Housekeeping Blog

Light fixtures - making them glow like new!

Cleaning fancy light fixtures takes time and patience. Here's how. 

1. Turn off the light at the switch to avoid electrocution.
2. If furniture is under the fixture move it away and place a drop cloth on the floor.
3. Use a stable step ladder to reach the fixture.
4. Clean one side of the light fixture at a time, moving the step ladder around the fixture to reach the other sides. Do NOT rotate the fixture to clean it.
5. Use a soft cloth dipped in warm soapy water to clean each glass or crystal piece. Rinse in warm water and dry with a soft cloth. If you can remove non-electrical pieces, do so, and clean them one section at a time, placing them back on the fixture as you go.
6. For metal pieces or frames, dust with a dry cloth. Add appropriate metal cleaner to the dry cloth, if necessary.
7. Clean light bulbs, in place with your wet cloth.
8. Clean fabric items, such as lamp shades, with a tape/lint roller. The tape will pick up all the dirt & dust without smearing it into the fabric.

Now that your fixtures are luminous, invite some friends over to enjoy yourself.
 

Mopping With Microfibers Is All Good

I'm not sure what took me so long, but I just tried a microfiber flip mop, and am in love. What an amazing product. Simple. Economical. Reusable. Washable. Grabs dirt & hair. Mop wet. Sweep dry. Flip from wet to dry. Gets in corners. Easily gets under furniture. Works on wood too. It is truly a wonderful invention.

I purchased the O Cedar brand which was only $14.99. I need to buy a second microfiber pad in case the other is in the laundry.  What an amazing time saver.

Microfiber Key To Dusting Your Home Or Office

Microfiber mits are great for dusting. The microfibers act as a magnet for the dust and they reduce bacteria three times more than other cloths. According to tests at UC Davis, using microfiber materials to clean a surface leads to reducing the number of bacteria by 99% whereas a conventional cleaning material reduces this number only by 33%.

After wiping all your items that need dusting, simply throw the mit in the wash. You'll want to pull the inside of the mit out when washing.

Shiny silver for your holiday party

It must be party time.  The most popular phrase request for the week was "how do I ask my housekeeper to polish silver". 

Please polish the silver!

Por favor, pula la plata!

 

Make sure to put out a soft cloth and the silver polish you prefer, right next to the silver you want polished.  Won't it be grand to use some of your silver pieces at your party or a family meal!

Translated Phrase helps guide home owners and their house cleaners with

Housekeeper Cards in English and Spanish.  Keeping a place in order can be a challenge.  And sometimes you need a little help.  The cards are a ready list of household chores with illustrations.  They are an essential communication tool for the busy home or apartment owner.  Whether you (or your friends) are a little challenged by Spanish or not, they make communication a snap. 

Evolution of the Chief Home Officer

 
In the 21st century, running a home can be a lot like running a business

It's all about maximizing productivity and efficiencies while keeping a keen eye on the bottom line.  How did we get here?  A look back offers some insight into the evolution of the Chief Home Officer and the CHO's trusty resources.

 
* 1950: The dutiful housewife.  She was wearing a freshly pressed dress with flawless makeup and had dinner on the table when her husband returned home from work. The kids were cleaned up and seated at the table, ready to dig in to the pot roast and made-from-scratch pie she'd lovingly prepared. She was encouraged by ladies' magazines to know her place and not complain.
 

* 1970: The creative homemaker.  Women's lib was in full swing, and more women were working full time while also taking care of the home. The juggling act was made easier with new gadgets to make meal preparation easier. The microwave and food processor made their way into the 1970s kitchen, and even came with a lovely harvest gold or olive green finish. The 1970's homemaker shopped from the Sears catalog and threw fondue parties to celebrate the installation of her brand-new shag carpet.
 

