Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Stop Cleaning

My husband and I enjoy attending couple's counseling sessions.

I know counselors get a bad rap and that people who attend them are stereotypically bonkers but that's not how it is with us.  Matt and I want to make our marriage work and that means we have to work on it.  For us, having a third party help us talk over issues has been incredibly helpful.  We may never stop our couple's counseling.

Are you wondering what in the heck this has to do with cleaning?

Nothing and everything.

At our last session Matt revealed something that was eye-opening, hurtful, and convicting all at once.

He said that I'm task oriented at the expense of being people oriented.  A Martha instead of a Mary.

I've always liked things cleaned and organized and am happy to labor day in and day out to have stuff in order.  But there is a problem with that.  My husband feels like get gets the last of me.  That when there is nothing left to do at the end of the day, I'll spend time with him.  That when it comes to intimacy, I'm the pool of exhausted goo in bed that he must try to woo.

I can't even begin to explain how heartbreaking it was to hear that he often feels like he is at the bottom of my priority list.  That tasks like dishes, vacuuming, and toilet scrubbing leave him in last place.

To be honest, I feel like a collassal failure.

I've always thought I was keeping the house nice for my family.  That a hot meal when he came home made Matt feel loved.  But my family doesn't feel like I'm doing it for them.  They feel like I'm doing it for me.  And the more I think about it, the more I know THEY are right.  It is all about me.

When people comment about how clean my house is, who feels proud?  Me
When people ask me about cleaning tips who feels thankful to know the answer?  Me
When I can tell you exactly where something is because I put it there (and labeled it) who feels like she's got it all together?  Me

Cleanliness, organization, and "having it all together" are so highly esteemed in our culture.  I bought into it--hook, line, and sinker.  What's worse? I've encouraged OTHERS to buy into it too.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a well organized and clean home UNLESS the people that make the space feel like home are left in the dust (or in the newly polished furniture streaks, in my case).  That's my family.

And that's why I have a challenging New Year's Resolution: Stop cleaning.

You might be thinking "that's easy" but for me, it's not.

I actually LIKE to clean.  My urge to clean is directly connected to my self-defense mechanism (you should see me clean and organize when I'm mad or sad) and helps me "feel" like I'm in control.

Not having everything where it should be is sort of like asking me to run a naked 5K.  It's gonna be hard and it's not going to be pretty.

Cleaning and organizing are my idols.  And they can't be.

On 1/1/11 I vowed to pick charades over cleaning,  love over laundry, and making memories over making dinner.

Of course I'll still clean my house and make dinner but in moderation because my baseboards won't care if they don't get wiped down this month but my kids and my husband will care that I spend more time with them than with my dust bunnies.

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Cross Contamination

If you are like me you're probably whipping up a few extra special meals and goodies this holiday season.

Sometimes being in a hurry to make a lot of food for a lot of people results in some forgetfulness and negotiation of basic food handling rules.  The result?  Cross-contamination.

Cross-contamination often results in food poisoning.  Ick.

If you don't want to spend your holidays with your head stuck in the toilet, remember to follow basic rules of food preparation.

MEAT and POULTRY

• Buy "fresh" poultry as late as possible.  Store them in the fridge and cook within 48 hours.
• Defrost frozen turkeys in the fridge.  DO NOT defrost turkeys on the counter or in a lukewarm bath.
• DO NOT wash your turkey under the kitchen faucet. Bacteria splash from the raw meat and poultry to counter-tops, cutting boards, and utensils. Proper cooking will kill any bacteria, so it doesn't need to be washed.  
• Use a meat thermometer to make sure meats are cooked all the way through.

PREPARATION

• Wash your hands BEFORE and AFTER handling food. 
• Use separate cutting boards, knives, etc., for different meats and produce.
• Germs that cause food poisoning can also linger on surfaces for days. Make sure to use a CLEAN rag and antibacterial cleaner to wipe down surfaces tainted by raw meat and poultry.
• Immediately clean surfaces and utensils after using them.

LEFTOVERS

• Don't leave leftovers sitting on the counter or table.  Food poisoning producing bacteria grow quickly so eat and refrigerate. 
• Store food properly.  Keep meat away from produce. Try to adios leftovers within 48 hours of cooking them.
• By the way, there is an old wives tale that leftovers needs to "cool" before it can be refrigerated.  FALSE.  You should cool food before freezing so you don't get ice crystals and freezer burn but there is no need to let that leftover turkey "cool" for three hours before popping it in the fridge (unless, of course, your diet of choice is a nice stomach flu).

