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How Clean Is Your House? Hundreds of Handy Tips to Make Your Home Sparkle
The international bestseller How Clean Is Your House? is a new kind of cleaning book—full-color, hilarious, and fun. Packed with trade secrets and inventive cleaning solutions, it goes through the house room by room, offering do’s and don’ts, step-by- steps, and before-and-after “grime scene” photographs.
Kim Woodburn and Aggie MacKenzie are known as “the queens of clean” from Lifetime Television and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Tips include:
• Use a banana peel to dust plants; the dust clings to the skin and the juice nourishes the leaves
• Leave laundry detergent to soak in your bathtub overnight—the tub will gleam in the morning (no scrubbing required)
• To loosen dirt and grease inside the microwave, put a few slices of lemon in an uncovered bowl of water and cook on high for 3 minutes.
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2003
5 people are currently reading
243 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
January 3, 2010
A great book to have on hand when you're not too sure what to do about odors, cleaning or organizing your home etc. Most ideas are common sense that will have you smacking your head and saying "why didn't I just do that from the start!" Some suggestions aren't all that practical because they're very time consuming but if you have the time regularly then they do give excellent ideas. The index at the back is very well-detailed to find exactly what you need so you don't have to flip through chapters. A nice bonus is that the book is visually appealing on colourful glossy paper and not just black and white cold hard facts.
August 17, 2025
Handy tips and hints for keeping your home clean. This book can be read from cover to cover, or you can dip in and out as required to find the answer you are looking for.
December 22, 2009
I'm not a domestic goddess, but I'm not a slob, either.
The US has Martha Stewart, but the UK has Kim and Aggie.
As an American now living in the UK, I used to subscribe to Martha Stewart's mags or watch her TV shows, so I was glad to discover Kim & Aggie.
Some of the people that they get on their TV show, How Clean is Your House should be ashamed of themselves. It just goes to show that you never know how some people live at home. I can now understand how some people have a phobia of pot-luck dinners in a social setting because you got people eating their own fecal matter from being so sloppy.
Anyway, I'm glad I got this book considering that the TV show has been cancelled by Channel 4. I now have a book full of their helpful hints--and believe me, I use them. With just a handful of cleaning supplies (including simple things like lemon, vinegar, baking soda) I can clean the house from top to bottom.
The book must have been transcribed because anyone who has seen How Clean is Your House on TV will hear Kim and Aggie's voice as they read. It's like having them there with you without being humiliated on national television.
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to live in a clean(er) home but without slaving away for hours a day to get one.
The US has Martha Stewart, but the UK has Kim and Aggie.
As an American now living in the UK, I used to subscribe to Martha Stewart's mags or watch her TV shows, so I was glad to discover Kim & Aggie.
Some of the people that they get on their TV show, How Clean is Your House should be ashamed of themselves. It just goes to show that you never know how some people live at home. I can now understand how some people have a phobia of pot-luck dinners in a social setting because you got people eating their own fecal matter from being so sloppy.
Anyway, I'm glad I got this book considering that the TV show has been cancelled by Channel 4. I now have a book full of their helpful hints--and believe me, I use them. With just a handful of cleaning supplies (including simple things like lemon, vinegar, baking soda) I can clean the house from top to bottom.
The book must have been transcribed because anyone who has seen How Clean is Your House on TV will hear Kim and Aggie's voice as they read. It's like having them there with you without being humiliated on national television.
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to live in a clean(er) home but without slaving away for hours a day to get one.
November 18, 2021
Smarter Way to Clean Your Home and Office : PREMiclean
Commercial Cleaning Services Manchester
Every home — big, small, apartment or vacation home — gets dirty. And while there's not just one way to clean your living space, there is a smarter way to get the job done. Take this guided tour of your home — from the kitchen and bathroom to the bedroom and living areas — to learn the basic rules of cleaning as well as some tips and short cuts that will help you clean thoroughly and efficiently, starting now.
Wirecutter, a New York Times company, has spent hours testing cleaning products and you’ll see I reference them when they’ve reviewed products I recommend.
Keep Dishes Clean
If you’re a person who tends to let dishes pile up in the sink to avoid washing them, try this simple trick to put the effort involved into perspective: For a few days, as you think of it, set a timer before you begin washing the dishes, and make note of how long it took to clean up. If you know the task will take just minutes to complete, it will be less difficult to convince yourself to take care of those dishes now.
