Anyone know Julie Edelman?? She is the author of the book "The Accidental Housewife." We look nothing alike, but our cleaning mantra is twinlike. She has a whole book dedicated to efficiently, effectively and economically cleaning your house.
I hate to think of the things lurking in my home. It's surface clean, but I have a hard time deep cleaning more than a couple of times a year. Since I am dying for spring, mostly so I can drive without worry again and so my kids can make their noise outside instead of inside, I am really in the mode for spring cleaning. I have adopted a lot of principles from "Design on a Dime" from HGTV to rearrange/redecorate for cheap, and now it's time to clean!
My Cleaning Tips
1. After you clean your microwave (boil 1 c. water and 1 c. vinegar in a glass bowl to help loosen stuck on crap and then wipe down) stack 12 paper towels on the tray. Each time you use the microwave, remove a towel. This can keep your microwave cleaner, longer.
2. Put dryer sheets in the bottom of diaper pails and garbage cans to keep smells away. I tried everything to maintain diaper smell when the twins were little. Stick-ons, air fresheners, baking soda, but the dryer sheets worked the best. You can also leave them in drawers or under car seats to make them smell better.
3. Clean out your fridge once a week. At our house stuff gets pushed to the back a lot and I forget about it. Pulling everything out, checking expiration, wiping down shelves reduces mold and bugs that can make you sick. Also cleaning off the top of the fridge is a good idea. Appliances work more efficiently if the tops are uncluttered. Don't forget to vacuum out the coils on the bottom of the fridge.
4. Use your above stove microwave fan when cooking to absorb potential mold. Think about all the water evaporating when you cook..where is it going? Turning on the fan will help suck it out of your house and you won't be breathing it.
5. I learned this the other day. Vacuuming more than once a week causes dust mites to multiply and can cause allergies or allergy asthma. Once a week is good to keep things clean. Using a vacuum with a Hepa filter also helps.
6. This next tip is for Andy. He has an obsession with door knobs. He wants them all to match--color, style, brand, etc. That's fine with me--we spent a small fortune in our last house making his dream come true. In our current house they all matched when we moved in, probably one of his deciding factors, although I've never asked. Anyway, disinfect the knobs and switches at least weekly to prevent spreading germs.
7. Don't forget to disinfect your mouse, keyboard, cell phone, regular phone and remote control. Lots of people are using them, lots of germs are spreading.
That's all for me. I am adding Julie's tips in an upcoming post. Glad to know there are people who think like me, and are OCD like me. Makes me feel more sane than I normally feel.
No comments:
Post a Comment