CLEAN UP

• Use different colored sponges or dishcloths for wiping surfaces and washing up. 
• If you have accidentally used the wrong sponge or cloth (or if you want to make sure germs are gone) place rags/sponges in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

When you are in your kitchen whipping up some holiday food magic, don't forget that cleanliness is next to godliness (I don't actually believe this but you see where I'm going...).

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Christmas Trees

Freshly cut Christmas trees smell divine, don' they?

But cleaning up after a freshly cut Christmas tree can be a disaster!

Ergo, I have a lovely fake tree and I burn a pine smelling candle from Gold Canyon Candles called "Sleigh Ride."

Perfect solution .... for me.

If you love a fresh tree, like my dad, here's one way to help keep the needles on the tree.

Water your Christmas tree.

You're welcome.

No really, water is pretty essential so don't take it for granted.

Source

 Follow these steps:

1. When you get your tree home cut at least one inch off the base.  You need to do this for every tree that hasn't been cut in the last four hours.  Resin forms on the bottom of trees and keeps water out so if you didn't *just* cut that tree down (or if you just got it from a tree lot), cut off 1 inch minimum.
2. DO NOT cut the tree in a V shape, at an angle, or drill a hole through the base.  This does not help with water absorption and makes it hard for trees to stand in their bases.
3. Find a tree stand that fits your tree; don't cut the base down to fit the stand.  The outer parts of the bark are really important (which is why trees have it) so if your base doesn't fit, get a new one.  
4. Your stand should be able to hold around a gallon of water.  (Yes, your tree might drink a gallon of water in a day). You'll want to refresh the water often; check it at least every other day.  If you are feeling particularly festive, give your tree a drink of 7 UP or ginger ale. **Try not to give your tree water from your water softener.  The sodium in water softeners can dry out your tree**
5. Be smart about where you put your tree.  Keep it away from heat sources: furnaces, fire places, heating vents ... All of these will dry your tree out (not to mention the fire hazard).
6. Use low-heat (LED) lights.  And turn them off when you go to bed and leave the house.
7. If your tree dries out, you can "refresh" it by cutting another inch off the base.  Doesn't that sound dreamy?  No?  Okay then, just keep it watered and you'll be fine through Christmas.

Country Wings in Phoenix

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Purge Your Closet

Have you ever got to your closet, which you KNOW is too full, with all the intention of getting rid of at least half of what you own but when you get there, you find that you are incredibly and emotionally attached to your clothing?

So, you pull out a piece and think--"But I wore that to Daphne's bridal shower" or "Grandma Clair gave that to me" and even though you haven't worn those particular items of clothing since you were in college, you keep them?

Or maybe you get caught in this trap--"I used to wear this all the time.  I'm sure I'll wear it again soon."  Or perhaps, "I'll wear that when I lose weight."

I've done this--a lot actually.  I would never give away a single clothing item if I didn't have too.  But closet space (and my husband) mandate that I need to do a closet purge every now and then.

If you need to clean your closet, but keep getting derailed by clothing memories or hope for an article of clothing's future, here are a few tips to help you stay on track and clean out your closet.

1.  Before you even open the closet door, get some gentle music playing, a drink (I'm thinking tea; if your initial though was tequila I won't judge you), a mirror, a give away box, a memory box, a pen, and a set of stickers/labels.
2.  Close the bedroom door and get into nothing but your underwear and a robe.  Lock the door if you need to.
3.  Now, open the closet door.
4. Breathe.  Breathe again.  Keep reminding yourself to breathe.
5.  Start on the left hand side of the closet (or back if you have a walk in) and work to the right (or front).
6.  Pull out items one at a time.
7.  Now most clothing will fall into categories:
            ~I wear this a lot.
            ~I wear this sometimes.
            ~I haven't worn this since Clinton was President but I love it.
            ~This is sentimental for reasons X, Y, Z.
            ~This is something I like but it is too big/too small.
8.  Here are the rules.