How to Clean a Burned Pot: To clean a badly scorched pot without scrubbing, cover the burned area with a liberal amount of baking soda and pour in enough boiling water to fill the pot a third to halfway up. When the water is cool enough to touch, head in with your sponge and use the baking soda solution to scrub away the scorch. Dump the solution and wash the pot with hot, soapy water.
The Dishwasher Debate: While there isn’t an absolutely correct way to load a dishwasher (and what would couples bicker over if such a directive were carved in stone?), there is one universal rule: It is much easier to load from back to front.
Office Cleaning Services
Commercial Cleaning Services Manchester
Every home — big, small, apartment or vacation home — gets dirty. And while there's not just one way to clean your living space, there is a smarter way to get the job done. Take this guided tour of your home — from the kitchen and bathroom to the bedroom and living areas — to learn the basic rules of cleaning as well as some tips and short cuts that will help you clean thoroughly and efficiently, starting now.
Wirecutter, a New York Times company, has spent hours testing cleaning products and you’ll see I reference them when they’ve reviewed products I recommend.
Keep Dishes Clean
If you’re a person who tends to let dishes pile up in the sink to avoid washing them, try this simple trick to put the effort involved into perspective: For a few days, as you think of it, set a timer before you begin washing the dishes, and make note of how long it took to clean up. If you know the task will take just minutes to complete, it will be less difficult to convince yourself to take care of those dishes now.
How to Clean a Burned Pot: To clean a badly scorched pot without scrubbing, cover the burned area with a liberal amount of baking soda and pour in enough boiling water to fill the pot a third to halfway up. When the water is cool enough to touch, head in with your sponge and use the baking soda solution to scrub away the scorch. Dump the solution and wash the pot with hot, soapy water.
The Dishwasher Debate: While there isn’t an absolutely correct way to load a dishwasher (and what would couples bicker over if such a directive were carved in stone?), there is one universal rule: It is much easier to load from back to front.
Office Cleaning Services
June 5, 2017
Some interesting tips- I bet the TV show was pretty entertaining. Some of the info was a littel repetitive.
August 15, 2017
Unrealistic!
August 10, 2019
another great book for tips & to keep on the shelf
March 16, 2020
Nice easy reference book. Fun to read with lots of handy tips. Not as many examples as I would like but definitely worth a look if you are interested in more natural cleaning tips.
April 2, 2020
Many useful tips from their show,
February 28, 2025
This is a great resource book that is recommended for any household. I've tried quite a few of their techniques and have had very positive results. Keep up the good work, Kim and Aggie!
Read
July 25, 2024Poison-New Year's Resolutions-book about cleaning house or getting organized-put a flea collar in your vacuum cleaner bag and use breed to clean marks off walls.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2017
Good tips, but I found the colors and design very distracting.
July 16, 2012
so far very good just read page 98 "How to make dusting easier" and to my delight on page 99 there was a STAR TIP that i found fascinating about banana skins and house plant dust. Im going to start doing it i reckon my plants will love it. Coming up on page 100 the heading is how clean are your walls. Im not reading that one even if it is page 100! If my walls are dirty i'll paint the feckers! Which reminds me how hours ago i was thinking about painting. The books good im not sure about kim or Aggi Anal Aggie? or maybe she is just really nice, I dont really know which one is which anyway. But i'm also reading the pop up karma sutra so ye know, whats a girl to do?
(some time later)
I've just heard that Kim and Aggie aren't friends anymore, perhaps they are in disagreement over the banana skin & plants tip, I have tried the tip and it was rubbish, and have gone back to the tissue and water method, i think its an old wives tale!
(some time later)
I've just heard that Kim and Aggie aren't friends anymore, perhaps they are in disagreement over the banana skin & plants tip, I have tried the tip and it was rubbish, and have gone back to the tissue and water method, i think its an old wives tale!
April 23, 2008
I love these ladies show on BBC America. They are just too funny! Their book did not disappoint! Not really a book to read cover to cover, unless you are formally affluent and never cleaned anything in your life. A great reference for those things that you always wondered how to clean, to make your cleaning routine easier and to reduce the amount of chemicals you use. It is fun and easy to find what you need when you need it. As a bonus many of the items they recommend are already in the pantry!
May 8, 2008
This book has some really great tips for cleaning and cleaning solutions that aren't all toxic chemicals. Things like lemon juice, borax, baking soda, vinegar and sometimes a little bleach all do the same wonders for cleaning for all the potions and solutions on the shelves today. I've watched many episodes on BBCAmerica from my DVR and these ladies work WONDERS to some VERY VERY FILTHY places with people that have ALL sorts of excuses. They put down all those excuses EVERY single time - a regular house cleaning schedule/routine does WONDERS and can also be much easier.
