Get Rid Of Ants With This Simple Recipe

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Dusting Tips on Martha Stewart Living Radio

If you missed Morning Living on Martha Stewart Living Radio today, this is what we discussed. 

Dusting or Polishing

There is a difference between dusting and polishing. Dusting is something that removes the dust from surfaces while polishing is actually treating the wood. We have tried to combine the two by using polishing sprays while we are dusting. What's happened is that we are doing a poor job of both.

picture from http://multimenage.webs.com/dusting.htm

Dusting should be done once a week with just a clean microfiber cloth and a touch of a light spray. I mix up my "light dusting spray" and put it into a spray bottle.(Never spray anything directly on the furniture). Then just go over the piece and remove the dust. This is easy and quick. The less oily polish you use the longer it will stay dust free. The oils collect dust and make it harder to remove it.

Polishing should be done every 3-6 months. This is a lot of work, but keeps the furniture looking new and also keeps the wood and finish moisturized. I use my recipe - Lemony Furniture Polish - when I'm going to polish the furniture. And make sure you use a high quality microfiber cloth.

How to dust

I always say to myself "top to bottom, back to front" because i always want to go to the dusty thing i see first. Instead, start as high up as you can reach and work you way down to the floor. Also work in a circle around the room and you'll never miss anything. Make sure you get the tops of door jambs and all the wood trim. You can use a feather duster to knock off some dust, but for flat surfaces - use a cloth. You can also use a lambswool duster - high quality ones are able to be washed in the sink with a touch of dish detergent

Other ways to dust

Removing dust from pillows - use your dryer

Removing dust from knick-knacks - use your dishwasher

Removing dust from tight places - use a stiff paint brush and a vacuum

Bucket-less Mopping

Using a traditional mop and bucket can leave you feeling a little bit like a scurvy pirate mopping the deck of a ship with some dirty sea water. The water in the bucket gets dirty, you have to lug the water wherever you want to clean, and sometimes the floor doesn't even look cleaner after mopping. However, all of the hassle and grind of using a bucket is unnecessary. To learn about a faster, easier way to mop your floors, follow the link below to the third part in my ten video series that will help you achieve a safer, greener, and cleaner home.

http://www.greencleaningcoach.com/ar/bucket-less-mopping

Safe Germ Killers

Bleach is a household cleaning product for one reason. It is very effective in killing that bacteria on your countertops or other surfaces in your home. However, not only is bleach toxic to those micro-invaders but it is also terrible for you and your family, especially when it finds its way from you countertops to your food. There are better, safer ways to protect yourself from salmonella, e-coli, and other scary bacteria. Below is the link to watch part 2 of my 10 part video series to help you get a safer, green cleaning home.

http://www.greencleaningcoach.com/ar/safe-germ-killer

Not only will the tips in this video save you some money as you will be able to use common home ingredients but you will have the added benefit of knowing that the cleaning supplies you are using aren't harming the health of you and your family. The fact that creating your own cleaners can be fast, fun, and easy is just a bonus.

Wiping Away Wax

So you had a nice candlelit dinner at your home, or perhaps the power went out and you needed some light for the evening, and the hot wax from your candles dripped onto your tablecloth. This does not mark the end of your tablecloth's use. By following these steps, you can remove the wax from your tablecloth, although if the fabric is very delicate or antique you may want to consider taking the job to a professional.

1. Wait for the wax to cool and harden before you try to get rid of it. Never wipe it when it is still hot as this will make a huge mess.
2. You can leave the tablecloth in the freezer for a couple days to harden the wax and remove any moisture. This will make it easier to scrape off.
3. Grab a spoon and carefully scrape off as much wax as possible and shake off any loose pieces. Be careful not to damage the fabric.
4. Take a brown paper bag and cut out multiple pieces that are about twice as large as the spot of wax. Cover your ironing board with a rag to protect your ironing board from getting wax on it, then place the tablecloth on the board. Put a piece of brown paper under the spot on the tablecloth and another on top and press with a medium warm iron. This heat will be warm enough to melt the wax but not so hot that it will burn the fabric. Run the iron over the paper until an oily spot appears, than switch the paper and repeat until the oil fails to appear.
5. Pretreat the fabric by rubbing bar soap like Ivory into the spot with a stiff brush, but still be careful not to hurt the fabric. If the wax was colored, you can remove the dye with some hydrogen peroxide or oxygen bleach. However if you try this, be sure to test the peroxide or bleach in an inconspicuous place of the tablecloth.
6. Run the table cloth through your washing machine using the hottest water setting available. Then let it air dry and check to see if the spot is still there. You can continue to repeat the process until the spot is gone, and don't put your tablecloth into the dryer until it is. The heat from the dryer will set the spot and make it impossible to remove.