It is a new month so time for a new series. Today is the first day of April and I will start off by saying how much a love to clean, and my house is always in tip-top shape…. APRIL FOOLS! I only wish!!! The truth is I LOVE a clean home but hate to clean. I feel like it is a never ending task. A beautifully mopped floor takes hours to perfect but about 2 seconds to mess up with little ones. BUT I have learned that there is a real art to cleaning and organizing. A few little tips go a long way to making your daily chores a little more manageable.
So we want to hear from you this month…. What are your Thrifty Cleaning and Organization Tips?
Few ideas:
- What is your favorite cleaning tool?
- What products do you like best?
- Do you have a cleaning schedule?
- How do you motivate your little ones to clean?
- Share your before and after spring cleaning photos?
- Tell us what Grime really gets your blood boiling?
- How to get stains out?
- You get the point…. we want to hear from you! PHOTOS would be great too!!!
- At the end of the month, one random comment (on this post) will win a $25 gift card, so we invite you to share your dirty little cleaning and organizing tips with us!
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I worked for a professional organizer for a few months & the best two tips I got from her were these:
1 – Run the dishwasher every night, even if it isn’t completely full. Unload 1st thing in the morning, then you can load your dirty dishes during the day & never end up with the sink full of dishes. (I know we don’t always end up with just one load in a day, but if I can keep my sink clear I feel SO much better!)
2- Make things easier to put away than they were to get out. For example – if all of the ponytail holders are in a basket, it may take a minute to find the one you want, but it will take one second to toss it back in.
I apply the second one to toys especially. I got tired of putting away toys in the nursery all day, so I have a basket in each main area of my house (living room, dining, family room) and bins/shelves in the nursery. It only takes a few minutes to toss the toys in each room back in the baskets, and I don’t have to haul them all over the house
My cleaing tip is:
Put some of your shampoo on a loofah or wash cloth and wipe down the inside of your shower door and it will take off the water spots and soap build up. I do it while I am taking a shower….that is called multi-taskig.:)
My tip go to flylady.com my house has never been cleaner using her program!!!
We are a family of 5. We split up and do what we call a 15 minute room rescue. The goal is to get as much done in those 15 minutes and then we are done for the day (now my kids are 17, 13 and 11). So we end up getting a solid hour and 15 minutes of total productive cleaning in 15 minutes and the reward is that we r done for the day!
My favorite cleaning products are Norwex products. They are Microfiber products and products that clean with only enzymes and no dangerous chemicals. All products are natural and chemical free. The microfiber clothes even have silver in them which is a natural germ killer. The window cloth is wonderful cleans even greasy stuff off your windows and mirrors no chemicals needed. They even have laundry detergent. I love have a clean , chemical free home. Happy Spring.
See full post here: http://hlcouponlady.blogspot.com/2011/04/homemade-laundry-soap.html
Making homemade laundry soap is one of the big ways our family saves money. I thought I’d make a video of how easy it is to do. Let me know what you think!
My recipe:
3 Gallons Water
1 Cup Borax (5 oz dry weight)
1 Cup Super Washing Soda (10 oz dry weight)
1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap (5 1/2 oz dry weight)
This batch will last us at least 6 months & only cost me $1.22 to make!
For each room I’m working on I set a timer on the stove. It makes it a challenge for me to see if I can get the area cleaned up in the time allotted myself. It definitely makes you move faster!
My favorite ~ and very thrifty! ~ “recipe” is for “faux Febreeze”. Just a couple tablespoons of your favorite liquid softener in an empty Febreeze bottle filled the rest of the way with warm water. I use it:
~ as a great smelling wrinkle releaser on my clothes
~ to spray my clothes for ironing when starch is not needed
~ on my carpets, wait a few min to dry and then vacuum (whole room smells wonderful!
~ all over upholstery and draperies as you would use Febreeze.
~ a few sprays into the wet clothes in your dryer and it works just like a softener sheet.
It’s such a low concentration that it does not seem to leave any residue at all and what’s best? You can tailor it to your own personal scent!
My ultimate goal is to have baskets/bins in my bathroom closet and keep like things together. So all the first aid stuff in one, extra toothbrushes and toothpaste in another, extra deodorant in a third, etc. That way the shelves will look nice, and we can easily find things.
I hate taking the time to match socks. My kids and husband like printed socks – all different So each laundry basket in my house has a little mesh bag attached to it. I’ve instructed my family to put their socks in the mesh bags. Then When I do the laundry the clothes and the bag with the socks go in the machine. When I pull them out all the socks are in the same place and every kids is already together and it’s easy to match.
