GOOD HOUSEKEEPING - 1950's STYLE

Does anyone remember the housekeeping books of the 1950's?  I wasn't around then. Not even close to a twinkle in my new born parent's eyes.  Boy, it seems like a long time ago even though it wasn't.  Anyways, back to the books.  I read an article that the housekeeping books of the 1950's commonly recommended a rigorous cleaning regimen for middle-class homes.  The regimen looked something like this:

Dust all woodwork and furniture, including window frames, screens, and blinds, every day; dust the floors with a dust mop daily; vacuum carpets daily; brush all exposed surface on upholstery every day, and do a complete brushing with an upholstery brush or vacuum, getting under pillows and in crevices, one or twice a month; vacuum wood floors once a week; dust walls and ceilings daily or weekly; and rub all furniture long and hard, with the grain, once a week.

YIKES!!  I can understand why there were lower rates of asthma and allergies back then.  There was no dust.  I wonder, is this where our grandparents get the "white glove test" from?  hmmm.  :/

BASICS: CARE & CLEANING OF NATURAL STONE

No doubt that stone surfaces have become popular in homes within the last century.  More homeowners are installing stone flooring, furniture, countertops, and vanity tops.  More common stones we see often are marble, granite, limestone, slate, and travertine (a limestone).  And even though these different types of stone call for different kinds of care and maintenance we're only going to touch on general cleaning.

Sounds a bit weird but vacuum or dust (using a smooth microfiber cloth) stone surfaces before damp wiping them.  Do not use abrasive materials to clean with; such as, dusting sprays or chemically treated mops or cloths.  Abrasion by dirt can dull the surface if not properly removed.  If something should spill on your stone surface blot the spill with a microfiber cloth immediately.  Using a clean microfiber cloth wipe the area with fresh water and a mild soap. Dry the area thoroughly.

Just in case you're wondering why I stressed blotting a spill instead of wiping a spill up let me share a tidbit.  If you wipe the spill around, you will spread the spill and stone surfaces are porous.  We wouldn't want to create a bigger catastrophe on your investment.

Hope this helps.

CARING FOR YOUR PORCELAIN TUBS

Personally, I'm in love with claw-foot porcelain tubs.  I think they embody old world charm and can positively change the look of any bathroom.  Unfortunately, my bathtub is quite ordinary.  Either way, porcelain enameled tubs and sinks no matter the style require some care.  

TIP #1 -  Do not use abrasive cleansers to clean your tub.  Abrasive cleaners can dull and even scratch the shiny surface and the very smoothness of that surface is both what makes it shine and what makes it easy to clean.  

TIP #2 - After cleaning your porcelain tub or after every shower, use a microfiber towel to dry it.  Drying the tub produces the best appearance by getting rid of water marks and lingering soap scum.

Hope this helps.

PEEPING DUST

Finally!!  Temperatures have dropped and we've been opening up our windows to enjoy the cool breeze only nature does so well.  Our air conditioners (and wallets) sure needed this break.  Unfortunately, with open windows and bountiful breezes come outside dust and allergens.  The worst of it collects on our window screens, blinds and window sills. So let's get going and clean out those windows!!  

Start by dusting the window blinds, frame, sill, and screen with a dry dust cloth.  You can smear dust all over the place if you apply a damp cloth to your window surfaces before dusting.  This makes a big mess and totally not fun or easy cleanup for that matter.  Then, you'll want to use a mild soap detergent (Dawn dish soap) and water mixture with a microfiber towel to clean the screens.  With a different microfiber towel and fresh water plus soap clean window ledges and frames.  With a squeegee and a natural window cleaner with essential oils go ahead and wipe down glass.  The toughest part might be the blinds.  They are for me.  Close the blinds and gently wipe down slants with fresh water/soap mixture.  Be sure not to put too much pressure as they may come tumbling down.  A microfiber towel is essential in that it won't scratch any of the surfaces and uses minimal water to do the job.  THAT'S IT!  You're done.  Now on to the next window.  

UNEXPECTED HOUSE GUESTS

It happens to the best of us when we're on our way home from a busy day wondering what we're going to make for dinner the phone rings and after answering it we're suddenly in a panic to get home and perform a miracle.  Our foot seems to suddenly press on the gas peddle as we weave in and out of lanes because company is coming over!!  Dinner now is a distant memory.  We are now thinking about what to do with a messy house.