* 1990: The domestic engineer.  She was determined to juggle her management roles at work and at home. She oversaw home remodeling projects, making sure the teal tiles were laid correctly in the bathroom and the living room walls were painted the perfect peach. She also engineered the installation of the CD player and surround sound in the family room. The domestic engineer was an expert multi-tasker, balancing the checkbook while waiting for internet dial-up to connect.
 

* 2010: The Chief Home Officer.  The head of household is highly organized. With the help of a trusty PDA, the Chief Home Officer is charged with maintaining the primary residence and in some cases, the family beach house. Between meeting deadlines at work, cheering on the kids at soccer games and getting a well-balanced meal of free-range chicken and organic greens on the table, who can remember to sort the recycling and seal the granite countertops? It's tough enough keeping all of those USB cords, cell phone chargers, iPod docking stations and digital camera batteries in order. The Chief Home Officer's time is at a premium, and that's why he or she knows how to delegate home maintenance to cleaning staff, landscapers and handymen. 

Caring for your home, your family or your elder's home is a challenge.  Sometimes you need to reach out for help.  A common sense solution for communicating your check list to multi-cultural workers or your own family are Housekeeper Cards in English & Spanish.

 
 
 

Get down & dirty -- house cleaning for the fall -- in English & Spanish

With vacations ending for most during the last month, it's been back-to-school and back-to-work time. An empty house can be a great opportunity for you or a housecleaner to clean up and clear out.

 

While the mess-makers are away, time is freed up to really get down and dirty. Our readers must be thinking the same thing. Here are some of the translated phrases they requested in English & Spanish:

* Clean the kitchen shelves. Remove one shelf at a time, please.  

Limpie los estantes de la cocina, una sección o estante a la vez, por favor.

* Defrost the freezer, please. 

Descongele el freezer, por favor.

* Clean out cabinets, drawers & closets, please.  Wash surfaces.

Limpie todos los cajones y clóset en este cuarto, por favor.  Lave la superficie.

 

* Please, sweep & mop garage, please.  

Barra y trapee el garaje, por favor. 

Even if you're on a budget and doing it all yourself, fall is a great time to tackle a larger cleaning or organizing project. Kids are bored on the weekends — and probably looking to earn some extra cash — so enlist their help in chores for their room and play areas. It's also a great time for them to get themselves organized after the long summer. As tempted as they'll be to hang with their friends, withhold movie-money til they go through their closets and drawers. 

 

For cleaning phrases in English and Spanish, see our Twitter account, www.twitter.com/TPFlashcards.   

 

AND, let us hear from you, with your translation request!

Confessions of a homeowner's housekeeping

Unsightly streaks on the granite countertops? Silver looking a bit too colorful? Cashmere sweater shrunk to fit your 5-year-old? Avoiding these cringe-worthy cleaning mishaps requires explicit communication whether it's directed at your teenage son or your longtime housecleaner.

The best way to ensure treasured pieces don't end up in the trash is to pair each cleaning task with the product or tool required to clean it. Either leave them with a note or even just place the product on the item to be cleaned. Place the granite cleaner on the granite counter, for example. Put out a soft cloth and the silver-cleaning cream next to the silverware case. Leave a rag and wood-cleaner on top of your cherry coffee table.

This method leaves little room for error. Housecleaners can move quickly through cleaning tasks rather than wasting time searching through a pile of spray bottles. Being specific as possible makes life easier on everyone.

"Our cleaning lady is Guatemalan, and often I find her looking at me with that, 'I know you said something I should understand, but I'm just going to nod and smile' kind of look," said Houston's Buzz Lady. "Anyone you are directing always appreciates some guidance, as they want to do a good job. These communication cards finally make that possible, even if you're not home."

Another reader adds, "Sometimes I think your cards would be a good way to remind Laurie and me what needs to be done! She's English so the language barrier is not an issue. We could have our list of chores that get done every week, then we could rotate through the chores that only need to be done sometimes."

TranslatedPhrase.com is publisher of house cleaning flash cards in English and Spanish.