I have a bagged upright vacuum and with 2 dogs- the vacuum outter bag can get an odor from the dog hair. so i took a paper coffee filter and put a tablespoon baking soda in it and a small rubberband to close it and cut the excess paper off teh top- drop it in the vacuum bag- and when i change the bag i just make a new one and drop it in.
also to save money- i look at the lunch meats that come in the plastic containers like hillshire farms as a bonus- i always have coupons for the lunch meat and when its done- i have a free small storage container- ive never had to buy those small containers yet- and they are so stackable its great- my daughter keeps her crayons in one and they dont break as much as if they were in a box.
also i too am a firm believer in teh cleaning power of vinegar- I run a cup of vinegar in my dishwasher once a month- and in my garbage disposal once a week.
Hey, Everyone when i dye peoples hair it happend to get on there skin and cloths and i have found that if you put just a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and apply in the area of the dye and it takes it right off!!
I have everything labeled in small stacking pastic tubs. It keeps my closet and kids room organized. If I need a bettery, I know where to go. If my kids want to paint or used contruction paper, I just grab the tub. When I am done, it goes back in the same spot. The bonus with the tubs is if you ever have to move it is one less thing to pack and organize!
My mom told me to use a mop to clean the tub. If you have a hard time bending over or just cant get around the way you used to. This is a quick and easy way to clean the tub. A sponge mop or a Libman mop works best.Just use your favorite cleaners, comet, whatever. let the mop do the reaching and scrubbing. Everyone has a mop . no purchase necessary. I f you use the libman mop you can wash the head in the washing machine when done. The’ll be no worry about transferring germs then.
The lowest cost cleaning supply I use is a vinegar and dawn dishwashing soap mix. Use and old spray bottle and mix 3/4 vinegar and 1/4 dawn. The shelf life is forever. When you need to clean a tub ect shake, squirt and clean. No $$$$$ invested and it works better than anything I have seen.
This tip doesn’t cost a penny and no real effort. I just have my husband do the cleaning =)
I had my first child this year, and as part of our spring cleaning we’re getting ready for a garage sale! It motivates me to get rid of the things I know just collect dust and my son has outgrown. Also, while i’m going through everything it reminds me of places I haven’t cleaned in a while and has given us so much more space! I love knowing that I’ll be making some extra money, too. I think this is something we’re going to do every spring, at least until my son stops outgrowing things daily! Haha
My favorite cleaning tool is a spray bottle with a Dawn/water solution. I always have one. Its a cheaper way to freshen fabric, loosen up” leftovers” that have splashed onto the stovetop, retreat small stains and on and on. If you have pets dawn is also GREAT for treating fleas. Use it instead of doggy shampoo in their bath and then spray down their bed and the sofa and carpet with a dawn water solution. It has always worked great for me, but we don’t have carpet.
I make my own laundry soap. 2 boxes Arm and Hammer washing SODA, 1 box Mule team Borax and 2 shredded bars of FelsNaptha. Makes enough to last over a year because you only use 2 TBSP per load, and the clothes come out so fresh and smell great. The cost is around $16. for the products, but actual cost is only .03 cents per load. And it makes a great cleaner for your everyday cleaning. Just add 2or3 TBSP in a spray bottle, add water and spray away to a clean and happy home. No chemicals here, just natural products.
I make my own fruit and vegetable wash/spray. It’s super easy and really inexpensive AND works better than most you would find for $3++ a bottle. Just spray this on your fruits and veggies, leave for a couple of minutes, then rinse with clean water.
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
20 drops grapefruit seed extract (available at health food stores for about $7-8 bottle– one bottle will last you YEARS!)
The secret is the grapefruit seed extract. The vinegar washes dirt off, but the grapefruit seed extract kills bacteria, virus, fungi and all sorts of nasty stuff NATURALLY with no chemicals. It’s so effective, some hospitals use it to sterilize their operating rooms!
I hung an over-the-door shoe organizer on the inside of our coat closet to store all of our gloves, scarves, hats, and umbrellas. I love how everything is easy to see and find now.
My most favorite cleaning tool would have to be Hydrogen Peroxide. I use it for EVERYTHING!!! From cleaning and sanitizing my kitchen and bathroom to using it as a pesticide and fertilizer for my garden! It helps clean and enrich my fruits and vegetables and keeps the bugs away! Hydrogen peroxide is also a great tool when it comes to sanitizing my child’s toys and even an aid in giving my dog a bath. I also use this great product instead of bleach when I’m washing whites in my washing machine. The trick is to know how and when to use it. At times it needs to be diluted with water and other home remedies. The most amazing book with all the tricks is “The Magic of Hydrogen Peroxide” by Emily Thacker. This is a cheap product that fulfills any household chore.
I have attached one of those small mesh zipped laundry bags to each of my kids laundry hampers/baskets, that they put their socks and underwear in. When they drop them off in the laundry room they get a new one. The whole thing goes in the wash and matching and sorting are a snap! When they were babies I never lost a tiny little sock and still don’t!
When the garbage disposal gets smelly, eat an orange and run the peal through the disposal with hot water. Not only will it get rid of the unpleasant smell, but it will make the kitchen smell like oranges while you finish cleaning.