• If you wear it a lot, keep it for Pete's sake!
• If you wear it sometimes, try it on to make sure you still like it.  Is there a reason you don't wear it more?  If so, get rid of it.  If not, get the pen and label the piece of clothing with the date.  If in six months you haven't worn the piece of clothing (and removed the label), give it away. (Yes, I'm serious.)
• If you have something that you love but don't wear, put it in your memory box.  One day your kids will get a kick out of it.  Put the box in your storage area and if you ever need to wear that pink glittery top, you can still get it out.  In the mean time, it isn't taking up valuable closet space.
• If you run into a piece of clothing that you are keeping for purely sentimental reasons: your wedding dress, the last sweater grandma made for you, the boots you were wearing the night  you met hubby ... keep them.  BUT put those items in storage.  And do try to ask yourself if  the item is sentimental or if you are being a pack-rat.  Wedding dress--fair.  The slinky dress you wore the night you got arrested? A funny story.  Keep the memory; ditch the dress.
• Try on everything you haven't worn in the past two weeks..  If it is too big, do a happy dance and put it in the give away box.  If it is too small, put it in the give away box.  Love the body you have, NOT the body you want to have when you drop 20 pounds.  When you drop 20 pounds you can celebrate by buying a few new pieces of clothing.  In the mean time, ditch what doesn't fit.  Period.

Good luck purging your closet!

I love this closet but really, who only has 6 pairs of shoes!?!

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Flight of the Bumblebee

Do you have guests coming for Thanksgiving?

Do you have dust bunnies you want to hide before your guests come?

Do you NOT have enough time?

Source

My home is almost always tidy (I added "almost" because during basement construction, it has pretty much been a dust war zone and I've waved the white flag until the carpet is down.  Honestly, I got tired of vacuuming and dusting three times a day).  However, whenever guests are due to arrive I focus so much on food and fun that I foget *ahem* to clean.

Translation: T -60 minutes until guests come and you can write your name in the dust on my breakfast bar.

If this situation sounds familiar, here's what to do when you have to clean fast.

Get the concept of "heavy" cleaning OUT of your head.

Be realistic.  Now is NOT the time to organize your kids' toys or to alphabetize your book collection.  It is also not the time to dust baseboards, shine your sink, or dust your fans.  It is time to do base-level cleaning (the kind of cleaning that people think "wow, she has it together" until they open that ill-fated closet or junk drawer).

Focus on the rooms your guests will be in (kitchen, bathroom, guest room, and living areas).

At some point in time you'll want to throw in a load of laundry and make your bed but for right now, close doors that need to be closed and turn your attention to the rooms you can't hide.

Tackle the cleaning!
Here's the plan.

1. Move everything that shouldn't be on the floor--have kids take toys to their rooms, put shoes in the closet, put dirty clothes in the hamper.
2. Spray fabric softener on your carpets (this will make carpet look fluffy and will make your house smell lovely).
3. Shake out rugs and sweep your hardwood/tile/laminate flooring.
4. Vacuum.
5. Mop.
6. While floors are drying,  clear away clutter on flat surfaces (including your kitchen counter tops).  DON'T go through it now but put the items away in a bag or drawer or closet until you can attend to it.
7. Dust flat surfaces: coffee tables, entry way tables, TV, etc. 
8. Put dishes in dishwasher or wash up dishes.
9. Wipe down counters and table.
10. Clean guest bathroom in 5 minutes.
11. Add fresh towels and toilet paper (LOTS of toilet paper) to the guest bathroom.
12. Make guest bed.
13. Clean easily noticeable glass--entryway door, mirrors, etc.
14. Light a candle and turn on light background music. 
15. Grab a drink of water.  You did it.

And what you put in the closet will be our little secret.

Source

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Hardwood Floors

I love hardwood floors. We had oak, fir, cherry and now hickory floors.  I've loved them all.

When it comes to wood floors, they can last forever if they are treated nicely.

So if you have hardwood, here are some tips to care for them.

1. Don't wear high heels on hard wood floors.  Ever.
2. Buy floor mats that are specifically for hardwood floors. They should be well vented and shaken out regularly.  Run-of-the-mill rubber backed floor mats are bad for hardwood floors.
3. Remove liquid spills ASAP.  Liquid is enemy #1 for hardwood flooring.
4. Dust and dirt are enemy #2.  They act like sandpaper and scratch and damage hardwood (which is why you need to shake out rugs regularly).
5. Use soft bristled brooms or terry cloth dust mops.
6. Never drag furniture across hardwood floors.
7. The sun can damage your hardwood floors. Watch what time of day floors are exposed to the sun.

