cleaning tips

How To Clean The Ice and Water Tray On Your Refrigerator Door

May 1, 2015 Leave a Comment

Does your refrigerator have a water and ice maker inserted in the door? It’s a fun feature and oh-so convenient but cleaning it? That is not as easy as it seems. Grime and even “slime” can collect. Nasty! Getting it really clean means reaching the “nooks and crannies” of the tray, too. Here’s how …

Start with a spray bottle of multipurpose cleaner or you can even make your own. If you make your own, it should be primarily water with some ammonia, white vinegar and baking soda. (recipe below)

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Steps:

Place a towel on the floor in front of the refrigerator to catch spills.
Spray the door tray liberally, getting the solution into all the corners.
Wipe with a sponge.
Use Q-tips to clean out the hard to reach corners
Wipe out the tray with a clean cloth or paper toweling.
Now, wipe off the front of the door. Done!

Homemade Cleanser Recipe

1 gallon hot water

1 cup clear ammonia

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup baking soda

How to #clean the ice and water tray on your refrigerator door! #cleaningtips #kitchen Click To Tweet

More Easy Cleaning Tips:

Enjoy!

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Pet Hair – Tips for Dog Owners On How To Keep Your House Clean

May 8, 2014 Leave a Comment

Shedding pet fur is such a nuisance. It sticks to everything: clothes, carpets, furniture. It can seem like an unending process to keep it cleaned up.

So, what’s the solution? Not have a dog? What are you kidding? No dog-lover will ever agree to that!

Note: this post contains affiliate links.

Life without a dog is…

No one to greet you at the door with a wagging tail and big “smile” on his face
No one to follow you eagerly from room to room, wanting to play. (He wins!)
No one to beg for treats. (He wins!)
No one to want a walk when you are too tired. (He wins?)
No one to ask for a ride in the car when you just want to sit down and do nothing. (He wins!)
No furry-someone to cuddle with on the couch while you’re reading a good book? (You both win.)

Sweet little lab puppy #labradorretriever #puppy #dog Ducks 'n a Row

Who can resist this sweet little face?

No, there HAS to be another answer to the pet hair problem.

Surprisingly, it isn’t always the long-haired breeds that produce the most. Some of the short haired dogs, such as Labrador Retrievers, have two coats. An outer and an inner coat. This serves as insulation from extreme heat and cold. However, as the seasons shift, the lower coat also does…all over your house.

Shedding is an important part of the natural process for dogs and cats, too. Dogs, especially, can produce enough excess fur that you’d think you could build a whole ‘nother dog from it. Really! Shedding, especially for the shorter haired dogs, happens all of the time to a degree and in abundance at the change of the major season. Resource: Why Dogs Shed

Keep your dogs well groomed! #doggrooming #pethair Ducks 'n a Row

There are some methods and products that will help you control the unwanted pet hair in your house.

First, keep your dog groomed. Occasional shampooing (don’t overdo it lest you dry out their skin) and frequent brushing, especially in shedding season, will help. Plus, your dog will love the attention. Resource: Caring for Your Dog’s Coat
Tip: the Furminator (pictured below) is an excellent dog grooming tool. Gently removes fur before it sheds! Makes your dog’s coat look so nice, too,
Next, stay on top of the project. If you let your house go for days, the build-up may seem insurmountable. It’s not but it’ll be a much bigger job.
Vacuum the house frequently. If there is a lot of fur on the carpets, or it is stubbornly sticking to the carpets, carpet powder does wonders.
Vacuum Tip: the Shark Liftaway Navigator Vacuum is the best I’ve ever used. Removes ALL pet hair with ease. Empties like a dream! Click here for my Shark Vacuum review.
Arm & Hammer Pet Fresh Odor Eliminator for carpets with “vacuum booster” is like a magnet. This by far is my #1 choice for getting up pet hair from carpet. Sprinkle it on. Wait up to 30 minutes. Vaccuum it up. The pet hair clings to the powder and pulls it all into the canister. It works great and does remove the pet smells as well.

Three tools that I have found to work well…not perfect, but pretty good, are:

Magik Lint Brush— though created for clothes, this little tools works great on upholstered furniture in removing pet hair. Gets 99% off with ease (nothing’s perfect!).
Pet Hair Sweeper — the Pet Hair Sweeper does a very good job on sofas and other fabric-covered furniture. It is disposable but each one lasts quite a while. I’ve heard that some people have found a way to edge the fur out from inside and get more use out of it. That’s up to you if you want to try it!
Libman Precision Angle Broom — I had my angle broom for the floors in my house but, in desperation, decided to vigorously sweep the stairs and see what would happen. My stairs are navy blue and the white dog-fur from our yellow labs gets thick. Using back and forth strokes, the fur was literally “flying” off the stairs and onto the floor below. Then it was so easy to just vacuum it up!
A Clean, Damp Sponge — yes, simply swipe a clean damp sponge across the surface of your sofa’s and upholstered chairs to remove hair. If there is a lot of fur, bring along a pan of clean water to rinse and squeeze the sponge out.
My Favorite Vacuum Cleaner is a Bissell <- – > gets pet hair up beautifully and empties with ease!

