Heather Solos's Blog, page 57

Bathroom Cleaning 101: What you Need, What to Use and How to Use It

Heather says:

Thursdays mean clean bathrooms here on Home-Ec 101. Don’t believe me? Please check out the printable weekly chore chart or look at the every popular sticky note right there ↑. (If you’re reading this via the Home-Ec 101 Newsletter, well you’ll just have to click through to the site to see what I’m talking about.)

What if you’re a Home-Ec n00b? Don’t be ashamed, we all start somewhere and not everyone’s parental units taught them basic life skills like cleaning toilets.

It’s okay, it’s what keeps me employed*. (Parents, don’t teach your kids anything, I’d like to be useful for the NEXT generation, too.) I kid, please teach your kids to clean. . . Please? If for no other reason to get a break from doing it yourself for a few precious years. As my own kids slowly begin taking over chores, I’m beginning to think that’s what empty nesters actually miss, the ability to cajole, bribe, or sometimes even just ask someone else to take over the chores we hate.

Today we’re going through a bathroom cleaning how-to. (Would anyone like this in video format? I can probably pull that off now)

Remember how to clean like a professional?

Say it with me: Top to bottom, left to right, dry to wet.

Before you choose your bathroom chemicals, I’d like to point you in the direction of the Home-Ec 101 Guide to Household Chemicals (I got rid of the ones you probably wouldn’t even think about using in the bathroom) DO NOT MIX BLEACH with anything. Got it?

How to Use Chlorine Bleach Safely
How to Use Rubbing Alcohol Safely
Hydrogen Peroxide and Oxygen Bleach (You’ll probably only use this stained grout)
Is Synthetic or Distilled Vinegar the Same as Cider Vinegar for Cleaning?
Is Vinegar a Safe Alternative for Chlorine Bleach
Use Caution with Homemade Cleaning Solutions and NEVER Mix Bleach and Vinegar
How to Use Bar Keepers Friend
What is Sodium Percarbonate (back to the grout)

So, let’s gather our bathroom cleaning supplies (this is for a heavy duty, deep clean, you don’t need ALL of these items every time, keep what you use daily in the bathroom if possible)

Broom (if the exhaust fan is dusty, you may want a foxtail or whisk broom and step ladder, or grab an old pillow case and put that over the broom straw)
Vacuum preferably with a soft bristled brush
Rags
Paper Towels or coffee filters or newspaper -for the mirror / window
Bucket
Mop
Grout Brush -if you have tile
Acid Based All-Purpose Cleaner
Bar Keepers Friend -not for use on acrylic
Q-Tips
Squeegee -optional
Window Cleaner
Carnuba Wax – optional
Fan -if there isn’t a window / exhaust fan… bathroom cleaning should always be done in a well-ventilated situation.

Take a deep breath (always a good idea BEFORE going into the bathroom), load up your playlist -I swear I’m going to get the Home-Ec 101 Cleaning Playlist done one of these days, until then, here’s my “fun list” on Spotify, yes, I like Glee to an embarrassing degree, we all have our dirty little secrets.

Now open the bathroom door all the way and then open the window or turn on the exhaust fan.

I clean a lot of bathrooms – three at home and six at work. Thankfully my kids generally aren’t as nasty as drunken men, but sometimes. . .

Clear the room. Put all of the items on the vanity or counter somewhere else. Take any rugs that need to be washed the laundry, unless you tend to clean down the rabbit trail and in that case, just ditch them outside the door. Do the same for any hanging towels. Don’t forget to clear out the “library materials,” too.

Start at the top.

Put the pillow case over the broom straw and knock down any cobwebs. Grab your foxtail or the vacuum with the soft bristle attachment and vacuum the exhaust fan.

Wipe the light fixtures with a rag, if they are particularly gross, run them through the dishwasher or use glass cleaner applied to the towel, not sprayed onto the fixture to clean the globes and all purpose cleaner to clean the fixture itself. Accidentally break a light bulb off in the socket? We can help. Replace any burnt out bulbs while you’re in there, unless that would make your ADD go into high gear, yes, I’m looking at you,

Q-Tips Quick Tip: Detail Your Car

Heather says:

Here we go, it’s the final installment of Quick Tips from Q-Tips® . You’re excited, I can see it in the way your eyes shine. . . And hey, I’ve come a long way over the past year with talking on camera. Maybe I’ll eventually get around to making it a regular thing. Heck, if you want, send me a video question and I’ll do my best to respond in a timely manner, kind of like the end of that cooking show that is always on when I go to the allergist. What’s her name? She’s got dark hair? We can totally pull that off.