Great tip: Use your swiffer mop to clean bathroom mirrors and windows. Just put a paper towel in the holes in the mop and use windex and it makes a great arm extension for those hard-to-reach places!
I use coca-cola to get any blood out of clothes. I know this sounds weird, but an scratched knees from kids, or cuts from hubbies, it works like a dream! Just pur some on the stain wash and its like it was never there. You can also pour it in your toilet bowl and it will clean your toilet!!
Just a few odds & ends that work for me ~
* White vinegar works great as a cleaner inside for countless things…did you know it can also “clean up” the outside a bit too? If your driveway and/or sidewalk has cracks where weeds love to grow ~ spray white vinegar on them & it kills them. Cheaper than all the special weed killers! Sometimes you can find the big jugs of vinegar @ the Dollar Tree store.
* Put your sponges in with a dishwasher load – or put in microwave for couple minutes to kill all the bacteria…they come out looking like new! You’ll get more usage out of them before having to discard. With finances being so tight, the more usage I get out of something before having to replace, the better!
* I can’t stand a messy kitchen floor, so the swiffer & the wet-jet swiffer are great for me. While talking on the phone, or waiting those last couple minutes for the oven timer to go off, I can do a quick “swiff” around the kitchen. If something sticky spilled, use the wet-jet swiffer instead. Sometimes when I leave the kitchen for the last time at night, I’ll use the wet-jet…love walking into the kitchen & seeing a shiny, clean floor. Both the dry & wet swiffer are quick – they don’t take but just a couple minutes. I extend the life of the dry swiffer sheets by turning them over & using the opposite side when one side is dirty.
* To get any remaining candle wax out of your holders, stick them in the freezer for a bit. Take ‘em out & the residue will pop right out with the nudge of a kitchen utensil (I use the bottom end of a spoon). No more grinding & prying trying to get the remains out!
To clean that dirty microwave, place a cup of water in and microwave for about 2 minutes, it loosens everything up.
Even when I use a water softener, our toilets get rings around them because of the hard water. To get rid of the water rings, I use a pumice rock (super cheap @ Lowe’s $2.50?) and they come right off!
We have a chore box. It is full of chores for my kids. Each day/time we are cleaning as a family they get to “pull a chore” or two. The chores are: vacuum the stairs, dust one room (mom’s choice), clean out under one bed (mom’s choice), dust base boards in one room (mom’s choice), clean all mirrors in house, clean back slider door, wipe down lower kitchen cabinets, clean off bathroom counters, gather all laundry….etc
The kids love the luck of the draw and I love a clean house!
When I clean my bathtub/ shower I use a broom. I scrubs hard to reach places and take little effort compared to bending over in the tub. It works great and saves you from having back aches later
Aerosol hairspray removes permanant marker from just about anything. Have a 2 year old that colors on everything. Most important is that It does not harm wood. My 2 year old colored all over my wood table and some of my cabinetry. Worked like a charm. Sprayed on the hairspray and used a baby wipe to wipe it away. Does require a little scrubbing but not much.
My husbands aunt gave us the greatest gift for christmas. Is a little spendy but well worth it in my opinion. She gave us a Roomba robot vaccuum. Every night we make sure the floor is clear and then just hit the button. Vaccums the carpet for us over night. It will clean all floor types, wood, vinyl carpet. You can have it clean 1 room or just different areas, even has a spot button for if you have a spill it will clean just that area. Will not clean up liquids however. Love it.
A plumber friend once suggested I use extra fine waterproof sandpaper to remove the ring from my toilet instead of pumice stone to prevent scratching the porcelain. Works great!
I recently discovered myjobchart.com, it’s a FREE site that organizes and motivates kids to do chores. It uses a points system and the kids earn rewards (that you set up) by doing chores. It keeps track of everything and emails you when your child finishes daily chores or is ready to cash in for a reward. My children went from whining and complaining about every little chore to literally begging me to give them more to do. My 7 year old cleaned the bathroom!
Advice from my grandma (and there is plenty of it) was to spray my shower doors with Rain X (you know, the stuff you spray on your car windshield to help during rain storms?) to prevent water stains. It really works and nothing but nothing sticks to my glass doors. I have to wash them much less often now.
Baking soda is awesome for cleaning tons of things – great on stovetops or anything greasy and I love the fact that it is safe for the kids.
The best advice I have ever got was make a schedule and stick to it. Example Monday: Mop floors; Tuesday: Vacuum; Wednesday: dust and so on. If I stick to my list my cleaning doesn’t pile up on me.
Baskets, baskets, baskets. We have 2 very active boys. I’ve found that one of the best ways to organize many of their things is the baskets that have nice sized holes for ventilation. All of their swim trunks have a designated basket. All of their baseball pants, t-shirts, and socks have a basket to call home. All those slippery clothes refuse to stay nicely folded. Pop them in a basket and they are easy for the little guys to find just what they’re looking for.