January 4, 2012
I thought the book was ok. I love the show but I was disappointed in the tips and the presentation. (i thought the pictures were awful and many were out of focus. Maybe they did it on purpose but it was hard on the eyes.) I did pick up some new tips but this is nothing to write home about. This will not stop me from picking up their other books and and will definitely continue to watch their excellent show.
June 9, 2012
Quick, useful advice on cleaning using common household supplies like baking soda and vinegar. Somewhat limited, since it's a small book and is laid out like a coffee-table book, favoring nice photos and typography over practicality, but that makes it a good book for getting started cleaning. You don't feel overwhelmed by advice. (One big minus about the design, though, was the pages with black type on a dark colored background. Very hard to read. Design 101, people!)
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January 24, 2017This is a must read for anyone who needs ideas on how to clean your house. They give ideas on how to make your own cleaners. How often to clean each room. they also share ideas about laundry and how often it should be done. I learned so much from this book. They go from your entrance to your bedroom and they leave nothing out. They give very helpful hints on everything in the house. Very informative book.
August 12, 2008
This book wasn't as good as I thought it might be. I know how to clean a floor. What I want is a list of all those little concoctions they come up with on TV for toxin-free cleaning, like lemon juice and salt! But I don't remember which surfaces can take that, and this book didn't tell me. It had some interesting things, but just didn't deliver what I wanted.
September 13, 2008
Kim and Aggie are two of my favorite tv personalities. This book has some really good tips for cleaning every part of the house naturally -- without the lysol and windex that we're used to. It includes a fun little quiz to help you judge how good your cleaning habits are (I'm not telling you what I scored). I liked it so much, I think I'll buy it!
September 29, 2011
Very useful for me as I moved into a very disgusting house!
It would have been nice to have an extra part at the end stating all the uses of non-chemical products (e.g. lemons).
It is written in the same style as the TV show so it sounds like it is being spoken by the main characters rather than written.
It would have been nice to have an extra part at the end stating all the uses of non-chemical products (e.g. lemons).
It is written in the same style as the TV show so it sounds like it is being spoken by the main characters rather than written.
July 25, 2014
This book made me get up and start cleaning. And I felt happy about doing it! In addition to the enthusiasm for cleaning that these ladies share with the reader, they impart concrete reasons why cleaning is important. For me, understanding the topic better helped. Cleaning is no longer just something I should do for some reason, whatever that reason is. I hope others enjoy this book too.
September 22, 2016
This is a great reference guide for anyone just starting out in an apartment, or those "random housekeepers" who dust when they feel like it not when needed. There are copious tips on how to make things a little easier, and it's a quick read that won't take up much space on a shelf. Buy this, don't just library this.
October 25, 2016
I'm a big fan of the TV show, and I was looking for some more cleaning tips. This book delivers!
If you like the show, you'll like the book. It's organized by section of the home, and it's mostly just tip after tip. There's not a lot of pictures, but it is easy to read and understand.
Some of the tips are real timesavers.
If you like the show, you'll like the book. It's organized by section of the home, and it's mostly just tip after tip. There's not a lot of pictures, but it is easy to read and understand.
Some of the tips are real timesavers.
April 21, 2010
I wish Kim and Aggie would come and clean my house! These ladies are experts. Anyone who watches their show will enjoy this book. Even if you don't watch their show, there are some good tips in here.
September 26, 2011
Enjoyed this quick and dirty (heh--see what I did there?) guide to keeping your house clean. I like their tone, I liked their tips, and I especially liked that they focus on using a few basic cleaning products including baking soda and vinegar rather than compiling an arsenal of toxic mess.
May 7, 2016
Loved it. Full of helpful tips for stubborn cleaning projects. Most of this used to be common sense but was somehow lost over the years. Really loved all the natural, every day pantry items that can be used to clean instead of bleach and harsh chemicals.
September 25, 2007
Love Kim and Aggie. The dream cleaning team are putting me to work on cleaning that has needed to be done for a long time.
July 12, 2008
I really didn't find any earth shattering advice that I'd not seen or heard elsewhere. The writing style did lend itself to being a quick read.
October 16, 2008
How could I not love the Queens of Clean?? They inspire me!! Now, if I could just make them proud.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews