Dear Everyone,
Since becoming engrossed in preparing materials for the girls early education methods, I have revisited Jeff Campbell & The Clean Team’s books for speed cleaning tips. Please see the latest newsletter below for those who are preparing for the holidays - or for those who just need a quick and easy cleaning schedule to stick with.
- Ayesha
Edition 19
November 2, 2009
Greetings! The winter holiday season is officially upon us! Put away those pumpkins, pack up the costumes. It’s time for evergreen wreaths and twinkling lights!
If you’re anything like me, every year you vow to yourself that this year will be different. No more frenetic, chaotic holiday preparations. And then, every year, the holidays seem to sneak up on you. Again!
Well this year, it really can be different! Last month and again this month, I’m offering you a detailed holiday cleaning checklist. Each week is dedicated to a different room, broken down into no more than seven chores required to get that space into tip-top shape. Follow along as we get our homes – and our hearts – into the holiday spirit.
And speaking of holiday spirit, be sure to check out our November special (at the bottom of the newsletter) for an exclusive discount on a gift-wrapped set of our best-selling books!
Good luck and enjoy!
The Official Holiday Checklist, Part II
In last month’s newsletter (http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs057/1101942235204/archive/1102749662973.html ) , we kicked off an eight-week countdown to the winter holiday season. If you kept up with us, you have already accomplished four weeks worth of home cleaning and organizing chores. Way to go! (If you didn’t get it all done, don’t fret. Just jump in and get started with us this month.)
Week Five: Master Bedroom & Bathroom
We’re kicking off the first week of November with a deep cleaning of the master bedroom and bathroom. Now, you may be wondering why we’re devoting so much attention to the bedroom (and bathroom) when, after all, it isn’t exactly the focal point of holiday entertaining. True enough. But the master bedroom is the place where you go to relax and escape – or at least it should be. Of course, when your dresser is piled high with clothes and your tub hasn’t been washed out in weeks, your oasis is anything but peace on Earth.
* Clear any piles off your dressers, bed, floor, or counter tops. Find a home for everything, or, better yet, put it in a box to give-away. (What a great way to honor the spirit of the season!)
* Do a quick declutter of your closet and drawers. This isn't a detailed item-by-item declutter, but rather a quick grab of that sweater you haven't worn since 1992 and the pair of high heels you were going to fix three winters ago... but still haven't. Do the same with your jewelry box and makeup collection.
* Dust your dressers thoroughly. Pull your dressers out from the wall to catch any dust bunnies (or errant socks) back there, too. Dust light fixtures and ceiling fans.
* Vacuum or damp dust the floors.
* Deep clean your vanity, sink & mirror, commode, shower/tub and bathroom floor. For a detailed check list, see our 7 Steps to a Clean Bathroom (August, 2008 > http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs057/1101942235204/archive/1102188989499.html ).
* Strip your bed, flip and/or vacuum your mattress, and dress it up with fresh linens. Toss the dirty sheets, along with the bath towels and mats in the washing machine. Put up fresh towels in your bathroom.
* Light some candles, turn on your favorite holiday CD, and sink into some well-deserved R&R.
Week Six: The Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of your home. But if your kitchen is a dirty, cluttered mess, your home might be in danger of having a heart attack! The goal this week is to get your kitchen ready to handle the intensity of holiday cooking and baking, without interrupting your day-to-day work-flow. There is a lot to be done, but by focusing intensely on your kitchen this week, you will be ready for Thanksgiving dinner – and all of your December celebrations, too. (Note: There are seven kitchen tasks. While you don’t have to spread them out over the whole week, tackling one a day may make the week less overwhelming.)
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Sort through your pantry or cupboard. Toss any expired cans. Fill a bag for your local food bank with items your family isn’t likely to eat anytime soon. Wipe down shelves and re-line them, if necessary. Do a quick organization of cans, boxes, spices, and other baking goods.
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Tackle your cabinets, one at a time. Apply the same decluttering strategy as you did in your pantry, keeping in mind that one family’s “trash” is another family’s treasure. Wipe down all shelves and reline them, if necessary. Don’t forget the cabinet under your sink, too. (Now is a great time to take in that mountain of plastic bags for recycling. Most grocery stores have a big receptacle at the front entrance.)
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Turn your attention to your fridge and freezer. Toss expired foods and then wash the shelves with a mild dish soap and water. Be sure to dry each shelf thoroughly before replacing. Clean the front of your fridge (Red Juice is the perfect all purpose cleaner) and then pull it away from the wall to clean up those dust bunnies. While you’re back there, dust the coils with our refrigerator coil brush.
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Clean your oven (if you have a self-cleaning oven, this task should be a snap) and stove top. For a non-caustic oven cleaner, I recommend putting a glass bowl of clear ammonia in a warm oven (turn the oven off) and leave overnight Otherwise, we found Easyoff brand to be quick acting.
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Declutter your kitchen counters. This is especially important if you have a small kitchen. While finding room for smaller appliances can be a challenge in a tiny kitchen, freeing up the counter space will make holiday cooking much more pleasant.