And now for the cleaning part.

Source

Cleaning hardwood can be tricky.  There are soaps, like Murphy's Soap Oil, that *seem* appealing but can actually be bad for your floor.  Oil based soaps actually make floors less shiny.

So what to do, what to do?

In a bucket of warm water, add a small amount of white vinegar.  Mops with a soft fabric mop head.  Go back over to soak up excess water.

Don't want to use vinegar?  Do the same process with Windex.

For shine, make a mixture (1:1) of vegetable oil and white vinegar.  Rub in with a soft rag and buff like you are polishing a car.  Your wood will shine (but it will also be slick so be careful).

These directions are for sealed floors.  If you have unsealed floors, water from a mop will damage your hardwood.  You'll need to use linseed oil and a rag to clean those floors (though I STRONGLY suggest you get them sealed!).

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--{HELP!} Unclog the Drain!

Here's too much information for you.

My mom threw up in my bathroom sink and then it got clogged.  Ewwwwwww..............

When I cleaned it up it was all hair and goo.  I nearly died.

Matt gagged and left the room.  Guess unclogging drains is the "woman's" job at our house.

To unclog (and clean) the drain, drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into the drain and pour in about 1 cup of white vinegar.  After about twenty minutes rinse it all with piping hot water.   Good as new but I wish I would have called a plumber.

And that's your lovely Tuesday dose of things you wish you didn't know and hope you don't have to use.

You are welcome!

(At least there were no photos this week)

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Toilets

There are few things in life more disgusting than going into the bathroom at a gas station.  (Except, of course, having to *clean* a gas station bathroom {do they actually get cleaned???  There's today's debatable topic!}).

I try to remember that every time I have to turn my attention to the dreaded cleaning of the toilets.

Toilet cleaning--not my favorite thing.  There's instant "eww" factor every time.  But, there are some quick tricks to try make the task a little less ewwey.

Source

1.   Drop a couple of denture cleaning tablets or alka seltzer tabs into the bowl and let them fizz and work for up to an hour.

OR (don't mix the two suggestions)

2.  Pour two cups of white vinegar into the bowl and letting it sit for up to an hour.

Scrubbing should be minimal and that's about all the hope and happiness I can give you when it comes to cleaning the commode.

Well that and this ...

This disgusting potty found here but I kind of judge you if you go looking for more.

Don't you feel a little better about your bathroom now?

I may have missed my calling to be a motivator!

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Fluffy towels

I'm crazy. 

Just thought I'd get that out there.

I've done several posts about my {love} of fabric softener.  I use it to clean hair spray off walls and to make my carpet look fluffy and my house smell lovely.

Ironically, I don't love using fabric softener in my laundry.

Remember, I preempted this post by admitting I might not be "all there."

Anyhow, I really like soft fluffy towels but I started noticing the more I washed them, the more I used fabric softener, the LESS fluffy my towels actually felt. 

Weird.

I got to thinking about Pax's cloth diapers and I remembered that detergent (and especially fabric softeners) can weigh fabrics down and actually make them look and feel crusty.

If this is where your towels are at, follow these tips to get some fluffy towels.

1. Wash your towels alone.  Not with jeans--not with sheets.  Just towels.
2. Reduce your detergent by half.
3. After the wash, add 1/2 c. white vinegar to the load right before the rinse.
4. Do an extra rinse.
5. Dry in the dryer.  I know line drying is greener but dryers=soft and fluffy.

Hope this helps your towels return to their luxurious fluffiness!

Click HERE for photo source

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Winter-Ready Furnace

I wish that I could save you a ton of money by giving you specific tips on how to clean your furnace but I can't. I mean, I will tell you that you need to change the furnace filter but before winter weather sets in, you need to call and have your furnace maintained.

Even if you regularly change your filter, you should have your furnace checked to make sure the valves open/close correctly (or else KaBoom) and that the gas line is unblocked.

A furnace cleaning should cost between $100-$400 and it is worth every cent.

Trust me.

