|
Post by rikita on Nov 24, 2009 19:38:09 GMT
my place looks a bit okay today just because i had a guest so i shoved all the messiness into the corners and covered it up.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Nov 24, 2009 23:31:51 GMT
It took me hours to defrost the freezer. Not only did I have to wash and dry all the freezer drawers (4 of them) but I then had to clean the kitchen floor. But at last I could inspect the frozen food contents and throw at least half of them out including old tubs of icecream that had been residing there since my daughter lived with me. She moved out two years ago. Now I'm so pleased with my clean and neat freezer that I caught myself opening the door to admire it twice today
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2009 12:07:10 GMT
I cleaned mine on Monday morning after my husband darted not so nice glances in that direction. Much of it was stuff that was destined for the compost heap to begin with (in numerous plastic bags),lobster tails,coffee grinds,banana peels...Done,gone,fini.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2010 9:40:01 GMT
There was an article in today's paper about the life of Quentin Crisp, who lived in the same studio for 40 years and never cleaned it.
He reputedly said that after the first 4 years, nothing gets any dirtier.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2010 11:45:42 GMT
This brings to mind my dear friend in NYC,whose apartment went up in flames this past winter (faulty electrics). He had been living there in the same said apartment approximately 37 years,and a major hoarder,pack rat,art collector...layers and layers of accumulated stuff and dust,rarely cleaned save the basics,kitchen and bath,sleeping area,whatever available floor space was open...He always left strict instructions to please not attempt to clean anything (rearrange etc.) unless I (we) made the mess ourselves. He has recently moved back in there after a complete renovation of the place. I am going there to stay in a couple of weeks,and cannot imagine how or what it must be like now,having stayed there so many times over the last 30plus years,with all that stuff... I know I will miss the art work,he had a magnificent collection.
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on Aug 24, 2010 7:13:39 GMT
If he's a true pack rat, it won't take him too long to fill the place up again!
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on Aug 24, 2010 7:15:31 GMT
He reputedly said that after the first 4 years, nothing gets any dirtier. Reminds me of a song we sang in Girl Scouts that went: Black socks, they never get dirty, the longer you wear them, the blacker they get. Sometimes I think of the laundry but something inside me says don't send them yet.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Aug 27, 2010 22:13:33 GMT
Been on my knees removing stains from the carpets - a very frustrating job since most stains are irremovable.
Another hated job is polishing brass 'furniture' on the front door.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Aug 27, 2010 22:52:12 GMT
You mean you weren't happily singing Gilbert & Sullivan while going at these tasks? ;D
What I hate about cleaning the carpet is that if you're successful, the cleaned place looks so much better than the rest of the carpet.
One of my sisters had that service where a truck comes out and soaks the carpet with some kind of soil lifting solution, then siphons all the dirty liquid out to the truck. She said it really worked, although it was mortifying to realize how much dirt gets down into a carpet.
|
|
|
Post by joanne28 on Aug 28, 2010 2:17:08 GMT
I find housecleaning a very overrated pastime. I used to get a ride to work with a woman who would tell me how she had washed the kitchen floor, vacuumed the house and cleaned the bathroom, all this before going to work. I told her there was therapy for her problem.
Why is it that clean freaks always think I'll be impressed with all their activity? Granted about twice a year a mad fit descends upon me and I clean like a berserker for 7 hours. But I don't expect people to be proud of me and impressed.
I do like things like cleaning out pantry and cupboards. I don't mind cleaning the oven or the fridge either. You'll note these are all tasks that are done every few months, not every day.
|
|
|
Post by bjd on Aug 28, 2010 8:08:42 GMT
I agree totally with Joanne. The worst of it is that when you wash a kitchen floor, the cleaner is the only one who notices and cares. Housework has to be one of the most ungratifying activities ever. It just gets dirty again.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2010 22:14:23 GMT
I agree totally with Joanne. The worst of it is that when you wash a kitchen floor, the cleaner is the only one who notices and cares. Housework has to be one of the most ungratifying activities ever. It just gets dirty again. I spent all this past week,and even had my husband join in, cleaning the whole house for a party tonight and company staying for the week. It looks fabulous. However,it has rained all last night and into today. By the time the people leave,all the floors,despite mats etc. down at the entrances and exits in the doorways,the floors will all be a muddy mess.
|
|
|
Post by joanne28 on Aug 29, 2010 14:03:49 GMT
Casmira, I applaud your cleaning madness. My husband joins in housecleaning also. He normally does all the vacuuming as I loathe and abhor vacuuming on a good day. Dealing with our beautiful burgundy carpet with 4 cats of various colours, there is no good day for vacuuming. We really should vacuum every single day but it's not happening!
