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Post by jendela on Dec 18, 2014 19:57:14 GMT -5
cyn, I had a lot of initial avoidance to this challenge, but I too would like to 'train myself out of avoidance and into action'.
So, I choose the window of our back toilet, which was really dusty and gross. Hmm - yep, it could probably be mistaken for a window in an abandoned tenement. It is up high and a bit hard to reach, so I tend to forget about it.
Anyway I pulled out a swiffer and wiped down the window shelf, then immediately tossed the swiffer. Then I used a microfiber cloth to clean the glass. Now I really need to clean the outside of the window, but this will have to wait.
I also cleaned the toilet bowl while I was there, as well as the laundry window.
Also, last week there was a big, ugly smear of bird poo that was blown against our living room window - yuck. It was awful. I didn't know what to do. After thinking for a while I remembered I had seen an empty spray bottle in the dining room clutter - yes, you might well ask why it was in the dining room and I would have to reply who knows...
I sprayed the bird mess several times, washed most of it away and finished off with some paper towel. Oh, it was a relief to get rid of that mess and also feel like I had achieved something that I initially wanted to put in the too hard basket.
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Post by aquamarine on Dec 19, 2014 4:35:24 GMT -5
Many years ago the inside of my oven and the cupboard under the sink were my worst black spots. Now I have no icks to pick. I am posting this just to show people that it can be done, but then you may get ick envy.
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Post by shosha on Dec 19, 2014 6:25:42 GMT -5
the strings are likely nylon or some other synthetic that won't soak up dirty water. Hmm--you're right--these are vinyl blinds, so they're probably synthetic strings. The blinds I remember from my childhood had metal slats and rope strings. That would make it easier. I think I just have to try one in the bathtub. If it doesn't come clean, or it's just too hard, I'll think of something else. I actually did try once just using a damp cloth and wiping some of the slats, but I only did about a dozen and gave up. It would take me so long to do them that way, since I have 14 windows. And since they're not just dusty, they have to be rubbed really well. I think this project is going to have to wait until after Christmas week, I start getting really busy on Monday. Unless I try just one before then. Diane When you're running the bath water for your blinds, add some (biological) laundry detergent (make sure it's well dissolved if you use the powder kind) - the enzymes and such in it are really good for dealing with general greasy grimy goo. I've never done it with blinds, but I've used it on things like the top of my stove (burned on greasy grimy goo!) with much success. If the blinds are painted or anything you might want to test the safety of this by mixing a little detergent with hot water and wiping/scrubbing a small area near the bottom in case it takes off anything you don't want to, though.
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Post by Jannie on Dec 19, 2014 6:35:38 GMT -5
There's a spot of dried cat vomit in my family room, on a wood shelf. Will get it gone.
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Post by ohblondie on Dec 19, 2014 8:46:08 GMT -5
RE; the blinds....DAwn dishsoap and hot water should work great. Make sure you have the super degreaser dawn. Might be oxy dawn?
I would suggest spraying them with some type of degreaser spray cleaner and let that soak on the blinds for 5 mins or so. THat will help loosen some of the sticky grime. THen soak them in the hot dawn soapy water.
You will still probably need to use some elbow grease - but hopefully the stuff will be loosened and wipe off easily.
We had the mini blinds in our first house. the were great for privacy and to keep the sun out but a pain to clean.
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Post by cyn on Dec 19, 2014 9:53:44 GMT -5
Hordfest, true funny story: I was shopping with DH last night, and I needed filter medium for the turtle tank. We were looking at dog toys, but were in a bit of a hurry...so I said, instead of wasting time, and trying to pick out toys - why don't we just clean out under the all the furniture, and they'll have those toys? Wow, I can't even imagine how many are under there! Your cat must be happy, with the found toys. Jendela, WTG with the window! I need to clean the glass better too, because I only got the inside and they have a double set, what a pain. But they're clean enough now to see the webs in between them, ha. Good work with the bird poop too - now there's an ick!!! Aquamarine, "ick envy" huh? !!! My ick of the day will be the dirty, dusty pipes behind my toilet. Now that the bowl's so clean (rotfl, that's relative!) and the window too (same! ha!) I'm noticing that the pipes back there look pretty gross.
