12 tips to put you on a roll

(NC)—Looking for a real ah-ha! tip to help you keep your home looking beautifully clean? The family of Vim (www.vim.ca) cleaning products bring you some truly amazing, household tips for summer.

Tie a string to the ceiling of the garage with a roll of paper towels hanging on the end of it. Position it so when you drive into the garage, the roll of paper towel hits the windshield just before you hit the wall.

Line the bottom of garbage and recycling cans with sheets of paper towels to avoid sticky messes way down there.

Burned oil sticks tenaciously to the sides of the deep fat fryer. To clean it, empty the oil, spray the inside with a generous amount of Vim Degreaser, rub vigorously with a paper towel and all traces of the oil will disappear. Ensure the interior is perfectly dry before refilling.

To gently and effectively clean your cast iron skillets after use, wipe out excess food with a dry paper towel, then sprinkle salt inside the pan. Wipe clean with a clean, dry paper towel. The salt acts as an abrasive to scratch off any stuck-on particles of food without using soap and water, which can remove your seasoning.

Place a mug half-full with water in your microwave and run it on high power for 60 seconds. Then spray with Vim Power Cream with Bleach and wipe with a damp paper towel. Those hard-to-remove stains will wipe right off.

Ever splurge on fresh herbs only to have them die in the refrigerator before you can serve them? To keep herbs fresher, longer, wrap them in a slightly dampened paper towel in a sealed plastic bag placed in the produce drawer of your refrigerator. They’ll keep for weeks.

When sauces boil over onto your stovetop, let the surface cool completely, spray with Vim Power Cream Degreaser and wipe clean with a damp paper towel. Do it daily to keep the spills from aging and becoming harder to clean.

Shuck an ear of corn and then wipe it down from the tip to the base with a dampened paper towel. The silk will come off in a single stroke.

Dried-on soap remains on the ridges of soap dishes can be difficult to clean. Spray a little Vim Power Cream Lime & Grime onto the dish, wait one minute and wipe clean with a damp paper towel.

-News Canada

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Hannah Keeley

(ARA) – Cleaning your home is one of those things that seem like a really good idea at the time – until you are up to your elbows in grime, surrounded by clutter, and wondering what ever compelled you to start such a gargantuan project in the first place! Long gone are the days when people could devote so much time and energy to keeping their homes clean. After all, we have busy lives and hectic schedules.

Here’s the good news – it can be done. So, this summer, throw open your curtains and let the sun shine in because cleaning doesn’t have to be another dreaded chore if you keep in mind a few easy tips.

Spread out the work.
Nothing can blow good intentions like insurmountable tasks. It’s important not to bite off more than you can chew when it comes to cleaning the whole house. In other words, don’t clean up the entire house. Divide your home into zones and attack them one at a time. Instead of trying to tear through your entire home in a day, spend a week devoted to one zone of your home, such as the kitchen. After the week is over, move on to the next zone.

Set priorities.
Health and safety come first. Prioritize your cleaning projects that will make your family and home more comfortable and healthier. For instance, consider replacing any chemical-filled household cleaners with natural, multipurpose cleaners. This could include using half vinegar and half water for cleaning glass or using baking soda and water for an inexpensive and chemical-free way to scrub bathtubs and sinks.

It’s also important to protect against the dust, pollen and dander that can cause poor indoor air quality and aggravate allergies or asthma. Installing a whole-home air filtration system, such as the American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning AccuClean, will eliminate up to 99.98 percent of these airborne particles from the filtered air in your house. It will also help you spend less time cleaning this summer and throughout the year so you can spend more time enjoying your family!

Stay on task.
This tip is probably the most difficult one for any homeowner to stick with, but it’s vital if anything is ever going to be accomplished. Set aside a chunk of time to do some cleaning tasks and then keep working. Distractions, of course, are inevitable. But take measures to prevent them as much as possible. Don’t answer the phone, refrain from checking e-mails, or put on a movie for the kids so that you can have at least one or two uninterrupted hours.

Seek help.
Nothing saves time better than increasing your workforce. Pick up the phone and invite some friends over for a house cleaning party. After all, it’s always more fun to clean up someone else’s home. You provide the food and drinks, and your friends can help you attack a cleaning project. Turning cleaning into a friendly project will not only help you get the work done, it will make it fun. Of course, keep in mind your friends will likely ask you to return the favor!