With boys in the house our towels tend to get stinky!! I can wash and wash them but they stink. So I will through “clean towels” in the washer with all purpose ammonia. Wash as normal and you will get clean fresh towels. The ammonia takes the oil from your skin out which regular detergent can not do.
My Hubby had been asking me to go to WalMart Auto Center to get the headlights restored for $40. We thought that was a thrifty deal, compared to replacing them for $80 each. I went in a few times, but the line was over 2 hours long and I just could never spare the time to get the job done. Fast forward a few months and I’m detailing the car before a road trip. Since a recent sale at Walgreens on Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, they quickly became my favorite cleaning tool. I was using my favorite new tool to get the grime off the door jambs of the car. The project was done and we were standing back admiring our “New” car. I had the Magic Eraser in my hand and asked my hubby about getting those headlights restored. I asked him again how they do it. He said they use a fine abrasive cream to sand down the surface and then polish them with a lotion. Hmmm…I took that damp little Magic Eraser to the surface of the headlights (they are plastic, mind you) and rubbed. It was worth a try–they couldn’t get any worse. Wouldn’t you know, it worked! They looked clearer. Even after they dried. Now, I just needed a “lotion”. I read recently of the thousand uses for WD-40. So, I sprayed them with a little WD-40 and polished them up. We took the car for a drive, and couldn’t believe what a difference it made, even in the rain when the wet ground seems to absorb the light. After a few weeks and a 1,200 mile road trip, they look great. So, my thrifty little cleaning tip: A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and a few squirts of WD-40 and I have refurbished headlights for just $0.35 compared to WalMart’s $40 and 2-hour job! Now, THAT’s a Thrifty Deal!
Got Grease Stains? Have you ever cooked and grease splattered all over your clothing? Have you ever spilled baby oil on a pair of jeans or your favorite shirt? I’m pretty sure we all have had some kind of spill with any type of oil… Well, Baby Powder does the trick everytime! I have been doing this for about 6 years and I haven’t been disappointed! Once you have the spill or if it has set for sometime, just sprinkle on the powder covering the spot completely… Let it set and wash. Stain is all gone!
This is NOT my idea but I use it and love it. With this economy and me being a stay at home mom, I look for any way to save money. I bought some liquid fabric softener, poured it into a large container and added water. 2 parts water, 1 part softener. I then bought some cheap sponges (minus the brillo on it) and cut them in half. When I’m ready to dry my clothes, I grab a sponge, dip it in the softener, wring it out and put it in the dryer. A CHEAP FABRIC SOFTENER!
If you have permanent marker on your walls believe it or not, use a dry erase marker to take it off. You use the dry erase marker to write on top of the permanent marker and wipe off.
My husband and food and fabric allergies and with our newborn son, we are realizing that he takes after Daddy. So, instead of paying the high price of baby detergents, my mother in-law passed on some advice of using white vinegar instead. It works great, it’s cheap and your clothes don’t even smell like the vinegar itself! It also helps preserve the color in your clothes!
I keep swiffer dusters in my van… i have a full time demanding job along with 3 kids and household to clean up… so when i’m sitting at a stop light or have a few minutes, I find it to be the perfect quick pick up for all the dust
It also does great to clean the vents out. I live in Kansas where there is dirt everwhere!! Especially in the summer and the high winds
my favorite cleaning tool is the magic eraser…….greatest thing, can use it in every room of the house and with coupons, they don’t cost a fortune. I like the fact that I don’t spray harsh chemicals for me or my “little buddies” in the air…a great tool and a must have for all moms. It takes permanent marker, crayon, soap scum, etc. off of surfaces. If you have a stain, try it. It will surprise you.
Not sure if you have a septic or not but we do… AND recently had it pumped (maintenance) we were told that it is very bad to use the powder detergent for your laundry or dishwasher because it does not break down all the way and then prevents the good bacteria from forming in your septic which is needed to breakdown solids. He said we should only use half of the recommended soap per load of clothes. To confirm this I filled up my washer with water, and let it agitate for a min. (I put no clothes or soap in) I had bubbles GALORE! Fabric softner is a really bad no no too. He also informed us that charmin is terrible for septic (any quilted t.p) because it does not breakdown either.
Cleaning the microwave can be a chore, especially with teenagers that refuse to cover the items they are heating up. So to clean it fast and without effort, put a bowl of water in the microwave and let it come to a good boil. 5 mins or so. Then, I just wipe everything off!
I have made both liquid and powder laundry detergent and I must say that I much prefer the powder. It seems to work better when it comes to cleaning clothes. The powder is simple to make, store, and is not messy to use. I made mine using a bar of Zote, Washing Soda, and Borax. Your detergent will be a pretty pink and white and will have a wonderful lemon smell thanks to the Zote. Good Luck!!!!
I stopped using this when I got my front loading washer and dryer, has anyone used homeade laundry detergent like this in a front loading washer?