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--The Fireplace

The days are growing shorter and cooler and I'm anxiously awaiting that moment where I determine that it is "fall" enough to get a nice fire going.  And by getting a fire going, I mean flipping the switch on our gas fireplace and having flames magically appear.

I'm very rustic like that.

Anyhow, I was blathering on and on about "near-fire time" to my dad last week and he asked if my gas fireplace was ready for winter.

What?  I thought fireplace cleaning was just for "real" fireplaces (you know, that kind that needs wood and matches). 

Turns out, this is NOT the case.

Turns out you are actually supposed to clean all fireplaces--gas, electric, and "real," before the season of use.  

I'll admit I had NO idea how to do this.  So I went to this site to learn how to do it.  I'd summarize what I did but since I can only speak to how to clean a gas fireplace, I encourage you to click the link to learn how to prepare your fireplace for fire weather!

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Hot Spot

One year during the holidays my husband, sister, brother-in-law and I settled in for a long game of Settlers of Catan (which I'm sure I won) with a nice bottle of red wine.

It was a dreamy sort of evening (you know, since I was winning) until Foster, my brother-in-law's bulldog who is pretty much the animal incarnate of satan, came storming through the dining room and knocked over a glass of wine.

Red wine.

On my white, plushy carpet.

I nearly died.

Luckily this had happened once before during a party at my parent's house junior year so I knew just what to do.

Spot shot.

We sprayed it on, dabbed it out and no one could tell red wine had ever been spilled on my white carpet (good thing too because though I'm opposed to violence and furs, I almost had a dog-fur vest--fur vests are very "in" this fall).

Since those two experiences, I've tried Spot Shot on vomit, blood, and other animal/kid by-products and so far nothing has been too tough of a match for Spot Shot.

So while I could give you some home made recipe for a stain remover or some eco-friendly stain remedies, I really think this is the best.

And no goods were exchanged for me posting this (but if the fine folks at Spot Shot want to send a dozen or so cases to me it would definitely get used).

Use it. You'll love it!

(Always follow directions and test the product first to make sure it won't change color of your carpet.  This has NEVER happened to me but test it--just in case).

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Dry Erase Marker

A friend has a dilemma.  Her daughter loves dry erase markers.  Her daughter's clothing does not.

When dry erase marker gets on clothing we all have the same thoughts.  There goes that over-priced but super cute Gymboree shirt.

Well here are some tricks to try before you toss that shirt into the rag bucket (and if these tricks don't work, you still have a new rag.  It's win-win, really).

Option #1
Pour white vinegar on the stain, soak and then rub.  You can try the same thing with isopropyl alcohol.

Option #2
Amodex ink remover (you know, if you have it lying around).

Option #3
Murphy's Oil Soap (this might fade darker garments, though).  You can spray it on, let it sit a minute, rub it out with an old toothbrush.

Option #4
Magic Eraser--yes, some people swear you can rub this over stains on your clothing/furniture/carpet and that it'll get them out.

Option #5
Baby wipes, Tide Pen, or Shout Wipes (these are best if you catch the stain right away).

Option #6
Sunscreen--rub a dab of baby sunscreen into the stain, let sit.  Rub with toothbrush and rinse.

Of course you could just buy Foohy washable dry-erase markers :)

Just sayin'!

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Cotton Ball in a Tub

I just read this tip in my new Real Simple.  I tried it.  I love it!

Take a cotton ball and soak it in bathroom cleaner (think Kaboom) or bleach.

Set it in the corner of your tubs (where pink mildewy stuff may or may not be growing).

Leave it alone for 30 minutes to and hour.

Throw away cotton ball and wipe away the remains of the icky bathtub growing stuff.

While your cotton ball is soaking and saving you tons of time, click here and register to win a $45 gift certificate to spend in a CSN store!

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Furniture Polish

I have to admit that I'm not the greenest cleaner insert gasp here.

In fact, I kinda love those furniture spray polishes.  Like this one.

Anyhow, a few weeks back I went to go dust and I was out of furniture polish.  To me furniture polish is not worth an extra trip to the store so I decided to make my own.

You'll be surprised to know I used lemons (okay, since I've shared my love of lemons before you might not be surprised).

What to do:

• In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup of olive oil and 1/4 a cup of fresh lemon juice.

• Stir the mixture.

