I Love This, but HATE That...How about you?

Admit it...there are certain tasks around the home that you've never really minded doing. In fact, if you're totally honest there are certain cleaning tasks that make you feel pretty darn contented, maybe even while you're completing them. (All of us like cleaning tasks more once they're done, obviously.)

For me, I really don't mind cleaning dishes. Yes, I do have a dishwasher, and yes I do use it regularly. But I don't even mind scrubbing pots and pans. There's something almost soothing about scraping along that scrubby sponge, letting my hands soak in the warm sudsy water.

What do I hate? I really don't like mopping the floor. Maybe it's because we have sort of ugly floors that are stubborn and nasty to clean. (I think that may very well be the truest reason.) Or maybe it's because the idea of dripping water on my socks is just SO unappealing. (I'm grasping for anything here now, folks.) Or, maybe I just don't like washing the floor, full stop.

The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning even addresses how to minimize the time spent on tasks that we really don't like. Honestly. And, timer cleaning helps keep your cleaning focused and prioritized so that you get stuff done. Even if you don't like it a bit.

Fess up...what is the one task you LOVE to do? And what is the one that you hate more than any other? Leave a comment, thanks!

An Update on my Original Happy Slob Dream

-- An Update on my Original Happy Slob Book Dream --

For those of you who have been visiting my website, reading my newsletter & visiting this blog since the beginning of my online journey - you'll remember that my original goal and dream of creating this blog & site was to get my book published. I wanted to get my book published, and when agents were interested, and yet not willing to take me (and my little book) on, I decided to switch things up and prove a point. Not out of anger, but just out a desire to show that my book COULD sell.

So far I've sold over 300 copies of The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning - electronic version. I've had some wonderful responses from people as varied as social workers (who rely on the tips in the book to provide guidance to some of their cases) to arthritis sufferers who thanked me for coming up with simplified solutions to tackle daily cleaning chores that they felt were beyond them. They're not!

Without giving too much away...there's an interesting development brewing with the book right now. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but let me tell you this much - it DOES give me a boost of motivation and inspiration! It certainly has made my Happy Slob skies far bluer! It's reminded me that this book is a good one, and if it helps even a few people - then I'm happy.

To all of you who read this blog regularly, and who have applied my simple house cleaning techniques, I thank you. I hope you'll continue to visit and continue to clean - in our simplified, happy slob way. And I promise to keep you updated on the interesting developments, too!

Thanks to all,
Christina

An Oldie but Goodie - Cleaning the Microwave with Steam Power

On the topic of steam cleaning...one of the most beneficial (and easiest!) ways to use steam to clean is in your microwave oven! It's sort of a natural little steam cleaner in and of itself.

All you need is a microwave-safe cup. (I really love using a Pyrex measuring cup for this. It works perfectly for me...and it's easy to pour from. More about pouring later!) Fill it up with some tap water, and a sprinkle of baking soda. For a freshening touch, I like to add a touch of fresh lemon juice - even a wedge of fresh lemon will do the trick very nicely indeed.

Anyhooo...pop the mix into the microwave and set it until the water comes to a nice rolling boil - it takes about 5 minutes in my microwave. The TRICK is -- let it sit and stew in all of that glorious, gunk-fighting steam for as long as possible! I like leaving it for at least 15 or 20 minutes, possibly longer if I have time.

When you do open the microwave door, you can pour a tiny bit of the heated water right out onto the bottom for a bit of extra scrubbing power. (I like to, but you don't need to...the steam is often all you need!) Just a regular sponge will easily wipe away all the loosened grunge and gunk and your microwave will look STUNNING! And the lemon and baking soda combo make it smell fresh and lovely, too.

Enjoy, slobbos!

Sunday Morning - Got my Coffee - and a Tip for You Happy Slob Housecleaners

Hey all!

It's Sunday, and my coffee is just finishing perking...(hold on one moment, while I go grab a lovely fresh cup!)

There, that caffeine boost will likely help with inspiration for this post...I had a simple cleaning tip to share with you - and by TIP, I do mean a pointy wooden tip. Confused yet? Today's tip involves wooden skewers!

