Tip Tuesday: Simplifying Chores in a Crisis

There may be times in our family life that crisis sets in. Whatever that crisis may be it is a great idea to have a gameplan on what chores NEED to get done and what chores can be done away with - temporarily. Obviously if you have a big family the more you can spread around the chores getting done. You just have to get creative (especially with children that might be under stress) and everything will go more smoothly.

One of the first things that still need to be done is the kitchen. Basic cleaning in the kitchen. This isn't the time for deep cleaning. Keep it basic. Keep up with dishes, sweeping and floor clearing. If you have time (& energy) then you might try clearing out the fridge at least once a week, especially if you have had meals brought in. You don't want to lose track of the delicious food that you do have available.

Another area to not forget is the bathroom. Again, keeping it basic. You will want to keep everything tidy - especially if there is a sick person that needs things sanitized or if you have visitors coming in (like for a funeral). A quick daily swish of the toilet and making sure the trash has been taken out, clean towels are out and the floor stays tidy. Just keeping up with this little bit will make a huge difference.

The only other areas to be concerened about are entrance ways - making sure they are clear and walkable. Dusting and sweeping optional, but will make your living space feel cleaner. Another space is the visitor area. If you have a separate living area, this room should stay tidy and kept picked up. This will make those unexpected visitors feel less troublesome and more welcome.

If you have children that you are managing as well, it will be imperative to keep things light and fun for them. They need to keep to a routine. Having chores and responsibilities will greatly aid in their comfort because it gives them that routine. Making a game out of it or making everyone feel special and encouraged will aid in the atmosphere of your home. If you can keep them feeling positive and happy then everyone will feel better.

No matter the crisis you may be facing (now or in the future) having a plan for the cleaning aspect can help things run more smoothly.

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Clean Indoor Air

There are known plants for cleaning our indoor air. Why is this important? Well, if you suffer from allergies (or a family member does) there are some beneficial plants to keep around your home that can help filter out some of the bad "air" that can collect in homes over time. Whether you live in a hot climate or a cooler climate, if your house stays closed up for any length of time it is a great idea to have a couple interior plants - easy upkeep and manageability - in your home to help give it the fresh, clean feeling.

One of the first plants to talk about is the Gerbera Daisy: 

  There have been studies done that show that it absorbs the carbon dioxide out of the air and can even put out oxygen over night! If you have better oxygen at night then you are almost guaranteed to have sweet dreams! Nasa has even done research that shows that it can remove benzene from the air. This is a cancer causing chemical.

Another great plant is the Aloe Vera:

  You probably already know this one for its great ability to help heal burns topically. It also has the properties to collect and remove formaldahyde from the air. 

The Ficus Alii:

  This plant is said to work wonderfully as an air purifier. This is a great one for allergens in your home. This plant can help remove those for you!

One of the the other top performing plants is the Areca Palm:

  Another great plant for purifying the air. This plant can get fairly large and as it grows so does its capacity to purify more. The Areca Palm is one of the most widely known as the best air purifiers.

The Pygmy Date Palm:

  This is another great plant for the removal of formadehyde in the air. It is also great at removing xylene which is a chemical that is found in many plastics and cleaners.

The Baby Rubber Plant:

  This plant is an air cleaner. How it effectively does this is it releases high oxygen content into the air. This will in turn clean the air and pull out the toxins left behind by chemicals and other house hold air impurities.

The Mass Cane, The Boston Fern and the Chinese Evergreen:

  These plants are much like some of the others as they are great at the  removal of formaldehyde from the air. They are really good at cleaning the air indoors and purifying it.

No matter your personal taste in plants, you are sure to find one that will work for you!

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: More Simple Cleaning Tips and Tricks

There are few things that make you feel more accomplished than having a clean home. Following some simple tips and ideas you can get more done in less time and with minimal effort! What more can you ask?

1) Cleaning between the glass on your oven door. 

 This one can be tricky. You will need a wire hanger or another long thing with a hook on the end. On the end of the hanger that you have straightened - you will want to attach a Windex Wipey or your own homemade windex rag. It needs to be fairly thin. You will want to make sure it stays on by using a rubberband or a hair band. If you lay on your kitchen floor and look up under your oven door you will see a space between the glass. This is where you will poke your 'cleaning tool' up and in. Wipe all around and you will be amazed at how much grime can come off onto your rag!

