|
|
Post by lagatta on Apr 12, 2009 23:54:25 GMT
Not as much fun as seeing beautiful flowers or tasty veg emerge, or relaxing in the garden (or on the balcony) but it must get done. Do you do a spring clean (or autumnal clean-up, depending on your hemisphere)? Any other useful approaches to the never-ending task of cleaning, tidying and reducing clutter?
Are there any sites you find useful? (and not too keen on selling their products)...
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2009 1:04:23 GMT
Our dust bunnies were out in full regalia today,it being Easter I gave them a break.Tomorrow...
|
|
|
|
Post by Jazz on Apr 13, 2009 6:35:59 GMT
Yes, it must get done. Early this morning, I stared at the overwhelming debris of my garden and immediately decided to go out for a few hours to contemplate my 'approach' to the clean-up. I came home to beauty!
My two fabulous tenants were just finishing their work...8 huge bags of leaves!...he had sawn off all of the dead wood on the trees (broken down and bagged), and cleaned the outer alley. She had cleaned and organized the storage area under my kitchen window (pots, garden tools etc. (think of an 8 square metre kitchen 'junk' drawer). It was warm and sunny. I was stunned and happy. Thank god, I had some wine...we enjoyed drinks and admired their hard work. At this time of year, it cools down quickly and we moved inside. I ordered Thai food and we had yet another wonderful dinner and evening together.
|
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Apr 13, 2009 6:56:33 GMT
Yesterday Mrs Baz, in France, gave me lots of cuttings to carry home to my english garden. I look forward to planting them today. I have two ivies, one dark green and heart-shaped, one light green edged with yellow, one small choyisia already trying to produce a flower, one highly-scented wallflower, two houseleeks (for luck), three baby succulents, rosemary - one upright and one prostate, and many dark purple iris corms.
|
|
|
|
Post by lagatta on Apr 13, 2009 14:55:00 GMT
Jazz has won the best tenants award! Best landlord I ever had was an old Italian guy who gave me pears from his tree. Now I live in a co-operative so we are all landlords and tenants - obviously not always easy to get along with everyone; one member (who lived here before the co-op was formed) does things like dust her floors and then throw the dust and her cigarette ends down below - one of the cigarettes actually set fire to the cord carpets we put down during the wintertime!
On the other hand, a member spearheaded and organised our perennial garden in the postage-stamp lawns in front. It does look nice, and flowers are coming up now.
I have a bag of stuff to take to a local charity shop - it is harder to do that in the winter without a car - have to respect the "one in, one out" rule as if one is fond of estate sales, "garage" sales and charity bazaars it is all to easy to accumulate clutter, as well as all the books and art supplies.
|
|
|
|
Post by lagatta on Apr 4, 2013 15:23:21 GMT
I'm wondering HOW to clean the outside of my office (once a living-room) windows. These are the kind of windows with a metal frame that slide from side to side to open and shut (the whole panes, not just a small portion thereof). I live on the top storey of a triplex, and there is nothing between me and the ground beneath. There is a balcony, a bit offside, with its own windowed door; window has been washed inside and out. Perhaps a squeegee on a long stick? I'm not willing to lean outside and risk life and limb for the sake of clean windows, but I'd very much like to clean them as there was road and sewer work from early spring to late autumn last year and they are covered with dust, despite rain and snow in the meantime. (My lungs and nasal passages were also full of the damned stuff).
And the very clean balcony window highlights the sorry state of its larger neighbour!
|
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on Apr 4, 2013 19:09:01 GMT
Lagatta is there a screen to contend with? Can you open the window from either pane? Can you ask the landlord? Perhaps since all the apartment residents are in the same situation due to the construction incident, maybe he will hire a contractor to do them all. You never know if you do not ask.
|
|
|
|
Post by lagatta on Apr 4, 2013 23:43:03 GMT
We are the landlords - and the tenants. I live in a cooperative, which is not quite the same as owning a condo in a building, or being a tenant. We are all members of the coop, which collectively owns the building, and at the same time are "tenants" of our own coop. (yes, this is a complicated legal structure). I can open the windows from either side, and remove the screen. Now perhaps I should borrow your husband, or more reasonably the very charming firefighters at Poste de pompiers Petite-Italie...  Though that would be rather a waste of our tax dollars, as they say. I will ask around at the coop, as I'm not the only person facing this problem. |
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Apr 5, 2013 0:07:19 GMT
I need to clean my upstairs windows, too. They are filthy. I just haven't been be to get myself fired up enough to tackle the job. My lower window sections fold in, so they shouldn't be too hard to clean. If I remove them I should then be able to clean the outside upper sections. This will be the tricky part. I don't particularly want to fall out a window.  |
|
|
|
Post by lagatta on Apr 5, 2013 0:25:28 GMT
Defenestration does have a certain historical cachet, though. Especially in Prague.
|
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Apr 5, 2013 0:32:01 GMT
Defenestration does have a certain historical cachet, though. Especially in Prague. Hmmmmmm......it sounds so much more romantic in Prague (or Montreal) versus North Florida. Maybe I should strap on a harness and tie the other end to the bed so I don't go out the window. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on Apr 5, 2013 0:36:14 GMT
Lagatta I have been told that the windex where you attach the bottle to a hose works really well on exterior windows, just point and spray, no wiping required. Perhaps if there is a ladder and someone in the co-op who is comfortable doing so this could be an option?
|
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Apr 5, 2013 0:47:01 GMT
My windows now have green algae and some mold around the edges. I'm afraid they are too high up for a ladder or a hose unless they were from a fire truck.
|
|
|
|
Post by lagatta on Apr 5, 2013 1:13:45 GMT
Yes, it is the top storey of a triplex (an old building, with high ceilings). Would take a fire truck.
|
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Apr 5, 2013 1:17:36 GMT
Depending on the brand, some of those sliding windows can be removed for cleaning.
