Cleaning and Sundry

[Coidzor]

What would you say was the best thing to use for that sort of thing? Just a damp rag wrapped around one's hand or some kind of actual duster on a stick? I don't think most of 'em are occupied, but I have to clean up a fair number of 'em from the shower and bathroom and bedroom.

Hmm...I was going to inquire into something else, like best solution/rag/technique for cleaning out a shower, but I figure chlorox wipes and such would do just fine and that's not what I was thinking about anyway...

Eh, it'll come up, I imagine.

Hmm... Before embarking on a full cleaning project for a house, what sort of supplies should I make sure I have?

I've got like a shop vac, one of those things that wrings out mops and also acts as a bucket to stow the cleaning solution.... And maybe some rags and bleach offhand.

I know I want to get some of those sanitizing wipes. Or at least some more bleach so I can be a bit more free about mixing it with water and using the rags to clean things up....

[Coidzor]

No suggestions about where to look, even, eh?

Welp, to Google I will go since I have a bit of time now.

[Telonius]

Kind of depends on how bad the situation is. A swiffer would work pretty well, but basically anything that can build up static would work. Rag stapled to a stick works just fine. I've generally found that vacuum cleaners don't work too well, the cobwebs just end up gumming up the intake, and you have to take that off and clean it to finish. Exception is if you're sweeping under a bed with a carpeted floor - cobwebs will generally come off with a vacuum in that situation.

As for the rest, it kind of depends on what kind of shower, and just how dirty we're talking about. Some good all-purpose surface cleaners will be good. If you're talking about a worst case scenario in the bathroom, you'll want lime remover, mildew remover, lemon juice (if it's a stand-up shower with hard water stains on the glass), bleach, toilet bowl cleaner, toilet brush, rubber cleaning gloves, plenty of rags, a mop. If the mildew is extremely bad or rotted through the caulking, you might have to replace some. Caulk and a caulk gun in that case. Bleach is for the very heavy-duty stuff; plain old Lysol (or generic equivalent) will work fine for disinfecting most surfaces.

[Tirian]

Don't know about best, but I always just use a broom to clean out cobwebs, since it has a long handle for reaching the corners of ceilings and you don't mind it getting dirty.

[Coidzor]

Here's some photos of what the situation is like right now in the bathroom. Basically all I've done as of now is clean dust off of the top of the toilet and chlorox wipe off most of the counter and the sink.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/Coidzor/Self/Arrival0010.jpg

Can't see it as well as I thought I'd captured it, but there's cobwebs there, trust me. Especially on that spiny thing in the lower right. I have since attacked those with a broom where I've been able. Didn't wanna destroy the entire thing today since I didn't know what I was going to do about the floor and wanted to decide on that before going all out on the bathroom.

My room here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/Coidzor/Self/Arrival0001.jpg
Bed with clutter on it and a couple of dirty sheets

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/Coidzor/Self/Arrival0002.jpg
Uncertain article of furniture.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/Coidzor/Self/Arrival0003.jpg
Wall bookshelves the spiders use to hide from my broom of justice.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/Coidzor/Self/Arrival0004.jpg
Bookshelves full of books to go through which we've about half sorted into "Keep" and "goodwill" and "burn"


I've cleared out the furniture in here and dusted it pretty good and swept out most of it. Going to go over it with a wet rag over the walls and most of the ceiling as well tomorrow. Maybe mop it but I might leave that until after I get the bathroom to the point where I can kill two birds with one stone.

Edit: Bathroom pics uploaded after 3 tries.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/Coidzor/Self/Arrival0008.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/Coidzor/Self/Arrival0009.jpg

Die Shower.

A brief change of pace. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/Coidzor/Self/Arrival0006.jpg

[EmeraldRose]

I'd definitely go with bleach on that shower.

From the Homemade Cleaning Solutions and Tips website:


Homemade Cleaning Solutions and Tips
By Brenda Hyde
Don't spend money on gimicky, expensive cleaning solutions. Use what you have around the house plus inexpensive items you can get at the store to clean around the house and yard.
-Keep your garbage containers cleaned and rinsed, especially in hot weather. To stop mildew and mold sprinkle 1/2 cup Borax in the containers. (Do this slowly so it doesn't come back up in your face.)

-Bleach used carefully is a great cleaner and disinfectant. Use a mixture of 1/8 cup liquid bleach to one quart of water. Use a rag to wipe on the solution, and wipe off with a clean damp rag after a couple of minutes. Always wear old clothes when using bleach because it will take the color away if splashed. Also if you have sensitive hands wear rubber gloves. Keep bleach away from kids.