Finally, if you really want to de-clutter your home, hold a garage or yard sale and turn your trash into someone else’s treasure. And remember, this summer, no matter what your schedule, there is always time to create the home that you desire.

Hannah Keeley is a lifestyle expert, author and founder of TotalMom.com. Her work has been published in numerous publications and she has been featured on national television programming as the go-to source for moms.

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“I understand the importance of a clean home, but like most women, I’m not willing to invest too much precious time or back-breaking effort in housework,” says Kelly Semrau, SC Johnson vice president of global public affairs and communication. “That’s why we continually create new products that provide innovative cleaning solutions, and help achieve top results with minimal energy.”

Building a cleaning schedule can be confusing if one doesn’t know how often chores should be completed. Scrub away some of the stress and toil this spring cleaning season by following a few simple timing guidelines year-round.

The Daily Dose

Daily tasks vary from family to family, but it’s easy to determine what needs to be done each day. Look for the chores that are repeated, including the following:

* Nearly everyone deals with dishes every day, whether washing them by hand or loading them into the dishwasher.

* Large families – or those with small wardrobes – may need to do laundry every day. For tough stains, be sure to use a stain remover right away so they don’t settle into the fabric.

* Some loathe the smell or sight of garbage and so choose to take it out on a daily basis.

Weekly To-Dos

Weekly chores can be the most time-consuming, so look to employ shortcuts, like engaging the entire family in the household chores or using products that minimize the need for excessive elbow grease. Below are some top weekly chores.

* Vacuuming and dusting on a weekly basis prevents buildup of dust that can trigger allergies.

* Kitchen items like counters and microwaves get a lot of use, and may require a quick cleaning each week.

* Guests and household members appreciate a clean bathroom, which means there needs to be a weekly wipe-down of the counters, toilet and soap-scummed tub. Products like new SC Johnson Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber, which combines the cleaning power of Scrubbing Bubbles with an easy-to-use handle – tears through soap scum and grime easier and quicker.

Calendar of Chores

Handling a few chores monthly will erase some of the stress that comes with spring cleaning. It will prevent scrubbing a year’s worth of gunk in each room of the house.

* Some items with limited hands-on use, like ceiling fans and light fixtures, only require a quick cleaning once a month.

* Clean out one cluttered area each month, such as closets and cabinets, so they don’t have to be dealt with all at once.

* Kitchen tasks, like cleaning out the refrigerator and wiping down other kitchen appliances, are too big to tackle on a weekly basis but would be overwhelming after a year.

Seasonal Housework

Think of the things that should probably be done every three to six months, but that won’t bring the world to an end if they are put off until spring cleaning season.

* Some household chores are best to complete in the spring or summer, like washing the exterior of the windows and cleaning the patio furniture.

* Once a year, bring in the pros to clean carpets, launder drapes and fabric lampshades.

* An easy one to forget is the inspection of, and performing maintenance on, heating and cooling units by cleaning the vents and replacing filters.

* Set up area insect repellents in the yard so spending summer evenings outdoors will be almost bug-free.

Cleaning your home doesn’t need to be a second job this spring and you should consider ways to make it enjoyable, like downloading a few upbeat tunes to listen to while cleaning. For more cleaning tips, visit www.scrubbingbubbles.com

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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“We all want to be the hostess with the mostest during the holidays, yet even holiday decorations won’t hide the dust and grime of everyday living,” says Davis. “A clean home doesn’t have to be a full-time job, but it should be a continual effort. Break-up the cleaning process into small and manageable tasks that everyone in the family can help with.” Davis suggests that instead of conducting a deep clean prior to the holidays, homeowners should focus on quick daily maintenance, to save both time and frustration.

Davis offers the following tips to keep the home shining this holiday season:

* Clutter Control. From greeting cards and wrapping paper to seasonal art projects and baked goods, the holidays bring an abundance of additional clutter into the home. Focus on keeping the busiest and most public rooms in tip-top shape to help keep your home guest-worthy at all times. Make a daily effort to keep countertops, tables and shelves clear of clutter. Clear surfaces automatically make a room look clean and organized.