Got to get the #pet hair out of your house but don't know how? #cleaningtips #dogs #cats Click To Tweet

So, how have you been taking care of your pet hair problems?

Dog grooming tool: the Furminator #dogs #dogrooming Ducks 'n a Row

Enjoy!

Note: this author is an Amazon affiliate. Any purchases made from Amazon through Ducks ‘n a Row will result in a small commission for me. In advance, “thank you” for your business…Sinea

Photo Credits:

Girl and Dog by marin on freedigital photos

Yellow labs Lexi & Sadie, on sofa by Sinea

Yellow lab puppy dreaming by on flickr creative commons

Puppies being washed by winthaya phonswat on freedigital photos

How To Clean Crayon Off Almost Everything

January 31, 2014 Leave a Comment

Crayon marks can show up in the strangest places. It just takes a crayon, a toddler and turning your back for one moment!

clean crayon off of everything by Ducks 'n a Row

Note: this post contains affiliate links.

It all started with a cute book that my preschoolers were making for our upcoming Open House. We studied “M is for Me” and the book was appropriately named “All About Me.” The students colored self-portraits upon which I would glue their own photo. Adorable!

Speaking of ADORABLE – do your kids say the funniest things? Mine do. Write those quotable quotes down the moment they tickle you, so that you don’t forget! ☑️ My Quotable Kid Journal

My back was turned for just a moment. When I turned around, it was too late. I turned to see an enthusiastic colorer… very enthusiastic…coloring right off her paper and onto the table. A table that we did not own! We rent space in a church for our classrooms. Borrowed tables should not be returned with crayon all over them, that is for sure!

Soon as my little ones were safely on their way home, I returned to the “scene of the crime.” First, I used a scrubby with our own DIY cleanser. Nothing. The artwork remained. Then I tried hand sanitizer–I was desperate. Still, nothing. So I pulled out the Expo white board cleaner, a precious commodity to be used sparingly. I saturated the tabletop with Expo and to my glee, it worked! The fumes were a bit strong but, thankfully, there was plenty of time for that to clear before anyone would be near the table again. I made a mental note: never use that much in a closed room with children.

how to clean crayon off of everything by Ducks 'n a Row

So what do people do when their children, armed with crayons, go to town on their stuff? I looked into it further.

White foamy shaving cream cleans crayon off desks and tables #tip

How to get crayon off of almost everything! #tip #cleaning #cleaningtips Click To Tweet

Shaving Cream: remembering what my teacher-friends said years before, classic, white foamy shaving cream is the cleanser of choice. Marked up desktops have been successfully cleaned for years by using shaving cream and a scrubby sponge. It works on all sorts of markings — ink, pencil, crayons. It leaves a nice shine, as well. Had there been some on hand, that is what I would have used.

Interestingly, teachers say that the CHEAPER the brand of shaving cream, the better it seems to work. So, why not include it in your lesson plan! Cover the desk with shaving cream and let your kids have fun. Write in it. Draw in it. Then, when it’s time to move to the next activity, wipe the shaving cream off the desk using a sponge or scrubby. Follow up with Windex and a towel. The desks will be cleaner than clean. Better than new! Even glue and tape comes off.

But what about getting crayon off other surfaces?

Fabric: dip a cloth in white vinegar and rub the crayoned area lightly before washing.

Walls: use baking soda and water made into a paste and lightly scrub. Other remedies include rubbing mayonnaise on the stained area, spraying on WD40, applying non-gel toothpaste using a toothbrush, and the old “eraser on a pencil trick” (simply erase the marks!)

Glass: if the crayon is on glass there are several well-thought-of methods. You can use dishwashing liquid, stronger cleansers like Greased Lightning , Goo Gone or Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser.

How about you? Do you have any home-remedies for stray crayon that got away from a young artiste?

Enjoy!

Photo Credits

Shaving Cream by kathera on Flickr Creative Commons

Child’s Artwork by davef3138 on Flickr Creative Commons

Crayons 1 by ctech on Stock Xchng

Crayons 2 by ithears on Stock Xchng

The Art Of Using A Mop

October 6, 2013 Leave a Comment

One might just assume that using a mop is straightforward affair. Just dunk the mop into your bucket of hot soapy water and attack the floor in whatever way one sees fit. You might however, be surprised to learn that in order to achieve great results, you need to have good mop technique.
In this article we will cover the best ways to make the most of your mopping.

The Bucket

Before we can crack on with mopping we need to make sure we are fully tooled up. Mopping can be a frustrating experience when your bucket just isn’t up to the task. The thing we need to consider with the bucket is how it accommodates the mop and its maneuverability

Maneuverability ! I hear you exclaim. Yes, you need to make sure your bucket can move freely and effortlessly. For this we recommend a bucket with wheels, otherwise you end up dragging a bucket which if it snags will have you and your floor soaked. We also need to make sure the mop head can dunk and rinse without too much fiddling. You want one that is wide enough for easy dunking and with an effective lever for ringing out excess water. One with easy reach is ideal.

