Summertime Cleaning Tips

Summer Cleaning Tips
By Mary Findley copyright@2003

This article may be reprinted but only with the accompanying bio at the end of the article.

Oh those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Those lazy days turn into hectic days when a few summer hazards pluck away at your time. Let's take a look at a few easy solutions to summer problems.

First, when you head to the gas station to fill your lawn mower gas container, place this container inside a heavy-duty plastic bag then inside a plastic bucket. Secure it to prevent it from tipping during travel. Oil and water don?t mix. Should the container tip in your car, there is little you can do to remove the gas from carpeting.

A handy trick for cleaning hands outside: Cut off an old pair of panty hose just below the knee. Slide your soap slivers into the toe part. Tie the top end around an outdoor faucet and it?s a quick way to wash outside. Cut off the rest of the leg part just below the panty and place over your cotton dust mop for an inexpensive and reusable "Swiffer". The panty part makes an excellent polishing cloth for shoes.

Panty hose manufacturers really don't like me for giving out this next handy tip but ? well too bad. After purchasing a pair of panty hose, saturate them with water and place in a zip lock bag. Fill the bag half full with water then freeze until solid. Remove and thaw at room temperature. Freezing hardens the fibers so they don't run so easily. Refreeze them occasionally for even longer wear. One pair should last you a month or two.

Grass stains: Pour liquid dish soap onto the stains and allow to set overnight. Rinse and wash as normal. Be certain to rinse out the dish soap before laundering, otherwise it may cause too much foam in your washing machine. This also does a great job on soccer and baseball uniforms or for extra dirty socks.

Red clay: Follow the above directions only use a concentrated orange cleaner instead. Do not rinse it out. Bio Ox is now my favorite cleaner. It's ten times more potent than Orange Clean and far more concentrated. You would need to call me to order it at 800-345-3934. It's not available in the stores yet. Or find Orange Clean at Bed Bath and Beyond. If you use Orange Clean get the concentrated type. The pre diluted is not much good.

Underarm stains on shirts seem to worsen when we sweat. Before washing saturate the underarm area with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide to water. Allow that to set 30 minutes then wash as normal. If you have been using bleach to whiten clothes and they are now graying, switch to peroxide. The first time pour 1 to 2 cups peroxide in your washer as it fills along with your detergent. Add the clothes and soak for 30 minutes. After the initial cleaning 1 cup works fine. You?ll find less expensive peroxide at beauty supply stores. It?s a 20 per cent solution so use only one-half cup.

Grease or oil: The orange cleaner does an excellent job. Use it concentrated dab on the spot and wait 30 minutes or until the oil has loosened. There is a product at the automotive supply stores called GoJo. Use the liquid nonabrasive kind following the above directions. It does contain petroleum distillates that could leave a stain on clothing. Always test a spot before using a cleaner.

Be careful of the orange cleaner you buy, many contain petroleum distillates that dry certain fabrics and material. Check clothing before placing in the dryer. Heat sets stains and if any stain remains on the clothes, dryer heat makes it very difficult to remove.

Mini blinds. Oh how they attract dirt. For lightly dusty blinds, put a clean old cotton tube sock over one hand. Spray that with and all purpose cleaner. My favorite all purpose cleaner is to nearly fill a spray bottle with water then add one good squirt of Ivory Liquid dish washing detergent and gently shake to mix. Turn the slats of the mini blind down and wipe over the slats turning the sock as it soils. Reverse the slats and walk around behind them and repeat. To clean the cords, grab a can of foaming shaving cream and gently dab on the cord. Wait 20 minutes then rinse. Strange as it sounds foaming shaving cream removes many a stain.

If your blinds are past the point of no return then try this handy trick. First pound two nails into the back part of your home positioning them about a foot narrower than the width of the blind. Remove the blinds one at a time and place on the nails. At the grocery store purchase a can of Dow or Lysol Tub and Tile Cleaner. Don't use the spray bottle because those don't foam very well.

Put the blind on the nails and turn the slats facing down. Spray the slats thoroughly with the tub cleaner starting at the bottom of the blind working your way upward. Wait until the foam begins to drip down from the top then wipe them down with a damp sponge. Reverse the slats and turn the blinds over and repeat the process. Dry and rehang. You should clean one blind in about 10 minutes without the mess of dunking them in the bathtub and scratching the tub.

Mary Findley spent 12 years professionally cleaning homes and developed a mop made to clean with ordinary terry cloth towels. She also shares her cleaning tips and shortcuts with you twice a month in her "Moppins Mail" newsletter. You can sign up for her free newsletter at http://www.GoClean.com.