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.  :/

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.  

THE RIGHT STUFF

I'm curious...what's lurking in your cleaning closet?  You don't have to spend an entire weekend or even an entire day cleaning your home.  If you have the right tools and you know how to use them cleaning can be effortless even enjoyable.  (I see those eyes rolling)  It's true.  Let's take a quick peek at what you have to clean your home with.  

First and for most a good vacuum with attachments is needed in every home.  Doesn't matter if you don't have area rugs or carpeting.  With the use of attachments, you can suck up cob webs and dust bunnies from the ceilings, and clean up food crumbs from under tables and kitchen cabinets.  Make sure your vacuum cleaner is in good working order.  My advice is to make sure its also clean.  You don't want to spread allergens from one room to another after each use.

Several of my go to cleaning tools are:

• A broom with a wide angle and dustpan (you can also use the vacuum to "sweep up"),
• A wet mop (microfiber of course),
• A couple of buckets to use in washing floors, windows, walls, etc.,
• A pair of rubber gloves (helps protect your manicure),
• A good sponge,
• A toilet bowl brush, 
• Trash bags, and 
• Lots of microfiber cloths for dusting and cleaning.

This list is by no means exhaustive.  These are a few of what I think is needed in every home.  Ok, let's take a look at what you have in regards to cleaning products.  I'm big on using environmentally friendly cleaning agents.  At work we use concentrated products because we're not storing large volumes of bottles and all you really need is a little product with some water and viola.  

Several of my go to cleaning products are:

• An all-purpose cleaner for floors, walls, and other standard surfaces,
• Disinfectant,
• Degreaser, 
• Dish washing detergent (can't live without this), 
• Oven cleaner,
• Wood cleaner,
• Stone cleaner (for natural stone floors and walls), and
• Stainless Steel cleaner (usually water based).

Again, this is a basic product list.  With these tools and cleaning products you'll be well on your way to an enjoyable cleaning experience.  

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.  

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.  

5 TIPS TO MAKE CLEANING EASIER DURING BACK TO SCHOOL

As much as I hate to admit it, September is here and its time for kids to start school. With the craziness of buying school supplies, meeting teachers, and working a regular job I thought it would be a good idea to share a few tips that may help keep you sane during this busy time.

1. Make a checklist.  Starting with all of the things that you would like to see cleaned almost immediately.
2. Organize your cleaning supplies in a caddy.  Carry it with you as you travel from room to room.
3. Divide and conquer.  Kids are great helpers (well, sometimes a little bribery is needed) and can help picking up books, toys, xbox games.  They can help move small/light furniture in order to vacuum behind them.
4. Clean from top down.  Dust corners of rooms and work your way down to baseboards.  Dust, cobwebs, and dustbunnies settle downwards, so begin your cleaning by dusting ceiling fans and light fixtures.
5. Focus on one room at a time.  Taking each room a step at a time keeps you focused on the task at hand. 

Happy Cleaning!

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.  

INTERVIEW - LARI I. DIAZ, OWNER SWEEPING DIMENSIONS

I had a great deal of fun being interviewed by Mark Goodman, SCORE Chicago business mentor, on March 17th.  I wanted to provide the link so you can check it out.  SCORE is a non-profit organization that's dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of small business in the US.  I have the great honor of being a part of SCORE Chicago providing free business counseling, management consulting and really affordable workshops.

I want to hear from you.  Tell me what you think of the video.  People are right, the camera does put 10 lbs. on you.  :(

This is a recorded interview.  Please do not call the number on the screen.

BUSINESS SUCCESS STORY - SWEEPING DIMENSIONS

Do You Love To Clean? 3 Cleaning Tips That Will Change Your Mind

Cleaning is one of those chores you would love to hate.  You can get dirty and messy during the process but when it’s all done there’s always a huge sigh of relief and a sense of calm. Yes. I am talking about cleaning and it is true that when you walk into a room you just cleaned, sometimes there is no greater sense of tranquility and accomplishment.  Calm surrounds us all when we are in the presence of cleanliness.  We tend to spend more time in these surroundings so it is no wonder that more business is done in a clean office and more people join you for festivities in your home.  I mean, who wants to see cobwebs inconspicuously hiding in ceiling corners, ceiling fans showing bundles of dust on its panels, or finger prints on light switches and door knobs?  The following three tips can make cleaning easier and less time consuming at the end of a busy day. It all begins by clearing out clutter. 

Simple enough, but when we spend a large amount of our time in rooms like the kitchen or our office clutter always accumulates.  This makes cleaning a longer task than it has to. Our first tip is to keep areas clutter free.  For example, excessive paper clutter like mail, homework assignments, or phone messages, should not be on countertops, the dining room table or conference room. Scattered utensils, dishes, and open food containers should always be put away.  Consider removing clothing off exercise machines, toys on  sofas and loveseats, and magazines off of chairs and tables.  These small changes can make a considerable difference to a healthy environment. 

After the pick-up, we can get to the culprit of all cleaning culprits – dust. Cupid did not give us a love affair for these fine, dry particles.  Those who suffer from allergies attest to the difficulties of removing them from surfaces.   By using the proper tools like a treated dust cloth or a microfiber towel to remove dust from all surfaces in your home and office becomes easy and effortless.  Every other day make a point to remove dust from chairs, tables (dining room tables, end tables, coffee tables), and any other horizontal surfaces.   Don’t forget to shake out dust and allergens from the sofa and pillows.  No one likes to bounce on the sofa to have dust bounce right back at us. 

Once the dust is removed, damp wipe with appropriate cleaning liquid and a microfiber towel all horizontal surfaces.   Wiping surfaces with a damp microfiber cloth helps to eliminate germs and allergens not removed by dusting alone.  One last tidbit:  A fresh bundle of flowers makes a lasting impression on your mood and that of your company.  It’s a low cost way to relax and be in the comfort of your environment.  Keep a fresh, vibrant colorful bouquet in the most occupied room.