2) Removing Nail Polish from a tile/laminate/linoleum floor - 

 The sooner you can get the stain removed the better job you will be able to do. First use your fingernail polish liberally all over the spillage. Next you will wipe it up. If that hasn't removed all of the stain, use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to pull up the rest. You can also use hairspray. Once the polish is removed, clean the area with warm, soapy water. This will remove any lingering residue.

3) Getting streak free, clean windows - 

 You will want to use equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Next just add 2-3 drops of Blue Dawn Dish Soap. (I like to add about 1/8 cup of Isopropyl Alcohol to mine. It helps the windows dry really fast! Then just use like you would Windex!

4) Removing Permanent Marker from wood floors -

 If you use a dab of white toothpaste onto the marker and wipe it off with a damp rag. The marker should be completely gone!

5) Removing labels (& the sticky residue) - 

 Fill your sink with hot water and add a scoopful of Oxiclean. Dump your bottles or items into the sink and let the sit for about 30 - 45 minutes. All of the labels will be floating in your sink! Just wipe the items down really quick and let them dry. 

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Simple Cleaning Tricks

Looking for some simple but useful cleaning tricks to help motivate you and help you get your cleaning done faster? Look no further!

1) Restoring Scratched Wood Furniture - 
       Mix 1/2 cup vinegar with a 1/2 cup of olive oil (don't use extra virgin for this). Just dip a cleaning rag into your mixed solution and rub it in to the surface of the wood furniture you are trying to restore. You should see the results immediately.

2) Cleaning Childrens Toys - 
       The best solution for cleaning childrens toys, that I have found, is a mixture of Vinegar and water. I use about 1/2 and 1/2 of vinegar and water and just an 1/8 of bleach (if I think the toys need EXTRA HEAVY DUTY CLEANING. The smaller toys I run through the hottest cycle (air dry though) on the dishwasher -  about 1 cup of VINEGAR ONLY. For larger toys I place them in the kitchen sink and wash them with a rag dipped in the solution (Vinegar AND Water). I let these air dry on the counter and table - depending how many I am doing at a time.

3) Refresh towels and remove the mildew smell -
      Just add a 1/2 cup vinegar to your towel load - do not add any detergent. Run the cycle on hot water. If you still smell the mildew odor, use 1/2 cup of baking soda (no detergent) in the next wash cycle. Again, using hot water. I have only used the vinegar trick and have never had to use the baking soda in a 2nd wash. 

4) Cleaning up your cookie sheets - 
       Place 1/4 cup of baking soda in a glass bowl and add hydrogen peroxide until you get a paste. This concoction will clean most everything in your kitchen that needs to be cleaned. Just rub it in and wipe it off (or you can use a scrubbie). For your cookie sheets you want to sprinkle the pans with the baking soda and then spritz the peroxide over the top. Then sprinkle an added layer of baking soda over the top of that. Then let it sit for about 2 hours (or more). You should be able to just wipe it off with minimal scrubbing or effort. AWESOME!

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Children & Chores

When trying to have a home/living space that is happy and cooperative it is best to include all members of the household with the cleaning tasks that need to be done. The reason you want your children involved in the cleaning is so that when they are adults they will be able to function at their best - they will already know how to keep and maintain their homes properly. They won't have to learn on the fly, as it were.

How we involve our children is through chore charts - they know what job they are responsible for each day of the week. They also have a chart that can be referred to so they know what the exact cleaning expectations are for that particular task.

This is another idea for getting your children involved with the household tasks that need to be done at your home. These are chore baskets. You place everything that will be needed to complete one particular chore inside the basket. When they child grabs the basket they know exactly what to use and how to use it and where to use it. Everything is clearly marked and labeled. You can do it by room OR by job. For example, you can do a basket that is for DUSTING or a basket for the living room. If you do it by job, then you won't have to double or triple up on your cleaning products. BUT, if it is easier for your family to clean by room, then you will want to spend the extra time getting each room's basket perfectly organized.

Today we will talk about baskets by Job.

Dusting:

 Inside this basket, you will need the dusting rag/tool - multiple ones for different types of jobs, your dusting spray, directions for what it is used for and how much. 

Bathroom:

 Inside this basket: rubber gloves (for cleaning the toilet, if needed), scouring pads for sinks, cleanser (whatever cleaners you want used in your bathroom), garbage bags (to place bathroom trash in), pumice stone for the toilet, directions for how to use each of the cleaners and tools and where to use the basket.