The Mop

Not any old mop will do, and these days there are so many variations that allow for improved ergonomics. There are ones with circular heads that pair with the bucket to provide a spin dry mechanism.

These are OK but they are known to fail and without it, the mop is much more difficult to use. Then there are fixed head mops which we prefer as they tend to have longer life-spans.

To add to the variations are the wide articulating heads which are easiest ones to use, and if you can find them with replaceable mop heads then you can save costs on replacing faulty complicated mops with no replaceable parts.

The Technique

This is where effective cleaning falls down. Poor mopping technique not only results in poor cleaning results but it also can end in injury over long periods of use. One common error is holding the mop too far away from you- this causes one to have to bend and reach whilst mopping.

A common technique which produces a good result is the figure 8. Sweeping the mop as if you’re painting the number 8 keeps the mop in continuous motion, which keeps the dirt firmly against the head. Any sudden change in direction, as if to scrub can loosen dirt from the head. Don’t do the figure of 8 ahead of yourself either; paint the 8 horizontally as if you’re standing at its side. This keeps the mop close to your body and eliminates reaching.

It will seem very tempting to try to cover as much space as possible with really broad strokes, but you’ll find broad strokes will only end up you having to cover the same ground multiple times. Overlapping with the figure 8 will ensure the floor is well mopped.

Bio:
Jennifer Pooley is a space-making, home-cleaning enthusiast from South East England that writes tips and guides for those interested in domestic cleaning. This article was written on behalf of E-Cloth

Thanks, Jennifer!

Enjoy!

The art of using a mop #cleaningtips Click To Tweet

Photo credits:
Clean Well by nazreth on sxc.hu
Angry Mop by bogani on sxc.hu

Kitchen Cleaning – "The Counter Attack"

January 24, 2013 1 Comment

Kitchen Cleaning: 5 quick tips that will help you keep your kitchen neat and clean.

Is your house so messy that you feel immobilized?

Are you overwhelmed with the daunting task of getting it back in order?

Have you been halted by the lack of real time to do it.

I’ve been there more than once. Have you?

Just contemplating how to get it all done can stop you in your tracks—along with the looming reality that quickly it will get messy again (unless everyone moves out. LOL) You may struggle with the thought, “Why try?” Right?

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Times like these call for a kitchen counter attack!

The term “counter attack” has more than one meaning. The first is a war term most often used to refer to a retaliation for an attack. Ever feel attacked by the stuff in your house? The other way to look at it is to “attack” the mess on a counter top.

This epiphany came when I was standing in my kitchen at midnight, waiting for my big girl dog, Lexi, to come in from outside. I had my trusty bean-bag heating in the microwave, preparing to keep my toes warm under the covers when I went to bed.

Dirty dishes piled in the kitchen? Tips on how to get through it!

I looked around the kitchen and said to myself “I have to wake up to this?” The kitchen had been relatively clean after dinner but through the evening it re-cluttered. Dirty dishes sat in the sink and on the counter (again) because the dishwasher had just completed a full load. There was no place to put them!

Next, I was seeing the future. In the morning, I would soon be greeted by a kitchen that needed a major rescue before the day even started. That’s when it hit me. I was standing there, waiting for a dog and a bean-bag. Could I do something to make this better? You bet.

I did what time would allow, concentrating on one section of the kitchen counter plus the stove top. I was determined to have that part “clean as a whistle” to start the morning right.

I cleared the stuff, washed and polished it. The process took less than 5 minutes and that corner of my kitchen looked GREAT. I felt better. Lexi came inside and we went to bed.

Keeping the kitchen clean #tips

Waking up to a clean kitchen is a beautiful thing.

The next day, I took that new revelation and put it to work. Whether the kitchen or the bathroom or my office, they were three places that had “counters.” I looked for lttle opportunities to do something to move things toward “clean” and made a lot of progress.

5 Quick Things To “Attack” While Waiting In The Kitchen

Stovetops are an obvious starting point if your microwave is installed above the stove. Waiting for something to “nuke”? Wipe the stove down and make it shine.
Take out the trash. Yes, the kitchen waste basket fills quickly. Wouldn’t it be nice to wake in the morning to an empty, newly lined trash basket?
Make a to-do list for today, tomorrow or later in the week. Get a grip on what needs to be done and when.
Throw out old food. Yes, while waiting for the coffee to perk or your microwave to “beep,” open up the refrigerator or a cupboard and throw away food that is about to spoil or has surpassed the expiration date. Get rid of it. Removing just a few items is liberating and gets you steps closer to “organized”!
Sort the mail. This may not be completely doable while waiting for something short to happen but you can at least weed out the junk mail and throw it away. Other more important envelopes can be laid aside for a more thorough look.

Is the clutter ganging up on you? Here are 5 quick tips to help you get your kitchen neat, clean and under control! #cleaning #tips #home Click To Tweet

So, what tips do you have for catching up with a kitchen out of control?

Enjoy!