Borax For Carpet Cleaning - and More Borax Tips and Hints around the House

Happy Slob reader, Lourene, sent me in the following email after trying the carpet cleaning formula on our website.

"I USED YOUR ADVICE FOR THE CARPET CLEANING SOLUTION, BUT I DID ONE
EXTRA THING I USED 1 CUP OF BORAX. IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE WHAT CAME UP.
I WILL NEVER HAVE A CLEANING SERVICE COME IN ANYMORE. I WILL RENT A
RUG DOCTOR AND USE THE CLEANING SOLUTION I MADE. ONE MORE THING I DID
IS BOIL WATER IN A BIG POT TO HAVE THAT VERY HOT WATER,

THANK YOU FOR THE TIP."

Thanks Lourene! I'm a huge fan of Borax. Here are some more handy Borax cleaning tips I've posted or researched over the years.

Borax as a Natural Air Freshener
Borax Dishwasher Detergent Substitute
Borax to Remove Toilet Stains

And remember, Borax is pretty easy to find in the supermarket, Walmart or wherever you shop. Just look in the laundry department, and it should be there sitting amongst the boxes of detergent. And it's frugal, hurray! (You can also order Borax online if you can't find it locally, check out this link for 20 Mule Team Borax )

A Spa Favorite is a Surprising Cleaning Tool

The other day I was shopping at my favorite mega-pharmacy store (you know, with everything from OTC painkillers to home decor goodies) and I found something that really caught my attention. Spa exfoliating gloves. Hmm...

The point of these little gloves are to wear them and lather with body wash to do an all-over exfoliating treatment on (obviously) your skin. I wasn't exactly thinking of exfoliating ME with these gloves, but rather the shower and tub walls! These nubby gloves have an interesting texture, I figured, that would make doing your in-shower cleaning a breeze! (Remember...the easiest way to NEVER slave over tub and shower cleaning is to do a little cleaning every time you're in the shower. A scrub scrub here and there, and cleaning is done while your hair conditioner is silkening your tresses.)

And voila - it worked! These little babies, lathered up with a little body wash worked perfectly to clean the shower and tub surfaces, even getting right into the cracks and crevices of the grout lines with ease. I loved how easy it was to clean with these, and would suggest you guys all pick up a pair. They were $2.49 at the Shoppers Drug Mart I shopped at, and were located by all the loofah sponges, and shower body poufs - puffs?

Make cleaning your shower easier than ever with this spa-inspired tip!

Dusting Tips for Do-Little Dusting

Sometimes dusting just feels like a never-ending, ridiculous kind of chore. Why bother dusting at all? Since, isn't it just going to go and get dusty again anyway?

Well, if any of your family suffers from allergies or asthma, dusting is a necessity, since dust and the dust mites that feed on such dust can aggravate such health conditions considerably. It doesn't mean you have to go crazy, with white gloves in hand to check for perfect dustlessness on every surface...but, it does mean that dusting isn't about to go away. So, here are a few ways to make this task a little more palatable to the Happy Slob:

1. Less clutter = less dusting. It just makes sense. If you have fewer knick knacks and clutter on tabletops, countertops, bookshelves and storage units then it'll be faster and easier to dust. If you're a confirmed packrat, set a goal to get rid of 5 cluttery things a day until clutter is under control. (And, don't add to the problem by replacing those 5 cluttery things with new bits of junk you found at the thrift shop!)
2. Microfiber cloths make it easy - These amazing little creations make dusting a breeze. Invest in some decent ones that are meant to last, and you'll be using them for years without replacing. The Microfibre Cleaning Cloths really hold onto dust, instead of just spreading the dust around.
3. Dust and De-Static - Really not sure if destatic is a word, but using a fabric softener sheet (even one that's already been used once in the dryer) is an easier way to dust and reduce static on surfaces like TVs and computer monitors. This is a perfect cleaning task for Junior Happy Slobs, so delegate this one.

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Find more dusting to-do's and a lot more in Christina's book: "The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning." Go on, check it out...you know you want to. :)

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