Cleaning tips and hints

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wadeallie

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Nov 26, 2007
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Since I have been working for a professional house cleaner, I have discovered some handy hints. Here are a few that maybe you can all use.
1) When mopping the floor (and my favorite cleaner is Simply Green) add from 3-6 drops of essential oil to your bucket. For clients' homes I usually use lemon essential oil for that fresh smell. I purchase it for around $6 at Walmart in the Health and Beauty aisle.
2) I use dishwasher tabs for soaking oven racks. I add the racks to very hot water with dishwasher tabs added and allow them to soak. Cooked on food just wipes off.
3) I make my own soft scrub. I mix Dawn and baking soda in a bowl and spoon it into a canning jar. The lid from an old parmesan container will fit a small canning jar perfectly.
4) We save on using paper towels by using microfiber cloths. After use we put them into a lingerie wash bag. I use so many daily that I wash them every night when I get home from a job.
 

luludou

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Dec 28, 2007
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Thanks for the tips Allie! will try the essential oil one next time I mop my floors
 
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Ahorsesoul

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I want to try the essential oils on my floor but still have not found the box of them from when we moved. lol
 

AuntJamelle

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Thank you for the intel! That is awesome! I'll be trying all of those, especially the one for the oven racks - mine need it!!!

My main "tricks" are:

- Using newspaper for cleaning glass and mirrors instead of paper towels
- Run a juiced lemon, lime or orange rind through the garbage disposal to freshen it
- Purchase melamine foam in bulk online instead of buying "Magic Erasers"
 
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DahliaDoll

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Great tips! Thanks!

Any tips for dusting? I really hate to move everything off of a shelf or table to dust it, yet I think a feather duster just spreads it around or puts it back into the air to just land there again.
 

sweetpumkinpye

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Some good hints here. I like the essential oil in the mop bucket, will try that.
 

girlsinmo

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Great thread. Watching for more easy tips
 
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wadeallie

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I'm so happy to share these hints and get a liitle excitement going for cleaning if that is possible.
For dusting, we use the Swiffer dusters. The extendable handles you can buy reach high for getting inside curtain fixtures and ceiling corners. I used a handmade duster but the Swiffers work the best plus you can reuse until they literally fall apart. For deep clean dusting, I fill my mop bucket with hot water, Simply Green or Murphys Oil Soap, and drops of lemon essential oil. I use a micro fiber cloth and this water to go around the room wiping down window sills, baseboards, the base of lamps, and bookcases. Basically anything low. For dusting, start high and go low. Professionally we approach a room first dusting, vacuuming, then mop our way out the door.
 

wadeallie

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Prior to dusting, decluttering should have been done first so as not to distract from the job of cleaning.
As I wrote above, deep clean dusting is a good beginning. I use the same bucket of water later for mopping the floor. On approaching a room, start high and work around in a circle Swiffering all picture frames, etc going high to low. After swiffering, grab that damp cloth from your bucket to wipe window sills, table tops, etc. After wiping these you can go back and polish with wood polish like Pledge if you prefer.
Now grab your vacuum and suck up the floor debris and dust that hit the floor or cobwebs in the floor corners.
Last, as long as the mop bucket water isn't filthy, add a couple more drops of lemon essential oil and mop your floors. At home I mop the floor 2x unless I plan to add a floor finish. Mop your way out of the room and check it off your Holiday plan.
 

wadeallie

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Nov 26, 2007
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Central Vermont
Great tips! Thanks!

Any tips for dusting? I really hate to move everything off of a shelf or table to dust it, yet I think a feather duster just spreads it around or puts it back into the air to just land there again.
Swiffer dusters aren't feather dusters. They use static electricity to hold dust.
 

wadeallie

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Nov 26, 2007
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Central Vermont
I tried something new the other day when mopping the floors for a local business.
Spiders have been trying to come inside now that temps are dropping so I added 2 drops of peppermint oil to the mop water (still had lemon oil in it). It smelled lovely and spiders do not like it. Neither do mice. Just don' t go overboard as too much will drive you out too!
 
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wadeallie

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Nov 26, 2007
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Central Vermont
Thank you for the intel! That is awesome! I'll be trying all of those, especially the one for the oven racks - mine need it!!!

My main "tricks" are:

- Using newspaper for cleaning glass and mirrors instead of paper towels
- Run a juiced lemon, lime or orange rind through the garbage disposal to freshen it
- Purchase melamine foam in bulk online instead of buying "Magic Erasers"
Dishwasher tabs are made with a special formula to break up food and grease and soaking oven racks works better and is less messy than oven spray.
 
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