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• To pick up cat hair, put on a wet rubber dishwashing glove and wipe hand over surfaces--the hair will stick right to it.
   
• When cleaning narrow-stem glasses, put some uncooked rice in the water and the glass will sparkle.
   
• Dust lampshades with a lint roller. It works great. And diapers are good for dusting anything from baseboards to light bulbs.
   
• Sponge-mop walls from the bottom up to avoid streaking.
   
• Mop floors from the perimeter to center to prevent pushing dirt to the corners.
   
• Use a grout brush to get grime around faucets and sink knobs.
   
• Nontoxic Cleaning Products are easier on the skin, the environment, and the nose. Good ones to try: Earth Friendly Products (www.ecos.com), Naturally Yours (naturallyyours.com), Caldrea Home Care (caldrea.com) and Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day (mrsmeyers.com).
   
• Getting Rid of Mildew: Ordinary cleaners won't make a dent in mold or mildew. Spray with a specially formulated mildew treatment; then scrub with a grout brush or toothbrush. Let sit for 15 minutes; then rinse (and repeat if necessary). You can prevent mold buildup in damp bathrooms by running a squeegee over the tile after a shower; the same trick will eliminate soap buildup on glass shower doors. (Enviro-Magic Mildew Stain Away Spray, $10 at www.enviro-magic.com.
   

BOUNCE Dryer Sheets:
These aren't just for the dryer! Here's a list of all the amazing things they can be used for:

• Chases away ants when you lay a sheet near them.
   
• Repels mosquitoes--tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.
   
• Takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened often.
   
• Eliminates static electricity from your TV screen--wipe screen with a used Bounce sheet to keep dust from resetting. Also, to keep dust from resetting on Venetian blinds: wipe the blinds first with a sheet of Bounce.
   
• Helps dissolve soap scum from shower doors.
   
• Freshens air in your home or car: place an individual sheet in a drawer or hang in the closet or place a sheet at the bottom of wastebaskets and laundry hampers to eliminate odors. Also, place a sheet under the front seat of your car to keep it smelling good.
   
• To prevent thread from tangling, run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew. Deodorize shoes or sneakers by placing a sheet in your shoes or sneakers overnight.
   
• Golfers, put a Bounce sheet in your back pocket to keep the bees away.

Make a Pet Friendly Home

When adapting your home for your pets, remember that for a pet to thrive, it needs the same basic things people require: companionship, a clean healthful environment and a sense of security.
Literally get down on your hands and knees and view the world from your pet's perspective. Objects on low shelves, coffee tables or floors all are easy targets for paws, teeth, or vigorously wagging tails. Electric and computer cords pose a special risk. Keep them out of reach or secure to baseboards to deter chewing. Animals dislike the taste of Bitter Apple which can be purchased at your local pet store. It is non-staining and odorless to humans and can be safely sprayed on many objects you want to keep off limits.
Be careful where you leave food. Candy wrappers, soft drinks, chocolate, grapes and onions can sicken pets. Remind all family members that it only takes seconds for a pet to ingest "poisonous" food.
Commercial Cleaning products also can have adverse reactions to pets. At Country Cleaners, we avoid cleaners that are commercial grade, which is why we recommend using our customer's supplies that are recommended for residential use and non toxic for children and pets.
Finally create an environment where you and your pet can enjoy each other's company. For instance, if you want to provide environmental enrichment for your pet, there is a movement called "barkitecture" which involves redefining areas to make them pet friendly. We all know pets can be a very special part of a family, and it is important that all members are content with their environment.

*adapted from Harvey Marks The Pet Friendly Home
Chester County House and Home, Feb 2008

Cleaning & Maintaining Bamboo Floors

A good quality dust mop or vacuum head is the most effective tool for cleaning dust and dirt off the floor. The cleaner head must be brush or felt. Do not use a vacuum with a beater bar. To keep your floor looking its best, dust mop or vacuum at least twice a week.
Spills and track in dirt can be cleaned with a dust mop or a lightly dampened mop. When using a dampened mop, be sure to dry floor immediately. Oils from asphalt driveways or roads tend to leave a stain.
In addition to cleaning with water, it may be necessary to clean the floor with a good quality wood cleaner such as TilePro-Wood & More or a like item. Do not use: steel wool, scouring powder, or abrasive cleansers on your bamboo flooring. Multi-Clean Hi Trac Wood Floor Cleaner & Maintainer is good to remove soil or black heel marks. Do not wax.
To help guard against scratches and dents, place protective pads under furniture legs and chairs. Make sure the protective pads are large enough to distribute weight evenly. Use at least one inch wide soft vinyl or rubber rollers when necessary. Lift furniture when moving, instead of sliding across surface. Be sure to clean shoes and entry mats well. Gravel, rocks and debris can get stuck in the bottom of shoes and scratch the finish. Be sure that spiked heels are rubber guarded.
 

Chrome Cleaning, Care and Repair

Chromium, a hard blue white metal, has a brilliant luster used as a plating on other metals. Chrome bumpers, auto body trim, appliance handles and electric fly pans are examples of chrome plating. If grease builds up and is baked on it will burn and be hard to remove. Washing chrome plated items in greasy dishwater leaves a greasy film that will burn on.

Always wash in sudsy water. Rinse and wipe to restore the shine. Never use abrasive cleaners on chrome as it will scratch and dull the surface. Use baking soda to remove gummy residue sprinkled on a soft damp cloth or sponge. Vinegar can also be applied if you rinse and buff with a soft dry cloth. Difficult spots can use a metal polish made especially for chrome and soft metals. For baked on grease on small appliances try a mixture below. Baked on grease may require several applications.

Vinegar: To clean chrome, wipe with a soft cloth dipped in undiluted white or cider vinegar.
 
Baby Oil: Apply baby oil with a soft cloth and polish to remove stains from chrome trim on faucets, kitchen appliances, vehicles, etc.
 
Aluminum Foil: Briskly scrub rust spots on car bumpers with a piece of crumpled aluminum foil, shiny side up. Also works well on the chrome shafts of golf clubs.
 
Chrome faucets: are easily cleaned with soapy water. Rinse and wipe dry with a paper towel to restore luster. An old toothbrush helps get deposits of dirt out from under edges of faucet. For hard-to-remove spots, use silver polish, rinse, and wipe dry.

Cool Things To Know...

For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dish washing liquid in it Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze. (wish I had known this for the last 40 years!)
 
To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for a few hours. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The wax will fall out.
 
Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully I A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!).
 
Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel. -
 
Whenever I purchase a box of 5.0.5 Pads, I immediately take a pair of scissors and cut each pad Into halves. After years of having to throw away rusted and unused and smelly pads. I finally decided that this would be much more economical. Now a box of 5.0.5 pads last me indefinitely I In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get 'sharpened" this way!
 
Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry' Just pour a little hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. Works every time! (Now, where to put the body?) LOL
 
Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry t 00 quickly and will probably streak.
 
Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely light scent in each room when the light is turned on.
 
Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.
 
Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.
 
To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag an d add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!
 
To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove top.
 
Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.
 
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
 
When boiling com on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness
 
Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
 
Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into Ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces ........ Left over wine? What's that? :)
 
To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.
 
Ants, ants, ants everywhere no Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So, get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.
 
Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
 
When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers Of a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, and then pull It off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.
 
Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer........
 
Clean a toilet.
Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush.
The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous China ..
 
Clean a vase.
To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
 
Polish jewelry.
Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
 
Clean a thermos bottle.
Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
 
Unclog a drain.
Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, and then run the hot water.