AM I THE LAST TO KNOW?

I truly, truly struggle with cleaning the ceramic tile and rubberized shower pan. We have harder water and a constant build-up of minerals and soap scum. I can never get it clean enough. Then, I give up for awhile. Then, I struggle some more.

Today I'm cleaning my stove top--it was dirty when my guests arrived and it got allot dirtier with all the cooking we've had going on here for a week. I'd swipe at it a bit every day, but it's on a downward spiral. I appeased myself for a week (because I was lazy-busy-lazy-tired-uninterested...) thinking that I'd give it a good cleaning once all the guests were gone.

Today was the day. I really couldn't stand it any longer. The drip pans and burner hardware were so gross that I decided to soak them in dishwasher powder--Cascade, to be precise. I learned a while back (from Martha Stewart's website, I believe) that oven racks can be soaked in the bathtub in a solution of water and said dishwasher soap. It works very well, but you do need to protect your tub bottom with beach towels or some such absorbent and non-scarring padding.

financialsamurai.com

A light bulb suddenly appeared above my head this morning, as I realized that household tip could work for this situation. Immediately, I began soaking the smaller parts in a small bucket of warm water, thick with Cascade. Then, I carried the rectangular drip pans into the shower, wet them down, and liberally sprinkled on the Cascade. A few hours later I gave them a good rinsing. They're looking very fine for 10-year old drip pans that have been carefully maintained.

The offshoot was that I noticed that the shower floor had clean spots! The Cascade was working on the mineral and scum deposits--all that yellow and grey stuff that is omni-present. I spent the next 20 minutes scrubbing the shower pan and the walls, and a bit of the chrome.

This works! I'm not done, but I've decided that I'll stop for now for two reasons:

1.) I'm wearing my newest sweater and 3/4-sleeved (my favorite style) t-shirt. No, I haven't broken my Mondays-at-home routine. I'm wearing nice clothes because I fell asleep in front of the television at 11:00pm last night, and after waking up at 5:00am to Tyra Banks and her fledgling models, I've been up and at it without bothering to change my clothes. Yep, I'm a sloth today. If I'd slept in my pj's I'd still be wearing them

2.) To do the job thoroughly (I  know I almost lost the point because of digression...) Later today, I'm going to need to climb into that shower. I'll be naked and when I'm finished cleaning, I'll clean myself. Not a nice visual. Sorry. I've found it's the only way to adequately clean said shower.

And, I'm guessing that Cascade will work to clean the shower doors, too. Stay tuned.

CLEANING... KABOOM!

not my shower doors

Kohler

I've embraced the Kaboom spray cleaner for our shower walls and doors limescale problems for a few years now. The fumes are overwhelming and there doesn't seem to be any way to adequately vent our master bathroom, so I suffer on... But, not too often.

I tend to procrastinate on the whole white tile, white shower pad, and clear glass shower door accumulation until either company is coming for an extended stay or something sucks me into jumping in. Because, quite literally I jump in. Yep! There's no way to do this baby unless you are smack in the middle of it, and dressed (or undressed) appropriately.

CHILLING: Would you care for a bag of ice?

It's been more than a year since I planned to post a few photos of our kitchen. It's almost never presentable enough, or if it is we are in the midst of entertaining and who has times for photos then? So here are a few before with our mismatched white frig.

And, as these things go--in the middle of emptying the frig, I migrate into the pantry and completely clean and reorganize it, ending my first big 2010 procrastination. Voilà! It's now ready for the Container Store photo shoot! If only they'd ask...

rice is stored in a large vase

Rubber Maid lids make perfect floor trays

With amazing speed, we have our new frig. Yep! It was such a DEAL that we didn't really explore all it's options while at Lowe's and when I was reading about it online I refused to believe/take in a significant feature--it has TWO ice makers! Who in the world needs two? One in the upper French Door (!!!) frig and one in the pull-out-drawer freezer. I am considering establishing an ice delivery service for catering events...

           

                spices from a Paris grocery store - Shopi in Levallois

CLEANING THE FLOORS

I can't keep up! For ever I've been convinced that my floors aren't clean unless I clean them on my hands and knees. That's when I see the dusty floorboards and the smudge marks, and use my fingernail through the scrub cloth to clean the beveled edges of our hardwood floors.

FIXING THINGS

Just happened upon a book of solutions. My sister bought it at the hospital resale shop for 25 cents: Fast Fixes and Simple solutions, Surprising Uses for Ordinary Household Items by the editors of FC&A Publishing

• can't get that watch / bracelet fastened without help. Secure the first side to your wrist with Scotch tape--voil'a!


• heating pad is not to be found? Soak the center section of a disposal diaper with water and microwave until warm. They don't leak.


• scrape your fingernails over a bar of soap before heading to the garden. Dirt won't stick and wash up is a breeze.


• sticky resin all over your hands after cutting back the evergreens? Rub mayo all over your hands and wash clean.


• use a plastic child's sled to haul around your garden tools and bulky plant food/soil.


• like the moss, old-fashioned look of a cottage garden? Mix moss with buttermilk and water in a blender. Spread around hard surfaces. Moss grows quickly.
• pour boiling water over the weeds that grow in sidewalk cracks--they die!

So much home-spun wisdom--buy the book!