Hoarders Dos and Don'ts Guide

  
If you're a hoarder or have a hoarding friend or family member, you might be interested in the Hoarders Dos and Don'ts Guide put out by Address Our Mess, hoarding experts. 

Hoarding is a complicated issue and must be handled carefully and thoughtfully. This guide will give you some valuable insights on how to most effectively address hoarding.


More on hoarding:
Hoarding - There Are no Easy Answers
Are You Turning into a Hoarder? Find Out.
Dehorder Game - Clean Up a Hoarder Home

 

Another Efficient, Inexpensive, Safe and Natural Cleaning Agent

You know how much I love vinegar as a cleaning agent. It's cheap, a disinfectant, and can be used for so many things! I recently read the following article lauding hydrogen peroxide for some of the same reasons. Until now, I've only used hydrogen peroxide on my pierced ears and on injuries. I have a new appreciation for hydrogen peroxide and will be trying out some of these suggestions. Enjoy!

"Ever since I started using Hydrogen Peroxide to get rid of armpit stains, to clean cookie sheets, as a miracle cleaner in my kitchen and bathroom, and to make my own “oxi clean”…I ALWAYS have at least one bottle of the stuff under my kitchen sink, under my bathroom sink, AND in the laundry room.

This stuff is amazingly versatile! But it wasn’t until recently, after doing some IN DEPTH research on the subject, that I came to realize what a “miracle substance” hydrogen peroxide really is! It’s safe, it’s readily available, it’s cheap, and best of all, it WORKS! It works for a LOT of stuff!

Hydrogen peroxide should really be called oxygen water, since it is basically the same chemical make up as water but with an extra oxygen atom (H2O2). Because of this it breaks down quickly and harmlessly into oxygen and water.

Some other interesting facts about hydrogen peroxide: It is found in all living material. Your white blood cells naturally produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to fight bacteria and infections. Fruit and vegetables naturally produce hydrogen peroxide. This is one of the reasons why it is so healthy to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.

It is found in massive dosages in the mother’s first milk, called colostrum, and is transferred to the baby to boost their immune system. It is found in rain water because some of the H20 in the atmosphere receives an additional oxygen atom from the ozone (O3) and this H2O2 makes plants grow faster.

Next to Apple Cider Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide ranks up there as one of the best household remedies. Besides the obvious (cleansing wounds), did you know that it is probably the best remedy to dissolve ear wax? Brighten dingy floors? Add natural highlights to your hair? Improve your plants root systems? The list goes on and on! There are SO many uses for this stuff that I’ve started replacing the cap on the hydrogen peroxide bottle with a sprayer because it’s easier and faster to use that way.

I have compiled a rather impressive list of uses for 3% hydrogen peroxide that I hope will have you as thrilled and bewildered as I was!   

• Wash vegetables and fruits with hydrogen peroxide to remove dirt and pesticides.

   
• Add 1/4 cup of H2O2 to a sink of cold water. After washing, rinse thoroughly with cool water.

   
• In the dishwasher, add 2 oz. to your regular detergent for a sanitizing boost.

   
• Also, beef up your regular dish soap by adding roughly 2 ounces of 3% H2O2 to the bottle.

   
• Use hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash to freshen breath. It kills the bacteria that causes halitosis. Use a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water.

   
• Use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to make a paste for brushing teeth. Helps with early stages of gingivitis as it kills bacteria. Mixed with salt and baking soda, hydrogen peroxide works as a whitening toothpaste.

   
• Soak your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide between uses to keep it clean and prevent the transfer of germs. This is particularly helpful when you or someone in your family has a cold or the flu.

   
• Clean your cutting board and countertop. Let everything bubble for a few minutes, then scrub and rinse clean. (I’ve been using it for this a LOT lately!)

   
• Wipe out your refrigerator and dishwasher. Because it’s non-toxic, it’s great for cleaning places that store food and dishes.

   
• Clean your sponges. Soak them for 10 minutes in a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water in a shallow dish. Rinse the sponges thoroughly afterward.

   
• Remove baked-on crud from pots and pans. Combine hydrogen peroxide with enough baking soda to make a paste, then rub onto the dirty pan and let it sit for a while. Come back later with a scrubby sponge and some warm water, and the baked-on stains will lift right off.

   
• Whiten bathtub grout. First dry the tub thoroughly, then spray it liberally with hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit — it may bubble slightly — for a little while, then come back and scrub the grout with an old toothbrush. You may have to repeat the process a few times.

   
• Clean the toilet bowl. Pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet bowl, let stand for 20 minutes, then scrub clean.

   
• Remove stains from clothing, curtains, and tablecloths. Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a pre-treater for stains — just soak the stain for a little while in 3% hydrogen peroxide before tossing into the laundry. You can also add a cup of peroxide to a regular load of whites to boost brightness. It’s a green alternative to bleach, and works just as well.

   
• Brighten dingy floors. Combine half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with one gallon of hot water, then go to town on your flooring. Because it’s so mild, it’s safe for any floor type, and there’s no need to rinse.