I've found that this inexpensive little kitchen must have (check out the other kitchen MUST HAVES that I swear by ) is a handy, efficient little cleaning tool. The other day I used one when cleaning up the kitchen sink, using that pointed tip to dig up all the disgusting grunge all around the edge of the sink. Let me tell you, it wasn't pretty what I managed to get out of the edge of the sink, but wow did the sink look great after! (Easy sink cleaning formula: scrub out the inside with baking soda and a wet cloth, rinse well; spray down with our Very Vinegar spray and wipe out with a paper towel. Occasionally do the skewer trick along the edges to get out all the dirt and grime that get stuck in those hard to reach areas.)

Wooden skewers are also handy for:

• unclogging drains (especially if you have long hair like I do)
• Cleaning edges of the stove
• Cleaning edges and hard to reach little areas of almost any appliance in the kitchen!
• Cleaning along edges of taps and faucets - it works really well

So that's my tippy/pointy tip for today! Stock up on a few packs of simple wooden skewers and keep them in your gorgeous cleaning kit. And, they only cost about a buck or two for a pack of 100, so they're inexpensive additions! Yay - we all love a good cleaning bargain.

If you have another use for wooden skewers, post a comment and tell us all about it!

Why You Hairy Little Beast, You! Or...Removing Pet Hair from Furniture, Floors and Yourself

Most of you know that I have two cats: one who's mild and sweet, although slightly skittish. (She's part calico, and apparently that's their nature.) The other who's neurotic and outspoken, yet with a real knack for sensing people's emotions. (She puts her paw on my chin comfortingly whenever I feel sad! It quite makes up for her less appealing qualities.)

But, personalities aside, these two share one thing in common - they shed like little beasties. If you have pets too, you'll understand all too well the dilemma of dealing with cat (or dog or rabbit) fur all around your home, your furniture, the floors and even yourself!

Here are a few handy tips to help. And as always, if you have a tried and true pet hair removal tip to share, then please send it on in to me, or just post your ideas here! And remember -- combing or brushing your pet's fur on a regular basis really WILL help with the whole shedding problem.

Getting Pet Hair off Furniture

• Lint brushes can help - try rolling one on the furniture to pick up loose pet hair.
• Grab that roll of packing tape (or duct tape also works). Roll a loop of it snugly around your fingers, and use to pick up hair wherever you see it.
• A rubber glove that's been slightly moistened will pick up extra fur -- off of the furniture and your own clothing!
• Some vaccuum cleaners (like Dyson) are particularly good at getting pet hair off of the furniture. I still haven't tried a Dyson myself, but I'd love to! If you have a Dyson - email me and let me know if it helps with pet hair.

Getting Pet Hair off the Floor

• Again, a decent vaccuum cleaner helps. Clean out your vaccuum cleaner regularly to keep it working to its maximum potential.
• A trick to freshen up the carpet AND grab a bit more of the pet hair off the floor while you vacuum - sprinkle some plain baking soda around the floors and let it sit for about twenty minutes or so. Then get to work vacuuming - you'll pick up more hair AND the baking soda will neutralize any pet odors left lingering in the floor.
• Try attaching double-sided tape to a sponge-type floor mop, and use this to 'mop' the carpets clean of pet hair!
• Get rid of the regular old-fashioned broom on even hard floors - a vacuum with a hard floor attachment is WAY more effective at cleaning than any broom I've found.

Getting Pet Hair off of Your Clothes

• Lint brushes can help - try a few types to find the one that works best for you.
• Again - rolls of packing tape make useful de-furrers on your clothes!
• The same moistened rubber glove (just the yellow types that you use to do the dishes) that helped you get the pet fur off the sofa will also remove fur from your favorite jacket. The water helps to ball the fur up, so it's easy to just pluck off and remove.

Hope these tips help, pet lovers!

Exciting News...HappySlob.com is going to be in Woman's Day!

Make sure to pick up the November 1st issue of Woman's Day magazine, ya'll. (Ooh, when did I turn Southern? Must be the excitement affecting my accent!) In a marvelous little article by Pamela Kramer, you'll find some fun and helpful tips from yours truly! Let me know what you think of the article -- and big thanks again to Pamela for including me in the magazine.

And if YOU found the http://www.happyslob.com/ site and this blog thanks to the magazine...well, a big warm welcome to you! I try very hard to keep housecleaning a fun adventure, rather than a boring domestic chore. Feel free to post comments and let me know what you think!

A Dose of Cleaning Cheerfulness to Brighten Today's Chores

Here's a wonderful email from Debra that I just received. It brightened my day, and I wanted to share it with all of you!