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Post by dayeanu on Dec 19, 2014 10:04:02 GMT -5
Could you just clean one or two slats a day - while they are installed on the window? Or clean slats for 8 minutes a day? Or 3 slats? Or 3 minutes?
My thinking is that it would eventually get done, with minimal effort or time investment.
My experience has been that when I take the blinds down to soak in the tub, I leave them, then move them to an alternate location on the floor or on top of a heap somewhere. Then they get stepped on or chewed on, or bent up falling off the heap. And then I have to buy a replacement, or leave the window bare.
But that's just me.
Also, microfiber cloths are wonderful for cleaning stuff like that!
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Post by Unswamping on Dec 19, 2014 10:14:19 GMT -5
cyn i use vegetable oil to remove adhesive residue. I have five cats so i totally understand about about the pet hair. I had used "sticky tape" on my wood furniture to deter one of my cats from scratching it. Its two inch wide clear tape with adhesive on both sides. , it worked, he stopped scratching and decided that the taped areas were good places to rub against. I use cheap vegetable oil and cotton balls (those makeup remover pads work very well too, again i get a big pack at the dollar store), soak the pad with oil, place on the adhesive and leave it to soak in, then use the pad to scrub the adhesive. Sometimes it needs two treatments but basically i let the oil do the work. Rinse with soapy water to remove the oil. The benefit is it doesnt remove paint. In the past, ive used lighter fluid and stuff like goop off-sure they work bit theyre hazardous, flammable and expensive. Ive found the vegetable oil works just as well. Ive damaged my share of things between the harsh chemicals and scraping with a razor. So i feel your pain. I totally love your "pick an ick"!
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Post by dayeanu on Dec 19, 2014 10:14:54 GMT -5
Oh, and I did my ick yesterday. I wiped down the metal edge of the window, which was coated in cobwebs and collected debris. I used a wet paper towel, and it took all of 1 or 2 minutes.
I'm pondering which ick to pick for today.
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Post by cyn on Dec 19, 2014 10:39:10 GMT -5
Swampedbystuff, thanks for the tip on using oil instead. Oh, that Goop Off was horrible! What a colossal stench! Yuck! I have an expired bottle of olive oil - I wonder if that'd work too? That was the only expired item I kept from my purge the other day, just because it was so expensive, and I thought I could use it on my hair, ha. The picture I have of your cat using sticky tape as a rubbing post is putting a huge smile on my face, thanks for that too! Dayeanu, that's the thing, eh? I swear, I spend more time worry and avoiding these tasks...and when I put my mind to them, and just do them, they don't take much time at all. After my past few days of serious effort, today's morning chores weren't even a struggle. I got everything done in less than 30 minutes! I'm turning a new leaf here, where I'm seeing that it's easier on me if I do the stuff, rather than sit here and make myself miserable while I avoid it.
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Post by shosha on Dec 19, 2014 12:37:22 GMT -5
Sounds a lot like me, too, though not with blinds specifically... (That was to dayeanu, forgot to refresh!)
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Post by cyn on Dec 19, 2014 13:36:46 GMT -5
I licked my ick for today, yay! And, not only that - it lead to more cleaning. I might as well clean the floor while I'm down there, right?
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Post by larataylor on Dec 19, 2014 14:02:48 GMT -5
And I bought a new duster thingy and did my radiators!!! YAY!!! I had radiators in my old house … with covers, and the covers had an open space at the front for cat toys, pens, and other objects … I'm glad I don't have to clean radiators anymore, but now I guess I should be cleaning the ductwork … that's quite intimidating!
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Post by larataylor on Dec 19, 2014 14:09:28 GMT -5
Just a note on bleach … I discovered that a good dose of bleach in the washer got DH's socks white again, and I did this enthusiastically until the socks disintegrated. So I'm much more careful with bleach now. The power to whiten is the power to destroy, apparently.
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Post by cyn on Dec 19, 2014 14:11:39 GMT -5
My rads never got *too* dirty, because I was forever using them as drying racks. Nothing like shaking the snow off mittens, and having them dry in such a short time - and I *loved* putting on a warm scarf before heading outside. I really miss them.
This is the second year in a row DH's mentioned getting our ducts cleaned. Maybe we'll actually do it next year? I can only imagine how filthy they are!
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