   
• Clean kids’ toys and play areas. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe cleaner to use around kids, or anyone with respiratory problems, because it’s not a lung irritant. Spray toys, toy boxes, doorknobs, and anything else your kids touch on a regular basis.

   
• Help out your plants. To ward off fungus, add a little hydrogen peroxide to your spray bottle the next time you’re spritzing plants.

   
• Add natural highlights to your hair. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide so the solution is 50% peroxide and 50% water. Spray the solution on wet hair to create subtle, natural highlights.

   
• According to alternative therapy practitioners, adding half a bottle of hydrogen peroxide to a warm bath can help detoxify the body. Some are skeptical of this claim, but a bath is always a nice way to relax and the addition of hydrogen peroxide will leave you – and the tub – squeaky clean!

   
• Spray a solution of 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide on leftover salad, drain, cover and refrigerate. This will prevent wilting and better preserve your salad.

   
• Sanitize your kids’ lunch boxes/bags.

   
• Dab hydrogen peroxide on pimples or acne to help clear skin.

   
• Hydrogen peroxide helps to sprout seeds for new plantings. Use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution once a day and spritz the seed every time you re-moisten. You can also use a mixture of 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 32 parts water to improve your plants’ root system.

   
• Remove yellowing from lace curtains or tablecloths. Fill a sink with cold water and a 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Soak for at least an hour, rinse in cold water and air dry.

   
• Use it to remove ear wax. Use a solution of 3% with olive or almond oil. Add a couple drops of oil first then H2O2. After a few minutes, tilt head to remove solution and wax.

   
• Helps with foot fungus. Spray a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry. Or try soaking your feet in a peroxide solution to help soften calluses and corns, and disinfect minor cuts.

   
• Spray down the shower with hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria and viruses.

   
• Use 1 pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide to a gallon of water to clean humidifiers and steamers.

   
• Wash shower curtains with hydrogen peroxide to remove mildew and soap scum. Place curtains in machine with a bath towel and your regular detergent. Add 1 cup full strength 3% hydrogen peroxide to the rinse cycle.

   
• Use for towels that have become musty smelling. 1/2 cup Peroxide and 1/2 cup vinegar let stand for 15 minutes wash as normal. Gets rid of the smell.

   
• Use hydrogen peroxide to control fungi present in aquariums. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt your fish. Use sparingly for this purpose.

   
• De-skunking solution. Combine 1 quart 3% H2O2, 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 teaspoon Dawn dish detergent, 2 quarts warm water."

More on cleaning solutions:
Spring Cleaning with Vinegar
3 Steps to Clever Cleaning
Clever Cleaning Tricks that Save Time and Money

Organizing Products I Use - The Arrow Hanging System

    
As we were preparing to move, I was concerned about the lack of space in our new laundry room to hang clothes coming out of the dryer. We have just enough room for the washer and dryer and that's it! So I started investigating!

The solution I liked best is the Arrow Hanger AH12/R Instahanger Clothes Hanging System. I got mine from Amazon for about $18 apiece. What I love is that it's very compact when not in use.

The metal rod holding the clothes is very sturdy and can hold several pieces of clothing, even heavy jeans! I got two of these - one for each of the side walls of the laundry room. So when I'm taking clothes out of the dryer, I put mine on one and my husband's on the other - just makes it easier when putting clothes away.

I have loved finding organizing solutions that work in our new home! Stay tuned for more ...

More on organizing products:
Organizing Products I Use - Under the Sink Drawers
Organizing Products I Use - Steel Shelving
Bags Are Messy - Box Them Up!

A Time-Saving Laundry Tip - Color-Coded Laundry Bags

    
I heard a tip to make laundry a little easier: buy each member of your family three laundry bags - one for whites, one for lights and one for darks. If possible, purchase a different color for each person. For example, you could get a light blue bag for lights, and dark blue bag for darks, and a white one for whites and tie a blue (color-safe) ribbon to it. Ok - I know I may be getting obsessive here!!

Train your child how to differentiate between light and dark colors - a great learning tool even for toddlers!

When it's time for a load of light-colored laundry, ask your child to bring you his light bag. Since it will probably not be full, tie up the bag and wash the entire bag. If the bag is not too full, you could toss it in the drier and save all the sorting! And since the bag is color-coded, you know who it belongs to!

You can then teach your child how to fold the clothes in the laundry bag and organize the clothes in the closet or drawers. A way to prepare your child for leaving home and eventually a time-saver for you, once he gets the system down!

More on clothes/laundry:
Three Steps to Organizing Your Closet
A Dozen Tips for Staying Clutter-Free in 2013
A Unique Way of Storing Folded Clothes

Green Spring Cleaning with Vinegar

   

Did you know that vinegar has been used for 10,000 years? If you recall some of my previous blog posts, you know I'm in love with vinegar! I use it as my primary cleaning agent (half water, half vinegar in a spray bottle). It's a disinfectant, it is nontoxic, and it costs pennies to use! Don't just take it from me, though. Here are suggestions from Vinegar Tips on using vinegar as you do your spring cleaning. Check out their laundry, garden, and other tips, too!

