Cleaning

[Giggle Goose]

I hate cleaning with a passion. I do the bare minimum (some dusting, folding laundry, mopping when the floor gets dirty, making sure all dishes are washed).

One thing that motivates me is to wear my heart rate monitor when I clean. I then log the calories burned as exercise. You'd actually be surprised at how many calories you burn...and since I set my activity level as sedentary, it is above and beyond my regular activity level.

Also, I'm never home anyway, so I don't really give a crap at the moment! Lol

[AdminAssistant]

I have to say that I don't care for Swiffer wet pads or Clorox wipes. I'll use them in a pinch (as in, "Dear God, Mother's going to be here in 30 minutes!"), but I prefer Pine-Sol and hot water. Smells great, too. Clorox wipes especially tend to leave this residue that I dislike.

[Andara Bledin]

Thinking ahead like this really makes it a lot easier to get ahead with cleaning and picking up.

I did that when I bought the dishes and silverware a few years back. I made a point of getting stuff that was flat and had no fancy grooves or crevices in them. Much easier to wash.

^-.-^

[RecoveringKinkoid]

In all honesty, I'm not in love with some of the Swifter cleaning fluids. My great love of Swifter stems from how easy they are to use. If it's easy and low tech, it's easier to grab, use, and put away quickly.

For instance, if this was a review of Wet Jet floor cleaner fluid, the review would not be quite so stellar.

[telecom_goddess]

I have to say that I don't care for Swiffer wet pads or Clorox wipes. I'll use them in a pinch (as in, "Dear God, Mother's going to be here in 30 minutes!"), but I prefer Pine-Sol and hot water. Smells great, too. Clorox wipes especially tend to leave this residue that I dislike.

This. Right here. Pine sol, hot water, a bucket and a string mop I can twist to wring out. That's what I use every ....single....week. I vacuum every week too. Totally wipe down the kitchen/appliances and clean both bathrooms tubs included. Every single week. But it takes very little actual time because I don't let it get scuzzy in the meantime.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Yeah, right about the Clorox wipes, they DO leave some sort of weird residue, don't they? I was wondering if it was just me leaving something to dry on the countertop.

I don't use them all the time, I usually use half and half distilled white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. No toxic fumes or residue.

I tend to use the clorox wipes if I've got something particularly nasty on the countetop like raw meat or something. But then I still have to wipe up with the vinegar after it dries because of the residue.

Oh, well, I figure it's a good way to santize the surface. I do use them in the bathroom to clean the toilet outside and seat and whatnot. So I'm not storing something I used to clean the toilet.

Glad it's not just me with the scuzz on the countertop.

[blas87]

I discovered cleaning with distilled white vinegar last week. And how it also helps with itchy, irritated scalp. Yes, I've been using a mix of mostly water and a couple capfulls of it in my hair, though I promise, I swear on everything dear to me, just rinse it out well and you can't smell it. Just the same as rinsing after you clean with it, or dilluting it with water, you won't smell it. Added bonus, my hair is a lot less static-y and snarly. Shines even more than it naturally does. People have asked me if I colored my hair lighter.

At first, I didn't think it really made anything much cleaner, but I was so used to those really strong lemon or pine scented clean chemical smells that I had to have my mother remind me that this is natural and not harsh smelly chemicals and this is how people used to clean years ago.

[telecom_goddess]

So you are using white vinegar in your hair? Interesting...I know baking soda will act like a stripping shampoo and clear out product but didn't know about the vinegar.

[blas87]

Yep, and it feels really soothing to the scalp. And it makes my hair feel softer.

I hear you can use it in the laundry, too.

[ExRetailDrone]

I hear you can use it in the laundry, too.

I use white vinegar in the laundry to help clean my towels. I don't use fabric softener on them, as I've heard (and believe I've experienced) that using it takes away the absorbency of the towels. And, while I love the smell of fabric softener on things, I'd rather have my towels be able to soak up water rather than smell super nice. But, they do tend to get swampy smelling due to the nature of their use. So, whenever I wash them, I'll throw in about a cup of white vinegar and it gets rid of that swampiness.

[blas87]

So, if you use it in the wash, the rinse cycle will rid the smell of vinegar, right?

I'd hate to wear something nice and have it stained, or smell like vinegar once dry.

[ExRetailDrone]

I've never smelled vinegar on my towels. I also have never used it with a load of clothes, so I can't comment on that. I would recommend that if you try it, use it in a load of something you don't care a lot about, like towels or white socks or something, just to test it out and see if you think it'll work for you.

[Seshat]

We use vinegar in the rinse water for everything.

The vinegar odour vanishes very quickly, and it takes the other odours away with it. And the clothes are so soft.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

The smell of vinegar very quickly dissipates. Gonna give it a go on my hair, but I use it for cleaning and occasionally in laundry.

FYI and slightly off topic, if you all are having trouble with itchy scalp, try some sulfite free shampoo. I developed a sensitivity to SLS, so since I've been using the sulfite free shampoo, my hair has never looked better. It makes me wonder if the SLS in most shampoos isn't causing more trouble than people realize. I have shiny hair, less frizzy, and less hairfall. No more itchy scalp and face. I also quit with the silicone based anti frizz stuff.

Your hair will be flat for a bit until it adjusts to the different formula. Then it will start looking great. At least, that is how it worked for me.
I figure the less toxic chemicals you can use in your day to day life, the better.

[Andara Bledin]

I figure the less toxic chemicals you can use in your day to day life, the better.

This. This is my view.

This is of particular note and importance to those of us with pets, particularly those of the low-lying type that are close to the carpets and floors so many people regularly douse with toxic substances without a second thought in the name of being "clean."

^-.-^