-White Distilled Vinegar-I just bought 2 gallons of white vinegar on sale for $1.59 each. You can make scented herbal vinegar to use in cleaning VERY simply. Simply cut herbs and stuff them in a glass jar. Use whatever combinations you like the smell of-and cover with the vinegar. Replace the lid and place the jars in a pantry or cupboard for about 4 weeks. You can use the vinegar plain as well, but you just won't believe the difference by adding herbs to it! After 4 weeks, strain the vinegar and use as follows:

*Rub your hands with vinegar after handling onion or garlic to help get rid of the smell.

*Use it in your mop water for the kitchen and bathroom floors. Add 1/2 cup to a 1/2 gallon of water for a good mixture.

*If there are odors such as fish after cooking or smoke in the air, pour vinegar in a small open bowl and allow it to sit out on the counter in your rooms.

*Mix vinegar with baking soda to form a paste and use it to clean surfaces, much like Soft Scrub.

*For a bathroom cleaner try this mix:

1 tsp. Borax 1/2 tsp. liquid detergent (like Ivory Dish Soap) 1/4 cup vinegar 2 cups hot water

Combine in a spray bottle and shake. Spray on counter surfaces, sinks, tubs etc. and wipe clean.

In fact, I believe I will save this info for use myself.

[Coidzor]

Ooo... Definitely good info. Thank you kindly, ma'am. One of the mini-fridges had something go bad in it and the smell lingered a bit and now the smell of that lingering has mixed with the lingering smell of the comet and stuff we used to clean it out with. That vinegar-spice idea is going to come in handy, methinks. :smallbiggrin:

Any suggestions for what to do to clean off a boyfriend pillow that probably got some vomit on it? Those won't fit in a washing machine so I'm not really sure what kind of solution would work. I don't think they'd care, but I'd like to avoid bleaching it.

Would scrubbing it with detergent and a scrubbing sponge (no washclothes around yet) and rinsing with garden hose before letting it sun and air dry do in a pinch, you think?

[Yora]

Simple students solution to clean almost everything: Take a rug, make it a bit wet, and start scrubbing. When it's dirty, wash it out under running water, squeze the water out, and continue. :smallbiggrin:
I've got window cleaner for glass, and bathroom cleaner for everything else. If you're not a hypochondriac, that's really all you need for a simple students home.

[Coidzor]

^: Heh. I do that with a towel, especially if I'm doing some dusting.

Quick question. A washing machine of average size for a family can fit about 6-8 single/twin sized sheets in it, right?

How about thinnish blankets which are a bit smaller than a single bed?

[Yora]

Maybe there are places like america, were the average washing machine is much larger than in europe, but I doubt you get 6 bed sheets in. :smallbiggrin:
And even if you do, it's probably that cramped, that it doesn't get really clean.
Many smaller pieces seem get clean quite well even if the machine is really full, but with bedsheets, I usually fill it only to 3/4 capacity.

[Yarram]

Aurgh! Just looking at that makes me feel ill... (I'm allergic to dust. It gives me horrible asthma.)
Just buy a vacuum... I would literally die if I lived in a house that dusty.

[EmeraldRose]

6 sheets in one washer? I don't think that's an average family size washer. Well, I don't think I'd wash more than two sets at a time, and certainly not with the blanket/comforter....

Commercial size washer at a laundromat would be different.

[Coidzor]

So I have to clean out a truck cab that's been left unused in the side yard for awhile (read: long enough for a black berry bush to send a vine up from under the hood), and my dad recommended upholstery cleaner, febreeze, and baking soda for getting any mildewy smells out of the seats and then buying some seat covers...

But anyone else had to clean out a car after it'd been left out for awhile? I'm trying to make sure I don't forget about anything before I actually get embarked on the project this saturday.

Also, for getting the smell of mold out of a fridge, white vinegar and a bit of scrubbing is enough, right?

[Don Julio Anejo]

If you're lazy use a couple of wet paper towels or something. You don't need to clean them unlike a rag. (Rag people, rag. A rug (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpet) isn't exactly something you want to use to clean stuff, nor will it actually be any good... /grammar nazi).

Also, invest in a vacuum. Even a $20 Walmart fold-up-stand-up-take-apart one is better than none at all. Works surprisingly great for getting most of the dust and cobwebs out too. All you really need to do after is wipe it with a damp cloth.

Dunno about showers/fridges though. Usually I don't get them very dirty. Worst case scenario, I use Fantastic. Don't know what kind of a cleaner it is but seems to work pretty well for everything. Except cars. Don't have one so don't know.