"White distilled vinegar is a popular household cleanser, effective for killing most mold, bacteria, and germs, due to its level of acidity. Cleaning with white distilled vinegar is a smart way to avoid using harsh chemicals. You’ll also be glad to know that it is environmentally friendly and very economical.

To shine chrome sink fixtures that have a lime buildup, use a paste made of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar.

Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add just enough white distilled vinegar to give it a thick but creamy texture.

Clean counter tops and make them smell sweet again with a cloth soaked in undiluted white distilled vinegar.

Clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or so, then run hot water down the drain.

Deodorize the garbage disposal by pouring in 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes then run hot water down the disposal.

Deodorize and clean the garbage disposal with white distilled vinegar ice cubes. Make them by freezing full-strength white distilled vinegar in an ice cube tray. Run several cubes down the disposal while flushing with cold water.

Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.

Clean the shelves and walls of the refrigerator with a half-and-half solution of water and white distilled vinegar.

Cut the grime on the top of the refrigerator with a paper towel or cloth and full-strength white distilled vinegar.

Avoid the bad smell when you heat up a newly cleaned oven by using a sponge soaked in diluted white distilled vinegar for the final rinse.

To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.

Remove soap buildup and odors from the dishwasher by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through a whole cycle. Do monthly.

To prevent good glassware from getting etched by minerals, wash then spray with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Give the glasses a hot water rinse before letting them dry or drying them with a towel.

For cloudy glassware, soak paper towels or a cloth in full-strength white distilled vinegar and wrap around the inside and outside of the glass. Let sit awhile before rinsing clean.

Get rid of lime deposits in a tea kettle by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water and letting it sit overnight. If more drastic action is needed, boil full-strength white distilled vinegar in the kettle a few minutes, let cool and rinse with plain water.

Remove mineral deposits from coffee makers with white distilled vinegar. Fill the water reservoir with 1 cup or more of white distilled vinegar and run it through a whole cycle. Run it once or twice more with plain water to rinse clean. (Check the owners’ manual first.)

Remove stains from coffee and teacups by scrubbing them gently with equal parts of salt (or baking soda) and white distilled vinegar. Rinse clean.

For stained and smelly plastic food containers, wipe them with a cloth dampened with white distilled vinegar.

Remove odors from a lunch box by placing inside a slice of bread that has been soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave overnight.

Remove ugly film in narrow-necked glass jars, flower vases, and bottles by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar sit in them for a few hours. Add a little rice or sand and shake vigorously to loosen stubborn stains. Repeat if necessary.

Easily clean your mini blinds by wearing pair of white cotton gloves.  Dip gloved fingers into a solution of equal parts white vinegar and warm tap water, and run your fingers across both sides of each blind.

To clean tarnished brass, copper, and pewter,use a paste with equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and table salt.

Make a metal cleanser by adding enough white distilled vinegar to 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar to make a paste. Rub it on and let it dry on the surface. Wash it off and dry with a soft cloth.

Polish brass and copper with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of ketchup and 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar. Rub it on with a clean cloth until dry and shiny.

Remove dark stains on an aluminum pot by boiling a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 cup hot water.

Discourage ants by spraying undiluted white distilled vinegar outside doorways and windowsills, around appliances and wherever you find the pests coming in.

Get rid of fruit flies by setting out a small dish of undiluted white distilled vinegar.

Clean the wheel of a can opener using white distilled vinegar and an old toothbrush.

Remove the smell of spoiled food from a refrigerator by first rinsing the area with soap and water. Spray surfaces with full-strength white distilled vinegar and wipe them down with a damp cloth or sponge. Fill some containers with baking soda and place inside. Close the door and leave for a few days.

Wipe grease off exhaust fan grids, the inside of your oven, or anywhere grease gathers with a sponge soaked in white distilled vinegar.

To make cleaning the grill easier, spray a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar on the cooking surface.

To remove a label, decal, or price tag, cover with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave the cloth on overnight and the label should slide off.

Renew sponges and dishrags by placing them in just enough water to cover them. Then add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Let them soak overnight.

Get rid of calcium deposits on faucets by soaking a cloth or paper towel in white distilled vinegar and wrapping the area tightly. Let this sit for a couple of hours or overnight.

Remove soap buildup from faucets by scrubbing them with a solution of 1 part salt to 4 parts white distilled vinegar.

Rid a faucet of lime deposits by tying a plastic bag containing 1/2 to 1/3 cup of white distilled vinegar around it and leaving it there for two or three hours. If mineral deposits don’t wipe off, scrubbing with an old toothbrush should complete the job.

Shine colored porcelain sinks by scouring them with undiluted white distilled vinegar.

Rinse away soapy film on countertops with a solution of white distilled vinegar and water.