Q-Tips Precision Tips are great for detailing all of those tiny crevices in your vehicle. Since I always used to get the Armor All Spray all over the windshield I switched over to the wipes and have never looked back. When the air vents in my car need (okay so I should probably define need as, get really disgusting) I use an Armor-Alled Q-Tip to get those places my grown up fingers can’t fit and the child labor always overlooks (those would be my minions, no one else’s).

To celebrate the final installment of Quick Tips from Q-Tips®  we’re (Q-Tips®  and I) are giving away 3 $50 Amazon gift cards, selected by random drawing.

So cool, right?

How do you get in on the $50 goodness? It’s simple, be 18 or older, live in the US, and leave a comment before Sunday September 23, 2012 at 9pm EDT.  While you’re at it, go ahead and Fan Q-Tips®  on Facebook (this is not a condition of entry nor an additional entry) and find many more great tips for these handy cotton swabs.

This post was sponsored by Q-Tips, all opinions, especially the inappropriate joke about child labor are mine.

Click here to leave a comment on Q-Tips Quick Tip: Detail Your Car . We'd love to hear your say.

This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

How to Choose and Clean a Mop

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I have read your post on ‘How to Mop‘ but I have a question for you about the type of mop to use.

I have a string mop and one of those flat mops with a removable cloth that can go through the washer after it is used. I think the string mop is easier to use – gets in corners easier, I can get up on the baseboards, and I feel like it’s faster, but it also feels dirty to me. It feels unsanitary and like I’m just spreading the dirt around my house and then re-spreading the next time I get it out to use.

Is it? I have tile floors and wood floors. What is the best type of mop to use?

Signed,

Mopping Makes Me Go “Meh”

Heather says:

The key to keeping a cotton string mop from being disgusting, is to clean it THOROUGHLY after each use. As you have noted cotton string mops have some distinct advantages over their sponge mop counterparts.

Wash the mop thoroughly after each use under HOT running water until the water runs clear, wring it thoroughly, and allow it to dry completely.  Some cotton string mop heads can even be thrown into your clothes washer, if it makes you feel better. (Just be sure you remove the metal part of the head or you’ll scratch up the inside of your washing machine which may lead to rust stains on your clothes.

Never leave a cotton mop soaking in dirty mop water, or you’re right, you will be spreading nasty things all over your home. And using a mop bucket with a wringer will make your life easier.

Sponge mops may be a little easier to clean, but they do need to be replaced more often and are not a good choice for textured flooring. Well, not a good choice unless you find shredded mop bits an attractive decorative addition.

Finally, here’s something to remember. We may joke about floors being clean enough to eat off of, but that’s not what floors are for. The only time you really need to worry about the floors is if you have infants who are crawling around. By all means, sweep and vacuum up the dust bunnies and grit (which will harm both your carpet and your hard flooring) and always spot mop anything sticky or greasy -we’re not out to invite unwanted guests here, either, but really try not to stress out too much about germs on the floor.

We wash our hands properly before preparing food and eating for a reason, as humans we do come into contact with germs. It’s normal, unless our immune systems are compromised, we’re built to withstand a little bit of exposure. In fact there is some evidence that we evolved in such a way that NOT being exposed to germs may actually do more harm than good.

Not every surface in our home has to be sanitary. That said, always mop the kitchen first and the bathroom last, just like in the shower or tub, where you wash your face before you wash your butt…

And regarding your hardwood floors, you shouldn’t be mopping often and when you do, it’s a DAMP mop, not a wet mop (that’s where the wringer really comes in). Try to stick to using a dust mop and then spot mopping only when necessary. Tile can take more frequent mopping and thanks to the grout, a string mop is a better choice.

Good luck!

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Click here to leave a comment on How to Choose and Clean a Mop . We'd love to hear your say.

This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

How to Fix Stained Acrylic Tubs and Shower Pans

Dear Home Ec 101

How do I get rid of the dirt and grime stains on the bottom of acrylic bathtubs? Same for the acrylic floors of most stand-up showers? I have tried cleaners and bleach to no avail.

Thanks!

Signed,

Scratched in Screven

Heather says:

Surfaces such as acrylic while fairly inexpensive when compared with other building materials are relatively easy to scratch which is why you now have the dirt and grime stains.

What you’re seeing is the result of tiny, tiny scratches trapping particles of dirt. These tiny scratches are generally caused through normal wear and tear -remember nothing ever stays new-in-box quality, once it’s actually being used- and improper cleaning techniques or chemicals.

