My Favorite Household Cleaning Product: Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser

If I had to pick my absolute most favorite housecleaning product, do you know what it would be? It would be Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser. I especially like the kind that is scented with Febreze. One of the first times I remember using this product was when I was a preschool teacher. I had to clean off the tables that were caked with dried paint and crayon marks. The spray we used wasn’t doing the job. Then someone suggested Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser. It took hardly any effort to wipe those tables completely clean. I use this product for a … Continue reading →

Clean Kitchen Sinks

We have been tackling the kitchen, focusing on appliances but today I want to talk about the sink. Now to some this may not be a big deal but to others (myself included), I just cannot handle having a dirty sink. I can’t stand seeing food or grease caked on or splattered all over my sinks. I find it very unappealing. Keeping my sinks clean on a daily basis is just one of those things that are important to me. And it can be done with very little effort and time. Several years ago I was introduced to “FlyLady,” an … Continue reading →

Care of Your Floors

We have tackled a couple of housekeeping tips in our living areas but will end with the care of floors. Some living areas are carpeted and some have hardwood floors. So the type of care you give to your floors will depend on this. I only have hardwood floors, with just a couple of rooms in my entire house being carpeted. So I don’t do much with vacuuming and when I do, I use a fairly common type of vacuum. From what I understand however, the dream machine to own if you have carpeting is a Dyson. All you Dyson … Continue reading →

Benefits of Using a Dust Mitt

In my last blog we talked about the living areas and keeping items like DVDs and magazines organized in baskets. Once you have decluttered your living area and organized everything, you need to think about the products you will use to keep this room clean. The number one cleaning job in any living area is dusting. One of my favorite products I have ever used is a dust mitt. I have only used one made by Norwex but I know there are other brands available. Good dust mitts are made of microfiber, so unlike a cloth that only scatters dust, … Continue reading →

Go-To Cleaners

Like many homeowners I have a core collection of cleaners that I immediately reach for when I am in a jam. They include: Lysol, Clorox, and X-14. I use a variety of Clorox products, but they all work about the same. No surprise there since they all contain bleach as their active ingredient. Now that I think about it, I could probably save a ton of money if I simply bought a few gallons of bleach, diluted it with water, and used it to clean multiple surfaces. In addition to my trio of favorites, I also find Eco Moldzyme to … Continue reading →

The Wonders of Woolite

I’m sure the makers of Woolite would be pleased to know that my mother lives and dies by their laundry detergent. Interestingly, a new study shows that product loyalty starts at a young age, and that in many cases a child, who sees her parent using a particular cleaner at a young age, will likely go on to use the same product as an adult. Hence my allegiance to Woolite as well. I use the liquid detergent on my fine washables, as the product claims it “has no harsh ingredients and won’t cause shrinking, stretching or fading.” Woolite claims that … Continue reading →

Spring Cleaning: Moldy Items

Mold is my enemy. I can’t stand the sight or smell of the disgusting fungi. Unfortunately, mold can grow on virtually any organic substance, especially when damp and dark conditions prevail. What’s more, mold presents itself in a variety of colors including white, gray, red, pink, green blue and brown. People who are only concerned with black mold are fooling themselves, as all types of the fungi can be potentially harmful. Besides harming individuals with upper respiratory problems, mold and mildew can strike healthy people as well. For instance, when mold covers outside walkways or decks, the areas can become … Continue reading →

Silver Solutions

While incredibly convenient, wipes and mitts are not the only ways you can restore your silver pieces to their original shine. If you prefer to stick with commercial products rather than experiment with homemade cleaning solutions, then consider using silver polish paste. Connoisseurs sells a decent silver polish paste that comes in an eight-ounce jar. The jar includes an applicator, though you can use an old rag or damp sponge to apply the paste to your silver pieces. The paste is rather concentrated, so I would suggest using a little bit to start, and then add more if needed. The … Continue reading →

Spring Cleaning: Silver

Unless you use your fine silver on a daily basis, then you really don’t need to clean it more than twice a year. The goal in cleaning silver is to remove tarnish and return it to its original shine. Fortunately, there are a number of products on the market that make cleaning silver a fairly simple process. Personally, I love silver cleaning wipes. Oneida sells the wipes 10 in a box for about ten to 12 bucks. They are very easy to use; simply wet the silver item that needs polishing, and then rub it with the wipe. Once the … Continue reading →

Pets vs. Your Carpet

Removing pet stains from carpets is never a good time. However, cleaning is inevitable if your dog or cat spends the majority of his time indoors. Accidents happen and when they do timing is everything. The key to salvaging your carpet from pet feces or urine is to act quickly and use effective cleaners. As soon as you spot a pet stain reach for rags or absorbent paper towels to soak or wipe up the mess. The longer you let animal urine or feces sit on carpeting the worse the smell gets. If you are dealing primarily with urine stains, … Continue reading →