Clean grout by letting full-strength white distilled vinegar sit on it for a few minutes and scrubbing it with an old toothbrush.

Kill germs all around the bathroom with a spray of full-strength white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

To remove grime, mildew, and scum from the tub, tile, shower curtain or door, wipe with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse with water.

Spray shower doors with full-strength white distilled vinegar after you’ve squeegeed the glass, or before you step in and turn on the water. It will help release the hard water deposits so they don’t remain on the glass.

Mix up an inexpensive tile cleaner by adding 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup ammonia to a gallon of warm water.

Get rid of stubborn bathtub film by wiping it with white distilled vinegar and then scouring with baking soda.

Soak a sponge or loofah overnight in a strong white distilled vinegar and water solution to remove dirt and slime. Rinse several times with cold water and let air dry (in the sun if possible).

Clean shower door tracks by filling them with white distilled vinegar and letting it sit for a few hours. Pour hot water into the tracks and wash and scrub away the scum with a toothbrush.

To clean a scummy showerhead, pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup white distilled vinegar into a sandwich bag and tie it around the showerhead. Let this set for an hour after the bubbling has stopped. Remove the bag and then turn on the water.

Deodorize the toilet bowl by allowing 3 cups white distilled vinegar to sit in it for about a half hour before flushing.

To make the toilet bowl sparkle, pour in a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar and let it sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with the toilet brush and flush.

Freshen air in the bathroom by spraying into the air a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup water.

Get a shining finish on a no-wax vinyl or linoleum floor by cleaning it with a solution of one cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water.

Apply full-strength white distilled vinegar directly to tough linoleum stains. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping it up. If that doesn’t work, apply white distilled vinegar again and then sprinkle some baking soda over the white distilled vinegar. Scrub the area with a brush or sponge. Rinse clean with water.

For an economical and environmentally friendly floor cleaner, mix a solution of 3 drops dishwashing liquid to 1/3 part white distilled vinegar, 1/3 part alcohol, and 1/3 part water. Spray sparingly and mop for a fast clean-up.

Some carpet stains can be removed with a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1/4 cup salt or baking soda. Rub into the carpet stain and let dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day. (Always test on an out-of-sight part of the carpet first).

Bring out the color in carpet by brushing it with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water. (Always test on an out-of-sight part of the carpet beforehand).

To reduce soap bubbles in a steam cleaner add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Use the same amount in the rinse water to remove detergent residue and make carpets stay fresh longer.

Wash indoor/outdoor carpet with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar in 1 bucket of warm water. Scrub using a brush or a broom and then hose off.

Clean up pet accidents by first blotting up the area and then adding a white distilled vinegar-and-water solution. Blot until it is almost dry. Then sprinkle baking soda over the area and let it dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day.

Create your own window cleaning solution by combining 1/2 cup non-sudsy ammonia, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a gallon of water.

Remove the wax residue left by commercial window cleaners with a solution of 2 cups water, 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent.

To remove paint from windows try using undiluted, hot white distilled vinegar. Give the solution time to soften the paint before removing with a razor edge tool.

To remove paint splatters from windows apply full-strength white distilled vinegar with a clean paintbrush.

Get rid of mildew, dust, and stale odors by wiping down walls with undiluted white distilled vinegar on a cloth or a sponge mop.

Clean woodwork and walls with a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar, 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup ammonia and 1 gallon warm water. Wipe on with a sponge or damp—not wet—towel.

Clean wood paneling with a solution of 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 cups warm water. Wipe on with a soft cloth.

Remove wallpaper easily by using a paint roller to wet the surface very thoroughly with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and hot water. Or spray on until saturated.

Get decals off walls or doors by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar soak into them for several minutes before trying to peel them off. Repeat if necessary.

Remove white water rings from wood with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and vegetable oil. Rub with the grain.

Remove fireplace soot and grime with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Use a brush to scrub and a towel to blot up the wetness and dirt.

Clean fireplace glass doors with a solution of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 2 parts water. Spray or wipe on, then wipe clean with a dry cloth.

To kill germs, spray full-strength white distilled vinegar on doorknobs and then wipe them dry.

Remove the smell of a dead mouse or other rodent (after removing all animal remnants) by wiping down the area with either white distilled vinegar or bleach. Then place a fabric softener sheet in the area to remove any lingering odors.

Never use white distilled vinegar on marble. The acid can damage the surface.

Before painting old concrete, clean with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Let it air dry.

Clean hardened paint brushes by simmering them in a pot with white distilled vinegar. Soak them first for an hour before bringing the white distilled vinegar to a simmer. Drain and rinse clean.

Remove mud and stains from plastic, fiberglass, or aluminum sports equipment by applying a paste of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 3 parts baking soda. Wipe off with soapy water and rinse with clear water.

Clean your grill by spritzing white distilled vinegar over wadded up aluminum foil and scrubbing the grill vigorously with it.

To remove film in glass baby bottles, fill with equal parts hot water and white distilled vinegar. Let sit for at least an hour. Scrub with a bottle brush.