On the assumption that yours can't be removed, can you shoot a strong stream of window-cleaning solution on to them, followed by plain water? I'm thinking that will get a lot of gunk off first, since trying to squeegee at that angle might not be too efficient.
|
|
|
|
Post by nautiker on Apr 6, 2013 21:00:08 GMT
Our dust bunnies were out in full regalia today we call them 'wool mice' over here - makes life so much easier: all you need to do is set some traps... ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2013 21:14:40 GMT
Yes, it is the top storey of a triplex (an old building, with high ceilings). Would take a fire truck. I was thinking, what if all the tenants pooled together and contracted to have the windows/building powerwashed by a professional? Surely yours is not the only one that needs it, no? I spent the majority of the morning and part of the afternoon doing indoor seasonal cleaning as the weather outside was so inclement. I had little choice at this point it was so overdue. |
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Apr 11, 2013 21:50:29 GMT
I'm cleaning this afternoon, too. I have hardwood floors and one of those round thingys does a great job of cleaning accumulated dust and cat hair. It also serves the purpose of protecting my lower back, as vacuuming aggravates my old injury. It cleans much better than I can do with a vacuum cleaner, too. While it's spinning around on my floors, I'm organizing accumulated clutter, dusting, and taking upstairs stuff up and downstairs stuff down.
|
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Apr 11, 2013 22:19:28 GMT
what if all the tenants pooled together and contracted to have the windows/building powerwashed by a professional? THAT would be the perfect solution! What is the round thingy, LaGatta? I want one. |
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Apr 11, 2013 22:34:19 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Apr 12, 2013 3:25:28 GMT
Sorry, Htmb. The blood drained from my brain at the prospect of housework I didn't have to do that also didn't involve interacting with another human being.
It's hard to type this as, after looking at the link, the aforesaid blood is now pulsating so hard in my temples that my fingers are numb.
But oh my lazy asterisk, that is the most wonderful thing I've ever seen! You actually have one??! You can have the swirly glass -- I'm coming to live with you!
|
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Apr 12, 2013 3:44:36 GMT
Ok. Here's the deal, bixa. Someone gave me one many years ago and I thought it was the most worthless piece of #%&$ ever. I never used it. Flash forward to when I moved here and my back injury flared up. I could barely walk, much less vacuum. I remembered that thing and ordered another. It was a real godsend. After a few years it stopped working. I did without until I just couldn't stand it anymore and bought another.
There are major drawbacks. They aren't cheap, the more expensive versions work best, and the internal parts have to be cleaned regularly. I doubt it would work well on wall to all carpet, but it's fine for my area rugs. I just have to be careful it doesn't snag the fringed ends. The best part is how it cleans my wood floors which can look dusty at the drop of a hat. Works great at picking up pet and people hair, too.
And, while I was typing this it cleaned my guest room floor and then parked itself on the charger. ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Apr 12, 2013 4:37:10 GMT
*lies down & fans self* When I'm absolute dictator, there won't be fringed ends. You know we have those gorgeous Teotitlan del Valle rugs here, all marred, in my opinion, by the mop strings on the ends. There are probably drawbacks in heaven, too, but here on earth that baby sounds like paradise. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2013 11:24:46 GMT
I worked for some people who had one of those appliances. It worked wonders on the bare wood floors.
It did however, make the dog go absolutely bonkers, he chased it and barked at it to no end.
I have lots and lots of bare floor space and wouldn't mind having one. My lower back is aching today from all of yesterdays prone positioning with the vacuum, mop and broom.
|
|
|
|
Post by lagatta on Apr 12, 2013 12:29:38 GMT
I'd be terrified that it would eat little earrings and such that I had dropped on the floor. I don't have many rugs anyway.
|
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Apr 12, 2013 12:58:07 GMT
Casimira, the cat hates the thing.
Lagatta, even if it eats something it just brushes it into a little pan where you can pick it out. That had not been a problem.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2013 13:34:39 GMT
I hate the surprise clanging noise of something solid -- money? spare parts? something totally worthless? -- being sucked up by the vacuum cleaner unexpectedly. I often just shrug and ignore it, but there are times when I have to dig into the nasty bag to see what it is.
|
|
|
|
Post by patricklondon on Apr 12, 2013 15:56:17 GMT
Also helps to keep cats entertained:
(I've just spent the week working through my spring-cleaning list, cursing all the while that I don't make a point of keeping on top of it all the rest of the time - but it does make a difference. Till next week.)
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2013 19:54:37 GMT
Too cute Patrick!!
My hangup about Spring cleaning is when it turns gorgeous outdoors, I want to be outside gardening, cycling etc.
So, it takes a rainy, inclement weather kind of day for me to get motivated to clean indoors.
|
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Apr 12, 2013 20:11:25 GMT
Pretty cute, Patrick!
|
|
Though that would be rather a waste of our tax dollars, as they say. 
