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Cleaning Tip Request
Old 08-07-2019, 11:43 AM   #1
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Cleaning Tip Request

OK, post-FIRE, I'm slowly working my way through thoroughly cleaning the house. (and, no, I don't hate it when I can set my own pace. Cleaning house gives a substantial feeling of achievement and belonging.)

But one task I neglected during my working years was dusting. Everywhere I look now, I see surfaces that have had dust which has now turned in some cases to dirt. I know that if I use water at this point, I'll get dirty streaks.

Can anyone recommend a good dust cleaning spray? One that is environmentally friendly? I know some have too many chemicals, and it's also good to avoid silicone. Of course, if such doesn't exist, I'm telling myself that this is a one-time thing, that I'll keep up in the future with regular light dustings
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Old 08-07-2019, 11:56 AM   #2
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If you vacuum those surfaces first perhaps a subsequent damp cloth won't produce streaks.
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Old 08-07-2019, 12:02 PM   #3
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Agree with vacuuming first.
Then try baking soda and water, or this recipe:
all purpose cleaner: 2 cups white distilled vinegar, 2 cups water, few drops essential oils if you want fragrance
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Old 08-07-2019, 12:07 PM   #4
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+2 vaccum the dust with the attachment with the soft brush on the end, then spray with water or water with a little white vinegar.
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Old 08-07-2019, 12:26 PM   #5
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swiffer cloths (whether or not you get the swiffer duster.) Those cloths will grab a good thick layer of dust.
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Old 08-07-2019, 01:41 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pellice View Post
Cleaning house gives a substantial feeling of achievement and belonging.

How many times did you have to repeat that statement before you started to believe it?
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Old 08-07-2019, 02:59 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Aerides View Post
swiffer cloths (whether or not you get the swiffer duster.) Those cloths will grab a good thick layer of dust.
Plus 1. The heavy-duty Swiffer dust thingies with the extendable handle (packaged together) do everything—blinds, light fixtures, molding.
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Old 08-07-2019, 07:15 PM   #8
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"There was no need to do any housework at all. After four years the dirt doesn’t get any worse." - Quentin Crisp
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Old 08-08-2019, 03:29 AM   #9
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Thanks for the tips! And, yes, there is gratification, mild though it may be, in uniting oneself with one's surroundings through housework (mild though *that* may be.) The thought of maintaining one's own car repels me, yet many get gratification from that. Creating a calm and orderly house that works for one's goals - that is an achievement. Of course there are many other things to do, so moderation in all.

The ancestresses gather around and nod approvingly. Remember, "housewife" was an honorific in medieval England and Scandinavia, the counterpart of "husband," the partner who tilled the soil. Together they made a household. Now, drop the gender roles and the backbreaking labor, and a bit of dusting brings me into the circle!
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Old 08-08-2019, 04:54 AM   #10
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Agree, vacuum first. Then I just use water with one of those microfiber towels. I really like those towels for cleaning all types of things. I got a big bag of them from Sams club a long time ago and they’re still going strong.
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Old 08-08-2019, 05:42 AM   #11
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Come over to my house and we'll let you be completely fulfilled. We've got over 4000 square feet of hardwood flooring, and much of it must be vacuumed every other day and mopped once a week. It doesn't help having a 134 pound Rottweiler in the house.

I don't know what we'd do without our Shark rechargeable vacuum cleaner.
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