el' Natural

here are some great sites for natural remedies to fighting bugs.... cleaning solution recipies... and just some great info to have on hand
Please follow my blog for more interesting and cool suggestions for cleaning and the like

http://eartheasy.com/live_natpest_control.htm and https://www.facebook.com/Eartheasy

http://housekeeping.about.com/od/environment/a/Homemade-And-Natural-Cleaning-Products.htm
http://organizedhome.com/clean-house/pantry-recipes-homemade-cleaning-products
http://greenlivingideas.com/2008/04/27/natural-cleaning-recipes/

If your spending big money on cleaning chemicals I hope you will read this stuff...you can really save yourself a tone of money as well  saving yourself from  unnecessary exposure to chemicals.

Summer time is a good closet clean-out time

It's that time of the season:  Summer's heat begins, with warmer temperatures, we here in south la tend to spend some of the hotter parts of the day inside, so what better time to head for those dim, dark, cool closets?!!!
  A closet clean-out clears the decks for the new season and gives even the most frazzled home manager a feeling of accomplishment.
Whether in the children's closets or in your own, follow these principles for efficient, organized clothing storage, here are some tips to help you work through it efficiently.....And  Please Goodwill  it all please!!!

Pare It Down

In closets, as in life, less is more. Specifically, the 80-20 rule applies: we wear 20% of our clothing 80% of the time, while the remaining 80% represent the freeloaders of the wardrobe clan. Impulse purchases, orphaned blouses, and the one-size-too-small brigade choke rods, hooks and drawers, squeezing the life from the wearer-friendly 20%.
Resolve to pare it down! Does each item in your closet pull its own weight? Only current-season clothing that both fits and flatters should be assigned that valuable closet real estate.
How do you make the division? Classic organizational thinking involves removing all clothing from the closet, trying on every single item with every other single item, cutting the unacceptable, mending the ragged and tattered, and hanging the lucky survivors in descending order according to color. Oh. For good measure, you're supposed to hang new light fixtures and paint the closet, too.
Yeah, right. We all know what happens on this plan --- you pull everything out of the closet, try on your prom dress from 1983, and the baby wakes up, spits up, and demands attention. Then you get to sleep in a bedroom filled with tulle and sequins for the next three weeks. And mending? What's that?
No, savvy home managers have a few more effective tricks up their sleeves. The simplest is the most drastic: take every single clothing item you own, and store it in another room. Each morning, go to that room, select your clothing and get dressed. Only items that have been worn and laundered are allowed back in your closet.
Over the course of the season, this separates the sheep from the goats quite handily--the valuable 20% enjoy their roomy surroundings, while the 80% crowd are out of sight, out of mind. At season's end, take the rejects to consignment, or box them up for the next yard sale!

   Too drastic? No spare closets? The same principle can be put to use in your existing closet. When you wear a garment, say, a T-shirt, put it away on the top of the T-shirt pile. Over a few weeks, the good 20% will be the top 20% of the pile --- so remove the bottom ranks to boxes for storage, sale or consignment.

For hanging clothes, tie a bright red ribbon in the center of the closet rod. As you wear an item, hang it in front of the ribbon--and weed the rejects, weeks later, from the other side!

Create Clusters

You've weeded your closet of the freeloaders, the ill-fitting, the orphans, the ugly. Time to think about the remaining clothing, and the word is cluster.
A "cluster" is a core group of five to eight clothing pieces that work together. A typical cluster might contain a plaid wool blazer with tones of camel, red and navy, a coordinating navy skirt, navy dress slacks, overdyed navy jeans, a red T-shirt, and a camel blouse.
Dress it up and you have a suit-look with blazer, skirt and blouse. Dress it down with T-shirt and jeans, and toss the blazer over your shoulders for a casual Friday outfit. Layer the blouse over the T-shirt and add the slacks for a committee meeting --- you've mastered the art of the cluster!
Look at your culled closet with an eye to forming several clusters from your existing bits and pieces. Main organizing principle is color, not "season" or "style".
Group similar colored garments together, and think, "What could I add to this group to form a cluster?" A stay-at-home mom might cluster her acid-wash denim jeans and white T-shirts with a pieced jean jacket, a coordinating tapestry vest, and a long red tunic/sweater.
Thinking "cluster" simplifies the process of buying clothes. No longer will you buy in terms of "outfit" --- that's how you get in the position of having a closet stuffed with clothes and nothing to wear. Adding a piece to a cluster means you can wear the garment several different ways, using the clothing already in the closet.
Once again, less is more! And again Rememeber to donate to Goodwill!

wine removal

Wine stains, especially red wine, can be removed if you follow the correct procedure. For clothing that can be laundered, mix a good liquid detergent such as Dawn half and half with hydrogen peroxide. These cleansers must be used together, and the mixture should be fresh. Gently pour over the stain and allow it to sit as a presoak. Use a clean towel between the stain and the back of the garment to avoid the stain leeching through. Launder following care label instructions. Research shows that white wine will remove red wine stains. Hold the game or tablecloth over the sink, and pour white wine on the red wine stain. It will disappear. If wine stains get on carpeting, pour hydrogen peroxide on the stain. Allow to stand for a few minutes. With a spray bottle mixture of half water and half of a good carpet cleaning shampoo, such as Bissell Fiber Cleansing Formula, mist the stain, and blot dry with a clean white cloth. This will work well even on white carpeting.

