presoak for 30 minutes to several hours. Launder as usual.
Mustard
Prewash stain remover
Pretreat mustard stains with a prewash stain remover; launder as usual.
Perfume
Prewash stain remover or
Apply a prewash stain remover or liquid detergent directly to liquid detergent
the stained area. Allow the item sit for 15 minutes, and then wash as usual.
Rust or iron stains
Commercial iron remover
Treat rust or iron stains with a commercial iron remover, according to package directions. Do not use chlorine bleach to try to remove iron stains, since bleach will set them permanently.
Sauces (catsup, tomato sauce,
Prewash stain remover or liquid
Apply a prewash stain remover or liquid detergent directly to barbeque sauce)
detergent; chlorine or non-chlorine
the stained area; allow to stand 15 minutes before laundering.
bleach
Wash the garment using chlorine or non-chlorine bleach where appropriate for the fabric type.
Tobacco
Enzyme-based laundry presoak
Presoak in an enzyme-based laundry presoak before laundering as usual.
Treating stains on the run
kit into the car. Fold a few paper towels into the bottom In a perfect life, spots and stains would occur right of a plastic food storage bag; they’ll help you soak up there in the laundry area, where the means to treat
spills and blot fresh stains with cool water. Add a
them was close at hand. In reality, stains love life on disposable plastic knife for scraping away solid materials.
the fly: while traveling, eating out, or away from home.
Some prepacked stain-removal towelettes will also come Try these ideas to deal with stains on the run:
in handy.
▪
▪
Be ready for vacation mishaps. Pack a travel-Duck them! Simple as it sounds, avoiding stains sized bottle of liquid detergent or pre-packed stain-prevents the need to treat them. Sit down to eat, when removal towelettes so that you can treat a stain on the possible, instead of juggling drippy burgers behind the spot. In an emergency, try using talcum powder from your wheel (and wearing the catsup for the rest of the day).
washbag to treat an oily stain. Cover the stain with a layer Tuck napkins into children’s T-shirts to soak up the of powder, then leave it for at least half an hour for the inevitable restaurant spills.
▪
powder to absorb the oil. Brush the powder away with a Carry a first-aid kit for stains. Whether it’s car clean, dry washcloth—if there’s still some staining, repeat travel or just the daily commute, tuck an emergency stain the procedure until the mark has gone.
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CYCLES OF AN ORGANIZED HOME
Press on!
top tips for easy ironing
The tools: iron, ironing board, sprayer, and starch. The job: remove wrinkles from clothing. The goal: get the job done, fast and smoothly. The problem: wilting resolve behind the ironing board. Speed household ironing chores by knowing what to press and how to press it. Try these tips to take the heat out of ironing.
1I iron, ergo I am.
Proper ergonomic alignment speeds the ironing
process and avoids backache. Adjust the ironing
board to hip level; when holding the iron, your elbow should be bent at a 90-degree angle and your shoulder should move freely.
2Clean the scene.
Before turning on the heat, check the iron’s
soleplate for built-up residue. Remove any
deposits before ironing: scorch or soil is a drag on the soleplate, and can be transferred to clean clothing.
3Know your clothes.
Read clothing care labels and match iron
temperatures to the garment’s fiber content.
If in doubt about a garment’s fiber content, set the iron on the low side of the temperature dial.
4Duck a dirty job.
Never press soiled or dirty clothing. The iron’s
heat will set stains and body soil, and intensify
odors in the fabric. Heat plus dirt equals a fine mess, so keep clothing sweet by washing or dry-cleaning
before you press.
◀ Buying an iron. When replacing an iron, new choices enhance safety and usability. Look for auto-shutoff features, labeled heat settings, roomy water reservoirs, and built-in sprayers.
CLOTHING
153
5Into the mist.
Keep cool:
Keep a spray bottle filled with water close at
A hot iron is nobody’s cup of tea—and it’s a
hand. A quick spritz of water releases any
household power hog. Save time and energy
accidental creases and makes pressing chores fly. For by heading off ironing in the first place.
a scent-ual touch, fill the ironing spray bottle with linen water: water infused with non-staining fragrances. Find
▪ Buy smart. When shopping for clothes,
linen water at bath-and-bedding shops.
look for labels that promise “no-iron” or
“permanent press” fabric finishes; they’re
6Go with the grain.
your ticket to ironing freedom.
no-ir
Just as you sand a wooden table, iron with
▪ Enlist the aid of the washer. Special
the grain, not against it. Ironing across thread
washing machine cycles for permanent-
diagonals causes fabric to buckle and stretch.
press clothing use cool rinse temperatures
on strategies
to encourage clothing to shed wrinkles—
7A pressing matter.
so use them!
The press cloth is your friend! Use this rectangle
▪ Shake it, baby, shake it. Shake out
of tightly woven cotton cloth as an intermediary
each garment before adding it to the washer.
between the iron and the garment to guard against
Untwist spirals of trouser leg, and unwind
shine when pressing on the right side of wool or
clumps of bathrobe ties, tights, and
delicate fabrics.
pantyhose.
