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Spring Cleaning Tips
by Mary Findley
Spring is nearly in the air unless you live on the East Coast and still
have not uncovered your car from this last snow. In preparation of
spring let's cover a few cleaning tips that might make those cleanup
chores flow just a bit easier.
First, when you head to the gas station to fill your lawn mower gas
container, place this container inside a heavy-duty plastic bag then
inside a plastic bucket. Secure it to prevent it from tipping during
travel. Oil and water don't mix. Should the container tip in your car,
there is little you can do to remove the gas from carpeting.
A handy trick for cleaning hands outside: Cut off an old pair of panty
hose just below the knee. Slide your soap slivers into the toe part. Tie
the top end around an outdoor faucet and it's a quick way to wash
outside. Cut off the rest of the leg part just below the panty and place
over your cotton dust mop for an inexpensive and reusable "Swiffer". The
panty part makes an excellent polishing cloth for shoes.
Panty hose manufacturers really don't like me for giving out this next
handy tip but - well too bad. After purchasing a pair of panty hose,
saturate them with water and place in a zip lock bag. Fill the bag half
full with water then freeze until solid. Remove and thaw at room
temperature. Freezing hardens the fibers so they don't run so easily.
Refreeze them occasionally for even longer wear. One pair should last
you a month or two.
Grass stains: Pour liquid dish soap onto the stains and allow to set
overnight. Rinse and wash as normal. Be certain to rinse out the dish
soap before laundering, otherwise it may cause too much foam in your
washing machine. This also does a great job on soccer and baseball
uniforms or for extra dirty socks.
Red clay: Follow the above directions only use a concentrated orange
cleaner instead. Do not rinse it out. Bio Ox is now my favorite cleaner.
It's ten times more potent than Orange Clean and far more concentrated.
You would need to call me to order it at 800-345-3934. It's not
available in the stores yet. Or find Orange Clean at Bed Bath and
Beyond. If you use Orange Clean get the concentrated type. The
pre-diluted solution is not much good.
Underarm stains on shirts seem to worsen when we sweat. Before washing
saturate the underarm area with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide to
water. Allow that to set 30 minutes then wash as normal. If you have
been using bleach to whiten clothes and they are now graying, switch to
peroxide. The first time pour 1 to 2 cups peroxide in your washer as it
fills along with your detergent. Add the clothes and soak for 30
minutes. After the initial cleaning 1 cup works fine. You'll find less
expensive peroxide at beauty supply stores. It's a 20 per cent solution
so use only one-half cup.
Grease or oil: The orange cleaner does an excellent job. Use it
Concentrated. Dab on the spot and wait 30 minutes or until the oil has
loosened. There is a product at the automotive supply stores called GoJo.
Use the liquid nonabrasive kind following the above directions. It does
contain petroleum distillates that could leave a stain on clothing.
Always test a spot before using a cleaner.
Be careful of the orange cleaner you buy, many contain petroleum
distillates that dry certain fabrics and material. Check clothing before
placing in the dryer. Heat sets stains and if any stain remains on the
clothes, dryer heat makes it very difficult to remove.
Mini blinds. Oh, how they attract dirt! For slightly dusty blinds, put a
clean, old cotton tube sock over one hand. Spray that with and all
purpose cleaner. My favorite all purpose cleaner is to nearly fill a
spray bottle with water then add one good squirt of Ivory Liquid dish
washing detergent and gently shake to mix. Turn the slats of the mini
blind down and wipe over the slats turning the sock as it soils. Reverse
the slats and walk around behind them and repeat. To clean the cords,
grab a can of foaming shaving cream and gently dab on the cord. Wait 20
minutes then rinse. Strange as it sounds foaming shaving cream removes
many a stain.
If your blinds are past the point of no return then try this handy
trick. First pound two nails into the back part of your home positioning
them about a foot narrower than the width of the blind. Remove the
blinds one at a time and place on the nails. At the grocery store
purchase a can of Dow or Lysol Tub and Tile Cleaner. Don't use the spray
bottle because those don't foam very well.
Put the blind on the nails and turn the slats facing down. Spray the
slats thoroughly with the tub cleaner starting at the bottom of the
blind working your way upward. Wait until the foam begins to drip down
from the top then wipe them down with a damp sponge. Reverse the slat
and turn the blinds over and repeat the process. Dry and re-hang. You
should clean one blind in about 10 minutes without the mess of dunking
them in the bathtub and scratching the tub.
About the Author
Mary Findley spent 12
years professionally cleaning homes. She shares her cleaning tips and
shortcuts with you twice a month in her "Moppins Mail" newsletter. You
can sign up for her free newsletter at
http://www.GoClean.com
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