I stretch my dishwasher detergent with the following recipe , It can also be used as paste for all purpose cleaner
DISHWASHING DETERGENT
1 C BORAX
1 C BAKING SODA
1 C SUPER WASHING SODA
1 C CASCADE DISHSOAP
MIX TOGETHER AND PUT IN SEALED CONTAINER USE 3TSP IN DISHWASHER
OR FOR ALL PURPOSE CLEANER 1 T MIXED IN ONE QUART OF WATER.
I HAVE A RECIPE FOR LIQUID LAUNDRY SOAP BUT GENERALLY FIND THE BEST DEALS AT THE CASE LOT SALES AND BUY 1 YR SUPPLY AT A TIME
My thrifty top for dusting: Don’t throw away your old fabric softener sheets after they come out of the dryer! These are great for dusting and they are disposable when your done.
My husband works for the oil fields and is always getting gressy and muddy. But i have found that if you buy dishwaher detergent i get from the dollar store and dish soap and pour it on his coveralls when getting washed and a half of can of coca cola and they come out nice and clean. also i find it hard to clean everyday with my two little kids so i have a schedule where i do laudry one day and then clean bathroom and so on.
To break up cleaning tasks I do something everyday ie bathrooms one day, dusting the next etc. that way it never piles up.
Mini Blind Magic!
I used to hate cleaning mini blinds. At times I wanted to throw them out and buy new ones. However, a friend taught me a great method. I take the blind down, take it to my tub and hold it while I spray both sides with foamy bathroom cleaner (like Scrubbing Bubbles). I just let it sit for a few seconds and then rinse. If you have a hand held shower spray it is super easy, or just use a small pitcher of water to rinse. You might have to fill the pitcher a couple of times, but it works great. No wiping, and from taking it down to putting it up, clean and fresh only takes about 10 minutes!
For organizing our linen closet, I purchased photo boxes from Michaels when they were on sale for 3/$5. I organized my small items into those boxes and labeled them. I also purchased cheap magazine storage boxes for taller items such as hairspray, etc. and labeled those as well. I seem to have so much more room in that closet now with those boxes and everything is easy to find.
One time, my toddler got a hold of a permanent sharpie marker and colored ALL OVER my piano…wood and keys! After bawling my eyes out for about 30 minutes, I pulled myself together and google searched out answers. One of them worked great! Simply sprinkle some baking soda on the permanent marker. Then wet a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and scrub a little. I have found this works to remove permanent marker/paint/grape juice stains from wood surfaces without damaging them, plastic, wood and laminated flooring, walls, etc. Basically any hard surface. With 3 little boys and a 4th on the way, this bit of knowledge has been a lifesaver!
“The Saturday Box” was started at my house when I got tired of the kids leaving their stuff out. If I had to pick up their stuff (shoes, clothes, movies etc.) it went into the Saturday Box. They could have it back on Saturday or do an extra chores to get it back sooner.
What to do with used dryer sheets? I save them to use when I’ve burnt something in pan or crockpot, let sit over night and it loosens food off of pan/bowl. It’s like magic!!
I love Clorox & Lysol cleaning/disinfecting wipes, they work great with little effort. I also like Magic eraser, they are pretty amazing. Resolve, to spot clean on the carpet, is one of my favorites also. My little ones like to use the Swiffer duster & to help vacuum. Music definitely helps break up the monotony of cleaning, plus burn a few extra calories LOL
Our kids have a lot of toys and since we don’t have a dedicated room for them we have found that if we rotate their toys out occasionally it really helps to keep things a little cleaner and it helps to make it easier to clean up. We put most of their toys away in containers and keep a few toys out for them to play with. When they seem to get sick of those toys we put them away and get a few different toys out and it is like those toys are new again.
My favorite cleaning tool is an old toothbrush, I keep one in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room. In the kitchen it is great for cleaning around the glass top (wierd lip area) and around the sink and faucet, in the bathroom around sink and faucet, in laundry room use with clorox 2 on stains (best thing ever for yellow baby poo) but will take out almost any stain, even set in stains, it make not look like it, but get it out after the wash and you’ll be amazed.
I hate cleaning in general, but hope to find a way to make it not so imposing and impossible seeming.
If you happen to get pine sap in your hand, you know that washing them doesn’t take it off, and they remain sticky, if you will just wash you hands with lotion instead, using it just as you would soap it will take the sap right off your skin.
WD40 gets crayon off of walls and furniture (not fabric), hairspray will remove ink stains on clothing.
I have heard that lavender oil is great for a disinfectant. I have lots of dried lavender from the festival in Nampa last year. So I crushed some and threw it in my floor-washing water- a great smell and safe for the baby to crawl on. (I also used it for “spa day” when we soaked all our feet during Spring Break). A little goes a long way! Also- buying local!
Some of you may already do this little organizing tip that saves lots of time. PIN YOUR SOCKS TOGETHER BEFORE WASHING THEM! Buy a pack of the large quilting safety pins (that say rust resistant) and pin your socks together before tossing them into the hamper. This saves lots of sorting time later as well as the dreaded missing socks eaten by the mysterious sock monster inside the washing machine.
