Will your kids do just about anything to get out of doing chores? The excuses pile up fast.

“I don’t want to,” “I’m a kid!” “I’ve got homework,” “I’m late for school/work,” “I’ll do it later.”

Those were some of my excuses growing up. Looking back, of course there were always more important things than cleaning my room, but now that I’m a homeowner…and owner of a cleaning company…I’ve realized that my mother was setting me up for a life of responsibility.

My mom was not Betty Homemaker. She was a working mom of three daughters. She wasn’t the type to have a snack ready when we came home from school, but she was the type that would not allow us to have friends come over because the house was a mess.

You wanted friends to come over, you had to clean the house. You were hungry after school, you had to make a sandwich. No clean bowls in the cabinet? Get out a sponge because “you have two hands, now get to washing.”

Sound a little harsh?

I don’t think so. She was a firm believer of teaching us how to become responsible adults. One of my favorite quotes she would say was, “that’s why they call it work and not fun.”

Well, I’ve found a way to make chores fun for the whole family.

First, develop a system. Pick a day and time. Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., everyone will help clean. That doesn’t sound fun. But, if you make a game out of it (and play some awesome background music,) your kids will be eager to participate.

On a sheet of construction paper, label 1-9 as designated areas to be cleaned in your home. For number one, start simple like “hallway” or “stairs” and work your way up to bathrooms, play areas, kitchen work, etc.

A fun way to get your kids involved with house cleaning. Roll the die and match the number to the appropriate cleaning task. Grab a kitchen timer for extra incentives. 🙂

Roll dice and determine where you will start. For example, if you roll a two and a three, that’s five. If number five is the playroom, you, the kids, and a kitchen timer should head to the playroom.

Set the timer for 15 minutes and get to cleaning. The kids can start putting their toys away and throwing out trash so you can vacuum. Reward them if they were faster than the clock.

Roll the dice and keep playing until the house is clean. Obviously, the game will change depending on how old your children are and what responsibilities you feel are appropriate, but the end result should be a clean house.

Another idea is to label two jars “to-do” and “completed”. On popsicle sticks, write chores your children are capable of handling.

Fast, easy and cheap way to hold children accountable for chores. Try color-coding them, if you have multiple children.

For example, the older children can wash clothes while the younger children can fold or put away clothes. The younger children can unload the dishwasher while the older children can wash dishes and reload the dishwasher. The younger children can pick up toys and the older children can vacuum. Whatever you feel works best.

Color-code and label the popsicle sticks placing all items that need to be completed in the “to-do” jar. (I saw one where the older girl was pink, older boy was blue and they competed to see who got the most chores finished. Each child was rewarded monetarily, but the one who completed the most tasks was given a “bonus”.) After each chore is complete, simply move the popsicle stick to the “completed” jar and reward the appropriate child.

Be encouraging. If your kids are feeling frustrated or think they cannot do a specific chore without you, help them. Do not be Miss Perfect. Of course a 10-year-old is not going to vacuum as well as you do, but don’t let them see you correcting it or they will just think they can do a half-butt job because you will fix it later anyway. Let them get the chores done, but don’t be too picky. Remember, you are trying to encourage life-long lessons here, not demean their help.

Lastly, create daily chores to give your kids the feeling of accomplishing something on a day to day basis. One child sets the table, the other child clears the table. Get them to make their bed every morning, or pick up their room before bedtime.

Another alternative to a chore chart.

Most of the time, if you set a timer, make a game of it, make it fun and rewarding; they will carry these habits with them forever.

Invisible dust.

That’s the dust that hasn’t quite piled up in your home. The dust that doesn’t look like it’s covering a surface, but when you wipe your hand across it, you find out the truth.

Some areas where invisible dust likes to hide are on lamp shades, light fixtures, windows, and upholstered furniture.

Have you ever been surprised to see just how dirty something is until after you clean it? What starts off as a simple job, quickly turns into asking yourself “how did (this) get so dirty?!”

That’s invisible dust.

Here are a few ways to cut down on invisible dust in your home, keeping your family and your home safe and clean.

Lamp shades are the biggest culprit in collecting dust and pet dander. Carefully take your crevice tool on your vacuum cleaner and use it to dust off your shades. If you are worried about breaking or harming the shade, try using a lint roller.

I’ve cleaned thousands of bathrooms in the six years I’ve been in business and I can honestly say dust gathers in and around the light fixtures. You would be amazed if you ever crawled on your countertop and took a peek in what was growing in the lights! This is not a bad chore. Actually, once you deep clean the fixtures, it is a lot easier to keep up with the dust. If you have light fixtures that can be easily removed, take them down and soak them in hot soapy water. The easiest thing to do is to fill up the bathroom sink and place them in there. Depending on how intricate your fixtures are, grab a towel and maybe a toothbrush to scrub those hard to reach places. Dry and hang the fixtures back up. Is your room brighter?

Windows are tricky-tricksters and can even fool the experienced cleaner. There have been times where I think, “hmm…these windows aren’t too bad” then I take my one part vinegar, four parts water solution and squeegee and BOY do I have a mess on my hands. Now, grab a toothbrush, open the window, and get to scrubbing! Cleaning this part of the windowsill will help keep dirt in your home down to a minimum and it is only a job you do a couple times throughout year.

When was the last time you looked under your couch cushions? I usually avoid looking under mine because it’s gross. My dog lays on the couch, we veg out on the couch, I take my naps on the couch. A half-teaspoon of dust contains as many as 1,000 dust mites and 250,000 allergenic dust mite fecal pellets. Don’t be grossed out. You’ve been living in it your whole life. Just take a few extra steps like vacuuming your upholstery, removing the cushions and using the crevice tool on the vacuum to get extra crumbs that may have fallen, and pull your couch out and vacuum the floor under the couch. Schedule an upholstery cleaning once a year and you are good.

