What is your favorite mop?

So, we're talking about mopping floors today, and I'm curious:

What is your favorite mop? Do you like traditional string mops? Or, sponge mops? Or are you a convert to the Swiffer?

Please let me know by leaving a comment!

Cleaning Linoleum Floors - Just a Little Soap and Water

We've talked recently about making those gorgeous hardwood floors shine, but what about linoleum floors?

This is an easy cleaning task, and one which will be over quickly and leave you with a gorgeous clean kitchen floor you could eat off of...if you'd ever really want to eat off your floors. Which is a question only you can answer.

What you'll need to clean lino floors:

- Mop and bucket (or...a sponge mop and squirt bottle - see the Happy Slob-style cleaning variation below)
- Mild liquid dishwashing soap (I like natural varieties best, that use a vegetable castille soap as their base)

In a regular size bucket, pour in about 5 drops ONLY of good mild dishwashing soap. (The ironic thing about cleaning your floors - whether it's lino or carpet - is that too much soap will leave behind a dingy residue that actually attracts more dirt to your floors! That residue holds onto dirt like greedy little dirt sponges, and I know that's not what you want for your floors when you're trying to clean them!) Fill the bucket with tap water and swish your hand around a bit to incorporate the soap. Dunk in your mop, squeeze out well and clean those floors in no time!

Happy Slob-Style Cleaning Tip:
Forego the bucket altogether! Use a sponge-style mop, and just put one or two small drops of dishwashing liquid in a clean spray bottle and spray the floors and mop up after. You'll just need to rinse out the mop when you're done. Mopping the linoleum floors just got easier than ever! And we happy slobs just love it when that happens.

Freshen the Carpets WHILE You Vacuum

Want a nice fresh scent added to your carpet while vacuuming? Here are a few tips on how to achieve it...

• Add a fabric softener sheet the bag or cannister of your vacuum cleaner.
• Add a few drops of natural essential oil or even a spray of perfume to the vacuum cleaner bag or cannister! Yes, people might look at you funny if they see you spraying your vacuum with perfume, but just ignore them. They're probably judgmental types anyway.
• Sprinkle some baking soda liberally on the carpets before you vacuum, and then let the baking soda sit and do its natural odor removing work for about fifteen minutes or so. When you vacuum as usual you'll suck away dirt and muck - and a lot of nasty pet or smoke odors!

Maybe You Don't Need a New Vacuum - Tips to Care for your Vacuum Cleaner

Vacuum Cleaners - How to Care for Your Vacuum Cleaner - Repairs and Tips

Is that old sucker not cleaning like it once did? Maybe you don't need a new vacuum cleaner - maybe your vacuum just needs a little care, concern and attention! Here are a few handy tips to rejuvenate that old vacuum and get it working like new again...

1. Clean off the beater bars - Threads, hairs, pet fur and all sorts of interesting things can wind themselves around the beater bars at the bottom of your vacuum cleaner, meaning it doesn't work like it should. Ensuring that the vacuum is unplugged, use a skewer, scissors or oversized tweezers to loosen these threads and hairs and remove them. The beater bars are pretty self explanatory - they agitate the carpet fibers and remove it so the vacuum can suck up the dirt, so it's important that these are functioning.


2. To Bag or Not to Bag - If your vacuum is a bagged variety, then it needs to be replaced when full with a new, fresh and clean vacuum bag. If (like me) you prefer bagless vacuum cleaners, then just make sure you empty out the cannister before using the vacuum. A full cannister means your vacuum just can't suck in any more dirt!


3. Filtering It Out - Many modern vacuums come complete with some pretty amazing filters to filter out allergens and dust - a great thing for families who have allergies. But, for optimal effectiveness, you need to clean and/or replace these filters. Check your vacuum's instructions guide to see how often this needs to be done.

You can do other DIY repairs on vacuums if you find that your vaccum really isn't working properly, but you know what - I don't suggest it. If after doing these three steps you still find that the vacuum doesn't suck like it should (haha) then take it to a professional to see if it needs real repair work done.

Otherwise, these simple tips should make your vacuum work far better - maybe as good as new again!

More On Vacuuming Tips and Hints:

• Using baking soda while vacuuming to pick up more pet hair: http://happyslob.blogspot.com/2007/10/why-you-hairy-little-beast-you.html


• Using the vacuum to clean screen doors http://happyslob.blogspot.com/2006/09/cleaning-screen-doors-easy-solution.html


• Clean lampshades with the vacuum cleaner http://happyslob.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_archive.html


• Results on our mini-quiz: "How often do YOU vacuum?" http://happyslob.blogspot.com/2006/10/happy-slob-quiz-o-day-how-often-do-you.html