Disgusting!

My backyard concrete that is. With the rain we got a few weeks back and the overgrown raspberry bush, my concrete looks terrible. It was black, green and orange from our wonderdul clay dirt in Nor Cal! I was dreading the hard brush with a bucket but I had no choice...until a friend said a power washer would clean it up. Whahhhh??? Really? Then he said I can borrow his. WHAAAAHHH???? REALLY???? lol I was so giddy you have no idea. I couldn't wait to attack my backyard!

This is some photos of the worst areas in my backyard. The first one is from my dead tomato plants that toppled over during our trip up north. With the rain and cold, it left a nasty imprint. soupir.

This one is from the dining room entry. Teeny tiny dried up dead worms that were stuck on the concrete and the wonderful green moss that wanted to pop in and say hello!

Courtesy of my raspberry bush leaves. Yeah. No words.

I started cleaning at 3:30pm and stopped just before 6pm. I had to since it was getting dark and I couldn't see much anymore. Rats! Plus that power washer is loud and I like to keep peace with my neighbors. lol Boy, can that baby clean! I know what I want for my birthday now. Some women like jewlery, parfum or shoes...I like powerful cleaning machines! hihihi

Here's what it looks like right now. The concrete is still wet but I can't wait to see how it'll look once it dry.  I have to say, it looks great even wet compared to what it looked before. Bah buy tiny worms!

A Bientot!

Done!

photo from Google.com

I have conquered the laundry!  Everyone's hampers were full to the brim but not anymore! I have spent the whole morning doing laundry. Now the hampers are empty and all the clothes are hung or folded. Feels good. Now off to get myself a cup of coffee and maybe a piece of chocolate. Mmm chocolate!

A Bientot!

Tip in the kitchen.

Who likes to cut onions or mince garlic? Yeah, I don't and probably some of you don't like it too. Apart from making your eyes tear up, it can also leave you with smelly hands.

I'm sure you have probably seen a steel bar that promises to get rid of the smell by rubbing it all over your hands. Well here's a tip that might save you some money and space in your kitchen. Rub your hands on your stainless steel sink or pots. It does the same thing than those metal bars. It's made from the same material so it will do the same job. Now I am not promising that your hands will be sweet smelling again but hey, why spend when you don't need too? Right?

A Bientot!

Tools of the trade.

Today's post is to show you that you do not need fancy gadgets to clean a home. I have a carry on that holds all my cleaning supplies. Just makes it easier to transport. What does it have inside? I'll tell you.

A glass cleaner (eco friendly if you please)
An all purpose cream cleaner
Disinfectant wipes
Stainless steel cleaner
Paper Towels/Rags
Sponge (one for kitchen and one for bathroom)
Magic Eraser
Pumice stone
Water stain cleaner
Toilet brush (scrubbing bubbles kind)
Old kids toothbrush (please dip them in bleach first before using them)
Q-Tips (cotton swabs)

Now maybe for some, the 2 last items may seem that they do not belong in there. Yet they do. Here are how I use those 2 items in my cleaning routine.

Toothbrush are great to clean around the sink/bathtub drain.Gets all the gunk out!
They are also great to clean around the bathtub where caulk meets tile.
Cleaning around your faucet and handles. You'll be amazed!
Now this is more for cars but you can clean your tire rims with toothbrushes. They are small enough to clean every nook and cranny.

Cotton swabs are also great to clean sink drains.
Great to clean out your window tracks.
Love your soap pump but hate the congealed soap scum in it? Just insert a cotton swab from the pump and clean it out. No more scum!
Have a highchair with a tray? Dip your cotton swab in a cleaner and get into those grooves! It'll take out carrots or peas puree easily!
For your car, cotton swabs are great to clean the AC vents.
They're great to clean your computer keyboard too.

These are how I use them but I'm sure they are other cleaning usages that I don't know off. Do you have a tool that is actually advertise for another purpose? Care to share? Now go and gather your old toothbrushes and get your sotton swabs! It's cleaning time!

A Bientot!

Tarnished silver

This Christmas year, none of my silver got tarnished but I remember when I had candlesticks completely tarnished. I thought it was good for the garbage but wondered if there was a product for just such a thing. I went to my local, small hardware store and saw Twinkle. Catchy phrase and it actually works!

Using this product is very simple. Just dampen the rounds sponge applicator, rub Twinkle all over the silver, rinse promptly in water than polish dry with a soft cloth. Voila! Now I bought this over 7 years ago and still have the original box! A little goes a long way! It's not that expensive too. It's between $3.50+ for the 4 3/8 oz box. And it doesn't burn your hands using it so no worries if you get some on yourself.