1. Mix one teaspoon of a mild pH balanced detergent (a mild non alkaline non bleaching detergent) with a cup of lukewarm water
2. Blot
3. Mix one third cup of white household vinegar with two thirds cup of water
4. Blot
5. Mix one teaspoon of a mild pH balanced detergent (a mild non alkaline non bleaching detergent) with a cup of lukewarm water
6. Sponge with clean water
7. Blot

Note: Always test an inconspicuous area for colorfastness, etc. before treating the exposed area. Also note that certain stains are permanent

Dawn dish liguids surprise uses

Ever wonder why Dawn Dishwashing Liquid is the wildlife cleaner of choice after an oil spill? According to the International Bird Rescue Research Center, Dawn effectively removes grease but does not cause harm to the skin of the birds. It’s also biodegradable and contains no phosphates. HAIR PRODUCT BUILDUP Once a month use original Dawn as you would shampoo. It will remove excess oil from your hair and scalp and strip away any build-up of styling products without any damage. Perform this once a month and you won’t have to buy expensive salon products that do the same thing. MANICURE SECRET Soak fingers in full-strength blue Dawn. It makes the cuticles soft and easy to work with. And it removes the natural oil from the fingernails, which allows the polish to adhere very well. REPEL HOUSEPLANT INSECTS A safe, effective way to repel insects from your houseplants, including aphids, spider mites and mealy bugs. Mix the dish soap with other ingredients to protect your houseplants without discoloring the foliage or harming the plant. CLEAN YOUR WINDOWS  Try this recipe from Merry Maids: mix 3 drops Dawn in 1 gallon water and fill a spray bottle with the solution. Spritz and wipe as you would with any window cleaner. PETS AND PESTS Use it to bathe the dogs. It kills fleas on contact and is much cheaper than expensive dog shampoos. CLEAN AUTOMOTIVE TOOLS After you have finished your automotive repair project, soak your dirty tools in Dawn before you put them away to remove all the oil and grime. Dawn also helps prevent rust from forming on the tools. ICE PACK Partially fill a strong zip-type sandwich bag with Dawn dishwashing liquid, close and freeze. The liquid soap stays cold much longer and it can be re-frozen many times. It will conform to the place you need an ice pack. TUB AND SHOWER CLEANER Take a spray bottle and fill it halfway with white vinegar. Heat in the microwave. Fill the rest of the way with blue Dawn. Put lid on and shake to mix well. Spray on your tub and shower walls. Allow to sit for a few minutes and rinse away. It will totally melt all the gunk, slime, sludge and other stuff that builds up including a bathtub ring. REPEL ANTS Spray counter-tops, cupboards and any other area where you see ants with a solution of Dawn and water. Wipe dry. The slight residue of Dawn that remains will not be a problem at all for kids or pets, but ants hate it. Should you see a trail of ants, go ahead and hit them with the Dawn spray. UNCLOGGING TOILETS A cup of Dawn detergent poured into a clogged toilet allowed to sit for 15 minutes and then followed with a bucket of hot water poured from waist height will clear out the toilet. POISON IVY Poison ivy spreads through the spread of the oil within the blisters. Washing the affected area with Dawn, especially on children who keep scratching the blister’s open, helps dry up the fluid, AND keep it from spreading. DRIVEWAY CLEANER If you have gasoline or motor oil stains on your driveway, you can use the kitty litter method to clean up the excess oil and then use a scrub broom and a solution of biodegradable Dawn dishwashing detergent and warm water to safely and effectively remove excess motor oil from the pavement. OILY SKIN Dawn makes a great facial cleanser for oily skin. A drop or two combined with warm water will do the trick. PAINT OR GREASE REMOVER FOR HANDS Dawn combined with corn oil makes for the perfect paint or grease remover. Simply combine a little bit of both in your hands then rub it over affected areas. The corn oil and the dishwashing liquid both help to dissolve the grease and paint – yet leave skin soft, unlike harsher paint removers. MULTIPURPOSE CLEANER Merry Maids recommends using a drop of Dawn in water to clean ceramic tile and no-wax/linoleum floors. You can also use the spray on: Bathroom and kitchen counters and sinks. Woodwork, e.g., baseboards, shelves, and wainscoting.  (Dry as you go–wood doesn’t like prolonged contact with water.) Tubs and toilet seats. LAUNDRY PRE-TREATER FOR OILY STAINS For oil-based stains such as lipstick, grease, butter, motor oil, cooking oil, and some pen inks, simply apply some Dawn dishwashing liquid directly to the stain and scrub with a small brush or toothbrush until the oil is removed, and then launder as usual. NON-TOXIC LUBRICANT Sliding glass doors, door knobs, hinges etc. It lasts much longer than any aerosol type spray that I have tried. And Its non-toxic! It does a great job of cleaning the parts that its lubricating as well! POOL CLEANING Squirt Dawn down the middle of the pool and all of the dirt, suntan lotion, etc. will move to the edges of the pool for easy clean up!  AND it makes the pools sparkle. EYEGLASS DEFOGGER Simply rub a small drop of Dawn on eyeglass lenses, and wipe clean. It will leave a very thin film that will prevent them from fogging up. SHOWER FLOORS Cover greasy footprints on shower floors with a coating of Dawn; let sit overnight.  Scrub away the gunk in the morning with a stiff brush. APHID CONTROL ON FRUIT TREES Mix two tablespoons Dawn to a gallon of water and put in your sprayer. Try to get spray both sides of the leaves, branches and the tree trunks. Let sit for about 15 minutes and then rinse the trees THOROUGHLY! SIDEWALK DE-ICER For icy steps and sidewalks in freezing temperatures, mix 1 teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and 1/2 gallon hot/warm water and pour over walkways. They won’t refreeze. No more salt eating at the concrete in your sidewalks CLEANING THE KIDDIE POOL Plastic wading pools can get very gunky, very fast. Dump the water, then scrub the pool with Dawn and a sponge. More potent cleaners like bleach will weaken and dry out the plastic in the sun. And finally the best use is it As a gift along with a print out of all theae uses!!!:))

