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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5 Ways to Clean Your Home with Lemons

My husband is home sick, so he's been drinking mug after mug of hot lemon concoctions. (And FYI: no swine flu here, I swear.) Lemon with ginger, lemon with mint, lemon and more lemon. So, we've been going through more lemons than usual.

And that reminded me just how incredibly useful this common little citrus fruit really is. I wanted to share with you guys 5 ways to use lemons (and sometimes you can interchange oranges or limes) to clean around your home. Naturally, and with an oh-so-fresh aroma.

1. Scour it. Dip a halved lemon into regular table salt and use in kitchen sinks, and along countertops as a natural scouring agent. Just wipe the residue away with a moistened sponge. Especially nice in the kitchen as it leaves that real lemony essence lingering behind.
2. De-Stink It. Natural lemon juice helps de-stink (okay, freshen) your hands and any other surfaces that fish came into contact with. And leave a wedge to serve with the fish, too please!
3. Bleach It. Lemons are nature's own little bleach machines. Add some fresh lemon juice to white laundry to replace bleach OR make a thick paste of lemon juice and baking soda to scrub stained dishes or plastic storage containers. That powerhouse team of baking soda and lemon juice will also leave those containers smelling sweet and fresh.
4. Shine It. Add a little lemon juice to any of the natural glass cleaning recipes in my book to get lemony fresh cleaners, minus all the chemicals and additives in commercial varieties. You could even add some to club soda, one of my favorite shiny surface cleaners!
5. Wash It. This is a cool tip I just found out about, and plan to try later on tonight. Pop a half lemon right into the dishwasher to get sparklier, more delicious smelling dishes. I might try just filling the regular detergent with baking soda, and then throwing in half a lemon and see what happens. However, I almost feel sorry for what the poor lemon will endure...

So, pop over to the supermarket and pick up a lemons. It's more than an aromatic addition to your iced tea - it's a cleaning mighty mouse!