Since you already have these fine scratches and bad staining, trying to clean this is like shutting the barn door after the horses are gone. The damage has been done and even if you manage to clean the shower, it will be dirty the moment someone steps in with dirty feet.

It’s time to refinish your shower pan and acrylic tub. Thankfully refinishing is an option as it is much cheaper than replacing a shower pan, especially if there is a tile surround in good condition.

Here’s a video that thoroughly explains the acrylic refinishing process (I am not affiliated with this product / company I just found it to be a good overview of exactly is involved with an acrylic refinishing project:

Now that you know what needs to be done to make your acrylic tub and shower pan look new, you have a few choices:

you can live with the stains for a while longer
you can slave over the frustrating process of trying to keep it looking nice (obnoxious at best, exhausting, too)
you can do the refinishing yourself with equipment from your local hardware store
you can hire someone else to refinish your shower and tub

If you do decide to go the refinishing route, be sure to only use the proper cleaners in the future. This means NEVER USING ABRASIVE CLEANSERS like Comet on acrylic.

Got that?

Never.

It’s nearly time for me to undertake this project in my upstairs shower, but I am currently living with option number one. I know the shower pan doesn’t look great, but there are other more pressing household repairs at the moment (water damage from a clogged gutter -this is why you need to clean them out every once in a while)

I’m sorry I don’t have a quick and easy solution for you, but the damage to your shower pan has already been done.

Good luck!

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Click here to leave a comment on How to Fix Stained Acrylic Tubs and Shower Pans . We'd love to hear your say.

This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Who Needs Dryer Sheets?

Heather says:

We have talked about fabric softener and dryer sheets ad nauseum on this site. We’ve talked about how fabric softeners can make your towels less absorbent. How some of you hate the smell of vinegar in the laundry.

We know that dryer sheets have a few serious problems:

Many are made from polyester (yes, like the leisure suits) or polyethylene and are generally not recyclable or compost-able. (I’m kind of a slacker when it comes to composting, if it’s not passive composting, I’m not even going to try).
Polyester and polyethylene are typically made from petroleum products, don’t like paying a lot for gas? Try reducing the amount of petroleum products in your life. Reducing consumption takes a conscientious effort.
Hey vegetarians, have you checked to see if your dryer sheets are veggie friendly? Many brands use tallow (animal fat) to improve the handfeel of your clothing.
Dryer sheets are well known for causing public humiliation. With no actual sheet, there’s no chance you’ll find one sticking out of the leg of your jeans or peeking out from the hem of your skirt.

Method has a new line of dryer sprays and as you would expect I’m a happy person. Those of you begging me to give you an alternative to vinegar as a softener, HERE YOU GO. You can have your non-headache causing scented towels and eat it, too. As with the scented laundry detergent, I’m happy to report that I can use Method’s products headache free. (For those of you that don’t know, I really can’t stand strong chemical scents, many leave me with a headache.)

How do you use the Method Dryer Spray?

Throw your clothes (wet or dry -since sometimes you just want to get rid of the obnoxious smoke smell -I work in a pub- from your reasonably clean shirt -I wear an undershirt, thank you very much, you may quit judging now) into the dryer and spray four times. Yes, Method likes the number 4 for some reason, four pumps of detergent, four squirts of dryer spray, you have no reason to get confused.

So now you don’t have to rely on home dry cleaning kits (which contain some really special chemicals -the scare quote kind, not the I’m going to mislead you with scary science terms kind)

Oh and I have been using this product for a couple of weeks and thankfully no bunnies have jumped out of my dryer, velvet or otherwise. . .

You’ve got two scent choices, Fresh Air (my favorite) and Lavendar Lilac (I’m just not a flowery kinda gal). I had to laugh, last night as my eldest was getting ready for his football game, I caught him sniffing his jersey. I assumed it was because it smelled terribly (yes, we’ve already had to have the deodorant discussion and I’ve been incredibly busy and couldn’t remember if I had actually washed it or not) turns out he was just really enjoying the Fresh Air scent. There you go, an endorsement from a very persnickety 8yo. (And yes, Mom, I used that word on purpose, you win, I had a kid exactly like myself, stop gloating. /sideeye)

And for reading this far?

I’m giving you a chance to win one of three bottles of Method Dryer Spray. Why? I don’t know, Method isn’t paying for this giveaway*, I just felt like doing it. I’m a little weird sometimes. Apparently I must really want to go to the post office next week or something.

