Easy Way to Clean a Shower Curtain - Plastic or Cloth

You know I'm ALL ABOUT the easiest, fastest ways to clean that actually work. So, this Cleaning Shower Curtains Tip has got to be one of my all time favorites! :) It doesn't matter whether it's a plastic shower curtain or cloth - this easy, NATURAL way to clean is practically effortless AND your shower curtain will look as fresh and lovely as the day you bought it.

Try it and let me know how it works for you guys!
Christina

Why We Love NATURAL Cleaners

• 
  They're healthier for us and our famlies
• They're even healthier for our pets!
• They're easy to make
• They're inexpensive
• They're earth-friendly

Convinced? :) Making your own natural cleaners is NOT hard to do, and once you've tried it, you'll love it! Hop over to the Happy Slob's Housecleaning Recipes Page for info on how common household products like baking soda, vinegar, citrus oils and more can get your house clean - naturally!

For VINEGAR HATERS - a Milder Cleaning Option

I know that not ALL of you are as fond of vinegar as I am. I know too that the smell of regular old-fashioned white vinegar makes some of you positively SICK! So, a milder and still effective replacement is APPLE CIDER VINEGAR. :) Same effects, with a far milder and more pleasant odor.

Bathtub and Shower Cleaning Tips

We all have those certain areas we PARTICULARLY hate to clean - and the bath and shower is high on the list for many of us slobbos! :) here are some resources to help:

Some funny tips to help with bathtub cleaning (I like the last one the best!)




The Happy Slob's Drain Cleaning Tips and Techniques



Stainless Steel Shiner for the shiniest faucets and taps




Shower Stall Cleaning

The 11th Use for Old Newspapers

Vince, a fellow Happy Slob, sent in an 11th use for old newspapers. The other ten are at: 10 Uses for Old Newspapers

Now, here's Vince's suggestion:

Hi !
After reading ten tips on using newspapers, i have another on:
"Put a newspaper on the bottom of the trashcan, under the plastic
bag, to stay free of smells and soak up any liquid which always seems
to be there, stinking.
If you use a separate one for green trash without plastic bags,
putting a newspaper on the bottom means you don't have to wash out
the mould every time you empty it."

Dealing with Scary Mold Problems

The very THOUGHT of mold - such as black mold - can bring a jolt of terror into the hearts of homeowners. Not only is it damaging to your home, but some molds can be extremely toxic and damaging to your health.

If you'd like to learn more about dealing with mold removal, visit Mold Removal and News. :) Hey, knowing is half the battle won, right?

What exactly ARE cleaning bursts?

wWhat ARE Cleaning Bursts?

Cherie wrote me this great email:

Hello.
I got your e-book today. I like it! I'm excited about using the more natural cleaners. As a matter of fact, I already made one! I made the vinegar and water and put it into a spray bottle. I sprayed it on top of my stove and on my kitchen faucet. Wow! It works!

I just want a better understanding of something, please. Could you tell me more about the cleaning bursts? I am not sure that I understand. I understand about picking up clutter and even putting some in bags. But what else does the cleaning consist of? Thank you!

Thank you for the wonderful book!!



Thanks for the email Cherie!

Cleaning bursts are an ongoing quick burst of cleaning to keep your home tidier on a more regular basis. While I recommend 2 cleaning bursts a day (one in the morning, and one in the evening), some people have smaller homes that really only need 1 cleaning burst a day. (I, for instance, live in a 2 bedroom apartment - so 1 a day often is perfect for me.)

So...what exactly does a cleaning burst entail? I recommend, first of all, that you do cleaning bursts on the most used areas in your home. For instance, in mine it is: the kitchen, bathroom, living room - these are the most used and seen areas. So, I clean these areas first, knowing that having these areas tidy will be the best bang for the buck, so to speak.

Everyone's cleaning burst will be a little different, as we all live in different ways. Your goal is to tidy and clean -- but don't do cleaning bursts in your focus room for the day. For instance, if your bathroom is your daily focus room, then you don't need to ALSO clean it during your cleaning burst(s). Remember that cleaning bursts are the major way anyone following the Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning gets their cleaning done. So, it should also include wiping up surfaces, a bit of dusting, tidying up, etc.

And remember - the pace during cleaning bursts is fast -- you want to get the most accomplished in the minimum amount of time.

Hope this helps! :)
Take care,
Christina

A Reminder of the Very Vinegar Solution

Gaily wrote:

"hi--cant find the page on cleaning with vinegar--cant remember the
measurements of vinegar and water to clean the microwave--used it
before--works great--and LOVE your web site--thanx"

Hi Gaily,

:) No problem, I can give you a simple reminder right here on the blog! The Very Vinegar solution is an all-purpose cleaner that cleans just about AnYTHING! I use it on mirrors, surfaces, to clean my linoleum floors, to scrub the fridge, etc, etc.