I've gone so far as to keep guests in the living room saying "sorry the toilet broke this morning." But that only worked once.  Here are a few things I've learned to do after panic has set in and I've reached home.

• Place all dirty dishes in the dishwasher or oven.  We're ordering out at this point.
• Wipe off all countertops and cabinets to be free of grease and finger prints.
• Clean the toilet bowl and seat.  Don't forget to flush.
• Use a microfiber towel and glass cleaner and wipe down any glass and/or mirrors.  People always look at themselves; especially, at someone else's house.
• Replace hand and bath towels with fresh ones.  Don't forget to change hand towels in the kitchen.  
• Try to pick up as much as possible and throw into a bedroom, close the door, and post a "DO NOT ENTER SIGN."
• Light many scented candles throughout your home.

One last tip:  don't forget to order dinner.  I hope this helps.  Good luck!!

TIPS ON DISPOSING CLEANING PRODUCTS

So, you're looking to dispose of cleaning products in a safe manner.  Don't want the neighbors to call you out for burying hazardous materials in your backyard?  Well, I'm here to help.  If you no longer need a cleaning product and want to help save your backyard (the environment) the first thing you want to do is read the label for suggested disposal instructions.  In an event that the label has worn off follow the following suggestions:

Pour down the drain.  If a product is water-soluble (meaning you can mix it with water) you can flush it down a toilet or pour it down the kitchen drain with running water.  Several water-soluble cleaning products are: liquid laundry detergents, chlorine bleach, liquid fabric softeners, multipurpose cleaners, glass cleaners, disinfectants, carpet cleaners and floor cleaners.

IMPORTANT:  DO NOT MIX TWO OR MORE CLEANING PRODUCTS!!!  We don't want to find your home on the five o'clock news.  Secondly, if you have a septic tank do not use this method of disposal.  Most septic systems are not capable of treating chemical waste.  

Place it in the trash or recycling bin.  If container is not empty please put in a plastic bag as to not contaminate other garbage.  Several products you may want to throw out are: scouring pads, aerosol cans, remoistened towelettes, and fabric softener sheets.  

Last but not least: Take to waste-disposal facility.  Some products are way to hazardous to dispose of any other way other than in a waste-disposal facility.  Such products include: flammable products, crystal drain openers, dry-cleaning fluid, and polishes & waxes that harden on surfaces.

Hope this helps!  Let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

BEWARE: SMALL CHILDREN ARE IN THE HOUSE

If you have little ones around the house like we do, please take extra caution in where you store your cleaning equipment and products.  Also be diligent about reading what the product label has to say before using it.  Whenever possible, avoid using products that use the words corrosive, reactive or explosive, flammable, toxic, or poisonous.  It is a very real scenario that too many children are poisoned by common household cleaning agents.  A few tips to follow in keeping your kids safer are:

• Never leave cleaning products unattended or easy to get to.
• Don't leave buckets full of water unattended as tiny tots can easily drown if they somehow climb in.  Hay, you never know!
• Always, always close caps and lids of any cleaning container.  
• Dispose of any unused or empty cleaning containers.

I hope these simple easy to follow tips will keep you and your family safe from cleaning agent harm.  

WHAT'S A GERM? A STORYBOOK TALE

I thought it was cool when a little kid walked by our office and asked us what a germ was?  In trying to explain what a germ was I ended up with more questions (from the little one) than I had answers.  He walked away totally disgusted, and I'm not sure if it was my explanation or the fact that we clean up germs from homes and offices that grossed him out.

In short, a germ is any potentially harmful microorganism that can cause disease.  Germs are really tiny and often times very sneaky in that they may lay on any surface unnoticed.  Three of the most common types of germs are bacteria, viruses, and fungi.  Germs can "attack" plants, animals, and people.  Therefore, it's really important to clean all of our surfaces well in order to avoid getting sick.  I had mentioned that washing his hands often and helping around the house with chores were good ways to avoid picking up any germs. That's were I lost him.  I sure hope I didn't scar him for life.  

CONGRATULATIONS HEDY RATNER & CAROL DOUGAL

S. Carol Dougal & Lari I. Diaz

On September 15th, 2011 I had the honor of being one of five panelists for  a WBDC's 25th Anniversary Entrepreneurial Women's Conference Panel Discussion.  There were about 70 women who attended the "Launching Your Own Business: From Dream to Reality" discussion.  You couldn't be in the room without feeling high levels of positive energy that formed from all of the excitement.  