Tell me which scent you’d like to try in a comment below. I’ll close the comments Sunday night by 10pm Eastern and randomly select three winners. Since I’m handling this portion, heck I didn’t even run it by Method, I hope they don’t mind, and I’m occasionally cheap, I’m limiting this giveaway to US Residents only. I’m sorry, blame the international shipping rates. I’ll ship each of the winners one bottle of their preferred Method Dryer Spray to try.

While you’re at it, check out the Method Facebook Fan Page to keep up with the brand, they do some really cool things. (I can’t wait to tell you about some of it later this fall.)

Good luck!

This post has been sponsored by Method, all opinions are my own, and the 3 giveaway prizes were not provided by Method.

Click here to leave a comment on Who Needs Dryer Sheets? . We'd love to hear your say.

This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Warning: There Is No Secret

Heather says:

I should probably give all readers a clear warning before continuing:

I am a stressed out, hot mess of a person right now. This afternoon at 1pm PST I’m going on an internet show to pitch my startup SpinPicks. I am nervous as can be. The kids’ football season is in the chaotic mess of having two boys on different teams playing games on different nights in different places. Apparently, it’s Open House week and I just had to say to heck with that, between football and the shifts I work, there’s not a chance I can make it. (This is not a plea for pity, just a holy cow I’m stressed vent)

My tact button is broken.

Recently, it was requested that I share the daily chores from the post-it notes on the Home-Ec 101 Facebook Fanpage. So I’ve been doing just that.

The chores and clean house chore chart are a framework. I am purposely not specific with the names of rooms, what time, or how long a person should spend per room because frankly there is no way I can tell you it will take you 30 minutes to clean your living room.

What if you don’t have a living room? I was once asked, with no further detail, how long will it take me to clean my house? In my home, there is a FROG and a Florida Room, we don’t have a basement or a mudroom. We have a dining room and a family room, but no formal living room. My point is there are so many variables -what variables? Read the how long will it take post ^^^- that I could spend days writing up individualized plans, but -and this is selfish- I love y’all, but I just don’t have that kind of time or mental energy.

I’ve told you the secret to a clean home, it’s simple, there’s no secret: put your stuff away. This means the clutter gets put away, the trash goes in the garbage, the dirt goes down the drain, and the laundry gets cycled and put away. Do you not know how to get started with cleaning?

I will always happily answer any specific how to question, but I cannot make you do something you don’t want to do or make you read the content already on the site. If you want a clean house, you’ll work on it, a little each day. You can search the site for specific problems – why is there so much lint in my laundry room, etc. Maybe you’ll find value in the Cleaning 101 series. I don’t live in your home so I can’t tell you to pick up the socks under your bed. Honestly, I try not to stalk any of you, I’m a little weird, but not THAT weird.

Hang in there, I know it’s hard, especially when it feels like no one helps and it feels as though all you do is work and never get anywhere. I cannot emphasize enough how much I do understand. I know it seems like I sit here at the ready to answer your questions,doing nothing else, but I’m out there living life, too.  And life IS messy, I just help tell you how to clean it up.

Cross your fingers for me later today and I’ll continue to be here for you to the best of my ability.

Click here to leave a comment on Warning: There Is No Secret . We'd love to hear your say.

This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Stop Procrastinating and Other Things You Already Knew

Heather says:

I’m a terrible procrastinator. Heck, I’ve even put off writing this post for *blush* weeks.

We have a saying in the restaurant industry, front of house, at least, that has a broad application in life:

Full hands in, full hands out.

You look at that and say, Duh, Heather, that’s obvious. Of course my house would be cleaner if I picked up things that need to be put away whenever I walked by.

Okay, so is your house perfect? Oh it is? Here’s a gold star. The rest of you, instead of being snarky, how about giving it an actual try?

Somewhat related:

One of my favorite, in a special little snowflake kind of way, negative reviews of my book, was the one where someone said something to the point of, “You can find this information on the Internet.”

Really?

Because it’s not like the book was based on a website or anything. . .

My other absolute favorite negative review (and this one deserves to be quoted verbatim):

All this book did was tell you how to clean your house, how to schedule your cleanings, info about small home repair, etc. Not very useful at all.

Obvious doesn’t mean useless and sometimes we need to be reminded of things we should have been doing all along. I know I get lazy and stop putting things away, it’s human nature.

