lexnmike4enomore Posted September 10, 2004 Posted September 10, 2004 I recently became a housewife. Not the stay at home type but i work til 5 and my Husband works til 12AM. So when i get home from work i cook and clean and yada yada yada. Are there any tips that you guys have learned from expierence? Like how often to clean under the couch, or mop the hardwood floors or Kitchen. Are there any secrets i should kow. Like using toothpaste and bleach will make a powerful cleaner....(ya know what i mean) ANY HELP?!?!?!?
tiki Posted September 10, 2004 Posted September 10, 2004 You still work full time, so you won't go completely crazy. But I can't give you a whole lot of info, I'm not a housewife. I did tell my fiance just yesterday that when we get married, I want to quit work to be his stay at home sex slave. He got a kick out of that. Just be patient. Will his schedule be changing anytime soon? Will you wait up for him to come home? This will be a great opportunity to be able to surprise him with lots of stuff! Warm baths by candlelight, negligees...woohoo!
lexnmike4enomore Posted September 10, 2004 Posted September 10, 2004 Nope his schedule wont change. I was just wondering if there are things i need to know that i would never think of off the top of my head. Im only 20 so i dont really know that i have to clean under the couch cushions etc.
binturong Posted September 10, 2004 Posted September 10, 2004 Baking soda and vinegar are good for scrubbing things. That's about as far as I got. I work full time too, but get up earlier, so I get home before my fiance. But I sure as heck am not doing all the work around the house!
quankanne Posted September 10, 2004 Posted September 10, 2004 I've found that divvying up the housework into "he likes to vacuum and clean out the cat box and run the dishwasher so I'll take care of laundry and varous other things" is a good trade off. Find out what he doesn't mind doing and suggest that he be responsible for it, and the same with you. Believe me, it saves time. as for cleaning, UGH! I am not the best when it comes to things like dusting, and my apartment is kind of messy, at best. Not horrifyingly so that I can't find what I'm looking for, but I let things sit awhile before putting them back into place. Fortunately, my husband doesn't mind, he's as low-key as I am! Though I imagine that a having a neat-nick spouse and a messy spouse could be problematic when it comes to running your household. Find out what he can live with and what you can live with when it comes to cleanliness and go from there. best household tip? Vinegar and baking soda! We keep a squirt bottle filled with water, vinegar and dish soap next to the sink so that we can spray down the dishes when we're done using them. Makes clean up (whether it's right away or the next day) a whole lot easier. We also use it for cleaning countertops, especially in areas that have attracted grease from cooking. Vinegar also is good for soaking up odors, just leave a small dish of it out to absorb the smell of cigarette smoke or burnt odors, really anything that smells in your place. Add it to your laundry when you wash your clothes, and it knocks out the smell of bleach or the laundry soap. This is good if you've have problems with allergies to certain scents. You can also put a small dish filled with equal parts of water and vinegar into a bowl, then microwave it for about 3-4 minutes, it steams out the gunk that collects in the microwave so that it's easier to wipe down. Baking soda in your bathwater removes grime a lot better than soap/body wash alone. It's also good for stripping grime from your hair (just mix a little with water, then add a dollop of shampoo to it before washing your hair – it'll smell kind of like the stuff used for getting a perm, but because you're going to rinse it out right away, it's okay). Newest trick? I read someplace to keep mattresses from sliding, get that "poofy" kind of matting you find for lining shelves (they make placemats from that stuff, too) and line it on top of your box spring. It really works! best part is, we only invested $6 at the Dollar Store for the stuff, at $2 a roll! **** unless you've got pretty severe allergies, I wouldn't worry so much about the dust bunnies under the bed or the sofa. If you vacuum under there on a semi-regular basis, you'll be all right. Also, would suggest cleaning out/changing the filter to your air conditioner every 4-6 weeks if you live in someplace that older, if you have indoor pets or you're exposed to a lot of dust. happy homemaking!
lexnmike4enomore Posted September 10, 2004 Posted September 10, 2004 wow great advice.....thank you! See i dont make enought money to help out with the finances so my contribution is to cook and clean and yada yada...all that good stuff....he pays the bills....and mortgage and mows the lawn and does the manly things. Im happy doing the "housewife thing"!
binturong Posted September 10, 2004 Posted September 10, 2004 Oh don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to be a housewife! If he could support us on his salary alone, I would gladly make all his meals, do his laundry, clean the house, etc. But if you're both working full time, no matter how little money you bring home, you should be splitting the chores, IMO. Otherwise it's just as if you have 2 jobs while he gets to come home and relax after his one job.
FolderWife Posted September 10, 2004 Posted September 10, 2004 I'm a lazy cleaner, so here's my lazy tip Ya know those pump and spray things for bug spray? http://www.mtdmowers.com/poly_garden_sprayers_for_less.htm <--those things Fill it with half bleach, a scoop of Laundry detergent, and the rest water. Pump it up. Then, you can use the steady stream that flys out to clean scummy bathtubs It's also GREAT for cleaning outside...like the algae that grows on your siding, or dust that gets on your siding......yeah. Anyhoo, douse whatever with the pump n sprayer, then simply rinse it with clear water it works great. Also, using the pump n sprayer, you can use pure bleach to spray on poison ivy plants, and they burn up I love doing that
HokeyReligions Posted September 10, 2004 Posted September 10, 2004 http://www.flylady.net/ Denture tablets (efferdent) in the toilet keeps them sparkling clean! Dust ruffles are for hiding things! Don't wear your glasses or contacts at home and you won't see the dirt.
lexnmike4enomore Posted September 11, 2004 Posted September 11, 2004 LOL you guys are funny! I guess i will learn all those things with expierence.. Monday...Im a lazy cleaner too...sweep dirt under the carpet kind of thing!