 

Lari I. Diaz & Meg Herman

For those of you who may not be familiar with the Women's Business Development Center (WBDC), it is a not-for-profit organization that assists women who are looking to start or grow a business by offering them counseling, education, encouragement and support.  I have been fortunate enough to have met many wonderful women who have come together over a Wisdom, Wine, & Cheese Introduction and Networking Event as well as the JumpStart Series whom I still am in contact with. One of the most inspiring women at WBDC is Ms. Meg Herman, Director of Entrepreneurial Services.  Ms. Herman continues to encourage me to do more, to be more, and to lead by example.  I owe her a huge THANK YOU for giving me support when I needed it most. 

It is no great surprise that there was more than 2000 people (mostly women) at the WBDC's 25th Anniversary Luncheon celebrating all the hard work and passion that both Ms. Hedy Ratner and Ms. Carol Dougal have put into this amazing organization.  Speakers congratulating Ms. Ratner and Ms. Dougal were many including Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emmanual.  

Carol Dougal & Hedy Ratner

CONGRATULATIONS Ms. Hedy Ratner & Ms. Carol Dougal!!  The dedication you have placed in the Women's Business Development Center will never be duplicated or forgotten.  

7 TIPS IN CREATING A COMFORTABLE AND INVITING HOME

Have you ever walked into a home were you felt comfortable and at peace by your surroundings?  Definitely better than being in a home where it feels cold and unwelcoming. I ask because I’ve gone on a quest to find what makes a home comfortable, inviting, and relaxing.  I’m searching for the ultimate gathering place where friends and family feel an unmistakable connection to the home and the people that live there.

As the owner of a cleaning service, I have been invited inside many homes, and many of them are indeed comfortable.  Yet, there are but a few that as soon as you enter the front door you forget the outside world.  You believe that you are in a place of wellbeing, security, and belonging.  Where the sounds of the home are minimal and soothing.  Where every piece of furniture and color envelope you as part of them. It’s like being in a space where you feel not like a guest but part of the family. In a book by Richard Webster titled “101 Feng Shui Tips For Your Home,” the author gives us tips on using feng shui to create an environment that allows us to enjoy more harmony, balance, and success in our lives.  I picked out my 7 favorite tips to share with you in that you can too create a comfortable, inviting, and relaxing space in your home. 

1. Keep your home in the best possible condition.  Keep it clean!  The health of your home relates directly to you, your health, and the health of your family.
2. Avoid clutter.  Make a concentrated effort to discard anything that you are not using.
3. Make sure that your front door is as welcoming as possible.  You want people to be encouraged to visit, and by placing flowers on each side of your front entryway you encourage ch’i (the universal life force), and raise the spirits of your visitors.
4. Your kitchen should have an airy, spacious, and friendly feel no matter how small.  Keep it well stocked with food and you give the impression of abundance. 
5. Arrange furniture so that people can move freely around a room without feeling as if they are undertaking an obstacle course.
6. Place mirrors throughout your home.  There isn’t such a thing as too many mirrors just as long as they are kept clean.  Dust and dirt reduce the effectiveness. A mirror in your dining room symbolically doubles the amount of food on the table, and doubles feelings of well-being and enjoyment experienced in this room.
7. A family pet provides love and happiness ultimately creating harmony and contentment. 

It’s true that today we are more aware of the effects that our environment has upon us.  It, therefore, makes sense to incorporate feng shui in our home.  I for one want to keep my home as a place where I can go to relax, to be in harmony with my environment.  Here’s to my ongoing quest!

FUN FACTS ABOUT TILLANDSIA'S

Since posting the article "My New Obsession", I've received several inquiries on Tillandsia's.  For this posting, I wanted to write a few fun facts on Tillandsia’s and how they differ from other plants.  I hope this answers many of your questions or curiosities.  ;)

• Tillandsia's are named after the Swedish physician - Elias Tillands.
• Tillandsia's are members of the Bromeliad family.
• They grow on anything, they hang from anything.  
• They grow upside down, right side up, or sideways.

• They grow on tree trunks, branches, shrubs, cacti, rocks, and cliff faces.
• They're root systems function to hold the plant stable, and not to absorb nutrients.
• There are over 550 different Tillandsia species.
• There are two major types of Tillandsia's:  those with hard leaves, and those with soft leaves.
• Some but few are fragrant.
•  It can take years for them to grow and mature.
• Sizes vary.  Some are about an inch in height while others grow over 40 inches tall.
• Flowers tend to be tubular and range in color from purple, blue, white, pink or yellow.
• Reproduction is by seeds or by offsets called "pups".
• A single plant could have many "pups".

