Putting a little "spring" in your cleaning step

Spring is finally here.  Spring bulbs, blue skies and behold, spring-cleaning. Such a pain, but for me, the return is off the charts. Given that my house is begging for a deep clean and Mother’s Day is a mere week away, I thought it would be the perfect time to ask the j.a.r. collection moms their cleaning secrets. I had each mother send me a few cleaning gems, and gems there are.

Starting with my mom, Mama, J.  Affectionately nicknamed, “Dear Heloise” by my college roommate, Mama J. is full of practical advice and handy little tricks. Here are a few of her tried-and-true recommendations:

1) The easiest way to clean walls is with a sponge mop that has a handle to squeeze out the excess water. You can reach high, don’t need a ladder, and cover a lot of territory in a short time.

2) Use white vinegar to remove mineral buildup around faucets or sinks. Apply vinegar directly and let it set. Later, remove minerals by scrubbing or by lightly scrapping with a knife. If the mineral buildup isn't on a flat surface, soak a paper towel with vinegar and wrap the area. 

3) To remove soap scum on the inside of your shower door, spray the door generously with vinegar and water and scrub with a Dobie pad (from 3M). Wipe clean with newsprint. You may need to repeat the application a couple of times.

4) After having thoroughly cleaned shower tiles, apply a thin coat of car wax (we use paste wax) so it will repel water and soap scum. After deep-cleaning your shower door, apply Rain-X (the water shedding treatment for car windshields) to the glass. NOTE: Make sure your shower door is open when you apply the Rain-X so it doesn't get on the shower floor as it will make it VERY slippery.

5) When your wood furniture or wood floor gets a scratch, break a walnut and rub the broken edge across the scratch. The oil in the walnut will help cover over the scratch. Reapply a couple of times until you get the desired color.

Next, meet Mama A. She’s a woman with many hats, many talents, and she is a true world-traveler. Mama A. may not stay in one place for too long, but she knows her stuff, and had a few wise words to throw my way.

      1) Use pumas stone on all types of toilets to remove a ring.

2) If you get easily distracted while cleaning set a timer for 30 minutes and make yourself stay on task until the bell dings. You will be amazed at how much you get done.

3) Remove food odors from plastic containers by soaking them in really hot water with a couple tablespoons of baking soda. Also works great for sippy cups or travel mugs that have rolled under car seats for undisclosed amounts of time.

4) If you have ant prone areas in your house, combine equal amounts of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray away. It is safe to use in the kitchen and equally effective outside on patios, picnic tables, etc. Just remember to re-apply after a hard rain.

5) You have heard it said 100 times, but it works. Ditch paper towels for newspaper to clean windows and mirrors.

Last but not least, Mama R.  Mama R. can multi-task with the best of them and gets more done in an hour than a lot of people do all day. The words efficient and effective sum up her cleaning style.  POW!

1) When cleaning, work from top to bottom: start with ceiling fans, light fixtures, the top of shelves, and work down. As you clean, “things” fall.

2) Old linens often get a smell that is hard to get out (a build up of body oils and soap) - wash in ammonia to remove the odor.

3) Have limited spring-cleaning time? Make your first task your windows. Start by washing them inside and out, then cleaning the screens and the window coverings. Your home will be brighter and each room will seem cleaner. Plus, it is a huge job, and other cleaning can done as time permits.

4) The ultimate clean window, Mama R. style: Start with CLEAN rags. Do not use fabric softener on your rags since it leaves a residue. Use vinegar and water instead of commercial products. If you do have what appears to be a "greasy smear" on your windows, a simple mix of 1/2 rubbing alcohol and 1/2 water will bring back the sparkle. Keep a spray of this mix handy for touch-ups.

5) Air things out in the sun - especially things that are difficult to clean, such as pillows, rugs, and down comforters.

There you have it, words of wisdom from mom's of the j.a.r. collection founders. Simple and effective cleaning tips that get the job done. Of course all of them jokingly said that if you have the money, hire a cleaning person. Since that isn’t me at the moment, I will begin chipping away at my spring-cleaning. Hopefully it will be finished by fall. Enough said…