The basic solution I use is about 1 part vinegar to 3 or 4 parts of plain tap water. That's it! It really couldn't be any easier. :) Just shake it up in a clean plastic spray bottle and you're ready for cleaning action.

A reminder to all of you: All of my cleaning recipes are on the Happy Slob site: Cleaning Recipes Extravaganza

One New Happy Slob Starts Her Cleaning Mission

I had to share this amazing, enthusiastic email from a brand new Happy Slob who just purchased her own copy of The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning. I plan to keep in touch with Anne, and see how she progresses! :) Her happy email certainly caught my attention, and made me smile.

"I just purchased your book through Paypal. I can hardly wait to read it, and believe it or not - get started! I even bought an apple green binder for it, and plan to keep track of my projects/progress with some dividers in there. Now how's that for planning?! ;-) It seems I'll finally be organized and motivated - all while saving my marriage - Ha! I have two small girls and plan to ttc #3 soon - so your book will be a real lifesaver! Thank you so much for writing this!!!"

Has the Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning changed YOUR life? Has it changed how you look at cleaning? If so, I want to hear from you, and include your experiences on the site, in this blog and in our newsletter! Please email me at christina @ happyslob.com with your experiences to share. :)

A Shower Stall Cleaning Tip from Elsie

zceGreased Lightning, a spray-on multi-purpose cleanser, is the only product that we know of that dissolves the gunk (probably soap scum and human skin oil) that accumulates on the floor of our fiberglass shower stall.

From Elsie, a Happy Slob

Slobbo Must Have: Method's Lavender Cleaning Wipes

I don't recommend many 'regular' cleaners, but this is an exception! Stock up on these amazing real lavender cleaning wipes from Method - a big box of 6 is a great deal at this price! You'll get a total of 180 wipes - enough to clean until your Happy Slob heart is content. :) (6, 30 wipe tubs)





And Method's Lavender All-Purpose Cleaner is wonderful if you want to use a regular cleaner, but can't be bothered getting the stuff to make it yourself! Again, a fabulouso bargain for 8 bottles of this stuff which will REALLY LAST...And I hate to be so shallow - but the bottles are ADORABLE too!

Cleaning (Electric) Stove Elements & Drip Trays

For the life of me I can't remember what I normally call this particular part of the stove! So I'm going with 'elements' and drip trays. :) Hopefully you slobbos know what I'm talking about, and yes, I'll go make the coffee soon and wake up...

Anyway, just posted a helpful new page on the website with tips on cleaning this part of the stove - the heating elements and the yucky, messy drip trays underneath. (Mine sure are! This is a cleaning chore I noticed I needed to do yesterday.)

The tricks & hints are over at:
http://www.happyslob.com/stoveelements.html

Enjoy! Let me know if these methods work for you...

Removing Tough Carpet Stains

Stain removal is a way of life for us Happy Slobs because we can be a LITTLE clumsy. :) And, of course when you add pets or Mini Slobbos (children) the carpet stain removal techniques come in to play a lot more often.

Here are a few tips for nasty carpet stains that drive us all CRAZY!

1. Ammonia is great at getting out some of the nastiest stains such as coffee, chocolate or even blood stains. BUT...remember that it is like bleach and can only be used on fibers that are manmade, such as nylon. To test - dab a little bit in an inconspicuous area to see if it bleaches the area. And, this obviously works best on carpets that are a lighter color to begin with.
2. Candle wax seems impossible to budge once it's gotten on the carpets! But, I have a trick to share with you. Use a piece of brown paper bag over top of the candle wax, and then press with a warm (not hot!) iron and the brown paper bag will absorb the wax and make your carpets look fresh again.
3. Ivory soap - is an amazing little carpet cleaner in bar form! Dab up as much of a fresh stain as you can (if the stain is, in fact, fresh) and then spray some cool water on the stain (never use hot water when removing carpet stains - it can actually make the stain set permanently.) Use an old moistened toothbrush that you've lathered up with the Ivory soap and gently work that stain away. To finish, spray with more cool water and dab up the stain with paper towels or clean towels.

And finally - that carpet of yours will really appreciate a good old steam cleaning once a year or so, twice if it's particularly soiled. The above tips are to clean spots and stains, not the carpets overall. :) You can use your own steam cleaner or hire a pro once a year, if you just can't be bothered.