For Katie B. & those who are thinking of making their own laundry soap – I personally prefer the power version. The liquid is NOT going to look like store bought, it is clumpy, gooey, and most of all the liquid version clogged up my front load washer. It also takes a little bit of time to make, not much, but more than the power version. I’ve read of plenty of people using homemade liquid and it works for them, just not me. Another reason I like the power is – it is sooooooo easy to make. I happened to find all the things I needed at Fred Meyer. The only work for the power is to grate a bar of soap, the rest is mixing the other ingredients.
*One thing I do different is to add water softener power to my mix. I saw it right beside the Borax and Arm & Hammer Washing Soda – on the box it suggested to use in the dishwasher and for laundry. I think it’s helped.
**Another thing – you can use vinegar instead of fabric softener! It works so well and it helps with smells – no one will ever be able to tell (smell the vinegar)
The best thing I’ve found to clean windows and mirrors is… newspapers!!! I really dislike the lint that is left on my windows and mirrors after I clean using paper towels or a rag. Newspapers don’t leave streaks or lint on those surfaces, and they’re pretty thrifty because, lets be honest, we all have them left over from Sunday papers!
Great use of them, and pretty sparkling windows!
I have to say I really love those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers! I had some scuff marks on my wood floors this weekend and it just took them right off! When you have kids around you never know what you are going to have to clean up like crayon on the walls!
When my kids were little we set up chore charts and they earned rewards every week. Now my oldest is getting married in a month and can clean anything. He is the one who kept his apartment at college relatively clean (might have been what caught his soon to be bride’s eye) and I will miss his help with spring cleaning (his sisters just aren’t as good at cleaning my cabinet doors). I like Lime-a-way on my sinks and tubs–we have super hard water and a water softner doesn’t seem to help a whole lot.
Put a slice of lemon in a little bowl of water. Microwave for 30 seconds. It loosens up all the guck in your microwave. Just wipe clean with a paper towel!
My cleaning tip is always do the “unexpected guest” areas first. . .When I get my living room rug vaccumed, my kitchen counters cleaned off, the dishwaster going. . .I know my house is decent enough for company and it motivates me to do the rest of the house. I don’t let myself get involved in cleaning every inch of the bathroom tub, only to come out and see that my living room is still a mess.
My fave product is the scrubbling bubbles automatic shower cleaner sprayer. . I think it really cuts down on cleaning time for the bathtub!
If I feel decent but just blah and don’t want to do anything I put on some upbeat music. I tell myself ok I will sit here and sort papers (seems like no matter what I do we have piles of it laying around) from commercial break to commercial break. Normally by the second commercial break I am up doing a little more active cleaning can’t sit still with upbeat music on can you.
Pretty soon I’ve done a bunch.
I can’t live without my swiffer duster or my microfiber cleaning cloths. My 3-yr-old also loves to use the swiffer sweeper and duster to help me around the house. I took some of the sections out of the swiffer sweeper handle, so now it’s just her size.
One of my favorite products for stain removal is Zout. I used to work in a restaurant and sometimes my uniform would get grease marks. I had been using Fels-naptha, but the stains were still there. I figured I would have to throw out the old shirts and buy new. One day my mom bought Zout and it took out old stains, even on shirts that had gone threw the dryer.
We have two little ones that share a room so that our third bedroom can be the play room. This helps to keep the toys out of the living room (which in turn keeps me sane).
We love the antibacterial wipes like Clorox. They’re helpful when cleaning up spots here and there. Pull it out, wipe it down and throw it away.
The organization tip that seems to keep me on track is checking in with the laundry each morning. I usually wash, dry, or fold and put away a load each day. It only takes a few minutes but keeps me on track. Then, when it is time to clean the house, I don’t spend the day doing laundry.
My fave trick with cleaning is to making it fun. I love playing music while I clean and my kids enjoy cleaning while we dance and sing. Another trick with small kids is making it a game. Their play room is my biggest pet peeve so I race with them to see who can clean the fastest. There is one rule though, and that is that everything has to go in its place. No hiding things or burying things under stuff or it doesnt count. They have learned everything has its place.
Clean floors at night and then you wake up to clean floors that feel like they last longer.
Dishes can pile up, especially when cooking but I have learned to wash as I go along and then the dishes dont pile up with what I used to cook.
My biggest thing is I dont like to clean on the weekends, i feel like thats my time to spend with my family. So my trick is to clean one or two rooms everyday and it doesnt take me very long and then my weekend is free and the house is clean. The only things I have left are dishes and part of the bathroom. but if the rest is clean all I have to do is just wipe the toilet and that is an everyday thing because I have three boys (one is my hubby).
