Showing posts with label quick cleaning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quick cleaning. Show all posts

Friday, November 21, 2014

My almost-hip diaper bag...


My first-born and I spent a lot of time at The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. In addition to the endless colors and shapes, the miles of smooth floors were  perfect for my fledgling walker. Of course, going anywhere in public with a toddler always presented the possibility of  a dirty diaper...

My diaper kit was a variation on my brother's idea. He used to simply stuff a diaper in his back pocket before taking his child out on the town. When I asked what he planned to do if there was more than pee to deal with, he said that he would simply ask any parent around for a wipe.

This seemed a bit too casual and unpredictable to me, so I came up with a neat little trick. Before leaving with my son on an outing, I opened a single diaper, put a few wipes in it, folded it back up, compressed it and put it in a sandwhich bad. I carried this in my back pocket. I also made it a point to carry a pair of latex gloves on me, just in case.

In addition to being light, this "emergency preparedness kit" did not interfere with my mobility and I got the peace of mind of not having to carry around a lot of "stuff."




Friday, November 14, 2014

How to clean a bathroom quickly...




I can't count the number of times I have had ten minutes or less to prepare for unexpected visitors. Here is a very quick way to clean the bathroom...

Cleaning Supplies: 
  • Toilet paper from unused roll or an unscented baby wipe (both have mild abrasive qualities and can be thrown out after a single use)
  • Pump-liquid hand sanitizer (Purell or similar)
  • Pump-liquid hand soap

The Big Idea:

Move from least to most dirty areas so that, as you clean, you don't have to stop and wash your hands.

Sink First:

Take a "cleaning cloth" (a piece  of clean toilet paper, with a generous dab of liquid hand sanitizer on it)  and wipe the handles, spigot and area around the faucet base. Discard cleaning cloth.

Make a new cleaning cloth, wipe the sink vanity and then the bowl of sink from top to bottom. 
Throw out cleaning cloth.

Toilet Second:

Make a new cleaning cloth, wipe the top of toilet tank (gets dusty) and closed lid of toilet seat. Discard cleaning cloth. Open lid of toilet seat.

Make a new cleaning cloth and wipe the top of the toilet seat. Lift seat and wipe the  bottom of it. Discard cleaning cloth.

Make a new cleaning cloth and wipe the area of the toilet where the seat hinges join the bowl  (especially if you have boys). Discard cleaning cloth.

Make a new cleaning cloth and wipe toilet bowl outsides and base. Discard cleaning cloth.

One pump of hand soap in bowl, scrub with brush and  let sit.
Make a new cleaning cloth, wipe down floor around toilet.

Important: Do not use hand sanitizer on finished wood floors, it might remove finish.

Wash  Hands, Fold Towel on Bar as You Leave...

Bonus Points...

The devil is in the details. Wipe off debris on the pump of hand soap and hand-sanitizing gel.

For a subtle and non-toxic air freshener, hide a peppermint teabag or two in the bathroom.