For those of you that love garage sales, this product is a must! People today don't try to even see if they can restore silver and just dump it or sell it at yard sales. I have bought a small compote/candy dish for $1 because it was tarnished. Now it's shiny and looks like new! I'll show you guys on a later post since I'm using it for a Christmas decoration.

So don't throw away your tarnished silver. Try this product first and see if it can take away that nasty tarnish! Maybe have it in your purse when you are garage saling. Do quick swipe on a item and you'll know if you should buy it! Just sayin'...

A Bientot!

Hello??? Can you hear me now?

Those who know me personally, know that I rarely use my cell phone. Heck! A few months ago, I texted for the first time! LOL I would prefer to have a "private" conversation at home and not at a store or school or anywhere else. Not a huge fan but for those of you that do, this tip might be good for you.

My friend, while doing the laundry, left her cell phone on her wash basket and preceded to dump the clothes in the washer. See where I'm going with this? In goes the cell! She fished it out but it was too late. Her Razor went caput. A few days later it worked but not perfectly. Later on, she emailed me saying she read a few years ago a "mommy mag" about something like that happening to you, to pry your cell phone apart, put it in a Rubbermaid or such container and drop those silica bags in it. (you know the ones that come with new purses, shoes, etc) Close the lid and wait a few days. The silica gels will absorb the moisture from the cell phone. Now, I have no idea if this works but since most people have cell phones and a few have very $$$$ phones, this would be good if it works.

By the way, my friend's friend (not moi since my phone is either at home or in my purse lol) dropped hers in a public toilet. All together now...EWWWW! She said it was clear but man, I must be a germaphobe because I would be trying to figure out if my cheapo phone was worth it. She did fished it out and said it worked days later. Ladies, put your cell phones in your purse..don't talk while doing your business. lol Anyway, you can thank my friend...hehehe, I know she is ready this so her name will be anonymous...maybe...we'll see...

CORRECTION: My friend emailed me this morning and said she read that tip a few days after the incident. Got my story mixed up. Sorry woman! Has your cell by the way?

A Bientot!

Olive oil is not only for cooking!

Ok, lets look inside our pantry today. Last week I mentioned that vinegar is a great deodorizer and disinfectant. Today, we are talking about olive oil. That beautiful golden liquid is not only tasty but can also polish your stainless steel appliances. So if you run out of commercial stainless steel products or you want to me more "earth friendly", you can still clean and polish your appliances with that magical oil. Use it sparingly and with a soft cloth to buff the oil over the appliance. Here are some other properties Olive Oil is good for besides cooking that I have used it for.

It's good to quiet squeaky hinges if you run out of WD-40.

Conditions your nail and cuticles. Warm the oil a bit though.

There's probably so many other good tips of using it but those are the ones that I know and have used. By looking at my nails, I think I need to go and soak them tonight. Go look in your pantry, there's probably so many things that doubles for other things than just cooking or baking.

A Bientot!

Vinegar

Are you trying to be more "green" with your lifestyle? I know I am and some of my friends are too. What some people may not know is that vinegar is a great product to include in your cleaning ritual. It's not only for salads anymore!

Did you know that vinegar is a great disinfectant? That's right. It makes your stainless steel shine! It's also a natural deodorizer. Here's how I use vinegar.

• Have a stainless steel pot that look awful inside? Just pour some hot water, some vinegar and soap. Let it sit for about 15-20 minutes. Rinse and your pot will shine like new!
• Your kids got sick and the sheets smell terrible? In your wash, add about 1/2 cup to one cup of vinegar with your wash. It'll take away any terrible smell. It's also a good water softener.
• If you have pets or especially baby pets, you know there's accidents bound to happen. Their urine can be strong so use some vinegar to eat away at the stain and smell. Use 1/3 of vinegar and 2/3 of warm water. Spray at the area after you have cleaned the area. Make sure to test it out so that it won't harm your carpet or fabric.

Now I have never tried these solutions but have heard others moms use it.

• Head Lice. *shiver* When it's head lice season, using 1/3 cup of vinegar and 2/3 of warm water will make close the shaft of the hair. Making it too slippery for the eggs to stick too.
• For cleaning walls. Good for smoker homes since their walls will get smoke on them.
• Whitening grout by using full strenght on it.

As you can see, vinegar is a great cleaning tool. You probably have some in your pantry so get to cleaning!

A Bientot!

Organization saves time.

Today I was decorating the front of my home for Halloween. It went smoothly and quickly since everything was in the same box in the garage. I didn't have to run all over the house for a certain decoration. It was all in the same box.