I have a 3 year old and a 6 year old that love making messes in their playroom but don’t like cleaning it up so i help them by making it into a game. They find it fun to see who can pick up the fastest them or mommy. But the rules are that everything we clean or pick up has to go in their place and not just hidden somewhere so they learn where things go. I have helped them out before just to show them where things belong.
Another trick I have found to making cleaning fun is music. I always put some type of music that I love whether just to listen to or even to dance to while Im cleaning.
Sweep and mop after the kids go to bed and then when you wake up your kitchen is clean and so is your floor and you feel like it lasts longer. My mom taught me that.
I like to use socks that have holes in them and are no longer wearable (but clean!) to slip on my hand and dust with! It works like a charm. You can just toss it in the garbage when you are done.
I also LOVE to use FelsNaptha (sp?) for ALL laundry stains. It is inexpensive to buy and works wonderfully!!
Also, vinegar is the best cleaner around!
To tackle time-consuming jobs, I break them up into very small pieces that take just a few minutes. For instance, when it comes to cleaning the refrigerator, I do one shelf at a time. It takes about five minutes. Same idea with wiping down the kitchen cabinets: just do a couple at a time. In fact, I treat just about all my big chores this way. If you have a busy schedule and can’t find big chunks of time, give yourself permission to do just a little. You don’t have to finish the job all at once. It’s very liberating to let go of the feeling that you have to complete a job once you start it.
A great idea for the little ones who shouldn’t be using household cleansers but still want to be involeved is to fill a clean spray bottle with just tap water give them a towel or paper towel and let them go to town cleaning the lower windows, sliding glass doors etc.. they will love it and feel they are helping out and doing their part and being involved. I have been doing this for years with my own kids when they were small as well as my daycare kids. Just be carefull with any tvs as they can really drowned them if it is a newer model ie flat screens.
My grandma shared this with my mom who in turn has always told me is that if you make your bed and do the dishes, everything else tends to fall into place. Or at least be easier to tackle. Try it. It really works. Cleaning the house without your bed made or dishes piled on the counter seems so much harder.
Lemon juice takes out grape juice. I was so excited when I discovered this. We make homemade grape juice but I never liked to give it to my kids. Now I don’t stress, I just make sure we have lemon juice around just in case.
I just tried this the other day and it worked great! I have been washing with the Purex all in one sheets (got a bunch from the coupon and sale a couple of weeks ago) and the left over paper after everything is dry is awesome to clean with. It still smells great if you want to use it in your sock or underwear drawer and I use it to clean the laundry room too! No lint left behind and it is good for the environment too! Was so happy I discovered this… less waste! I bet you can do it with dryer sheets too but I have not tried it yet.
My pet peeve is stuff on the kitchen counters or dinning room table!! ARRGGGHHHH! And what has really been helping me lately is using a housekeeping checklist I printed out from another coupon blog. I just go through it in the morning and I am so surprised on how easy it is to get the house clean and maintain it clean if you do a little bit everyday! I even “scheduled” email checks and couponing in between cleaning and laundry.
My favorite cleaning tool is books! I love to read books on cleaning and organization. There is a book by Emilie Barnes that talks about, well the ambiance of your home. I love that. I don’t just want my house clean; I want people to feel welcome and at home.
We have 3 boys; 14, 12, and 7. We have 2 dogs, 1 cat, 1 hampster, and chickens. Out house is a zoo, but everyone has a job. If we don’t stay on top of our daily chores, then it can get bad quick. I appreciate the emails from the Flylady for the kids. She has them do random things every couple of days to stay on top of things. One time she had them go throught there markers and through the bad ones out. I don’t have time to think of that!
I could go on and on, but books are my favorite! Martha Stewart has a home cleaning handbook that is very extensive. Schedules, ideas, cleaning products and how to use them…very informative.
If you have toddlers you want to keep some nail polish remover around…It cleans sharpie marker off hard surfaces in a jippie. I wouldn’t use it on wood finishes though. For wood, try a little toothpaste.
My favorite cleaning tool/save is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I use it for so much in my house. Just last night I was making jello and that red dye gets and stays on everything. A normal spunge and cleaner didn’t get rid of the red mark but that Magic Eraser did the job with little effort. I have used it for years, cleaning walls, baseboards and my children’s works of art that should have been on paper!
Suave Daily CLARIFYING shampoo! It gets out the toughest stains.
Hard to believe shampoo would do this but it works!
Another use for vinegar is fabric softener. Don’t worry, your clothes wont smell bad. They’ll just be super soft.
When cleaning my carpets, I use Quik Job. This is one product I highly recomend! It has never failed me.
Pumice stone is the most amazing tool for getting the toilet bowl clean. With just a little scrubbing and it is like new!
I use commercial cleaners. They really do save money because you add small amounts to bottles of water. They clean better too so you use less. The Cleaning Center is where I get most of mine. The window cleaner, heavy duty cleaner and bathroom cleaner are only $1.95 for a 3 pack. You use those in refillable bottles so there is less waste. They have coupons all the time too!
