It is spring and like many people in Orange County I don’t
complain about the fog or the on and off cool weather of this winter. I have
some tips to get your home cleaned up and ready for the glory of summer, the
long days at the beach or enjoying your backyard Newport Beach pool.
Flooring tips:
Ceramic tile floors
can be cleaned easily with warm water. First sweep or vacuum the flooring carefully
to remove any loose soil or grit. Do not use a sponge mop to clean ceramic-tile
or stone floors. It places the dirt into the grout tracks. A micro-fiber mop picks up
all the dirt that a sponge mop leaves behind. Pour the ingredients into a
bucket and use a rag or micro-fiber mop to clean. If you do use a rag and the
on your hands and knees method, wipe in a circular motion across the floor with
a microfiber rag.
I purchased a pack online at amazon see link below and have been very pleased that they are Green to use, last forever and don’t leave lint and dog hair behind. Microfiber cloths and microfiber mops are a must for any Green clean home. Microfiber consists of millions of tiny hooks that attract, absorb and remove dirt, dust and bacteria from surfaces without the use of chemicals! Reducing chemical use is better for the environment and our own health in our homes. Microfiber rags offer energy savings as they need to be washed in ONLY cool water and tumble dried. Don't forget the cabinets and baseboards. I like the smell of a couple drops of lavender oil or peppermint oil and a light spray of "liquid gold" on the rag to clean and dust the cabinets thoroughly. If the grout is very dirty, use a brush, or an old toothbrush.
I purchased a pack online at amazon see link below and have been very pleased that they are Green to use, last forever and don’t leave lint and dog hair behind. Microfiber cloths and microfiber mops are a must for any Green clean home. Microfiber consists of millions of tiny hooks that attract, absorb and remove dirt, dust and bacteria from surfaces without the use of chemicals! Reducing chemical use is better for the environment and our own health in our homes. Microfiber rags offer energy savings as they need to be washed in ONLY cool water and tumble dried. Don't forget the cabinets and baseboards. I like the smell of a couple drops of lavender oil or peppermint oil and a light spray of "liquid gold" on the rag to clean and dust the cabinets thoroughly. If the grout is very dirty, use a brush, or an old toothbrush.
Hardwood floors: Boil a quart of water adding two teabags to clean hardwood
floors. The tannic acid in tea creates a beautiful shine for hardwood floors.
Let two teabags steep in the boiling water for two minutes. Pour the tea into
a bucket. Take a soft cloth and wring it out in the tea. Again use a microfiber
cloth but not dripping wet. The cloth should be damp, not soaked. The floor to
dries quickly and leaves a streak less shine. If there are scratches in the
wood that show more after cleaning the hardwood floor, use a brown crayon (the
color of the floor) and rub it on the scratch to fill the gap. Turn a blow
dryer on high for thirty seconds, heat the area where the crayon was applied
and buff it with a soft cloth.
Vinyl floors are not as popular but often used in Orange County
laundry areas, or pet areas To clean
the vinyl floors mix Borax in a bucket of warm water and wash the floor rinse
with warm water.
To remove hairspray residue from hard surfaces like mirrors and countertops with a solution of one part fabric softener and two parts water.
These last two recommendations are not very “green” but sometimes you just have to get serious with dirt. Open all the windows wear gloves and old clothing and one part bleach to one part water to scrub grout with a toothbrush. Put the bleach and water in an old glass jar. Rinse two times with clean water and discard the toothbrush, you don’t want someone to make a mistake and use it.
Sometimes
my son’s Lacrosse bag with the sweaty helmet and all those black pellets from
the astro turf seems to really dirty up the air. A few suggestions to clean up
the air: put the equipment and bag out in the sunshine on a patio. Spraying
with Lysol doesn’t seem to get rid of the odor, but rinse with a hose and
expose to sun really does the job. I also like to have on hand some peppermint
oil that I put a few drops on a white washcloth after his equipment is dry and
ready to come inside. The wash cloth can go in the bottom of the bag and makes
a fresh scent when unzipped. As to cleaning up floors with those dirty black
rubber tire pellets: sweep and vacuum before they get trampled and carried all
over the house.
This is the type of rags I purchased to clean my home. I have also used them in my office in Newport Beach to clear dust off computers and desktops.
More
tips to come in following posts
Caroline Gerardo is a Mortgage Banker in Newport Beach
California
Caroline has been in the Home Loan business twenty four
years. NMLS # 324982Caroline ( also known as C. G. Barbeau ) published four novels, two poetry anthologies and her poetry and short fiction has been published in 40 magazines and major newspapers. http://mywjb.com/caroline-gerardo/