Slate and natural stone cleaning

Slate and is more porous and usually uneven so regular cleaning is a must, or using a stone sealer to may tile cleaning is also recommended. Since slate is more porous it will stain easier and stains can be stubborn. Grease stains for example are difficult on a floor like this which is unsealed, and you will likely have to resort to using a poultice to remove this type of staining. For general maintenance neutral cleaner is best and using less detergent is better leaving soap residue behind will only attract the dirt fast and make tile cleaning ore difficult.
Most slate must be sealed to prevent staining. The ridges collects dirt easily. Also, any element that is acidic will cause etching (corrosion) if it comes into contact with slate tiles.

Slate may not be the best choice for large flooring areas because of the the up-keep it requires. Having it honed (smoothed) will reduce the time and care needed to keep your flooring looking its best…

The main factor in cleaning natural stone is the initial treatment of the floor/countertop.
Using a stone sealer  and an ongoing maintenance is best .If you desire a unfinished look for your slate floors...then frequent tile cleaning is necessary. Consider a wet vacuum so you can use a combination of water detergent and by vacuuming with a wet vac will help keep the tiles cleaner. Use as little detergent as possible; remember excess soap will attract dirt faster. Always use a Ph balanced soap or detergent.

Hard Water and soap scum / White Haze on Tile

Have you recently had tile laid and were left with a white haze? Use Straight vinegar wait 5-10 min and wipe away the haze...leaves a great shine too!!

Hard water and soap scum

Hard water and soap scum can be kept at bay by using a sponge or towel soaked with lemon juice. The acidic lemon juice breaks down the dingy grey build up of soap scum/hard water stains. For build up you can use a commercial product designed for hard water stain removal, it will be a more aggressive acidic cleaner. A home remedy is to use cream of tarter and hydrogen peroxide to make a paste allow to dry and buff and rinse clean.
Potassium bitartrate (cream of tarter) can be mixed with an acidic liquid such as lemon juice or white vinegar to make a paste-like cleaning agent for metals such as brass, aluminum or copper, or with water for other cleaning applications such as removing light stains from porcelain.
The much easier solution is to clean the hard water/soap scum frequently so you don’t have a big tough job of scrubbing.

Granite counter top care

When you decide to make that big investment to install stone countertops the installers do not mention that they need to be sealed and protected! Please call or email me to find out how to properly care for your stone countertops.
Rinea Blanchard
337-247-5567
rineat@juno.com

P.S. counter tops are more susceptible to etching than flooring.Clean using neutral pH cleaners, no acidic cleaners should be used.
Also quickly remove spills like orange or tomato juice  and milk....since they are acidic. Using soft cleaning cloths and or mops are best.