Friday, March 20, 2009

spring cleaning

I wanted to share a few of my cleaning tips in order to celebrate the season of SPRING cleaning!
First off, I love my vacuum! Sounds strange and slightly creepy, but I do. Bill put it on layaway about 2 years ago and we finally got to bring him home. It's Riccar and having a cat, a dog, and a lot of other animals in the home does a number on the two rugs we have downstairs and the carpet upstairs. This vacuum makes them look like new!! And it's self propelled, kind of fun! After 20 years of using the run of the mill Walmart type vacuums, I'll never go back, and won't have to, this baby will out last them all!!!
I use the Mr. Clean sponge for just about everything. My sinks get white, my fridge gets clean, and pots and pans look like they're shiny metal, instead of the burned on food look...
When the musty moldy smell gets into an unused appliance a spray of real vanilla mixed with water -1/4 mixture works well - takes the mold stink right out!
To clean off counters with globs of unknown matter sticking to them I'll run a spatula under the matter, cuts down scrubbing time!
I often use my left over rinse water to mop the floor in the kitchen, saves water, and it already has some soap in it. (That is until I get a dishwasher!)
Wadded up newspaper works great to wipe glass with, no streaks!
Eucalyptus in the rinse cycle of the laundry gets rid of 99.9% (more than bleach) bed bugs and leaves your sheets smelling very nice.
To get rid of fruit flies get a 1 quart canning jar and mix in 3 T of sugar, 1 T of apple cider vinegar, and 4 or 5 drops dish soap. There's other little flies that this didn't work on, for them I put a piece of very ripe fruit in a jar, placed saran wrap over the top and made a little cut in it. They could fly in, but not out. (Either freeze and toss, or toss the jar if you don't want to mess with it)

What are some of your hints? We have some ants residing in our home that we would like to invite to leave, and ideas?

4 comments:

TheQueen@TerrorsInTiaras said...

I've never even heard of that kind of vacuum, but I want it already. Ours is not great, and I dream of have one that really sucks (stuff up, I mean.)
Darling tutu. I wish my girls were still little enough to want it (sort of).

Erin said...

Okay, I just had to stop by (I came from The Naulu Tribe) because my maiden name is Inman, and that is not a very common name! I wonder if your husband is related to me??

P.S. Great ideas for cleaning here...I wish I knew how to help with ants!

Wendy said...

I have vacuum envy!

JoEllen said...

I don't have any great tips. I do love using newspapers in conjunction with glass cleaning. I don't have any great ideas for ants...

Sorry!

I do like the idea of spring cleaning. I just don't do it. I think because we move every year and that is sort-of like spring cleaning. :)

David

David
Real cool guy!

Tawnymara

Tawnymara
Here is beauty!

Harrison

Harrison
Hunky boy!

Eve

Eve
Green eyed goddess

Aurora

Aurora
Perfect in every way

Danielle

Danielle
Princess angel girl

Enoch

Enoch
Nobody is more loved