To clean and disinfect baby toys add a good-sized splash of white distilled vinegar to soapy water.

Clean vinyl baby books or board books by wiping with white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp sponge or cloth.

Clean scissors that have become sticky (after cutting tape, for instance) with a cloth dipped in undiluted white distilled vinegar.

Clean and deodorize urine on a mattress with a white distilled vinegar and water solution. Then sprinkle the area with baking soda and let dry. Brush or vacuum the residue after it is dry to the touch.

Shine pennies by soaking them for a couple of hours or overnight in a glass or bowl of undiluted white distilled vinegar."

More on spring cleaning with household products:
Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Dryer Sheets
Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Lemons
Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Baking Soda
Three Steps to Clever Cleaning

WD-40 - Another Time-Saving, Money-Saving Miracle Product

      
My uncle Charlie (a chemist) sent me this email - not sure who the original author is. A great resource for all sorts of problems!  

"I had a neighbor who had bought a new pickup.  I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason).  I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news.  He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open.  Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off.  It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck. I'm impressed! 

WD-40 who knew?  'Water Displacement #40' The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts.  WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company.  Its name comes from the project that was to find a 'water displacement' compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40.  The Convair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.
 
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you. 
 
Here are some other uses: 
1.  Protects silver from tarnishing. 
2.  Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3.  Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4.  Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery.
5.  Keeps flies off cows. 
6.  Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7.  Removes lipstick stains.
8.  Loosens stubborn zippers.
9.  Untangles jewelry chains.
10.  Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11.  Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12.  Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13.  Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14.  Keeps glass or plastic shower doors free of water spots.
15.  Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16.  Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17.  Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
18. It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor!  Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring.  It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off.  Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19.  Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly!  Use WD-40!
20.  Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21.  Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
22.  Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23.  Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24.  Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25.  Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers. 
26.  Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27.  Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28.  Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29.  Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30.  Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31.  Removes splattered grease on stove.
32.  Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33.  Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34.  Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35.  Removes all traces of duct tape.
36.  Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37.  Florida 's favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.'
38.  The favorite use in the state of New York , WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39.  WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time.  Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some locations.
40.  Use it for fire ant bites.  It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41.  WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls.  Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42.  Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash.  Presto!  The lipstick is gone!
43.  If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to  start.
P.  S.  The basic ingredient is FISH OIL."
                                                       

Shaving a Few More Minutes and Irritation off Laundry Time

    
In my humble opinion, one irritation in life is gathering up hangers for doing laundry. I try to hang clothing immediately upon taking them out of the dryer so I want a stash of hangers handy.

Lately, when getting dressed, I have started putting the empty hangers in the laundry hamper with the dirty clothes. Then when I take my hamper to the laundry room, the hangers go with me. No extra step of digging through the closet to find hangers.

As you may remember, I sort my laundry into whites, lights, darks, and towels with four laundry hampers. When one gets full, it's time to do a load of laundry without making a huge mess sorting.

Laundry is a never-ending decluttering chore - why not make it a little more pleasant? 


More on laundry:

Some of My Favorite Organizing Products - Tall Laundry Hampers

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time, Part 2

 

Some of My Favorite Organizing Products - Tall Laundry Hampers

    
My friend Margaret went home yesterday - such a nice visit! And we're getting a new foster daughter today. So that brings us up to three girls in the house. As you can imagine, laundry is done quite often here! Thankfully, the girls do their own laundry.

As I've posted before, my husband and I sort our dirty clothes in laundry hampers as we take them off. This saves clutter in a couple of aspects: 

- sorting is done as you go, rather than having a sorting explosion every time you do laundry

- when a laundry hamper is full, it can be taken to the washing machine as needed.

This is what ours looks like:

Our are in the bottom of our bathroom closet (we took out the bottom shelf). In the past we have also stored them in our bedroom closet or in a corner of our bedroom. 

We have one for whites (hot water), one for lights (warm water), one for darks (cold water), one for delicates, and one for towels and sheets (hot water).

These laundry hampers come with lids, but we removed the lids for ease of use. The lids don't fit in our closet, but if I were storing them in my bedroom, I might leave them on. Unless the extra step of lifting the lids would keep us from putting our clothes away ... then they would be off in a flash!

They also come with ($16.95) or without rollers ($14.95) . Rollers would be nice if it's a distance to your laundry room. They also come in an oval shape, which seems less efficient to me. Sterilite hampers are available at Walmart and Amazon.  

More on laundry:

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time, Part 2

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 3

 

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 3

                    

Here are some more laundry tips from professional organizers. I've included some pics of laundry organizing products, too.

"First each child should have one of those rectangular or round pop open laundry baskets in their own room.  Each child should be responsible for bringing the basket down or at least to the top of the stairs to go down if they are in need of clean clothes.  

I do one load per child and I don’t bother to sort colors because I am not that picky and their clothes are outgrown or put threw the ringer quickly enough it’s not worth the effort on my part- that’s just me though!  Anyhow, these laundry baskets can be found at target and they are great because once the load is in the washer you can fold it up and slide it between the washer and dryer or wall.  LOVE that!  