My organizing tip is to use those big plastic tubs and put all your holiday theme decorations in those bins. Mark the holiday in the front of them so that you won't have to guess which bin is for Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc. I also have a cabinet in my laundry room where I have inside decoration organized. One side is for Halloween while the other side is for Easter and Christmas. I usually keep the most delicate or memorable decoration inside the house instead of in the garage. Those are mostly for my outdoor decorations. Having a place for a specific thing will make your life easier and not waste time trying to figure out where things are around the house.

A Bientot!

Je m'excuse.

This has been a very busy week filled with work, kids, broken computer, fixed, then broken, then fixed again, painting, planning my son's birthday party, volunteering at my daughter's school, cooking and cleaning. I thought I would have some free time to figure out what cleaning tip or product I love to talk about but I didn't. No excuses and I still want to apologize for those of you that actually like my cleaning post. Sometimes the best layed out plans don't always happen. I should know. Happens more often than I would of liked of. Until the next cleaning post my friends!

A bientot!

Organizing earrings

You all have seen Leila, my earring organizer. I use her for earrings that have those backings. I don't like putting them in a drawer since they get moved around.

What to do with those other earrings that are looped though? My solution? A frame, some cardboard, nice fabric and tulle. Put them all together and you get this nifty earring holder.

You can make it as big or small. Hang it on the wall if you want or just use a stand for it. You can also substitute the tulle for cork board and you can just push your earrings in. I need to upgrade my frame to a larger one but for now, it'll suffice. Now I can see my earrings and not have to look for them in a jewlery box all mixed up with other earrings. Ahhh, the small pleasures organization gives me. Try it if you're tired of searching for the mate of a loose pair of earrings. You'll be happy and it looks cute too!

A bientot!

Method best in glass cleaner.

As you all know, I love shopping at Target. I go there once a week to get my cleaning supplies and household items. Now going through my favorite aisle in the store (cleaning products), I notice this little beauty: Method best in glass cleaner . Get it? Hmm, I open the cap and take a whiff. Ahhhhh! Got to have it! In my cart it went and on to the kitchen windows it went on.

The smell is divine! A nice light scent that makes you want to breath in deeply. Makes me feel relax. Nicely played Method! No ammonia smell or anything chemically to disrupt your cleaning. Just a refreshing scent of mint. Now for the important part. Did it clean well? Yes. Did it leave any streaks? No. Now I love my Windex but I think I'm going to say au revoir to Windex and bonjour to Method. On their website, they explain why it's blue in color. I guess everyone thinks of blue when they think of glass cleaners. Thanks Windex.

Now the bottle is cute and the smell is wonderful. It cost me about $3-4 for this bottle but it's not that much more expensive than Windex. The smell is great and you're helping your planet too. I say for an extra $1, why not? Trying to change your ways too? Try Method. They have different cleaners with wonderful scents. Do your small part for this world. Maybe it'll even make people love to clean. Well...maybe.

A bientot!

Command Strip Hook

In my new home, our laundry room has alot of cabinets but no tall cabinet. I had one at my first home and it held my broom, swiffer and other cleaning tools. What's a girl to do when you have a small laundry room but need tostore your broom, swiffer or any other long handle tool? Use a Command Strip Hook!

I LOVE these! I have them in almost every space in my home. They're great since they don't damage the wall/wood or ceramic. I have a satin nickel finish one in my guest bathroom door for towels or robes. One in my laundry room for my broom and swiffer. One on my front door to hold a wreath and two in my foyer closet to hold my canvas bags/purses. I probably have them somewhere else that I can't remember now. They come in different sizes and finish. These are especially great for rentals since you can stick them anywhere and remove them when you leave. You can buy the adhesive backing separately so no need to buy the hook again.

Here's how I use mine in my laundry room.

Now there's a twist with my broom since it won't lay flat against the door. Solution? Just use a pretty ribbon to attach the broom to the hook!

Voila! Now it lays flat against the door. Out of sight! I don't have a problem with my swiffer since it has a bigger loop so it lays flat.

You can buy them in any store and depending which style, size or finish, they may cost you around $2.5-$10. Try one and I'll bet you'll get hooked! Ok, ok. Really lame pun but you know I had to throw that in!

A bientot!

Lysol Disinfecting Wipes

I have been using these since they first came out a few years back. They're very convenient and they smell ok too. They come in 2 scents : Citrus scent and Spring Waterfall® scent. The containers comes in 3 sizes : 35 count, 80 count, and 110 count. Each wipe comes out easily except the last 2 or 3. They all get bunched up and you have to open the container and separate them by hand. They're usually left over solution too. I just just a paper towel (1 sheet) and put it inside. Why have it go to waste? You know?