Leikela Posted September 11, 2004 Posted September 11, 2004 Your husband? Last I heard (like a few months ago) he was only your boyfriend. Are you holding out on us? Did those wedding bells ring recently?
moimeme Posted September 11, 2004 Posted September 11, 2004 Denture tablets (efferdent) in the toilet keeps them sparkling clean Keeps them sparkling clean? So you're advocating cleaning the dentures in the toilet?
lexnmike4enomore Posted September 12, 2004 Posted September 12, 2004 Originally posted by Leikela Your husband? Last I heard (like a few months ago) he was only your boyfriend. Are you holding out on us? Did those wedding bells ring recently? LOL you can say that.......we kind of eloped...well kind of...it was just me him and our parents in a small chapel in the hamptons(grandmother lives there). We dont have the money to have a huge wedding now ( i know its tradition to have the brides father pay for it but he passed away last year).....But we wanted to get married soooo bad. So in about a year well try it again...sorry for not posting about it. It just kind of happened. We didnt even go on our homeymoon. They was someone posting about a Fijian wedding. I was soooooooo jealous. Thats like my dream vacation spot. But for now were in love and were newleyweds. (07/31/04) Another thing. Am i supposed to do things that I really dont know i have to. Like i would never know that im supposed to clean behind the vents and stuff.
Leikela Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 Wow, that's awesome! Many congrats to you! I hope you have a long and happy marriage. Best wishes to you!!
lexnmike4enomore Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 Originally posted by Leikela Wow, that's awesome! Many congrats to you! I hope you have a long and happy marriage. Best wishes to you!! Thank you soooo much...so far im loving it!
SoleMate Posted September 15, 2004 Posted September 15, 2004 My best housekeeping tip is... KEEP THINGS CLEAN so you don't have to clean them! (as often) Examples: * Nubbly mat outside front door. Train household members to scrape feet, and remove shoes if they are very dirty or wet * Sweep outside front door frequently (less dirt gets tracked in) * Spread out shower curtain to dry after shower (rather than letting it bunch up, stay wet, and mildew) * Use large, absorbent, all-cotton rugs in bathroom and wash them frequently * Train household members to dry off INSIDE the shower stall or tub (no water on floor makes HUGE difference) * Wipe up sticky spills as soon as they happen * Vacuum up dusty/gritty emsses as soon as they happen * Don't have pets * Don't have children * Don;'t have guests * Use aluminum foil strategically when cooking greasy or splattery things * Train household members to prefer steamed or baked food, rather than fried or grilled (less mess) * Choose furniture, appliances, fabrics, etc. to minimize dust and crud catching surfaces and finishes And so forth.
NatoPMT Posted September 15, 2004 Posted September 15, 2004 Hi lexnmike4e Congratulations to ya! Those denture tablets in a bowl of warm water whiten your fingernails too. There’s a British TV series called ‘How Clean is Your House’, its absolutely fantastic, they go to the most filthy houses you could ever imagine and get them sparkling. Every time I watch it I go on an uncontrollable cleaning frenzy. They’ve published a book to go with the series, called How Clean is Your House by Kim Woodburn, Aggie MacKenzie which you can get on amazon. You will be a domestic goddess. Just like me. Ahem.
Karlise13 Posted September 15, 2004 Posted September 15, 2004 I'm at work and don't have time to read all the posts, do I don't know if anyone told you about vinegar. It's great for yuggy shower curtains. Toss your gross shower curtain into the wash with a cup of vinegar and it gets rid of the nasties. Also great for marinating chicken and meat!
meanon Posted September 15, 2004 Posted September 15, 2004 A must to reconcile oneself to the tedium of housework Congrats. on the wedding
lexnmike4enomore Posted September 15, 2004 Posted September 15, 2004 lol thanx meanon...ill check on the lobotomy Thanx to everyone for the congrats on the wedding!
meanon Posted September 15, 2004 Posted September 15, 2004 There’s a British TV series called ‘How Clean is Your House’, its absolutely fantastic, they go to the most filthy houses you could ever imagine and get them sparkling. Every time I watch it I go on an uncontrollable cleaning frenzy. They’ve published a book to go with the series, called How Clean is Your House by Kim Woodburn, Aggie MacKenzie which you can get on amazon. You will be a domestic goddess. Just like me. Ahem. Interesting, BigBelm. I've watched it too but it has produced no cleaning frenzy in me. Instead there is simply relief that I'm not yet a candidate for the messiest person in England. My friend (also a domestic goddess) made me take the quiz at the back of the book. It said I was on the slippery slope...
NatoPMT Posted September 16, 2004 Posted September 16, 2004 but it has produced no cleaning frenzy in me i cant help myself, in the ad break i crack open a new pack of dusters and some house-proud automatum takes over. I think they are sending some subliminal messages that override my usual dyson-lethargy. You are immune, run now while you can still escape. My flatmate says all women should be made to watch the series as all the girls he knows go cleaning crazy after watching it. He's still single as you can imagine.
meanon Posted September 16, 2004 Posted September 16, 2004 LOL! Do you think the subliminal messages emanate from the middle of the thing Kim has on top of her head (the hairstyle is clearly just a decoy)? I bet you watch Life Laundry too. Go on, admit it!
lexnmike4enomore Posted September 17, 2004 Posted September 17, 2004 Hey guys.....my avatar pic is from my wedding a ew months ago. PM w/ your email if you want to see the whole thing
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