Kitchen:

  Inside this basket you will include the tools and cleaners that you need to have and maintain a clean kitchen. Make sure everything is clearly labeled and directions are simple and precise.

Make sure that you aren't giving baskets to children that aren't mature enough for that job. A buddy system is a great idea until younger children get the hang of what is expected of them.

However you choose to help train your children, may you always have success!

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Deep Cleaning Your Home

Here is a list of things that need to be cleaned on a regular basis - but not everyday. They are things that, when you clean them, make a huge difference in how your home feels and looks. It is always a great idea to walk into your home, as a guest would, once in a while. When you use 'fresh eyes' you will notice things that need to be touched up or repaired that you have just grown used to as time has passed. It is a good idea to try to do this type of walk through once a month or every other month, keeping a list as you go. This way, you always know what needs to be taken care of!

 1) Cleaning blades of ceiling and floor fans
 2) Sweeping porches, entryways and walkways (outdoors)
 3) Wash interior and exterior thresholds - including doors!
 4) Clean welcome mat
 5) Wash sides of house - noting anything that needs repair or touch up
 6) Wash all doors (exterior and interior) making sure to get border and knobs
 7) Wash all vent covers (ceiling, floor, etc.)
 8) Reseal grout
 9) Wash walls & trim (touch up paint too!)
10) Wash all windows, screens and sills (interior and exterior)
11) Wash all cabinets - inside and out
12) Wash inside/outside of washer and dryer
13) Wash all switch plates
14) Wash children's toys
15) Sort all Cd's, DVDs, books and magazines - tidy bookshelves, purging what isn't used/needed
16) Clean off electronics
17) Vacuum/clean all furniture - spot clean as needed
18) Wash bed linens, pillows, duvets, curtains, throw pillows and blankets
19) Dust all shelves, furniture and wall hangings/decorations
20) Clean lamps and shades
21) Polish tables and wood furniture
22) Wash table lines
23) Clean/dust all light fixtures/chandeliers
24) Clean under kitchen appliances
25) Clean all kitchen (large & small) appliances - interior and exterior
26) Clean back splash and walls above counters in Kitchen
27) Clean and organize refrigerator and freezers, pantries and cupboards
28) Clean all mirrors and frames
29) Clean/clean all cupboards and vanities - purge what you don't use/need
30) Clean mattress - turn and flip. Freshen by sprinkling with baking soda, letting it sit and then vacuuming it up.
31) Air out your mattress pad(s)
32) Move bed - clean out from underneath.
33) Clean out all dressers/drawers/closets - linen, bedroom, storage, etc. Purge what isn't needed/necessary (donate, toss, etc)

No matter how long it has been since you did any of these jobs, your house will thank you for taking the time. You can break up the jobs by room or by 'type', conquering a little bit every day.

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning your Washing Machine

Cleaning your washing machine really takes no time, but the payoff of doing so is huge! Just think, no more stinky washing machine! The bonus is it looks great, it smells great and it works great!!

I suggest you start with completely wiping down the exterior of your washing machine. You might need to get a q-tip to get inside the small nooks and crannies. This will just take a few minutes, usually. If your machine is outside, it might take longer. As you clean the exterior, fill the washer with hot water and 2 cups of white vinegar. You can use the water to help you wash down the fabric softener cup, etc. You will want the vinegar to sit in the washer for a couple of hours. You could let it sit while you go to work. After your allotted 'wait' time, go ahead and let it finish the cycle.

Once you have completed the cycle you will need to run it again - let it go through a complete cycle. If you notice residue on the interior, this is a great time to wipe off. I suggest Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (before your washer gets full of water). You can always use straight vinegar and wipe the debris away with that.

The next step is to start another cycle - I like to use hot water for the cleaning cycles - even if I use cold water on most of my laundry. You will add 2 cups of bleach. Let it sit for an hour and then run it again. If you let it sit longer - that is fine, too!

No matter how long it has been since your machine was last washed down you will appreciate the clean, fresh scent of your laundry room and of your washing machine after spending a day (off and on) getting your machine in tip top clean condition. It won't take very much "elbow grease" and adding it to your Spring Cleaning repertoire will be a great addition for your whole family, especially if you have family members that suffer from allergies. You never know where mold spores will grow and cleaning your washing machine is a great way to take a proactive stand against mold/allergens in your washing machine!

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!