About the carpet, we're in his parents' old home and it came with the place. We plan to move (some day soon, dear God) so don't want to go to the expense and trouble of removing/replacing it. It gives me something to bitch about, not that I need any help there.
Frequently when I've cleaned the house from top to bottom for arriving guests, I'm so tempted to cancel it all because the house looks so good and I know that won't last. Or if I happen to clean without the incentive of arriving guests, I want people to levitate over the carpet & floors and not to use anything in the house ever again. They won't oblige me.
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on Sept 13, 2010 13:49:09 GMT
I try to postpone my floor cleaning urge until after the company leaves. It needs it more then, and assuming the conversation is scintilating, no one at the party will be looking at the floor anyway.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Oct 28, 2010 12:22:22 GMT
In many countries of the world some folks have a maid or simply referred to as 'the help'. If not a regular everyday person, maybe a once or twice a week person who helps out. In the UK I think they are referred to as a 'Char Lady'. In Singapore lots families have a Phillapino maid who lives with the family and goes home once a year. As I live in Africa I am curious about other countries and their 'maid' situation. Here most people have a maid to do the housework and you will be surprised to know that even the maid has a maid!
In my case I have what is called 'a live out maid' which means she doesn't sleep on the premises. She comes four times a week and never on weekends. On the fifth day she goes to help my mother. In Africa a maid is no longer a demeaning job. It is well paid and the perks are endless. One perk my maid has is that instead of the usual 2 weeks annual holiday she gets no less than 6-10 weeks off as we like to travel.
Does anyone else have help even occasionally?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2010 12:40:51 GMT
About half of my colleagues have a maid, who comes for a few hours once or twice a week. But it costs about 14€ an hour. 50% of the expense can be deducted from your income tax. (The ceiling for deductible expenses regarding "personal services" is 20,000€ a year, which is more than enough for most people. Computer repairs and school tutors are among things covered.)
|
|
|
Post by onlymark on Oct 28, 2010 13:26:10 GMT
When we lived in our previous house and our three kids were smaller we had a live in maid. She worked six days a week between 6am and 6pm, had her own room with satellite TV etc and was paid above the odds as she was a Filipina. Then she left and we had an Ethiopian woman who was only half as good.
Then we moved to a smaller house, the kids are older and we just have a local woman cleaner who comes in three times a week.
|
|
|
Post by Jazz on Oct 28, 2010 14:17:01 GMT
I can verify what Quentin Crisp said, ‘after four years, nothing gets any dirtier’. In the last 3 years with 2 serious injuries, my housekeeping has been... ummm…minimal. Dimmer switches, candlelight and generous servings of wine to guests helped me to save face. When I was working full time (for about 25 years), I had a great cleaning woman who came in once every 2 weeks for 4 hours for 50€. I was working on the average 16 hours a day (with traveltime) and had neither the desire or energy to clean. Dian was from Jamaica and we became good friends. Fabulous conversations.
To be honest, housecleaning has always been well down on my list of significant ways to spend my time. When I have guests, then I make an effort and this effort is almost a ‘triage’. For instance, there what I call the ‘Christmas Eve Clean’…obviously, this originates from having the entire family for Christmas Eve, 10-20 people for dinner. Given that I need to shop for food and wine, prepare the food, serve, clean up the next day, find something to wear… somehow the cleaning of the house is always at the last moment…often whipping things into cupboards, washing floors around the rugs and creating beautiful gentle lighting. (disguises my laziness). Beautiful food, wine and ambiance leads to forgiveness.
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on Oct 28, 2010 15:14:26 GMT
I have never had anyone in to clean my house. My husband and I have always seemed to know what needs to be done and it gets done, no arguments. That is because we both like our home clean and neat. Not obsessively clean, more neat than anything else. My sister-in-law who works full time finally admitted she needed someone to come and help her clean their very large home. We have a smaller place only 1200 square feet total, so we can take care of that.
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on Oct 28, 2010 17:51:23 GMT
I don't like to clean unless I can tell that I am doing some good.
Mr. Kimby is more of a schedule person, and for example, will clean the toilet bowl every 6 days, whereas I would have done it the 7th or 8th day when it starts to look dingy.
This means he gets to do it more often than I do, which I don't mind - except when he reminds me that he works full time (now half of the time) and I don't.
We have never had "help" and I would have a hard time justifying hiring a maid or housecleaner when I don't have a job and have so much free time (to squander on Any Port!).
Most of my friends DO have housekeepers, either once a week or every other week for about 1/2 day for around 80USD per visit.
