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Greetings!
Welcome to the Clean Team
Newsletter. So, dear readers, what do you think? That little groundhog saw
his shadow today! Are we really in for six more long weeks of winter?! No matter
what the weather forecast holds in store for us, I hope that this month's
newsletter will spread a little cheer. As you know by now, I love getting all
of your emails. In fact, that has to be one of the best parts of this
newsletter is getting to communicate with so many of you. Over the past several
months, I've been collecting some great "how to" questions and
comments from a number of you. I am so excited to share these queries -- and my suggestions to them -- with all of you today. Be sure to read through to the end, because even if
you didn't have the same question, we can all learn from each other.
I look forward to
continuing to hear from you and to being able to help you make your house work
easier, faster, greener, thriftier, and more enjoyable (wow, tall order!). Please let me know how I can be of
assistance to you in the future. Send me your emails jeff@thecleanteam.com.
And finally, don't forget to scroll through this newsletter for a great February special: Save 20% on our All-Purpose Rust Remover! | |
Reader Mailbag
How to Make Cleaning Faster, Easier & More Frugal
 Do you have a sticky cleaning question? Are you wondering how to make your weekly cleaning routine faster, easier or just generally more enjoyable? Perhaps it's the oven, the tub, or the windows that really slow you down. No matter what product you try, you can't seem to get it clean. Well, we hear from a lot of you with just this type of dilemma -- and we figure that if one of you is asking, there must be dozens of you wondering in silence. Here's to figuring out our cleaning quandaries together!
Shameful Showers
I have been reading your newsletter for several months now and really enjoy it! My fiancé and I just moved into a new apartment and the shower stall has those beveled glass doors. They are impossible to get clean. They always look like they have a thin film of gunk on them, no matter what I do. What do you recommend? Also, there is some nasty black mold (not sure? maybe it's just mildew?) growing in the corners of the shower. I've tried dabbing it with bleach, which fades the spots a bit, but doesn't get rid of them entirely. Any suggestions for that?
~ Mary Jane in Missouri
Jeff's advice for Mary Jane: You need some Scum Bum (or other tile cleaners with an acid that will break down the hard water that causes the film.) Scum Bum is Green Cross Certified, so you know it has a very safe acid. Bleach will usually kill mildew. You might try spraying some on those areas and rinse away after a few minutes. If some of the mold is still there after cleaning and spraying bleach then the mildew is likely under the caulk and the only way to get rid of it is to remove the caulk and recaulk.
Accidents - Human & Pets
Because of an incontinence issue, I got a lot of urine in one spot on my Turkish Oriental rug. The rug cleaning company said they could not clean the rug for two weeks so the spot sits there. I and soaked up some with a towel but otherwise the spot is still there. What I can I do to make the situation better??
~ A Lady from Atlanta
Jeff's Advice to a Lady from Atlanta: The secret is blotting. Rewet the area by spraying with Red Juice or other liquid sprayer or even spray with water. Keep blotting with towels or paper towels and repeating until you think the urine is gone. Finally, put some more paper towels over the stain, then some newspapers, then some heavy books and leave overnight. That should solve the problem.
Eco-Friendly Toilet Bowl Cleaners
We have an older toilet in our first floor bathroom that seems to be stained permanently. I've tried several different cleaners and even pureed lemons to put on the stains no avail. I'm somewhat restricted in the use of strong chemicals because our four house bunnies live in this bathroom and I don't want to poison them. Can you help me find a cleaner that's eco-friendly that will do the job?
~ M.H. in Washington
Jeff's Advice for M.H.: Yes, there's a very safe alternative to your stained commode: Pumice sticks! We sell them in our catalog!
Safe & Easy Oven Cleaners
I don't have a self-cleaning oven, unfortunately, and am looking for a recommendation on a safe, non-caustic cleaner.
~ K.C.
Jeff's Advice for K.C. For a non-caustic oven cleaner, I recommend putting a bowl of clear ammonia in a pre-warmed oven (warm it up to about 200 degrees, then turn the oven off) and leaving it overnight.
Smudged Stainless Steel
I am a professional cleaner and have several clients with stainless steel. One client had a particularly resistant problem that finally gave in only using just plain water rubbing in one direction only. Then I have products that work on other fridges but not all of them! Now there is another problem fridge and nothing seems to be working. What is your experience on this?
~ Stella
Jeff's Response to Stella: Stainless steel is my least favorite kitchen appliance material to clean. I've found that some stainless steel needs to be cleaned first with Red Juice (or other heavy-duty liquid cleaner). Then, once all the grease, fingerprints, etc. have been removed, use a stainless steel polish. You have to wipe the polish until it's completely dry to avoid streaks -- the same way that you would wipe a mirror. I avoid polishes that are more like oil, as they look fine only until someone touches the appliance.
Do you have a troublesome cleaning query? Send me your emails to jeff@thecleanteam.com and we may feature your question in an upcoming newsletter. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Thanks for reading us this month! Come visit us on the web at www.thecleanteam.com.
Sincerely,
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Jeff Campbell
The Clean Team Catalog |
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