by swishing across them lightly with a feather duster. However, this method will put the dust in the air. Better yet, take the silk flowers outside. Hold them firmly and turn them upside down. Gently shake the dust off the flowers to clean them.
Step 3
Use a damp cloth to gently wipe the dust from silk flowers. When the cloth gets dirty, rinse it out in cool water and wring it out until it's nearly dry. Use moist cotton swabs to clean the dust from hard to reach areas. When you're finished, allow the silk flowers to air dry.
Step 4
Use dryer sheets to clean the dust from silk flowers. Gently wipe the petals and other parts off until they look clean and bright again. Besides cleaning the flowers, the dryer sheets will give them an attractive, fresh smell.
Contributor
By K Sprang
eHow Contributing Writer
Vacuum Cleaner Buyer Guide
Deep cleaning vacuums
The typical features with these types of vacuums
include rotating brushes that agitate the carpet
pile and loosen the dirt for better clean. There
are some models that offer a handy automatic tool
conversion button or switch that you can push or
flip as you move from carpet to hardwood floor.
Hand held vacuums
Hand held vacuums are light weight, can be corded
or cordless, and you can even mount most of them
on the wall if you prefer. The performance of the
cordless models will depend on the charge of the
battery, as the battery power drops, so will the
suction power.
The two types of hand held vacuums include straight
suction and suction with a power brush. If you
are considering a hand held vacuum cleaner, you
should consider its primary purpose, if you plan
to use it on a regular basis or occasionally on
smaller jobs.
Broom vacuums
Stick or broom vacuums are great for smaller type
apartments, quick clean ups in the kitchen, or
a family room. The benefit of a broom vacuum is
the light weight. If you have trouble pushing
your heavier upright around, the broom vacuum
may come as a relief. You'll also have the option
of getting your vacuum corded or cordless.
They usually weight 2 - 7 lbs. and allow you to
easily store them in the closet, as they take up a
minimum amount of space. For quick disposal of
the dirt and debris, most models are also bagless
as well.
Wet or Dry vacuums
The wet/dry vacuum combination may very well be the
most versatile vacuum cleaner on the market today,
with numerous attachments and functions it is a
very handy machine to have around your home. The
canister types can vary from the smaller 6 gallon
sizes to the larger 22 gallon sizes.
The HP ranges as well, from 2 to 10 HP. You should
always try to match the size of the unit to the
size of the job and frequency of use.
Upright vacuums
One of the most popular features of an upright
vacuum cleaner is the bagless system. In addition
to the increased performance, there is no need
to purchase any bags. Emptying the canister can
be a little dusty, although it's still better than
messing with bags.
Most upright models come with a standard set of
attachments that may even include an upholstery
tool, a crevice tool, and even an extension wand.
A retractable cord and manual or automatic pile
adjustments are other common features. A HEPA
filter is another common and popular feature found
with most upright vacuums.
Canister vacuums
Canister vacuum cleaners normally include retractable
cords. Considering the fact that most cords are
around 25 foot in length, this feature will prevent
you from having to drag the cord around and
possibly damage furniture. A push of a button or
a slight tug on the cord will retract it into the
canister of the vacuum.
The nozzle can be one of two types, nozzle or
power nozzle. To get your carpet as clean as
possible, it is recommended that you use the power
nozzle, which will agitate the carpet and loosen
up the dirt for deeper cleaning.
Another feature worth looking for is a suction
control switch, as this allows you to adjust the
flow of air for cleaning delicate material such
as upholstery and drapery.
When choosing your vacuum cleaner, you should always
choose the one you like best. The best vacuum for
the job is the one you should choose, as things
will work out much better that way.
Best Advice On How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs
The first thing you need to know is that it is not enough to do some cleaning. Even maintaining your house and bed spotless won't hurt the bed bugs, so you still have to deal with a problem. Either way, you still need to get rid of the itches that mess with your sleep at night. That is why we intend to teach you how to get rid of bed bugs.
The best method that is out there in order to get rid of bed bugs is to expose all the affected areas to extreme heat. The reason why this works so well is that the bugs cannot survive to such temperatures which are above 113 degrees Fahrenheit. That is why they cannot live for too long in desert area, where the normal temperature is high. Going further with the explanations, what you need to do is called steam cleaning. If you do not want to get involved in this, you may call a professional to do the job for you. As all the house is full with bed bugs and not just your bed, you need to take all the things out of the house, in order to expose the creepers, as they try to hide in dark places and in the crevices from the walls. After the house is emptied, the procedure may begin. You need to remove all the light plates, to empty all the caulking, to take down the cushions from all the couches and the mattresses. In the end, there should be no place to hide for the bed bugs, as they relentlessly will search for even the smallest place to hide.
The steam cleaning method will leave no bed bugs alive. Now, you need to know how to keep them away from that moment on. A good measure of precaution is to search for bed bugs marks on the sheets in the places that you need to travel to and spend the night. If you notice something suspicious, do yourself a favor and ask for another room. Also, your luggage must be kept as far away as possible from the furniture, so the bed bugs do not jump from there into your suitcase, ready for you to take them home.
A place does not need to be dirty in order to be infested with bed bugs. They may appear even in the cleanest places, so it is not a reason to be ashamed if they appear in your house. You just need to know how to get rid of bed bugs, and then, how to prevent them from coming back.
About The Author:
Balva Rudick is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com
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