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Once your counter tops are clear, spray them with Red Juice and wipe them down thoroughly. You may need to use your white pad or scraper as needed for tougher spots such as dried pancake batter drips or jam,etc to remove tougher stains.
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Clean out your sink and shine up the faucet. Pour some ice and a few lemon peels down your disposal to freshen it up.
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Gather up kitchen linens and rugs and toss them in the washing machine. Sweep and mop your floor, paying special attention to the corners of your kitchen, and the spaces under your fridge and oven.
Week Seven: Kids’ Room/Play Room/Craft Room/Home Office
This week is a bit of a catch-all, as everyone’s home is set up differently to meet their family’s needs. Maybe you have young kids and a thorough cleaning of their bedrooms is a top priority. Maybe your kids are older and can handle cleaning their own rooms, freeing you up to tackle your crafting corner or home office. Whatever your situation, pick the room this week that requires the most attention to get your home holiday-ready.
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Empty out trash cans and collect any garbage that didn’t make it to the bin.
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Clear off flat surfaces. Remove the piles and rehome those items. Better yet, donate these items to someone in need this holiday season.
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Sort through clothing/craft supplies/toys/office paperwork. If it’s something you love or use regularly, find a good home for it. Otherwise, donate it, toss it, or recycle it.
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Change linens.
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Dust light fixtures, ceiling fans, base boards, and light switches. (A little disinfectant is a good idea on light switches, especially during cold and flu season.)
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Vacuum or damp dust the floors.
Week Eight: The Dining Room
Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? There is no better time to get your dining room into “company condition” than the week of Thanksgiving. Many American families only eat in their dining rooms once or twice a year. The rest of the time, it’s a catch-all for clutter. Break that cycle this week – and vow to enjoy your dining room more often!
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Clear off flat surfaces – the table, breakfront, even chairs can be clutter catchers (school projects, craft projects, and bills are common culprits). Find a home for those items or, better yet, take them to GoodWill to bless someone else this holiday season!
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Dust the table and chairs, breakfront, buffet and other furniture.
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Dust baseboards, light fixtures and ceiling fans, and anything hanging on the wall.
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Wash windows, dust blinds and vacuum (or dry clean) draperies.
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Vacuum or dust damp the floor.
You did it! You finished an eight-week marathon of intensive cleaning! What an impressive accomplishment. The holiday season is upon us and you are ready!
Using Clean Team Products
The Acid Misconception
As Clean Team customers have become increasingly green-minded, I’ve noticed a growing concern about cleaning products that contain acid. While I fully support green cleaning, the anti-acid stance is actually misplaced.
Many articles cite acid-based cleaners as being unfriendly to the environment. But the truth is that it’s the strength of the acid and the amount of water–and other additives-- in the acid solution, as well as the dose, that determines the effects of the acid. (The true ‘strength’ of acid is a measurement of the extent to which it ionizes in water, but for our purpose, we can ignore this more scientific definition.)
Acids are found naturally in many foods and beverages. For example, lemon juice, orange juice, tomato juice, Coca-Cola, and vinegar are all acids. Obviously these acids are not poisonous in the solution and dose we use consume them.
Tile JuiceFor example, did you know that there is phosphoric acid in Coca-Cola? In fact, Coca Cola is the largest producer of phosphoric acid in the world. Phosphoric acid is the same acid that’s in our Tile Juice. Our other super safe bathroom cleaner, Scum Bum contains glycolic acid and it is Green Cross Certified. Our rust remover contains oxalic acid. And so does spinach.
Now this doesn’t mean that you should drink our cleaners–or that all acids are automatically safe. But they aren’t automatically unsafe, either. If you need help picking the safest, most effective products for cleaning your home, don’t hesitate to call us toll-free, Monday thru Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Pacific time. Our toll-free number is 1-800-717-2532. Or send me an email at jeff@thecleanteam.com
Reader Mailbag
I love hearing from our readers. If you have a questionReader Mailbag or comment, please send me an email at jeff@thecleanteam.com. What did you think about our holiday countdown cleaning series? Would you like to see more features such as these in the future?
Thank you for these great ideas!! I LOVED, LOVED the 4 week checklist. Please do continue this! It is a fabulous motivator! I followed your directions and spruced up the entry way last week. I’ve been eye-ing the hall closet this week to prepare my plan of attack for the weekend. You’ve made holiday preparations so much easier by helping us all prepare ahead of the craziness of November/December! Thank you! I’m SO glad I’ve signed up for your online newsletters!!
– Greta
From Jeff: We’re so glad, too, Greta. I’m happy to know that your holiday season will be that much easier this year!
November Special
Thanks for reading us this month! Come visit us on the web at www.thecleanteam.com. Of course, we still welcome your phone calls (1-800-238-2996) or a FAX (1-209-223-7994).
Sincerely,
Pro-Toothbrush
Jeff Campbell
The Clean Team Catalog
http://www.thecleanteam.com/
http://thecleanteamgang.blogspot.com/
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