When the laundry is ready to come out of the dryer, the owner of those clothes or the person whose chore it should be (not MOM’s) should remove the clothes from the dryer and set by the stairs to go up when that person goes back up.  I do fold the younger children’s clothes and put away but the 10 year old puts his own away- his way.

Hope that helps." Maria White

Some laundry basket ideas: 

"I do laundry all in one day. It gets it done and then I don't have to think about it for a week or so (except for emergencies).
 

So when I sort, it is all over the floor in the adjoining family room, but only for a day. The clean laundry gets brought up to my bed, where I fold it into a basket designated for each kid and just put my laundry and my husband's away as I fold. It makes for a long day, but usually it is one where I am puttering around with projects/computer work anyway.

Shout Color Catchers ... really do work! They do a great job of a mixed colors load.  One of my ADD clients told me about them." Kate Varness
 

Some laundry room space savers:

"I do one load per kid, as well. I don't bother to sort by color for the kids. It creates lots of little piles, which means I am spending way too much time doing laundry. We sort in the bedrooms. I use the floor to sort.

Here are some of my "tried and true" laundry streamlining tips:

• Stain treat as the kids take the clothes off at night (with a stain removal product like Stain stick or the like). Prevents a lot of remembering which clothes to treat and standing by the washer stain treating.
• Older kids can fold and put their own clothes away. Or even do their own laundry. The bottom line is get the whole family involved so it doesn't fall to one person to do all the laundry. Even my 2 year old can help load and unload the washer and dryer.
• Get in a laundry routine: In the morning, throw a load of laundry in. At lunch or after work, put them in the dryer. After dinner or when the kids go to bed, fold. Put away the next morning/day.
• Have a basket per person so that the baskets can go to the appropriate room. My husband and I share a laundry basket since the laundry is going to the same room - his stuff is on one side and mine is on the other side of the basket.
• Do full loads, when possible." Robin Harisis

Laundry tools:

"We all do our own laundry in my household, except that I've been paying my 14-year-old $5 a load to do my laundry for two years now--I like it fluffed in the dryer and hung up warm and damp.  On color-coded hangers, which speeds the agonizing task of putting together outfits for me. Jane Cambell

More clever laundry options:

     

More on laundry:

Organizing Laundry

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 1

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 2

A Dozen Tips for Staying Clutter-Free in 2011

 
Hope you had a nice three-day weekend. Ours was pretty quiet other than having the stomach flu visit us for the third time!! A different person each time, thankfully. On to our post for today ...

Here are a few hints for staying clutter-free in 2011:

1. Deal with your mail as you bring it in. Sort your mail over a paper recycling container (a box or paper bag will do), a trash can, a shredder, and near the place where you keep bills and mail that must be acted upon. 

That way, you get rid of most of your mail and put the essentials where they belong. Instant decluttering instead of a stockpile of mail!

2. Reduce the mail coming into your house. 

Lifelock gets rid of credit card offers and other solicitations while protecting your identity. There is a fee for this service. 

Catalog choice allows you to opt out of the catalogs of your choice and other solicitations. This is a free service.

Yellow Pages Goes Green allows you to opt out of both white page and yellow page phone books that are left at your door.

Unsubscribe to newspapers and magazines you do not have time to read. 

3. Determine how much art work and school papers you will keep for each child. At the end of each week, cull through their papers and together decide which ones are keepers. Do the same at the end of the month, further reducing the stockpile. You are training your child to be discerning and not to hold on to everything. Send some to relatives or military personnel as a nice way to purge.

4. Have a giveaway box in your home. When you discover outgrown or unused articles, toss them in the box. When it's full, take the box to your favorite charity.

5. Keep a container in your car to hold returnable items - library books, borrowed items, purchases that need to be returned, etc. Even though dry cleaning is not a returnable item, it could be kept in the box, too. You're more likely to return those items while you're out.

6. Change clothes near the laundry hamper. Better yet, have five laundry hampers - whites, lights, darks, towels, delicates. When one basket is filled, wash what's in it - no sorting necessary!   

7. Hang or fold clothes as they come out of the dryer. Clothes are unwrinkled and you don't end up with stacks of laundry to fold. I consider laundry clutter - it's constant and can become overwhelming if not taken care of regularly.

8. Clean up as dishes are used. It takes little effort to put dishes in the dishwasher rather than stack in the sink. Train other family members to do the same - you are not their maid! Divvy up clean-up chores after dinner - floor, counters, putting food away, dishes. Even toddlers can help! 

9. Before bedtime, have everyone clean up what they've messed up or pick up what belongs to them. Tomorrow will start on a pleasant, uncluttered note!

10. Have a place for bookbags, briefcases, purses, keys, coats. Train everyone to store these items in the proper location - hooks, a closet, shelves, cubbies - whatever works for you to eliminate the after-school-after-work explosion!