▪ Stay cool. Over-drying clothing in the
8Keep it moving, keep it light.
automatic dryer shrinks seams and sets
Keep the iron moving and the pressure light.
wrinkles, so stop the dryer when clothing
Pressing too hard flattens fiber nap and stresses
is just dry and not yet hot. Barely damp
reinforced areas like pockets, while a slow iron is more clothing will release wrinkles as it hangs,
apt to scorch or burn fabric.
avoiding the need for touch-ups.
▪ Dance attendance on the dryer.
9Hang ’em high!
Remove clothing from the dryer promptly,
When you’ve finished pressing, hang the garment
and hang immediately. As you remove
immediately. Freshly ironed clothing is vulnerable
clothing, smooth collars and cuffs, and
to wrinkling in the first several hours. Allow clothing to stretch seams for a smooth look.
cool and dry completely before placing them in a closet or bureau drawer.
TEMPERATURE GUIDELINES
Fabric type Acetate Acrylic Cotton
Linen
Nylon Polyester
Rayon Silk
Wool
Iron setting
Cool
Cool
Medium to
Medium to Low
Low to
Low to
Low heat
Medium
high heat
high heat
medium
medium
(iron inside
heat with
with steam
with steam
heat
heat (iron
out)
steam
inside
out)
select, save, maintain, clean
Surfaces and systems
Today’s homes are a treat for the senses.
Rich rugs glow atop gleaming wood floors.
Chrome fixtures reflect the sheen of ceramic
sinks and granite countertops. Plush chenille
pillows contrast with sleek, cushy leather
sofas, while wood furniture invites the eye
with the depth and richness of wood grain.
Beneath the surface lie a home’s systems:
the powerful friends that keep us cool in
summer, warm in winter, and supplied with
water and power year-round.
In this section, we focus on the surfaces and systems that make a home. We’ll discover easy
ways to preserve our housing investment:
keeping walls, windows, floors, and ceilings
clean and furniture well cared for. We’ll learn
to maintain household systems for best energy
efficiency and savings.
Finally, we’ll focus on safety, adopting
simple checklists to keep the home a safe
place to live. A household emergency plan will
ensure that family members are prepared and
informed in the face of fire, flood, or disaster.
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CYCLES OF AN ORGANIZED HOME
Cleaning walls
Soft with paint or bright with wallpaper, walls frame the life of the household—
but too often, they also wear it! Daily living tends to deposit smudges, smears, and fingermarks (especially if there are small children in the household), marring the beauty of walls and woodwork. Painted or papered, keep walls clean and gleaming with these tips for wall cleaning and maintenance.
How to clean painted walls
On your mark, get set, prep! Cleaning painted walls is a big job, so be prepared. Push furniture to the center of the room, and lay down old sheets or canvas drop cloths to catch soapy drips. Avoid plastic tarps; they don’t absorb water and become slippery when wet. To protect your hands and to remind you where pictures belong, cover picture nails with a chunk of household sponge.
Assemble your wall-washing tools: lambswool duster,
white cleaning cloths, a natural sponge (avoid colored sponges, since they can deposit dyes on light-colored walls), and two buckets: one filled with cleaning solution ( see below) and one filled with clear water for rinsing. Rubber gloves or washing-up gloves protect your hands; be sure to turn up glove cuffs to help contain drips. A step stool makes it easier to get to the high reaches for easy cleaning; tools with handles keep wall cleaning sessions safe.
Ready to clean In one bucket, mix a wall-cleaning solution.
For normal soil levels, try a mild detergent solution to clean walls that consists of:
▪ 1 gallon (4 liters) warm water, to which you add
▪ a good squeeze of liquid dishwashing detergent
For more heavily soiled walls, you’ll need a stronger alkali solution—but spot-test any cleaning mixture first to ensure
◀ Take it easy. A soft approach is best when cleaning walls and moldings. Harsh cleaners, abrasives, or an oversupply of elbow grease can mar painted surfaces or damage delicate wallpaper.
SURFACES AND SYSTEMS
157
it won’t remove or lighten paint. Add all of the following to your bucket and give it a good stir before you start: W
Wallpaper’s bright colors and varied
▪
allpaper cleaning
1 gallon (4 liters) warm water
textures enliven any room—but that same
▪ 1 cup (250ml) clear non-sudsing ammonia
color and texture can cause problems when
▪ 1 cup (250ml) white vinegar
it’s time to clean. Protect your investment
▪ 1 cup (250ml) washing soda (borax)
with these wallpaper cleaning tips:
The second bucket should hold clean water, to be used for
▪ Check manufacturer’s guidelines.
rinsing. Change the water if it starts to look very dirty as you Because wallpapers differ in content and
work around the room.
for appropriate cleaning methods.