* Polish Party-Ware. Turn polishing party-ware into a family event. Enlist the help of even the smallest hands to polish silverware while watching a favorite holiday movie. Use a high-quality polish, such as Weiman Silver Polish, to create the perfect shine and prevent tarnish. Next season, just give your silver a quick wipe with a soft cloth and you’ll be ready to set a festive table.

* Expect the Unexpected. Last-minute guests on their way? Your home needs to be ready for company whenever the doorbell rings. For a 10-minute fast fix, use a selection of convenient wipes to clean, buff and polish highly visible surfaces, such as countertops, stainless steel appliances and dust catching furniture. Keep a stick vacuum handy on each floor of the home for a quick and effortless spruce-up. Make sure to have a quick cleaning kit fully stocked and easy to reach for those impromptu get-togethers.

* Party Mishaps. Don’t stress about party spills and messes. Keep stain remover and cleaning solution on hand so you can clean as you go. Candle wax spills should be treated as they happen with Weiman WaxAway to safely and effectively remove wax from tablecloths, furniture and carpet. If a candle or candleholder leaves a burn mark on wood furniture, try rubbing clear fingernail polish remover across the burn until it dissolves. If any residue remains, rub it lightly with Weiman Lemon Oil and 0000 steel wool, and then fill in any hollows with a touch-up pen, wax crayon or paste shoe polish.

Additional tips to brighten your home this holiday season can be found at www.weiman.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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“Dr. Mom,” – a.k.a. Kelly Reynolds, PhD, Microbiologist at The University of Arizona plus a mother to three children – offers the following tips to help you keep your house clean and germ-free this holiday season.

“During the holiday season, most family members spend time indoors and in close proximity, so spreading germs is very easy,” Reynolds says. “How easy? One single bacteria cell can become more than 8 million cells in less than 24 hours, so keeping your house clean is very important.”

Sweep It Away

* With all the holiday guests trampling dirt in and out of the home, a high-end vacuum is key to sweeping all your worries away. The new 2-in-1 Upright and Canister Vacuum from Germ Guardian can do just that. Use the upright with non-stop suction power to deep clean your carpets, and then quickly convert it to a canister vacuum to clean floors and hard-to-reach areas like window treatments or under furniture. Additional key features such as the nano silver technology in the dirt cup helps to fight the growth of odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew, and a HEPA filter captures up to 99.97 percent of dust and allergens in the air.

* Dr. Mom also suggests keeping a shoe rack by the front door so guests will leave their shoes in one place and not track dirt throughout the house.

Germ-Free Bathroom

* Another great cleaning option for the bathroom is a UV-C light wand. The product uses UV-C light to safely, naturally eliminate 99 percent of germs on surfaces from sink to shower to toilet seat. UV-C light has been proven to kill germs such as staph, strep and influenza.

* Dr. Mom suggests disposable hand towels for guests to use after washing hands because damp cloth hand towels can harbor and spread germs.

A Breath of Fresh Air

* Having to keep windows and doors closed in the cooler winter months can lead to poor ventilation and air quality that can breed odors and allergens in your home. To help eliminate any unwanted odors and allergens try using a Germ Guardian pluggable UV-C air sanitizer that eliminates up to 99 percent of targeted airborne germs and also destroys odors and allergens like dust mites and mold spores. Not only is it great for the kitchen and bathroom, parents also love it next to the diaper pail and pet owners keep the pluggable in pet areas to destroy germs and odors.

Keeping It Clean

* Whether preparing the kitchen to cook a holiday meal or cleaning up spills, keep disinfecting wipes on hand for a quick cleaning tool that will also help to kill 99 percent of surface germs. Most disinfecting wipes, such as Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, can be used to sanitize other surface areas of the kitchen such as appliance exteriors, countertops, faucets, sinks and light switches.

* Dr. Mom also suggests having antibacterial soap and hand sanitizers for guests to use before and after eating or handling food.

Pleasant Dreams

* To give your guests a full-night’s rest after holiday celebrations, be sure to wash (in hot water) and change the bed linens every two weeks to get rid of accumulated dust and mold. If your mattress cover is more than a few years old, you may also want to invest in a new antimicrobial version – perhaps with added cushion for comfort.

* Dr. Mom also suggests using a UV-C light wand on mattresses and pillows to kill dust mites and mold spores.

For more information on Germ Guardian’s full line of products including price and availability, visit www.germguardian.com or call (866) 603-5900.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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