• Daba soft cotton cloth into the mixture.

• Rub on the furniture (going with the grain if you can).

That's it!  Quick and easy (not to mention cheap and green!).  Please note, this is for finished wood furniture!

To Do Tuesday--Plan a Girl's Night

I think time with the girls is SOOOO important.  Spend some time today organizing a girl's night event.  Send evites to your favorite ladies and spend some quality time chatting and celebrating womanhood.

Need some ideas?

Knit-Wits
Have everyone over to your house.  All ladies bring a snack to share and a craft to work on.  Craft, chat, eat, enjoy!

Dessert Divas
Make a chocolate fondue and have each lady bring a dipper (strawberries, pretzels, marshmallows, bananas, etc).  Visit while you enjoy dessert

Movie Night
Get the gals together and go see the latest chick-flick.  Your husband will probably be on board with this one!
Slumber party
Get four gals together, priceline a ritzy hotel (even in your same town) and go spend the night away from home.  Play games, sit in the hot tub, watch movies, laugh.  Sleep in!

To Do Tuesday--Be A Time Management Junkie #4

So it has been a while since I've visited my time management junkie tips.  Previously I've discussed priority lists, decluttering, and my personal favorite--organizing.

Time Management Junkie skill #4 is Meal Planning.

Meal planning can be pretty daunting at first but relax; it's not that bad!  I generally do Once a Month Cooking (OAMC) for dinner meals BUT I still use a meal plan so I know what food to defrost, etc.  In addition, I meal plan breakfast and lunch so there is never any food time guess work or last minute trips to the store for a "must" have ingredient at my house.

First, let me discuss some benefits of meal planning.  Meal plans mean you'll be:

• Eating out less often and eating pre-packed meals less (this means you'll be eating healthier!)
• taking fewer trips to the grocery store and ALWAYS having the groceries you need (no frustration or $50 "impulse" buys)
• throwing away less produce (you'll use the broccoli you buy if it's on the list--this is a HUGE money saver!)
• enjoying meal variety (no reverting to college quick food days of tacos, sloppy joes, and spaghetti)
• Less stressed.  You will never have to freak out at 5:00 because you have NO IDEA what's for dinner.

Sounds pretty good, eh?

So how do you meal plan?  Follow these steps.

Step #1--Planning

• Start with just one mealtime a week (dinner) and gradually work up to planning breakfast/lunch/dinner.  If you over plan at first you'll go crazy!
• Plan a 6 meal week (which leaves wiggle room for left overs or eating out).  
• Find 6 dinner recipes you'll want to use for your dinners.
• Get out a calendar and write down the tentative order of what you'll be eating (as a reminder to you and to stave off the annoying "what's for dinner?" questions).

Step #2 --Shopping list

• Look through each recipe one at a time and compare ingredients to your pantry to see what ingredients you have and which you'll need to purchase. 
• ONLY write down ingredients you need (and the general necessities like milk, bread, and eggs).

Step #3--Shopping

• Grab your coupons and go shopping.
• Only buy what is on your list.  No impulse shopping (unless there is an amazing sale like chicken breasts on sale for 1.50 a pound, etc.)

Step #4--Cookin' it up

• This is the best part!  When it's time for dinner, gather the ingredients (you know, the ones that you definitely have on hand), whip up a delicious and healthy meal, and sit down for a quality meal that cost less!

And really, that's it!  As you get more advanced you can start planning for breakfast and lunch too.  If this still sounds like too much work there are TONS of blogs (including mine) that offer meal plans.  Some more advanced blogs come complete with meal plans that have recipes and photos.  This is one of my favorites!

Happy meal planning!

If you want to catch up on some of my little time management tricks, please click the links below.

How to Become a Time Management Junkie
TMJ #1--Priority List
TMJ #2--Declutter
TMJ #3--Organize

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Clean Your Oven

Even though my oven is "self-cleaning" I am loath to actually turn on the "clean cycle."  I mean, it smells so nasty in my house for five hours that I'm certain it's not worth it.  The problem is, I don't exactly like the burnt and dirty oven smell when I'm baking cookies either.

What I generally end up doing is spraying some commercial, chemical based oven spray in my oven and then cleaning it and getting a chemical-spray induced headache.  Lovely.

                                                                                                  

                                                                                                               

Isn't there an easier way?

