[Mariposita]

We've been snowed in since Friday and since we're indoors all the time, I got the idea to start my spring cleaning from now. The kids can't WAIT to go back to school Yesterday I hauled everything out of my walk-in closet in the MB and started putting aside bags for the Salvation Army. We now have 15!! That's from going through the kid's rooms, our packed up boxes from the kitchen and also the office. I feel so much lighter and cleaner now


The very best remedy for cabin fever has to be cleaning out cabinets, drawers, and closets, LOL

[kelly]

I had to go through the kid's clothes, too, as the littlest one had grown and the new clothes brought in (Target- the turtlenecks- $1.24- I haven't recovered).

You've always got multiple piles...hand me downs for three years from now, hand me downs to another family, hand me offs to SA, and how did this get back in there??

The hand me downs are funny when people can see your penchant for stripes in summer and the uniform of sweatpants and turtlenecks in black, navy and red in all sizes.

And then I steam cleaned the house.

[Mariposita]

I never did get into the steam cleaning. I saw a system at Sears and it had a zillion parts so I decided against buying that one. I hate anything that comes with too many parts because we'll lose them or never make full use of whatever is in the box. What are you using?

[DesignDiva]

I have an Envirosteamer steam mop that is great, use it all the time. I hate the dull film that other mop systems leave behind, with the steamer mop there's no residue.

I'd love to know if those steamers work on mirrors as well as they say. I have tons of mirrors and mirrored doors and it would be great to use that if it works!

[Mariposita]

We're still stranded indoors so I'll be looking for more drawers and closets to clean out. My kids can't wait for school to open hopefully tomorrow DD says I should spend more time online relaxing! Hmmm...

[kelly]

I have a ladybug, and it does have quite a few attachments, but I really use the basic head and use it like a bottle of cleanser- steaming and wiping as I go. LOVE IT. It cleans the microwave and the oven (with a brass brush) like a dream. No work.

I also use the mophead on the floor. except in the bathroom- hands and knees and paper towels- gotta throw that away with two little boys! I also sterilize the toothbrushes at the same time! eww, and all the door handles. You can kill DUST MITES in pillows and mattresses without washing (Poo still there tho...see, this is why I have one of these things)

I don't like the squeege attachment for glass- but the steam itself is awesome on mirrors and glass, stainless steel and those clear Louis Ghost chairs in my dining room that you can't use anything but soap and water on...

AWESOME on my fireplace masonry when a winter's worth of fires create that smudge on the brick. comes right off. Oh yeah, and on carpet stains- my sister called me in a panic when her daughter blitzed the brand new white carpet in the brand new house with chocolate soy milk...bye bye stain!

[DesignDiva]

Hm. Maybe I'll get myself one after all!

[kelly]

I tell you, I mulled it over for a year at least and while not the cheapest thing, I haven't regretted it. One caveat- ok, Two caveats...

1) you will detail your whole house at first. Hours of steaming enjoyment. The Ladybug is your friend for this- two boilers so you just filler up and keep on steaming

2) make sure you store it where you use it- I don't have a good place for it now, so it tends to be either in the middle of the kitchen floor or tucked too far away. We will build a nice little home in the new kitchen, all plugged in.

I bought mine at Sylvane after a hilariously neurotic comparison of 7 sites and 12 categories of considerations, such as included tools, shipping, BBB online ratings and complaints, cost of other accessories in a sample etc. Can you tell that sometimes I buy things at work? Like computer software for example? Overkill. But, I didn't get ripped off.

[Mariposita]

I will definitely look into this and since you've done all the work we don't need to do much more reasearch now, do we? Maybe I should be asking you advice on cork flooring

Didn't get much done today. I think being indoors all the time is getting to me