11. Have a container where you place things that people have left around. I have a yellow Rubbermaid container in the bottom of our coat closet. Our foster daughters are deterred from leaving their stuff around for fear that their precious possessions will be put in the "yellow bucket" with someone's stinky socks! I have heard of others who charge the owners a fee to take something out of the container, or require the item stay in the container for so long. 

12. If you find items lying around that do not have homes, create a home for them, so they are not just moved from place to place. 


More on decluttering:

Announcing: Declutter Any Room in 3 Weeks!

Clutter and the Brain - Dr. Peter Whybrow

Quick Decluttering Tips

 

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 2

         

Hope you are having a nice three-day weekend. We are working, of course, but we've only had one girl for a couple of days. Two are with family, and the other ran away. She has been found, but has not been returned to our home. On to some more laundry suggestions from professional organizers ...

Here's an unconventional idea for laundry - don't sort! A couple of professional organizers tell us how they do it.

"I separate by owner of the clothes but I never sort colors and have only messed up one thing two years ago.  And I will throw in a towel or two with the clothes sometimes." Laura Clayton

"I have 3 boys ages 4, 6, and 8.  My washer and dryer are located in our dungeon basement.  I do laundry every day and I actually wash everything together, no sorting.  I know, it's crazy but I've been doing this for years and have only ruined one or two things.  None of our clothes require "special" care so this works fine for us.  By doing one load a day without sorting, it's pretty easy.  On Saturday I wash the bath towels as a separate load.  I usually wait until I have three or four baskets of clean clothes before I take them all upstairs to sort, fold and put away." Angela DiCicco

More on laundry:

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 1

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time, Part 2

 

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 1

Recently, several professional organizers offered tips on doing laundry. I'll share some with you over the next few weeks.

This one is from Nora Silic:

"I'll wash and dry the laundry, but the kids (I have seven), fold it if they want to watch a DVD, and put it away when the movie is over.  

I keep a bin for unused hangers on the floor of their closets, so they don't have to search for empty hangers between hanging clothes.  That way, even if the little ones can't reach their shelf, they can still put the clothes on hangers for me, and I'll get them hung next time I'm passing through.

WARNING:  This has the potential to backfire.  All of a sudden, when there's several loads to fold, they'd rather read a book, color, play boardgames, practice piano -- anything but watch a movie, if it means folding clothes.  It's a risk I'm willing to take.

Something else I do to speed up the sorting process is put dots on the inside of collars and waistbands with a laundry marker.  One dot for the oldest girl or boy, two dots for the second oldest, etc.  It's much easier to count the dots than to figure out whose is whose by size.  That way, too, when an item is ready to be handed down, I just add a dot."

More on laundry:

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time, Part 2

Vinegar - 10 Ways to Save Your Clothes! 

 

Laudry Room Tips from Woman's Day

     
I came across the following laundry room tips in a Woman's Day article and thought they were helpful. 


• Stack plastic see-through shoeboxes or bins on a shelf with small laundry aids such as bleach pens, laundry markers and stain removers
.
• Use lazy Susans on shelves to make starch, suede cleaner and other seldom-used laundry items more convenient to grab. 

• Place a small bowl or basket near the washing machine to catch stray buttons, coins and anything else you find in pockets.

• Utilize unused space by placing hooks on the wall to hold hangers or a bag for dry-clean-only items.

• Mount a retractable clothesline or accordion drying rack on the wall, or use a tension rod set high in a door frame for hanging drip-dry items.

• Keep a trash can handy so you’ll always remember to clean the dryer’s lint screen.

• Store messy items such as detergent and bleach bottles in plastic bins or dish pans to catch drips and residue. If you buy extra-large containers at warehouse clubs, transfer to smaller jugs so they’re more manageable. And keep extra laundry supplies in your bulk storage area.

• Keep hampers near where each family member undresses. If there's space, a sectioned hamper in the laundry room makes sorting easier. 

• Hang an organizer to hold your iron and ironing board over a door or on the wall. If space is limited, consider a wall-mounted ironing board."

Photo: Anthony-Masterson/Getty Images

More on laundry:

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time, Part 2

Organizing Laundry

Three Steps to Clever Cleaning

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time, Part 2

     
Seems like we're always waiting on the dryer while doing laundry. I do know of people who have two dryers. In lieu of that, here are some great tips from Good Housekeeping on how to reduce drying time:

- Run clothes through a second spin cycle, especially heavy clothes like jeans and towels, thereby removing additional water and reducing drying time.

- Try to dry one load of clothes right after the previous load, while the dryer is still hot, eliminating warm-up time.

- Put a dry towel in with a load of wet clothes. It will absorb some of the moisture, lessening drying time.

More on laundry:
Organizing Laundry
Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time
Three Steps to Clever Cleaning

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time

Our current foster girls are game lovers. So we've played Monopoly, Settlers of Catan, quadruple solitaire, hand and foot and more! It's been fun yet consuming, too! :) This morning we have no early morning appointments, so I have a little space. Woo Hoo! So ... let's talk about laundry!

