I've Found It! The Perfect Cleaning Kit Container

Now, your cleaning kit container can be made out of just about anything. I use a great big old red bucket - it's sort of a rectangular thing, and it has a sturdy handle and I can fit all of my fave cleaning supplies in there, no sweat. (Well, when I start cleaning I might sweat...but no need for details, right?)

But, I've often searched for a cleaning kit container to recommend to other slobbos - one that I felt was JUST RIGHT. My search thus far has been rather unimpressive, and I've never found anything that inspired a great big, bad burst of cleaning. Until now!!!






This lovely creation was something I set eyes on a few weeks ago at the kitchen shop where I work, and I was instantly smitten. THIS Oxo Good Grips cleaning caddy would be the perfect recommendation for slobbos everywhere who were in need of a good cleaning kit caddy! Sadly, we quickly sold out (before I had the sense to buy one for myself!) - but you can get yours for only $7.99 via Amazon. An amazing bargain!

There are a variety of compartments to hold cleaning formulas, spray bottles, cloths and paper towels, a duster, and so on. It is a beautifully sturdy creation, so it will stand up to years of rough and tumble treatment during your cleaning bursts. I'm a big fan of Oxo Good Grips products, and this one takes the cake (or shall we say, takes the broom?) I hope a few of you will get one for yourself, and make good use of this beautiful cleaning caddy. Enjoy it!

P.S. The little photo in the ad does this caddy no justice at all! Click on the ad to see more pictures...

Sunday Morning - Got my Coffee - and a Tip for You Happy Slob Housecleaners

Hey all!

It's Sunday, and my coffee is just finishing perking...(hold on one moment, while I go grab a lovely fresh cup!)

There, that caffeine boost will likely help with inspiration for this post...I had a simple cleaning tip to share with you - and by TIP, I do mean a pointy wooden tip. Confused yet? Today's tip involves wooden skewers!

I've found that this inexpensive little kitchen must have (check out the other kitchen MUST HAVES that I swear by ) is a handy, efficient little cleaning tool. The other day I used one when cleaning up the kitchen sink, using that pointed tip to dig up all the disgusting grunge all around the edge of the sink. Let me tell you, it wasn't pretty what I managed to get out of the edge of the sink, but wow did the sink look great after! (Easy sink cleaning formula: scrub out the inside with baking soda and a wet cloth, rinse well; spray down with our Very Vinegar spray and wipe out with a paper towel. Occasionally do the skewer trick along the edges to get out all the dirt and grime that get stuck in those hard to reach areas.)

Wooden skewers are also handy for:

• unclogging drains (especially if you have long hair like I do)
• Cleaning edges of the stove
• Cleaning edges and hard to reach little areas of almost any appliance in the kitchen!
• Cleaning along edges of taps and faucets - it works really well

So that's my tippy/pointy tip for today! Stock up on a few packs of simple wooden skewers and keep them in your gorgeous cleaning kit. And, they only cost about a buck or two for a pack of 100, so they're inexpensive additions! Yay - we all love a good cleaning bargain.

If you have another use for wooden skewers, post a comment and tell us all about it!

Laundry Tips and Hints from Readers

None of us exactly feel THRILLED to look at the ever growing piles of laundry in our laundry baskets. So, the best way to get the job done is to - well - DO IT already! Here are some fantastic fresh laundry hints from readers, and of course I just posted some of my favorite laundry hints at http://www.happyslob.com/laundry.html which should also inspire you.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to send in some laundry tips!

Keep up...so you don't have to catch up!
from Lisa:
"The best thing to do with laundry to keep it flowing is keep it going! If you work outside your home, as I do, put a load in the washer in the morning as you're getting ready. When/if it's done before you leave, throw it in the dryer. When you get home, throw another load in the washer and fold the other at the dryer. If you keep it moving, you'll never get behind. It's always easier to keep up than catch up!"

Another Laundry/Vinegar Fan
from April in Texas:
"My favorite fabric softner is white vinegar! It is cheap, enviromentally friendly, and helps those colors stay bright."

Got Spots?
from "C":
"f your laundry is getting spots, cloudy marks, switch your powdered detergent to liquid."

Detergent Recommendation
from Robyn:
"For front loaders......... Have them buy Affresh!! Works great. Sell it at any Home Depot!"

Do Towels Last...and an overall cleaning motto that I love!
from Lisa:
"I like to wash towels last, at the end of the day.
Then when I am tired of doing laundry, I can just let them sit in the dryer until morning(or afternoon) and not worry about wrinkles because I have hopefully done the clothes that wrinkle earlier in the day.
My motto-do the hardest, crummiest jobs first and get them out of the way, then coast through the rest feeling
great accomplishment."

Amount of Detergent to Use
from Sandy:
"I read somewhere that you do not use more soap to clean better or more soap to more clothes, but you simply use the amount of detergent according to the water level you have chosen.

If you have not used this already, it has been useful information to me, as I have always thought you should put more detergent for extra dirty clothes. Too much detergent will cause your clothes to wear out faster and also if you see a lot of lint in the dryer, that is a sign that you are using too much soap. (I may have got this from you happyslob) THank you!!"

No, thank YOU Sandy! And all of you for these great tips!
Christina