Here are four descriptions (that I got from Lysol.com) that are the reasons I use these.

A strong wipe for your challenging messes.
Kills 99.9% of germs*
Tough on messes
For use in the kitchen and bathroom
Strong wipe

*when used as directed

You see asterisk? See, before I read some article about disinfecting wipes, they were my all time favorite. Now, I like them but I'm more careful as how to use them. Here's why. They are only good for one swipe! That's it! Use the same sheet and now you are spreading the germs all over the item you think you are disinfecting. I know! "Then that means I have to use 2-4 sheets to clean the kitchen countertop" you say? Yup! I read about this from Blissfully Domestic Living. You should check it out so that you know how to use them properly.

In the end, I do use them. I'm just more careful in how to use them. The smaller container can cost between $2.50-5. You can find these at your local discount store, grocery store and hardware store. In the end, they're great for cleaning germy places but remember, one sheet doesn't clean the whole surface. Have fun cleaning!

A bientot!

Clorox Bath Wand

Do you hate cleaning the bathtub? Or the shower? It might surprise others that I don't like scrubbing a bathtub either. I need to bend over and try to clean the sides of the tub without falling in and that's not as easy as it sounds when your tub is really high. Enters the Clorox Bath Wand.

This gadget is pretty good. It's a plastic "wand" where you attach a clorox pad to it. The pad comes with a built-in cleaner that activates once you wet it. Once it's wet, it's ready for some cleaning. It suds pretty well and I don't have to bed as much, It really cleans the sides in no time too! I also use it on the shower walls, tiles and glass. It does not scratch the glass so you can use it there. The smell of the product is actually nice. Does not smell like bleach but it has a light "clean" smell. Once done with your cleaning, you just toss the used pad in the trash. In the end you get a sparkling tub and shower, with less cleaning effort from you. Makes cleaning a snap! You can find these are your grocery stores and discount stores. I get mine at Target.**cue thinking mode** You know, I'm putting Target out there with my blog. Target, how about some sending moi some kind of thank you letter since I shop there pretty often plus I kinda advertise you here. Ok, back to serious cleaning business! ***end thinking mode***

The wand itself is not too expensive and the refills are about $3-5$. They come with 5 pads in a box. One pad can clean a tub and shower easily.

Save your back and try this product. Not only will your tub be squeaky clean but it'll cut your cleaning time in half. Then you'll have more time doing what you like to do...such as reading my blog.

Happy Cleaning!

Bar Keepers Friend and Weiman

I wanted to add 2 more products for Sunday but I never had the time. Here are my favorite stainless steel cleaning products. I have been using Weiman Stainless Steel wipes with their microfiber cloth for over a year. The Bar Keepers Friend has been in my home for about a year too. I always have these on hand since I have stainless everything. Lets begin.

Weiman makes different kind of wipes. Some for granite, leather and stainless steel. I have tried other stainless steel wipes but they won't compare. Although I haven't tried Method. Maybe next time. The Stainless Steel wipes are great for cleaning your fridge, microwave, oven, sink, etc. I use their microfiber cloth to buff the product but any soft cloth will do also. I like that it doesn't leave any streaks IF you buff small areas at a time. Makes my appliances look pretty and shiny!

Bar Keepers Friend is a powder cleaner. It does not scratch unless you are using a scrubbing sponge. Don't! That MIGHT scratch any metal item. If you don't want your shiny pots or appliance to have scratches, use a damp cloth to be on the safe side. Just rub it in, rinse and dry. Great also for cleaning out burn on food on electrical burners stove. You can then use a sponge/scrubber to get the food out.

Toss those old wire scrubbing pads and try these two products. Let me know how it turned out for you and if you like or dislike them. Now get to cleaning ladies (and men)!

A bientot!

Clorox Bleach Pen

You know, if this product existed in my mom's time, she would be in love with it. My mom loves bleach and cleans most everything with it. I like it. Not love although Clorox Bleach Pen made me like bleach a bit more. So mom, this is for you!

I got these when they first came out a few years ago. I had a little baby girl and we know how often we change baby clothing. This is the perfect thing when you have a stain where you cannot soak the clothing in bleach or you'll ruin that pretty dress or shirt. Great for those polka dots or striped clothing where you think it's ruined.

The applicator has two ends. One fine like a pen and another bigger with a brush. I use the pen side when I only need to make a dot on a stain whereas the bigger brush is used when the stain is bigger.

Now this little gem is not only use for clothing. Oh no, mon amie! It's also great to take out stained from white grout and even porcelain sinks! When I had white tiles with white grout, after a few weeks, my grout looked terrible. I would just spread the bleach gel on the grout, let it sit for about an hour and rinse it with a wet cloth. Voila! White grout again! Take out rust stains on the porcelain sinks too.

