by Mary Findley of Mary Moppins
As the years pass, more and more of Erma Bombeck’s laidback approach to life takes hold in my own life. Cobwebs hang around an extra day as I tend the garden. Cleaning the bathrooms can wait until after I read books online to my grandchildren. However, ignore certain cleaning chores and a minor cleaning job turns into a major headache. Let’s take a look at the proper way to clean curtains and window shades to avoid a dash for the aspirin bottle.
Day/Night Shades: Drapery shops love it when folks clean fabric day/night shades with moisture, as it damages the shades resulting in the necessity to replace them. Likewise brush attachments on vacuum cleaner brushes snag the fibers with unsightly results. Remove surface dust with Mary Moppins’ Dry Sponge that is also found in pet stores as they remove pet hair from fabric furniture. _ese sponges safely remove dust and dirt from day/night shades. Use it dry never wet.
Spaghetti sauce and bugs leave unsightly spots on fabric day/night shades. Grab a Q-Tip and your hair shampoo. Although shampoo is liquid ‘a little dab will do ya’ as the old Brill Cream commercial used to tout. Dab just a bit of shampoo onto the spot and wait five to six minutes. Blot with the dry side of the Q-Tip or a lightly dampened cloth. If the stain remains, leave it alone as further treatments will damage these blinds.
Wipe vinyl day night shades with a soft cloth and Mary Moppins’ diluted bees wax based Leather Care. Twice a year treat them with full strength Leather Care to prevent them from drying and cracking.
Need a quick way to clean window screens both on your coach and at home? Grab Mary’s Dry Sponge and zip through cleaning them without water. Yellow sponges found in hardware stores for removing wallboard plaster also work for this job. Clean the Dry Sponge outdoors by sanding it with fine grit sand paper.
Grab a can of foaming shaving cream (gel does not work) and lather up the draw strings to remove dirt and oily fingerprints. Wait five to ten minutes before rinsing with one-part vinegar to four parts water. Tug on the strings as they dry, to prevent shrinkage. Pull up pleated shades several hours a day to keep the pleats properly creased.
Windshield drapes: Dust bunnies and dirt accumulate along the bottoms of these cloth drapes faster than my dog climbed our six-foot cedar fence to chase the neighborhood cats. Prevent the accumulation of dirt on the bottom of the curtains by dusting the top of the instrument panel daily with a Lambswool Duster like that carried by Mary Moppins. Alternately wipe them with a soft damp cloth.
Dab a bit of foaming shaving cream on soiled spots found on the curtains. Wait 10 minutes and rinse with a barely damp rag. Always test a small out of the way spot first in case the water might spot the curtain.
Mini-blinds behind the kitchen sink can be ornery to clean since they are difficult to reach and can’t be removed. Place an old but clean white cotton tube sock over your left hand then spray it with a certified, organic all-purpose cleaner like Mary’s CleanEz. Tilt the slats downwards and wipe over the slats turning the sock as it soils. Reverse the slats and wipe the backs of the slats.
Mary Findley is the owner of Mary Moppins, a line of cleaning tools, waxes and ecofriendly cleaners recommended by RV manufacturers such as Tiffin and Newmar. She is author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Green Cleaning” and a cleaning consultant to the RV industry.
Mary Moppins Co is for sale – contact Mary for info through her website at: www.goclean.com or call 541-607-9498.
{ 0 comments… add one now }