I really love Windex! it seems to get off prints on the wall, I use it to clean bathroom counter tops with a paper towel to get rid of hair. I spray it in the microwave and let it sit and the splatters wipe of easily
I am constantly cleaning the kitchen, that seems to be my favorite place when its clean but it gets dirty so fast!
Without a doubt, vinegar is my go-to cleaning tool! I use it to clean glass, my floors, to disinfect, everything! Using it and baking soda cleans a drain well too:-)
I hate feeling like I’m always washing laundry, so I do it all on one day. Everyone knows that if they need something for Sunday, it better be in the wash on Thursday morning! (Of course there are exceptions for accidents, sports uniforms, etc.) I wash everything one day, then fold it the next night while watching the only show I enjoy on TV. That way I don’t feel guilty about watching it every week!
The only downside is that if anyone comes to my house on Friday, I can guarantee the basement couch is piled high with clean clothes waiting to be folded. Oh well!
I have set the timer several times for 15 minutes just to see what myself and my daughter can accomplish in such a short amount of time. My husband likes to help as well, but when he’s helping we usually set it for a half hour and then we’ll sit down and play a card game. Working together always makes cleaning so much more enjoyable.
Now if anyone could give me advice on keeping bathrooms clean without making a day of it that would be GREAT…I really can’t stand cleaning bathrooms and I have 2 1/2 to clean!!
As I cook dinner, I have a sink with some soapy water in it so as I finish using pots and pans, I wash them right away. Then have a lot less to clean after dinner and nothing gets caked on or left for days.
When I was little, all of us kids (there were a lot of us) had a counter or space that we were in charge of. . . microwave counter, dishwasher counter, wash dishes, sweep floors, clear table, put away dishes, etc. Every night after dinner we were always supposed to do our kitchen job before anything else. We would turn on some music and we almost always were laughing and being silly while we cleaned up. Everyone knew what their job was and we rotated each Monday after dinner. That way mom gets to take a break after feeding all of us and she gets a clean kitchen out of it too!
vinager and dryer sheets are great multipurpose cleaning items. I had typed explainations but when I hit submit it disappeared.
My favorite cleaning tool is the Scotch Brite extended shower scrubby. I use Kaboom Foam tastic, wait a little, then scrub. The best part is you don’t get wet at all! Scotch Brite and Kaboom are ALWAYS giving away coupons.. check coupons.com
I also love the Libman Freedom Mop. Reasonably priced with a $5 Rebate! Yahoo. : )
My go too cleaner anymore is white vinager. It doesn’t flare up my allegries like other cleaners do and I can clean anything with it granted if I use it on floors I open a window or turn on the exhaust fan and end up rinsing the floor twice because I don’t like that vinager smell. It works great on windows and shower dooors as well (I use about 1 part vinager to 6-8 parts water depending how strong you want it) mix in spray bottle. I use it in the wash as a natural bleach. I love to use dryer sheets in my car once its clean (you know I’ve washed that funky film the inside of a windshield gets)I vac all the seats too. I take one dryer sheet (sometimes I’ll do a used dryer sheet) and lightly rub on iside of windshield keeps it clean longer. I then flip the sheet over and rub on seats seems to keep hair from sticking to them and makes them smell nice. I will then take a fresh dryer sheet cuts in thirds and put on section each in the front row of seats, back seats and in the very back and have my thrifty little air freshners (of course I love the smell of fresh washed clothes
I really like Dr. Bronners. It smells great, cleans great, and a little goes a long way. Plus it is all natural so it is great for the environment.
My biggest peeve is dishes in the sink! Yuck yuck. Or anything in the sink for that matter.
I have recently been introduced to Shaklee. I really LOVE their Basic H. It just takes tiny drops to make spray bottles of cleaner that clean windows, all purpose surfaces, and a degreaser. LOVE the way it works…. and it is NONTOXIC.
I am currently in the process of getting ready to make my own laundry soap; however, I need feedback from folks who have tried this to decide whether I want the liquid form or the powder. Store-bought powders leave a white powdery residue on our clothes and I am not sure if that is because we have well water or if it is just the store-bought cleaner not completely dissolving. HELP??
My favorite cleaning “save” is vinegar. If you have a sweaty boy or a sweaty man in your house in the summertime, you NEED SOMETHING to get that funky odor out of their clothes and it isn’t coming out with just a regular wash. I add 1 cup of white vinegar to the wash water and wash as normal otherwise. It works like a CHARM!! No stinky socks or…. well you get the idea!
Hydrogene peroxide is one of my favorite cleaning items. If you’re a female and/or have kids….there’s bound to be blood somewhere, sometime.
Just pour it on, watch it fizz then wash as usual.
Also, baking soda/water paste is great for coffee pot stains. Use it like an abrasive on the inside of the coffee pot. Clean as usual.
What bugs me the most….dirty shoes on the just cleaned floors!
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