Truthfully?  No.

But there is a chemical free way!

The night before you want to clean, get a bowl and fill it 1/2 c. of ammonia. Close the door and let it sit all night (okay, this is a chemical but it's the pre-wash part so it doesn't count).

The next morning remove the ammonia and let the oven air out for a few minutes.

Now, take 5 teaspoons of baking soda, 2-3 drops of liquid dishwashing soap, and white vinegar and make a paste (you thought I was going to say lemons didn't you?).  Scrub the inside of your oven with the paste and a cotton cloth.  Get a spray bottle and spray with water to rinse then wipe dry.

If your oven is UBER nasty and you have some seriously tough stains, mix 1 c. baking soda, 1 cup of salt and enough white vinegar to make a heavy paste.  Rub all over your oven.  Turn oven on to 500 and leave for 30-60 minutes.  Turn off.  Leave the door closed and allow to cool.  Spray with a water bottle to rinse and wipe dry.

The good news is that this is mostly chemical free.  The bad news is that it still can be smelly (just not burnt-oven/chemical smelly).

If you think you hate cleaning your oven more than I hate cleaning mine, plead your case in the comments!  Wouldn't an "I hate oven cleaning" haiku be fun?

    

Tuesday's Too Clean Tip--Clean Tea Pot

I don't like coffee. Really. I can't stand the stuff.  The smell make me gag. Ewwwww.  On a weird side note, I do like coffee ice cream.  Once my college roommate, Ami, and I decided to make our own coffee ice cream.  Big mistake.  Huge.

Anyway, I'm not a coffee person but I do love, love, love tea!  Eons ago,For my 22nd birthday my mom and dad got me a great, expensive electric tea pot.  I love it but it is a pain in the rear to clean.  However, any tea drinker worth their salt knows that tea 1.  Can't be microwaved and 2.  Is best when properly brewed in a clean pot.  (If you are such a technical tea drinker that you think "properly" means boiled over a gas stove--pooh on you!).

It is a must to have a good, clean pot (is there a drug reference like "that's what she said"?  If so, this is a perfect time to use it--good, clean pot.  Ha ha!).  Wow--am I digressing?!

Back to the pot (!).  To clean your tea pot there are two very easy options.

1. Put 1 cup of white vinegar into the pot.  Fill to the brim with boiling water.  Let sit overnight.  Drain.  Rinse. Wash. Rinse. Dry. Make tea.
2. Put 4 tablespoons of baking soda into the tea pot.  Fill to the brim with boiling water.  Let sit overnight.  Drain.  Rinse. Wash. Rinse. Dry. Make tea.

There actually is a third option and that is to use a denture cleaning tab in your tea pot.  I'm too young to have denture cleaning tabs lying around so this option is really a non-option for me.

Since I'm not a coffee drinker I can't be certain but I'd bet you can use the same steps to clean out your nasty coffee carafes.

Hope your day "brews" up something spectacular.

Comment line--coffee, tea or other?  Be prepared to defend yourself.

Too Clean Tuesday--Remove Hair Spray Residue

On the Where is the ME in Mommy Facebook page, dear friend Heather asked, "What is the best way to get icky sticky hair spray off bathroom doors and walls?  (Have I even mentioned how much I love your questions and comments?)


Great question and here's my reply:


There are a couple of options for removing hair spray residue. 

• The strongest option is to rub or spray isopropyl alcohol on the wall with a cloth.  Rinse.   Then wash the wall with dishwashing soap (such as Joy or Dawn). Rinse and dry. Though this technique is the strongest you must be careful because the alcohol can remove paint!
• Another option is to make a mix of 1 cup fabric softener to 2 cups of water. Spray onto wall. Wipe. Rinse. Dry.  By the way, this will make your room smell divine.  Want something else to do with fabric softener?  Check here.
• A final option is to make a paste of baking soda and lemon juice and water and rub it on the wall. Rinse and dry.

I've heard of people using kitchen grease spray removers (such as Formula 409), Scrubbing Bubbles, vinegar and Mr. Clean Magic Erasers to clean hairspray goo but I can't speak to how these work since I haven't tried them.  I urge caution :)


What have you done to remove hair spray stick from the walls?


Have a cleaning question?  I'd love to share my thoughts!