My cleaning load is about to double as we are building a lake cottage. The Florida house, of course, we do have to hire a cleaner between renters. That is a "full clean", including oven, fridge, micro, laundry, change beds, baths, etc., and costs 130USD.
|
|
|
Post by cristina on Oct 30, 2010 2:36:23 GMT
I have had a housekeeper in the past, but this was when I had 3 young children, 2 dogs and 2 working parents. For a 2 or 3 year period it was once a week (I think when the youngest was still a toddler), but mostly every 2 weeks. Its been at least 5 years since I had regular, paid help, other than maybe a one time "post-renovation" cleaning. Mostly because once a child is tall enough to reach the washing washing machine, they have chores. Oddly enough, now that I have only one child at home, I am finding it much harder for the two of us to keep up. Partly because her standards are much, much lower than mine. And partly because my own standards have declined a bit. But I do still want sparkling bathrooms and kitchen.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2013 18:13:18 GMT
I have been clearing out a lot of papers recently, but I need to do much more work on dust.
|
|
|
Post by lagatta on Dec 8, 2013 22:06:14 GMT
Getting rid of stuff, even papers in drawers and filing cabinets, will help with dust. I always do a big clean of that stuff over the Christmas holidays.
|
|
|
Post by cheerypeabrain on Dec 22, 2013 21:19:08 GMT
It took me hours to defrost the freezer. Not only did I have to wash and dry all the freezer drawers (4 of them) but I then had to clean the kitchen floor. But at last I could inspect the frozen food contents and throw at least half of them out including old tubs of icecream that had been residing there since my daughter lived with me. She moved out two years ago. Now I'm so pleased with my clean and neat freezer that I caught myself opening the door to admire it twice today Inspired by your defrosting success Spindrift..I decided to tackle ours.. Sadly neglected it had frosted up to such an extent that strange...shrivelled, unidentifyable husks of organic matter (slowly mineralising) poked out of the ever-decreasing free space. It was a health hazard tbh....we kept putting off dealing with the problem because it was usually a nightmare job that took a whole day and ended up swamping the kitchen. However. I bought some handy 'soak-up sheets' from Lakeland Plastics to put on the floor, and some freezer de-icer spray and it was relatively stress free...the soak up sheets hold up to 2 litres of water (you're supposed to chuck them afterwards but we rinsed them through and dried them to use again ) So now we have a beautiful, clean half empty freezer.... Another horrid job faced and conquered! Now I just have to face the grotty grout on the bathroom tiles...ew ew ew.....
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 22, 2013 22:13:49 GMT
I am sooo impressed, not least with your decision to re-use the obviously reusable sheets. Having them on hand will make it all the more likely that you'll tackle the job sooner next time. Defrosting anything to me is one of life's horror moments. Cheery, there is a product here called Mr. Musculo Antihongos that is fabulous for bathroom cleaning, in that you spray it on & it really works. I think it's some kind of concentrated clorox -- undoubtedly anti-green in every way possible. But hey ~~ it works! I can't figure out which would be the similar product in the UK Mr. Muscle line, www.scjohnson.co.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=5847, but it's worth guessing & trying, no?
|
|
|
Post by bjd on Dec 23, 2013 10:37:42 GMT
I just had a look for Mr Musculo products in France. It looks like they mostly sell sprays and deodorizers. You don't have to clean it, just get rid of the stink!
I actually have a cupboard full of cleaning products that are supposed to work miraculously, but you still have to scrub, which explains the collection: used once and put away.
I was also wondering whether "frost-free" freezers exist in France. Another thing I hate doing.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2013 12:44:59 GMT
But those products work without rubbing or scrubbing on all of those television commercials, and you've seen how dirty those houses are! You must be doing it wrong.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2013 13:04:55 GMT
Maybe the trick is to let everything get as dirty as on the television commercials. It is possible that the addition of spray to filth makes it just fall off through the pull of gravity.
|
|
|
Post by breeze on Dec 23, 2013 15:25:31 GMT
My approach to cleaning was established in elementary school with the story of dear little Miss Mouse. She loved to go out dancing in cute little pink dresses but never cleaned house. At some point she had to give her adorable little house a good scrub. She was so pleased with the result that she resolved to...I don't remember the next part.
Lesson: wait till your house is really dirty and when you finally clean it you'll be so pleased. It's a waste of time to clean before that.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 23, 2013 16:27:21 GMT
It appears I must have been channeling dear little Miss Mouse my entire life. Likes dancing -- check Likes cute little pink dresses -- check Hates housework -- check Always resolves (& fails) to do better -- check
|
|