You can get those at any grocery stores, discount stores like Target or hardware stores. They cost about $2.50-$5. They come in one pack or dual pack. Guess which one I buy most often?

Have a piece of clothing just sitting at the bottom of your hamper because you think it's ruined? Get it out and use this pen. It's cheaper to buy this pen than a new clothing item. Have a nasty rust stain in your white sink? Get the pen and fall in love with your sink again. Wait? Oh, that's just me? Oh, ok. Just be happy it's white again then. Happy whitening everybody!

A bientot!

Method the daily granite

I know I have been bad in regards to my once a week cleaning/tips. Forgive me. I will make it up once I get a hang in juggling everyday life with blogging.

For those of you with granite countertops, you know that you are not supposed to use certain products on it. It could etch the top or even strip away the sealer on it. Now I have used Windex on my countertops from my fisrt home for almost 3 years and nothing happened. Lucky break? I do not know. This year I happened to see Method the daily granite in my weekly run to Target. Hmmm I guess I could try this one instead of buying that $10 bottle from the tile place. And here's my review on it.

The bottle or container looks nice. The granite line also has a microfiber cloth for just over $4. The smell of the product is very nice too. Not chemically. Both the bottle version and the pre-moistened wipes work great. The finish is nice and shiny. It's also gentle on the hands and it's more earth friendly than those other brands. I've been purchasing this products since I installed my countertops and it's been great. You should try this product before the really expensive ones. You can find Method in Target and certain grocery stores. The price is about $3.50-$5 depending where you buy it.

Here's a tip that I know some tile guys will faint from hearing this. For making your granite really slick and smooth, I use Pledge. Yup! Good old non scented pledge. Buff it after cleaning your countertops and it'll feel as smooth as a baby's bottom! Now some would say that you shouldn't eat then from the countertop. My response? Who eats directly on it anyway? Plate anyone? Or cut meat on it? Cutting board! If you want to dull your knives, by all means cut your meat on top of the granite. Just hope you have a lot of money to spend on new knives.

That's my product review for this week. Next week we will be talking stainless steel since it seems to be "in" now.


A bientot!

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

If you have kids, you definitely will need this product. Mr.Clean Magic Eraser works like...an eraser! It erases stubborn marks on the walls, furniture, floor, etc. It can sometimes take out some light rust stains on bathtubs. Now these erases comes in different forms. Some have a solution that foams when introduce to water. These are ok for sinks and tubs but are not my favorite. Some have a scrubber too but I like the original version. Plain ol' white one. How to they work? You rinse them in water, squeeze the excess water and start erasing the problem. They shrink as you wet and squeeze them. Here are what I use it for.

• Removing skid marks on floors (tile, wood, linoleum,etc)
• Removing pen,crayons and markers from walls, laminated furniture and floors.
• Make sinks and tubs brighter by finishing my cleaning with them.
• Cleaning toys that have been marked by markers or pens.

Have a doll's plastic face/body that has been marred by pens or makers? Or are old and dingy? Use the eraser and it'll be like new again..or until your child will draw on the doll again. Or you may have walls that have marks by furniture or even white doors that are not "white" anymore. It will make them like new and you may not have to paint to get it nice again. This is one of my favorite cleaning tools. You can get them at grocery stores, hardware stores and discount stores. They are about $2.50-5 depending the size and the store. Now go get one and report to me what you have done with it. Still here????GO!

A bientot!

Pumice stone

Not the one for your feet but for cleaning surfaces. This thing RAWKS! It takes out stains from sinks, ceramic tiles and that nasty toilet ring! It's a mild abrasive stone that can get rid of stains, mineral deposits and rust! When your cleaners won't work, try this stone! It needs to be wet or will scratch the surface. For those that have hard water, this is a must! Here are some examples I use it for.

• Remove ring around toilet
• Remove mineral deposit on shower floor tile
• Remove mineral deposit from sink's drain hole (I'm sure it's called something else)
• Remove hard water stains from sink's surface
• and much more that I haven't personally use it for

You can buy this at your local hardware store, grocery store and discount stores too. It's in the cleaning aisle and can cost between $2-$4 each. I usually cut mine in half so that one part is for toilets and the other for sinks and other surfaces. The germaphobe in me wouldn't be using the same stone for the sink and toilet. *shudder* I gave one this week to a friend of mine and she was sooo happy with the results. If I can help one person in getting rid of stains, I have done my job in this world *cue the singing angels and halo on my head* Have fun cleaning!