I spent 1 whole hour making a to-do list today. That's right. One hour. It may seem like a waste of time, but the next 2 weeks for me are going to be CRAZY PANTS! I have so many giant things going on, that keeping up took an hour of planning.
And guess what? At the end of day one.....
Already behind!
I've decided that posting on the blog has to come last. It just has to. And so now, it's 1/2 hour away from the end of "Manic Monday" and I'm just barely getting around to it. And there's a good chance, some of the days will get skipped altogether.
Just be patient with me. And know that 2 of the giant activities include an extreme bedroom makeover and birthday party for my son. If I get them done, and live to tell about it....I'll probably be able to do a few cool blog posts about them!
At the end of last week, I did a couple really deep cleaning projects. And as I was cleaning I got to thinking....
How did I come up with using these silly tools for deep cleaning?
Actually, they're mostly tricks from my mother. But some I've discovered on my own. I know I've admitted that I'm not the best housekeeper. But it's not because I don't know how....it's because I do other things instead.
I CAN clean. And I can rock it....when I want.
Here's a few of my favorites:
- Toothpicks are AMAZING cleaning tools. If you take a toothpick and run it down the crack in your refrigerator handle...you might get grossed out. But you'll be glad you did it. I used a 1/2 box of toothpicks to clean out our car last month. They are the ONLY way to get into tiny cracks. They break easy though. So just get a box and keep them handy! Love these!
- My mother ALWAYS had an old toothbrush with her cleaning tools. I love these for scrubbing small spaces. They are particularly handy in bathrooms. And you can get lots of good leverage for tough stuff!
- Razors. Scary! **And make sure you keep them away from little ones** But a little razor action is one of the ONLY ways to get off really hard water marks. Obviously you can't use it on every surface. Test a tiny spot first. But I've used it around a leaking faucet, and taken off hard water crustiness that I thought was stuck for good. (PS...I have the HARDEST water known to man.)
- Q-Tips are much like toothpicks....great for tiny cracks. The great thing about these little babies is that the cotton picks up as it goes along. AWESOME for nasty window tracks that you only clean once in a blue moon. Also good for dirty corners, and the joints of baseboards.
I also cannot do without:
- Old Rags
- Magic Erasers
- Pumice Stone (used a lot like the razor, only for some surfaces)
- Swiffer Dusters
- 409
And there's nothing quite as satisfying as finishing up your cleaning, and having the room smell good. I'm kind of a sucker for smellies. Candles, plug-ins, whatever. A yummy smelling room (or car) says....we care about our space, and we're not stinky.
I'd LOVE to know about any "unconventional" cleaning tips you have. Or even just what you can't do without.....
Are you ready for this? I have never told anyone my secret to cleaning.
ReplyDeletedryer sheets. yep I use them every where, mostly to clean the tubs and bottom of the shower. Toilets. Around the toilets. Floors. Yep!
Leaves everything clean with hardly any scrubbing and the smell is delicious!!
I am so with you on the cleaning tools you outlined! Don't worry about posting, us die hards will wait and have something to look forward to when you do.
ReplyDeleteGood luck and doing my own redecorating as well.
I also can't do without Q-tips. I have one of the white macbooks, and yesterday I decided it needed a clean. Because the keys have spaces in between them they got grungy and running a Q-tip between them was pretty gross, but worth it!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the q-tips for cleaning. I use mine for the same stuff you do (except the baseboards...good idea), plus getting hair out of the shower drain. I stick the q-tip down there and turn it so the hair gets wrapped around, then yank it out. Works every time!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I am trying out the toothpicks pronto. Love that!
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Jen
I use qtips for everything and I've used dryer sheets too. For animal stains and smells, I use vinegar and water to get it out and they never try anything on that spot again! It's 2 cups vinegar to 1 cup water, spray and dab.
ReplyDeleteAs for smells, I use scentsy products. It's SO much safer than candles. It is warmers that you plug in and you have a "bar" with cubes that you break off. Even at the hottest, it still isn't hot. My 2 year old niece loves to touch the "hot" wax and thinks it is funny to watch it harden on her finger. I buy mine at scentsy.com/jenniferfivas.