The State of Your Handbag - It's Time to Clean out that Purse!

Yes, it's time again for one of our famous handbag hauls - as in, hauling out all of the inevitable junk that has accumulated in our purses! Dump the contents out and mercilessly chuck stuff away - just be sure to keep any required receipts for your files. (I've been known to get a little too enthusiastic and throw away a receipt I really should've kept!)

Okay, one, two three - dump! And then...declutter that purse until it looks brand new. Speaking of which, a little wipe down with some of our Very Vinegar spray on the outer surface (for synthetic surfaces) wouldn't go amiss either, since the germs that gather on the bottom of our handbags are some of the most plentiful.

Have a few extra minutes after that purse is shining and tidy? Then work on your wallets - a spot where receipts, coupons and snippings can seemingly procreate all on their own.

Stain Removal Tips, Cleaning the Coffeemaker, and Getting Started Again

No Hassle Housecleaning Newsletter

for November 24, 2010

Removing hassle from your housecleaning, a tip at a time...Glad to have you visiting. Don't be shy now - feel free to post a comment about anything you read here on the blog or my site at http://www.happyslob.com/.

Stain Removal 101

• Discover three simple ways to remove stubborn tea stains from your favorite cups and mugs: Removing Tea Stains from Mugs and Cups
• Another tricky stain to overcome is the dreaded lipstick stain! But you can handle it now...don't panic, whatever you do.

For Coffee Lovers

• Clean out that old coffeepot with these tips: Clean out the Coffeemaker. It'll make every cup taste fresher and more delicious, and that's what most of us want from a coffeemaker!

Oh Yes, it's Vinegar! Or...Do I Smell Pickles?

I could never deny my love of good old-fashioned white vinegar for cleaning around the home. It's cheap, it's effective and it smells like pickles! (Okay, maybe it's only me who sees that as a benefit...) Here are a few favorite ways to use this handy stuff around the home:

1. To clean out a gunky, piddly showerhead
2. To remove unpleasant odors from the air in your home (check out tip #4)
3. Plus, 6 more ways to use vinegar to clean around the home, including to freshen the dishwasher, freshen musty old bread boxes, and removing pet odors from carpets. See, I told you this stuff was amazing...

Handy Posts to Get You Started...Or RE-Started

Fallen a bit off track with your No-Hassle Housecleaning plan? No sweat! Here's a post to reinvigorate your best efforts all over again. Take a big breath and just do a little cleaning today, and a little tomorrow and you'll amaze yourself with the culmination of your just getting up and trying.

• The 3-Step Solution to Cleaning is at the very heart of No-Hassle Housecleaning, and it's also the best place to start today. Smile while you work, it won't hurt a bit.

Kitchen Cleaning Tips - Scrub Down Those Appliances, Too

The appliances we so love in our kitchens - yes, you lovely stainless kettle, I'm talking to you - can become grungy and dirty over time. So, next time you're doing a quick cleaning burst or are doing a focus room cleaning in the kitchen, take a few of those precious allotted minutes to scrub down the appliances in your kitchen!

This includes both large appliances - like stove, fridge and dishwasher - and also the small appliances you rely on day in and day out, such as that kettle I so love, the coffeemaker, toaster, etc.

I find that a good scrubby sponge really helps with this task. Baking soda can add a little cleaning muscle to a regular soapy water mixture that will clean simply, but effectively. And if you notice that you're running out of time (remember your timer, slobbos!), then just aim to clean one or two appliances each time you're cleaning in the kitchen anyway. Over time, the whole kitchen will look better for it!

More Cleaning With Cornstarch - Cleaning Windows Formula

See, cleaning with cornstarch isn't so crazy after all... Connie's mother has been using it to clean her windows with for years! Here's reader Connie's email, with the SECRET formula recipe:

"My mother's window cleaning (also mirrors etc) equal parts white vinegar, non-sudsy ammonia and water and add 1 or 2 tablespoons cornstarch."

I've also been doing some research into corn starch, and why it's such an incredible substance. For one thing, it's excellent for soaking up grease or oil spills. (Man, wish I'd known that about a week ago when I had a lovely HUGE bottle of olive oil fall down from a shelf and land in an oily puddle all across the kitchen floor. Ugh.)

And...corn starch is, obviously, a starch. So, if you (unlike most of us Happy Slobs) are an ironing fan, then corn starch is an excellent way to get a crisp, starchy finish to items like white shirts or cotton bed linens and sheets.

Start with about 1/2 tablespoon of corn starch in 1 cup of cold tap water. Add slowly to fully dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water. Use as you would any starch spray.

Who knew, right? Here we thought it was just a great gravy thickener - shows us.

Anyone have any other tips using cornstarch to clean? Post them in a comment or email them to me at christina@happyslob.com. Happy cleaning, all!

I Had an "Eek" Moment - Cleaning out the Fridge Reminder

So, we're going away to visit family on Friday, and I've been on a tear to get our apartment ship-shape before we go. (Or, you know, as ship-shape as can be, keeping in mind our No Hassle Housecleaning sensibilities.)

I'd been putting off one particularly nasty household chore. Cleaning out the fridge. Never a favorite chore of mine, especially when it's really overdue and the produce has had ample opportunity to morph into some other biological form. (THAT was my "eek" moment I described in the title...I'm pretty sure that black blob had been half an onion at some earlier point in its existence. I will not describe it any further except to say that it prompted me to say things like: "Ugh," "Blarech," "Repulsive!" and other murmured noises of disgust.)

Now It's YOUR Turn
Okay...grab that trusty timer and set it for about 10-15 minutes to allow ample time to remove everything, get rid of the morphed produce, and long forgotten Rubbermaid containers of leftovers, and spray the inside down with Very Vinegar cleaner. If there's hard to remove gunk on the bottom, use a generous sprinkling of plain baking soda and a scrubby sponge. It should wipe away with a little elbow grease. Wipe everything down, put back the good stuff into the fridge - and voila (hey look, more French!) - a gorgeous fridge that you actually want to open. Your family and friends will be amazed at your domestic abilities, my friends!

Have a few extra minutes to spend?
Okay then, you brave souls. Take those few extra moments and declutter the surface of the fridge. I end up with photos of friends and family, recipes, coupons all posted to the front of the fridge. Having a few mementoes is nice, but when you can't see the surface of the appliance any more, well, you know it's time for a quick and painless decluttering session. You can also give the outside of the refrigerator a good wipe down while you're at it. There! Look at all you've accomplished today.

No Hassle Housecleaning Book Signing - in Calgary, AB - Wednesday, Dec 23

Hey everyone,
Just wanted to let all of you know about my second book signing at the Compleat Cook in Willow Park Village in Calgary's South. The first book signing was a great success - thanks to everyone who came out to buy a book and have me sign it. Your feedback was wonderful, and I appreciate all of your kind words.

We decided to do a second book signing tomorrow, that is Wednesday, December 23, 2009 from 3 to 7 pm. Compleat Cook is located at 232 Willow Park Village 10816 Macleod Trail South in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. If you know of anyone in Calgary who'd like a copy, please let them know about this signing!

Come and get your own personal copy of No Hassle Housecleaning
tomorrow! (The book formerly known as the Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning.)
Thanks all,
Christina