If you would like more information on Tillandsia’s or would like to make a purchase, send me an email at ldiaz@sweepingdimensions.com.  

MY NEW OBSESSION

Earlier this year I stumbled upon a unique type of plant that by their shear unique appearances caught my eye.  One of them I bought just because it looked like something you’d find on another planet. Tillandsia’s better know as air plants grow without soil or in typical plant containers and are easy to maintain – a huge plus in my book.  Tillandsia’s absorb moisture and nutrients from the air around them through their leaves and not through their roots, which they use as anchors. Why is this important?  We spend about 90% of our time indoors, and improving the quality of air we breathe should be a priority especially for allergy sufferers. Tillandsia’s help clean the air in our homes and offices.  They are one type of plant that function as efficient air detoxifiers removing toxins from the air.

In every room I have placed these plants in there is a tranquility that comes over me when I’m there.  Tillandsia’s with their unique shapes and colors offer a spa-like zen that I absolutely love.  Whether it’s the natural elements (wood, rocks, moss, seashells) I arrange them in or the fact that I relax when I’m home, I can’t get enough of them. They look sophisticated, exotic, and very non-traditional.  

If you would like more information on Tillandsia’s or would like to purchase, send me an email at ldiaz@sweepingdimensions.com.  

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - The New Pilot B2P

  

When my ingenious assistant, Liliana, gave me a gift – a Pilot B2P (Bottle 2 Pen) pen I was a bit glum wishing it were chocolates or a new Kate Spade bag.  A couple days later, I opened the package and started writing with my new B2P.  I love it!  It just glides on paper.  The stylish design had me looking at the packaging for information.  The B2P is the world’s first pen made of 89.9% recycled plastic water bottles.  The design looks like that of a water bottle even the label wrapping around the middle.  Since plastic is made from oil, using recycled plastic contributes to preserving our natural resources.   Totally winning me over as a now frequent buyer of the B2P.  On top of that, it is refillable using even less waste.  As for cost, I was surprised to see that they don’t cost any more than any other Pilot pen. For back to school or anytime during the year grab a stack in different colors.  You’ll not only find, as I did, that they not only write well you’re also helping our environment.  

DO YOU HAVE TIME FOR YOURSELF?

CREATING CH’I

As a business owner and woman I’m always looking for balance. Balancing my home life from that of my professional life. Balancing fitness and nutrition with an occasional massage. Even balancing time out for meeting up with friends and family. I often wonder where the time goes throughout the day. I swear I wake up in the morning and think I’m going to get a lot done that day and by the time I get home I’m wondering what I accomplished. Sometimes, I’m aggravated in realizing I didn’t do much.

Today’s blog entry is about finding the time for you. Finding the time to sit down, relax and enjoy your “me” time.

In traditional Chinese culture and philosophy there is a fundamental concept called Ch’i or Qi. Ch’i literally means “air” or “breath”. Conceptually it refers to the energy flow or life force that is said to pervade all things. Why write about Ch’i? I’ve read that the quality, quantity and balance of Ch’i are believed to be essential to maintaining a long and healthy life.

When it comes to obtaining a long and healthy life I look at the stresses in my life and try my best in alleviating them. One such stress is cleaning my home. What a pain in the ass it is. Now, I don’t have a big home but it takes me forever to clean. In full disclosure, I take a lot of “breaks”; especially if the TV is on. Either way, I cannot seem to relax at home. That’s my point! I want to go home to feel relaxed and ready to lounge. No dog hair on the floor, on the bed sheets. No dishes in the sink. No cobwebs or dust bunnies in the corners. No floor to sweep and mop. Wouldn’t it be nice to come home to a clean home and not have to do anything but watch television or lay in bed reading?

So, I pose this question to you. Why not hire a cleaning service? Lessen one stress in your life. Come home to a space free from allergens; see that the laundry has been picked up from along side of the bed and the garbage taken out. At a minimum you get to come home and enjoy the comfort of a clean home. Let us, or any cleaning service in your area; help create a flow of Ch’i. It will positively affect your health and energy level whereby reducing stresses in your life.

All the best!