Cleaning windows isn’t a fun job; in fact, I really loath doing it and usually wait longer than the recommended six months between washings. When faced with the task, I try to give myself a mental boost by comparing it to extremely unsavory occupations. “Better to clean windows than wrangle sperm from a turkey,” I’ll say as I collect my gear. When I’m finished, I always marvel at the improved atmosphere, and wonder what took me so long. I’m lazy…that is the answer, but I’ve found that other people avoid cleaning windows for other reasons. One often-heard complaint is the sheer number of options out there; with aisles of cleaning solutions and a plethora of cleaning tools, people forget that they ever knew how to clean windows at all. In my latest article, I re-simplify this formerly simple task, outlining both how to make a green yet effective cleaning solution from household ingredients, as well as what tools are essential for the job.
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Eric and I recently splurged on a brand new 32-inch LCD TV after a year of making do with a twenty-year-old hand-me-down 13-inch set with fake wood paneling on the sides. We were, as you can probably imagine, excited. So we got it home, carefully attached it to the stand, transferred it to the top of a bookcase, stood back, and saw…fingerprints. A week later, it was coated with a fine layer of dust and cat hair. It was, without a doubt, time for me to learn how to clean an LCD TV. Safely, you know, so as not to ruin this thing we spent several hundred dollars on. Turns out, cleaning an LCD TV is not as difficult or expensive as you might expect. All the details are in my new article.
I never knew the simple pleasure of wood floors growing up; however, I did become well acquainted with the displeasure of carpeting. Getting an occasional third-degree burn, seeing my dad’s wrathful vein surface across his temple as he eyed an awful stain, trying to extricate a sloppy pile of Golden Retriever feces from a carpet that was initially in no way brown - these are my fond memories of the stuff. The first thing I did when I moved was to expose the beautiful maple which once graced the home. After a few months of heavy traffic and sock-sliding competitions, I realized I didn’t know how to clean hardwood floors. To my surprise, it wasn’t at all difficult. I figured it would be a complex operation - that there wood be a tortuous yin to my floor’s charming yang. Sure, you may have to refinish now and then, but the normal upkeep of hardwood floors is an easy task. Read my latest article to learn how to clean hardwood floors quickly and safely.
Many people who would like to get an aquarium avoid getting one because they don’t know how easy it truly is to clean a fish tank. I’ve talked to many folks who remember having fish as children and loved it. Then they remember all the work their parents did to keep those tanks clean and they start to think twice. Not only were their parents probably doing WAY too much work, they also didn’t have the high caliber equipment and filters that are available to us today. Established aquariums are almost entirely self-sustaining. Even if you already have one or are thinking of getting a large tank, you probably won’t spend more than an hour a month on aquarium cleaning. So before you give up on your aquarium or decide to forego getting one altogether, check out my article on How to Clean a Fish Tank.
Before I started researching methods of cleaning leather, I was braced for the possibility that I wouldn’t be able to do this article. In my head, leather was too delicate and easily damaged to clean with natural household products. But in reality, leather is durable. In fact, that’s why we use it. The main trick to cleaning leather is avoiding products that will dry it out or change its color. And that, it turns out, is easy enough to do without spending a ton of money—or maybe, any at all. My latest article shows you how to clean leather using environmentally friendly products that I already had around the house, and that you probably have, too.
Porcelain sinks are not as common as they used to be. They still show up in bathrooms pretty regularly, but in the kitchen, where colorful substances are routinely poured or washed into the sink, builders usually opt for non-porous, easy-to-clean stainless steel. But if, like me, you’re easily charmed by old apartments or houses, there’s a good chance you have a porcelain sink in your kitchen. And if you have a porcelain sink, you know that it will gradually become disgusting with stains and then in desperation you’ll scrub it with chlorine bleach because there’s no other way to get it clean. Right? Wrong. I know a method of cleaning a porcelain sink that requires no harsh chemicals and only the tiniest bit of scrubbing. And now I’m sharing it: check out my latest article, and I swear you’ll never clean a porcelain sink the same way again.
When I mentioned to some of my coworkers that I was planning to write an article about cleaning grout, the unanimous response was groaning. Everyone hates cleaning tile grout. Which is too bad, because ceramic tile looks nice, and you can’t have tile without grout. But—good news—cleaning grout doesn’t have to involve hours of tedious scrubbing. While researching for the article, I learned about an environmentally friendly cleaning product that does the hardest part for you. My latest article features step-by-step instructions for how to clean grout with minimal work and without stressing out your health or the planet. Sounds too good to be true? It’s not—take a look.