Hey,

I just love love love your site still,always something new and learn soo much. Just want to thank you for your time.
Happy Dance when I'm cleaning......Have a very cleanful day,
Debra

Awww, shucks, thanks Debra! Glad to know you're still having fun while you're doing your cleaning. See everyone - cleaning doesn't HAVE to be miserable. Turn on your favorite tunes, and get to it - a few minutes for a cleaning burst might even BRIGHTEN a gloomy mood. Give it a try! It's obviously working for Debra...

Easy Baking Soda Tip to Remove Laundry Stains

It doesn't get much easier to remove stubborn laundry stains than this. Simply pour a bit of baking soda (soda of bicarbonate to those of you Happy Slobs from around the world) into a small bowl. I have lots of handy little pinch bowls for just this purpose. Add just enough tap water to create a thick paste.

Here's the cool bit -- use an old toothbrush or small scrub brush to work the baking soda paste into laundry stains. Let sit for a while, and then launder as usual - a great, natural laundry stain remover!

P.S. If the garment is white - then try using fresh lemon juice with the baking soda to create a super fizzy, super tough stain fighter! I have a feeling the lemon juice might create a bleaching effect, so don't try this on colorful fabrics.

5 Surprising Cleaning Products from Your Pantry (and Medicine Cabinet)

5 Surprising Cleaning Products from Your Pantry
By Christina Spence
Please note: Feel free to re-print this article on your own site or blog...but please ensure that the credits listed at the bottom are included. Thanks, and enjoy my latest article!

Fabulous cleaning products don’t need to cost a fortune or be wrapped up in fancy packages to do a great job of cleaning your home. In fact, some of the most effective cleaners are likely hiding in your pantry, just waiting for you to give them a try. Here are five cleaning products that you can use everyday, that are already sitting in your pantry or medicine cabinet.

Baking Soda – I’m known as a bit of a baking soda nut! Why? This powerful little box may not look impressive, but it contains a serious multitasking cleaner. Use it as a powder cleanser, to neutralize odors naturally, and even to wash floors and walls.

Vinegar – This is the other top cleaning powerhouse that every home needs. I tend to buy MASSIVE jugs of this stuff, because I use it like a madwoman. Vinegar is a natural acid, meaning that it does a lot of the tougher cleaning jobs around your home – but at a fraction of the cost of commercial cleaners. Plus, it’s friendlier for you, your family AND the environment. Use it in natural cleaning formulas, to clean out the coffeemaker, to remove hard water stains, and much more. For dozens of way to use this amazing stuff, visit http://www.kitchencraftsnmore.net/vinegar.html

Club soda – This is a surprisingly good glass and mirror cleaner! Either fresh or old unfizzy stuff will work fine. Just pour this into a clean spray bottle and use as you would any glass cleaner. Use a lint-free cloth or paper towel to give stainless steel surfaces a shine with this too.

Shaving cream – Surprise! Shaving cream is a surprisingly effective carpet and clothing stain remover. Just squeeze some out onto the stain (moisten first with a bit of cool water – never warm water, as that will set the stain) and use a scrubber brush to get it down deep into the fibers. Rinse and continue until stain is removed.

Lemon juice – Lemon juice (or other citrus juices such as orange juice) works great as a degreasing agent. Plus, it’s also a pretty darn wonderful disinfectant and stain remover. Dip a cut lemon into some baking soda or salt and use as the best smelling scrubber around – awesome for sinks and tubs. Or, make a paste of table salt and lemon juice and use as a pre treatment for tough laundry stains.

Christina is the Original Happy Slob – the author of: "The Happy Slob’s Guide to Housecleaning." If you hate to clean, drop by http://www.happyslob.com/ today to learn how thousands of slobs around the world are learning fast and easy (and laid back) tips to make cleaning less of a bore, and less of a chore! (And…the Daily Blog is at: http://happyslob.blogspot.com/)

Crazy Cleaning Experiment of the Day: Using Lemon Kool Aid to Clean

I've heard some pretty funny cleaning rumors in my time - but none beats this one: That you can use Kool Aid drink mix to clean!

In a new Happy Slob series of cleaning experiments, I'll be trying out some quirky cleaning myths to see if there's really any truth to them. The Lemon Kool Aid is the first that I'll be trying...keep posted to see what I find out about this crazy cleaning idea!

