Showing posts with label baseboards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baseboards. Show all posts

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Cleaning tools - Beat those germs with simple protection

Thankfully, my cleaning calendar has helped me to relax and not feel rushed. With the right tools, cleaning is more of an enjoyment than something to be endured. I also listen to music which is a wonderful “tool” to accompany the physical workout I get from cleaning. Beyond the physical demands, I do struggle with using disposable cleaning tools while prolific growth of landfills besieges our country. We are still not recycling our waste adequately. But I continue to work on natural solutions for my cleaning routine.  I don’t use paper towels to clean glass or wash counter tops so I help to save the environment. Then I do laundry to clean my work towels, using up precious water as a resource. It’s an environmental dilemma, for sure. If you know of a cost effective biodegradable tool I can use, I am open to suggestions. But I digress. Here are a few of my cleaning tools, beginning with those that protect me from germs.

Gloves are important and necessary to avoid contact with any products you are using, keep your hands dry, and protect you from germs that you could absorb or spread. I sometimes use rubber gloves at home instead of disposables. I try to work quickly before my hands start to sweat; otherwise, I feel compelled to rinse them out and go through the drying process, inside and out. It’s a time sucker but necessary to prevent mold. I live in Florida, headquarters for mold and mildew. When I have no choice but to clean and reverse the gloves, I use a ¼ inch dowel that can reach into the glove fingers and push. When I clean for others, I use disposable, non-latex food prep gloves as they are time savers, less expensive than other disposables, and they fit nicely. I change gloves between bathrooms and, of course, for the kitchen.

Thursday, January 11, 2018

“But Nobody Goes In There!” ...with a font that's visible


Is that your teenager or your partner?  To be fair, they are impacted by your need to have a clean house. Before we look for their cooperation, let's ask ourselves: "So why do we clean?" One of the most obvious reasons relates to living in a healthy environment but the onset of guests become a primary motivator for many of us.  I often like to quote Queen Aurora, aka my Mom, who taught me all I know about cleaning, especially the deep cleaning which she detested doing herself. "What will the neighbors think?"  We were trained at a young age. Every Saturday we were on our knees dusting baseboards. Yuck… 


But the rebel in me gave that up as soon as I moved out on my own. Fast forward to adulthood: whenever Nathan and I have entertained in the past 20 years there has been a feverish rush to be sure that no one knows we live like "everyone else" does. That is-- just like most everyone else-- we clean for company. But this is stressful! I am a fanatic about clutter and my husband is the exact opposite.  We've managed to make that work between us over the past twenty years. (That advice comes only one-to-one. Call me.) But, as much as not-cluttered looks clean--it isn't necessarily. There is still