Ditch the dust Dust is always easier to remove than mud,
▪ Dust carefully. Use a lambswool duster,
so remove any loose dust before bringing moisture into the or tie a dry cleaning cloth over a broom to
mix. Circle the room with the lambswool duster, wiping walls dust the walls before cleaning.
tips and tricks
and woodwork from the top down. When the duster is
▪ Older, non-coated wallpaper. Use a
covered with dust, take it outside and spin the handle
“dry sponge,” found at the hardware store.
between your palms to release the dust.
This product lifts and removes surface dirt
Alternately, use a vacuum cleaner’s extension wand and without moisture. Rub it lightly against the
bristle brush head (used for upholstery) to remove dust and surface in long strokes to remove dirt.
cobwebs from walls and woodwork.
▪ Scrubbable or washable wallpaper.
Use a natural sponge lightly dampened
Bottoms up Drips are inevitable when washing walls.
with a solution of warm water and a small
Should they run down dry, dirty surfaces, they’ll dry—and amount of liquid dishwashing detergent.
create long muddy stains. Avoid drip issues by washing walls Before cleaning, test the solution in an
from the bottom up. Yes, you’ll drip onto already-cleaned areas, inconspicuous corner to be sure it won’t
but the solution will be a quick swipe with a sponge, not a remove paper or coating. Don’t scrub too
tough cleaning job.
hard or allow the paper to get too wet to
Dip the natural sponge into the bucket of cleaning solution, avoid damage. Use cleaning cloths to absorb
and rub the wall gently to avoid removing paint. Work in extra moisture after rinsing.
small areas, washing, and then using the sponge to rinse the
▪ Fingermarks or smudges. Remove by
area with clear water. Last, blot excess moisture with white rubbing them gently with an art gum eraser.
cleaning cloths.
Use a light touch to avoid damaging the
area. Commercial wallpaper cleaners may
Take it to the end When washing walls, always wash also be used to lift the small stuff.
the entire wall, bottom to top and side-to-side. If you need
▪ Cleaners to avoid. Never use abrasive
a breather, take it between walls, not in the middle. Stopping cleaners—scouring powder or “soft-scrub”
the job before you finish the entire wall can cause “wash cleanser—to clean wallpaper. The abrasive
marks”: a wave effect caused by stop-and-go wall washing.
granules which they contain can scratch the
Avoid this effect by washing an entire wall in a single wallpaper’s coating.
session, and use the same type and strength of cleaning solution for each wall.
158
CYCLES OF AN ORGANIZED HOME
Caring for
specialty
surfaces
Marble floors, tile counters, brick fireplaces, or stone entryways bring a unique feel to any home, but require special care and cleaning methods. Preserve the appeal of specialty surfaces
with these maintenance tips.
Marble
Clean unglazed ceramic tile with a natural sponge lightly This stone is soft, porous, and relatively weak. Marble will dampened with a solution of water and non-soap detergent scratch easily, absorb standing stains, and must be treated or commercial tile cleaner.
with care. For routine cleaning, dust, then buff with a barely Avoid using acid-based cleaners, such as white vinegar, on damp cleaning cloth to restore the shine.
tiled areas. Acid attacks the grout, causing it to crumble. Stay When more intense cleaning is required, pour a little clear away from steel wool! It will scratch the surface of ceramic tiles.
non-sudsing ammonia onto a cleaning cloth, wipe the marble surface and buff dry. When finished, use a commercial marble Brick
polish to restore the shine.
Made from clay, brick is porous with open pores that can trap Never use abrasive cleaners on marble surfaces. Avoid dust and dirt. Use a vacuum extension wand with a long-acid-based cleaning solutions, such as any product containing bristled upholstery brush to remove dust and dirt from interior white vinegar; acids can dull or etch bright finishes.
brick on a regular basis. For heavy-duty cleaning, use an alkali solution of TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) to clean brick: start with Ceramic tile
1 tablespoon TSP to 1 gallon (4 liters) of warm water. Scrub Tile comes in two types: glazed and unglazed. Smooth glazed the brick surface with a stiff-bristled brush, then rinse the brick tile is tough, but brittle and easily scratched, while the surface well with clean water. TSP is very strong, so use care to avoid of unglazed tile can absorb cleaning products. Finally, grout, skin exposure, and do not spill on carpet or fabrics.
used to set tile in place, is porous and traps moisture, mold, and mildew.
Granite
For regular cleaning of glazed ceramic tile—the shiny tile While strong and durable, this natural stone product needs most commonly used in kitchens and bathrooms—use a non-special care to maintain its characteristic high-gloss finish.
abrasive spray cleaner. Spray window cleaner leaves a nice Prevention is key with granite countertops. Mop up spills finish, but avoid heavily colored commercial sprays, as the as soon as possible, before they can penetrate the surface.
bright-colored cleaning solution can discolor porous grout.
Use coasters under beverages, since acids common in soft drinks Heavily soiled glazed ceramic tile requires bigger guns: and fruit juices can etch and dull granite surfaces.