P.S. Have you already tried this? Then let me know how it worked for you! I plan on using the Kool Aid to clean the toilet AND to clean out the dishwasher. Stay tuned for the results! If you want to give it a go too, then just remember to use UNsweetened Lemon Kool Aid only, or else it'll apparently tint the inside of your toilet and/or dishwasher a most unnatural shade of pink, green, or whatever you happen to use...

Cornstarch Cleaning Tip from a Happy Slob Reader - Free Cleaning Tips

Before I go ahead and answer the question that Marlene sent in, I thought I'd give her credit for a great cleaning tip she sent to me:

She recommended using a cornstarch and water paste for cleaning glasstop ranges (stoves). :) She also has a question about cleaning stainless steel appliances, which I'm going to answer in the next post. For now, if you have a glasstop stove, give her suggestion a try! It's a very Happy-Slob kind of idea...

P.S. If you DO try this idea, please post a comment below to let us all know how it worked out.

Can you say OUCH? Hint: It's about Teeth...

One more thing. :) I'll be out of commission for the next couple of days, as tomorrow I'm going in to the dentist for a - gasp! - root canal!

Happily, however, I'm also trying out sedation dentistry for the first time. Apparently I'll be given a powerful little pill that will make me all dopey and unaware of things. :) I rather like that idea! I'm always a little on the flakey side anyway, but just imagine what I'll be like with a happy pill dosing me from the inside out!

Hope you all keep up with your cleaning routines the best you can. Remember, tiny efforts equal gargantuan results. AND...getting your family involved in our 3 Step Solution to Cleaning means less work for you, and more happiness all around your home. Guaranteed! (Well, practically...)

Take care all, and think of me and my wonky tooth tomorrow afternoon, will you please? Me and my rebellious molar will thank you. :)

Cleaning Windows (and Car Windows in Particular) - Cleaning Tips

Hey everyone,

Here's a great email I received from a lovely lady named Margaret a little while ago.


"Hi Christina.... Can you please tell me what is best -- & NOT harmful -- to clean the inside of car windows. I always end up with a streaky mess when I use "Glass Plus" with paper towels. (Doesn't do too good a job on the outside either!!)
Great site..............Thanks mucho !!!!"

Well, Margaret, since you said: "Thanks mucho!" I just had to reply. :) I love quirky sayings, but hey, at least I admit it!

A fantastic new product that I think is the BOMB when it comes to cleaning windows (both home windows and auto windows) is the e-Cloth. We just got these in at the kitchen shop where I work, and they're specifically made for cleaning windows. What makes it especially loveable? You need NO extra chemicals! These wonderful little soft cloths are micro fiber cloths, and so just a spritzing of water and you're good to go.

Unlike regular cleaning cloths, I find that these e-Cloths leave absolutely NO lint, and they leave the windows clean and sparkling. They're also a handy little size, so pick up a few and store at least one in your car's dashboard for emergency cleaning sessions on the go. And, with no cleaning chemicals to tote around, it's really perfect for in the car.

Let me know how this works for you, Margaret! :) I really hope I was able to help solve your cleaning dilemma.

Take care,

Christina - the ORIGINAL Happy Slob Housecleaner

P.S. Do YOU have a cleaning dilemma you'd like me to solve? I'll give it a go! Just email me your questions to christina@happyslob.com and I'll answer back as quickly as I can. :)

Wake Up Slobs: Monday Morning Reminders - It's Time for a Cleaning Burst

Wake up, slobbo dears, it's time for a cleaning burst!

Have you started this very helpful routine yet? Do you even know what a cleaning burst is?

For complete and total details, you can always head over to The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning and grab yourself a copy of the coolest cleaning ebook to ever make it onto the Internet.

But...for right now, just remember that cleaning bursts are important for a few reasons:

1. They're fast and effective. Seriously, you'll shock yourself with what can be accomplished in only 5 or 10 minutes.

2. They're consistent - meaning once or twice a day. And THAT, my dear cleaning buddies, means that your home will start to look better than ever in just a week or two!

3. They make you feel good. It's true - consider them aerobic cleaning, because you'll be boogeying along to your fave cleaning music, and cleaning like a madwoman (or man - I think we have a few guys along on this cleaning journey...)

So...fess up. :) Are you guys doing your cleaning bursts? If not, and that's okay - hey, life happens - then, set a goal for yourself right this very moment of this brand new week. Set a goal to do ONE cleaning burst every day, for the amount of time you can actually budget for yourself. And then, at the end of the week, please let me know how it worked for you!