Shave a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time

If you have a rod that you hang your clean clothes on as they come out of the dryer, organize them as you hang them up. For example, I hang my husbands sport shirts together, t-shirts together, pants together, etc. I hang my clothes at the other end of the rod and organize them in a similar way.

Even though it takes no extra time to organize your laundry this way, it does save time when it comes to putting them away in the closet. You can take each grouping and place them with the like grouping in your closet.

If you arrange your clothes according to color, take a moment to rearrange each category, incorporating the clean clothes. And you're done!

When you organize your clothes according to color, it's easier to get dressed in the morning and find what you need. You know what you have. Things don't get lost or overlooked. And you don't buy something you already have in your closet!

Organizing your clothes as they come out of the dryer is not very complicated, but it makes life easier. And for me, who has a mental block when it comes to getting the clean clothes into the closet, it's one less hurdle to get over. But I'm spoiled - my husband puts away the clothes. :)

Comments? Email subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.

Other Laundry Ideas:
Organizing Laundry
Laundry tip - color-coded laundry bags
Organizing Socks

Organizing Socks

Good Morning! Hope you had a nice weekend. Ours was rainy and cold, so we spent most of our time indoors. In between raindrops, we managed to squeeze in a trip to the Stan Hywet mansion and grounds including Barkitecture (a variety of creative and unique dog houses). We went to a movie, did tie dye and t-shirt painting, went to church, played some games, oversaw homework, and watched some movies while crafting.

Here's the dirt on socks:

Organizing Socks

Lately, members of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) have had a lively chat on organizing socks. There was a plethora of ideas, so I thought I'd pass along all that wisdom:

- Dot system. Using a permanent marker or fingernail polish, put one dot on the toes of the oldest kid's socks, two dots on the second child's socks, and so on. When socks are handed down, just add a dot.

- Initials. Permanently mark the first initial of the sock owner on the toes of the socks.

- Sock locks. These handy devices keep pairs of socks together throughout the wash and dry cycles.

- Safety pins. Safety pins work like sock locks, keeping pairs together.

- Lingerie bags. Buy different colored lingerie bags - one color for each person - or color-code white ones. (Colored bags are more expensive than white.) Family members are responsible for putting their socks in their own bags. No sorting or lost socks! One organizer tells her family if they don't put their socks in their bags, they won't get them back!

- Buy different socks for each family member. Buy only one brand of athletic socks and one brand of dress socks for each person.

Do you have any sock-sorting tricks to add? If you'd like to comment and receive this via email, use this link.


Similar topics:
Organizing Laundry
Laundry tip - color-coded laundry bags

Vinegar - 10 Ways to Save Your Clothes!

Hope you had a great weekend. I had a wonderful Mother's Day - my daughter Sara surprised me by showing up on Friday and staying throughout the weekend! She joined right in the activities we had planned for the weekend. And lovely talks with my other daughter Comfort. I love being a mom!

Over the weekend we were trying to get smoke smells out of a comforter given to one of our foster girls. So Sara did a little research and she found these enlightening laundry tips from Angela Cisco, many of which I had never heard before. Who knew vinegar was such a value? Here's Angela's article:

10 Ways to Use White Distilled Vinegar You Never Heard of Before

"For a long time, you've heard that distilled white vinegar can be used in the laundry but you aren't sure how. If your mom or grandma were asked, I'm sure they wouldn't be able to list all the ways vinegar can boost the power of your washer and dryer without breaking the bank. Distilled white vinegar costs $1.49 for 128 oz at my local grocery store.

Here are 10 ways you can work distilled white vinegar into your every day wash and rinse.

Prevent lint from clinging to clothes by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the wash cycle.

To brighten colors and remove soap residue that makes black clothes look dull use white distilled vinegar in your final rinse.

Fluff up wool or acrylic sweaters (hand- or machine-washed) and rid them of soap smell, with 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar in the last rinse water.

Remove smoky odors from clothes by filling the bathtub with very hot water and 1 cup white distilled vinegar. Hang the garments above the steaming water and shut the door so the steam can penetrate the fibers.

Remove musky smells from cotton clothes by sprinkling them lightly with white distilled vinegar and then pressing them.

Get cleaner laundry! Add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. The acid in white distilled vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalis in soaps and detergents. Besides removing soap, white distilled vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew.

Before washing a mustard stain, dab with white distilled vinegar.

Attack spaghetti, barbecue, or ketchup stains with a white distilled vinegar and water solution.

Forgot that you left wet laundry in the machine and it now smells moldy? Pour a few cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine and wash the clothes in hot water. Then run a normal cycle with detergent.

Remove perspiration odor and stains on clothing, as well as those left by deodorants, by spraying full-strength white distilled vinegar on underarm and collar areas before tossing them into the washing machine."

Do you have additional laundry tips using vinegar? We love to hear them! If you receive this via email, comment here.


Similar topics:
Organizing Laundry
Laundry tip - color-coded laundry bags