Some of you have requested that I post a reminder of the daily chores over on the Facebook fanpage. Facebook has this thing called Edgerank where Facebook automatically decides what is important enough to show up in the stream of updates -called a feed- that you see when you’re logged in. If you want to see a brand or fan page’s updates you need to interact with the page regularly (a comment here or a like there, trust me I hate even bringing this up, it feels smarmy) or Facebook will decide you don’t care about those things and they won’t show up in your feed. Does that make sense? I can go into more detail if you need it.

Back to reader questions tomorrow and I have a stack of cookbooks to review over the next few weeks. Some of them I think you’ll really enjoy.

 

Click here to leave a comment on Stop Procrastinating and Other Things You Already Knew . We'd love to hear your say.

This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Detail Your Washing Machine: A Quick Tip from Q-Tips®

Heather says:

If you haven’t realized by now, I’m human. I neglect some chores and then occasionally get a little OCD when I remedy that situation. This week I’m bringing you another quick tip from Q-Tips® and we’re in the laundry room. Yes, you get a sneak peek at my washing machine and the lint it collects! If you’re actually excited by that, I may be a little creeped out.

Please note I’m not suggesting that you detail your washer every week or every month. As I note in the video this is a special occasion kind of cleaning, perhaps I haven’t done it often enough (judging by the lint), but don’t think I’m trying to get you to add this chore to your already overwhelming to-do list. Maybe detailing your washer should be done whenever you get around to deep cleaning the laundry room. I try to give mine a once over when I do the kitchen since they are attached.

For more ideas and tips head over to the Q-Tips® Fan Page

You win one Internetz if you know where I bought my shirt. Yes, Googling is cheating.

This is a sponsored post.  Q-tips® product was provided by Unilever, the makers of Q-tips®; my tips and usage suggestions are my own.

Click here to leave a comment on Detail Your Washing Machine: A Quick Tip from Q-Tips® . We'd love to hear your say.

This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Take a break from Labor Day to see who won that thing I was giving away

Heather says:

It’s Labor Day and to celebrate, I’m taking a day off from even pretending to proofread. I promised I’d announce the winner of the Tupperware Healthy Lunch Solution Set and I won’t let you down. Well, unless you didn’t win and then you’ll probably hate me and Home-Ec101.com and never come back again.

Oh, wait, sorry, I was channeling my eldest. He’s in a bit of a dramatic phase.

The dishwasher? Unload the dishwasher? Are you kidding? It’s like I’m a slave in this house.

*snort*

Yeah, okay kid, you’re going to survive.

In the meantime let’s see who won:

Random.org says it was commenter #32, better known as: MicheleN. Do me a big favor and send your shipping info to HelpMe@home-ec101.com.

Thanks!

Carry on with your Labor Day Festivities. I think I’m going to sneak a nap before cooking a birthday dinner for the middle one.

His request? Spaghetti! I think we all win here.

Click here to leave a comment on Take a break from Labor Day to see who won that thing I was giving away . We'd love to hear your say.

This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Summer’s Last Hurrah: Happy Labor Day from Home-Ec 101

Heather says:

Well, we’re already here, Labor Day Weekend, the last official hurrah of summer. Oh, here in the Lowcountry of SC we’ve still got a long way to go before cooler temperatures set in, but this is still the last weekend that says watermelon and lemonade, sprinklers and popsicles, beaches or lake, picnics and barbecues. Even though I have to work all weekend, I plan on milking Sunday afternoon for all it’s worth.

Maybe I’ll pack a picnic and drag the kids to the beach (not that they would object) or maybe I’ll just put the slip’n'slide out in the yard and kill one more strip of grass (you’re welcome, neighbors).

Whatever we do, there will be food. Why? Because in my little world, food is awesome.

 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 



 


 
 

Hopefully these picnic / cookout ideas will get you inspired. Are you cooking out or grilling this weekend? What are you making?

Do you have big plans for this Labor Day?

Don’t forget to practice basic food safety, you don’t want to end the summer with a trip to the ER, do you? Avoid cross-contamination, keep foods out of the bacterial danger zone, and when in doubt, throw it out.

Oh and finally a random aside:

Would anyone be interested in my taking the time to throw together a cleaning playlist (the stuff I tend to blare when no one is home to make fun of me?) I can do it in a variety of ways, if you’re on Spotify, Amazon MP3s, or whatever. . .  It just crossed my mind as I was looking at something late last night and you never know, sometimes those last thoughts before you drift off are good.

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend and please, if you drink, do so responsibly, I want all of you back here, bright and early on Tuesday!

Click here to leave a comment on Summer’s Last Hurrah: Happy Labor Day from Home-Ec 101 . We'd love to hear your say.

This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011