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• Spring Cleaning

While motivation to clean often comes easier in the Spring ─ with sunny days, warmer weather and nature in bloom ─ the right attitude, tools and know-how truly make the difference.

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Here are Spring Cleaning tips from IEHA:

• Blitz on de-cluttering − Gather up all your non-fragile clutter in one trip using large, new garbage bags. Don’t sort and don’t think too much ─ just quickly, carefully bag it and move rapidly through your home removing junk. Take it all to a “staging area” and empty the bags there, then enlist your family’s or housemates’ help in putting away the individual items deposited on the floor. Your goal is to see your house without clutter, so you can go back and clean it quickly.
• Dust using microfiber cloths. Dampen with water for greatest capture, and turn/fold cloths to optimize cleaning.
• Resolve to dissolve dirt instead of scrubbing hard. Buy a pump-up garden sprayer to avoid trigger-sprayer fatigue and pre-spray washable surfaces with a gentle cleaner to dissolve the dirt for easier removal. Wipe with microfiber cloths as they are superior to cotton for cleaning. Use different cloths for different areas (‘color code’ for kitchen, bathroom, etc.)
• Pre-spraying enables applying a disinfectant generously to allow plenty of “dwell” time for it to work killing germs. Clean first, then disinfect.
• Clean small glass in one pass (or maybe a few passes) using water and a microfiber cloth (no chemicals needed).
• Clean large glass with a strip washer (a window washing sleeve that fits over a T-shaped applicator) and a squeegee. Water mixed with a few drops of mild detergent is applied then squeegeed. Wipe up any excess with a clean microfiber cloth.
• Use a pumice stone to remove mineral deposits on porcelain fixtures such as sinks, tubs and toilets. Pumice is a soft volcanic rock that when wet will remove mineral build up without scratching porcelain (warning: not for fiberglass) and without acids. Secret, keep the stone wet and do not be afraid to apply pressure as you rub.
• Tumble out wrinkles without ironing ─ Instead of ironing wrinkled garments, toss them in the dryer on ‘gentle' along with a damp towel, and the wrinkles will disappear. Be sure to promptly remove them from the dryer after tumbling.
  

About IEHA

The International Executive Housekeepers Association (IEHA) is a 3,200-plus member organization for housekeeping management. Executive housekeepers are managers that direct housekeeping programs in commercial, industrial or institutional facilities, including upscale hotels, hospitals, schools, and other public places. The non-profit was founded in 1930 in New York City, and is now located in Westerville, Ohio, a suburb of the state’s capitol.