Guests are on their way over but you have spider webs on your chandelier, dusty lamp shades and water ring marks on your wood furniture. Don’t panic just yet. Here are some easy ways to clean up all those little imperfections through out your house. Forget about all those expensive cleaners, all you need is a few common household items and a few minutes. Your home will be spotless and all you have to worry about will be what to serve your guests for dinner.
Glass tabletops - Do not spray window cleaner directly on a glass tabletop that is inlaid in wood. Spray your towel then wipe. Window cleaning solutions damage the wood resulting in sanding and refinishing.
Water ring marks on wood furniture - Dab on a bit of mayonnaise. Allow to set 15 to 20 minutes and wipe off. It may take a treatment or two but it should do the trick. If not, find a product with linseed oil, turpentine and bees wax. Apply gently with a 0000 steel wool pad, allow to set 30 minutes and wipe off. Wait a week then retreat if necessary. Take extra caution storing or disposing the rag. Turpentine spontaneously combusts.
Nooks and crannies - A 2-inch paintbrush quickly dusts corners of doorways, door hinges, windowsills and other hard-to-reach areas. Keep it tucked in your back pocket while you dust.
Popcorn, textured ceilings and wood beams - Slip a lint roller replacement tube, usually used for removing lint from clothing, over a paint roller holder and screw that onto a handle. The sticky surface removes cobwebs without smearing them over the surface.
Lampshades - The 2-inch paintbrush comes in handy for dusting these too. Vacuum for a thorough cleaning. Don't forget to clean the bristles in your vacuum brush first and reclean periodically to keep from smearing the dirt.
Pet hair and lint - Put on a clean pair of rubber gloves and dampen with a little water. Using both hands at once, work over the couch and chairs. Two benefits: the lint rolls into an easily disposed ball of fur and you get a good aerobic workout. Works like a charm for clothing too. Use this pair of gloves solely for lint removal. Otherwise, the grease and dirt on the gloves transfers to the couch or clothing.
Cover your couch and chairs with bath towels for protection especially if you have pets or small children. A towel fits in the washing machine much easier than a couch.
Chandeliers
A chandelier at the top of a two-story entry can be the dickens to clean. Two choices: 1. Ignore it. 2. Drag out the ladder and go to work. Here's an easy way: Find a lightweight cotton sock - not one from your last fishing trip - place it over a thin feather duster and attach to an extension handle. Spray the sock with window cleaner and it does a fairly good job. A stepladder is necessary though, for a thorough cleaning.
To clean the glass baubles, place a terry towel in the bottom of a sink, partially fill with water adding some automatic dishwashing detergent and rubbing alcohol. Remove the baubles from the chandelier, let them soak and dry.
Sprays are available that clean without removing the baubles if used frequently. Protect your furniture and carpet by laying down plastic, then newspaper. You can mix your own spray by partially filling a 32 oz spray bottle with water, add one tablespoon of automatic dish washing detergent, ¼ cup rubbing alcohol and 1/3 cup vinegar. Finish filling the bottle with water. This is a wonderful window cleaner too.
Ceiling Fans
Clean ceiling fans like you do chandeliers. Place a cotton tube sock over a feather duster. Attach the duster to an extension handle. Spray the sock with water running it across the top and bottom of the blades. This also cleans the base of the fan as well.
Quick Tips
Cut off the leg of a ruined pair of panty hose between the knee and panty, slide over a regular dust mop and you have your own "Swiffer." It works just as well only it's much cheaper and can be cleaned for reuse. Use only cotton dust mops on wood or marble floors.
Don't throw away the toe end of the panty hose you just cut. Slide soap slivers into the toe. Tie the other end around an outdoor faucet for an easy way to wash your hands outside. Use the panty part to polish shoes.
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