If you or someone in your family is sick often, dust could be the reason why. Keep your home and family safe and healthy with these quick tips integrated into your cleaning schedule.

Do you need help keeping up with the house? We can give you peace of mind…and that help you want! Check out www.miracleanonline.com for full house cleaning and a la carte cleaning information.

This is Bubba.

Bubba owns a carpet cleaning company. He’s got equipment. He’s not-so-keen on appearance, but he’s able to perform the work. He’s the one that posts signs in the grocery store parking lot advertising for five rooms to be cleaned at $50. Wow! What a deal!

But, there’s a catch.

Does Bubba look like he is insured? What if he bumps into your china buffet and breaks a very expensive piece of dinnerware? Can he replace it?

If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.

Miraclean may not have the cheapest prices in town, but we provide a quality service in a fast, timely manner using all-natural products to keep your family safe and give you peace of mind.

All employees arrive on the job wearing company shirts and present themselves in a professional manner. Our trucks are clearly marked. We have the best knowledge when it comes to removing stains.

We carry various products that are specifically designed to eliminate certain types of stains. A red wine or juice stain cannot be treated the same way as high traffic areas. We have the products and knowledge to address every type of stain and get your carpets the cleanest of clean.

We care about your family. We will not bring any product into your home that will cause harm or discomfort to your loved ones. Our all-natural products are safe to use around children and pets. Our ultra-low moisture system provides the best cleaning with the fastest dry time, less than one hour. Another perk to using an ultra-low moisture system is there is no chance of mold forming underneath your carpet.

As much as we would love to clean all of your carpets for $50, it is not possible. In order to provide you with a safe, efficient cleaning from a reputable company that is insured and bonded, $50 is not going to cut it.

Next time you are in the market for a quality carpet cleaning company, do not go with the cheapest price. Think about your outcome. What would Bubba do for your family?

Check out Miraclean. We can provide you with the right price and the right service. Just ask your neighbors.

Have you had an experience with Bubba? Tell us about it on our Facebook page. www.facebook.com/Miraclean

I love finding new uses for ingredients I have in my pantry. I don’t have to wonder if it’s safe to use because most of them, I use in food! AND, they are cheap! One of my favorite ingredients that has multiple uses is baking soda. Baking soda is wonderful! It can be used just about anywhere.

Here are my top 10 uses for baking soda:

1. Freshen rugs by sprinkling baking soda on carpet. Wait at least 15 minutes (preferably overnight), then vacuum.

2. Get your clothes cleaner and brighter by adding one cup of baking soda along with your regular liquid detergent on your next load of laundry.

3. Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of the kitty litter box, add litter on top to help reduce smells. Also, make a do it yourself litter by mixing a small box of baking soda with three inches of sandy clay.

4. Pour one cup of baking soda, followed by one cup of vinegar, and a pot of boiling water down the kitchen drain to remove clogs.

5. Massage a handful of baking soda on your scalp in place of shampoo for a few weeks to fight dandruff.

6. Sprinkle ¼ cup of baking soda in the toilet bowl and scrub clean.

7. For a thorough toothbrush cleaning, mix ¼ cup of baking soda and ¼ cup of water to soak toothbrushes overnight.

8. Scatter baking soda, instead of salt, on icy sidewalks.

9. Freshen your pet’s breath by brushing their teeth with baking soda.

10. Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of the hamper, or over dirty clothes, to keep items fresher until laundry day.

There many other ways to use baking soda. What are some of your favorites? Comment on our Facebook page! Www.facebook.com/Miraclean

It’s clean…or is it?

Don’t you wish that when you wiped a surface, it was clean? Wait…do you think that it’s clean? Would you use your dish sponge, which is one of the main places bacteria love to live in your house, to wipe your countertops? Wait…do you?

If so, then we have got to chat!

Let me explain, to clean something is to remove soil or residue from a surface. Crumbs on the counter? Bam! Now they are in the trash…CLEAN.

Sanitizing is the removal of potentially harmful microorganisms, such as E. Coli, from a surface.

Disinfecting is a complete elimination of all disease-causing bacteria or pathogens from a surface.

So, next time you cut raw meat on your cutting board and think that since you washed it with a soapy germ-infested sponge and now it is clean, think again. It may look and smell clean, but it is a healthy clean?

Some easy recipes to help disinfect and sanitize your house naturally include:

Thyme

-Thyme is a natural disinfectant and has a very fresh scent. A good recipe idea is to add one part of thyme to eight parts of water in a spray bottle. (If you’re thinking it is too much water, what do you think manufacturers add to their products? Look it up, it’s mostly water.) Make sure you allow the surface to dry thoroughly.

Tea Tree Oil

-Tea tree oil can be much stronger than chemical ingredients when it comes to killing bacteria. It has even been known to effectively fight MRSA when used by infected patients. Mix the tea tree oil in water, the same way as the thyme recipe.

Hydrogen Peroxide

-If you’re friends with us on Facebook, you know that I love using hydrogen peroxide in place of bleach. It is so easy to mix, so easy to clean with and it is natural! Mix a half and half solution of water in a dark colored spray bottle. Make sure it is the darkest spray bottle because light can break down the components in peroxide and turn it into water. You can use this recipe in the bathroom and in your laundry! Remember, peroxide is bleach so use on your whites for brighter socks!

Tell us what you think! Visit us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean Happy cleaning!

For those who follow Miraclean’s Facebook page, you are familiar with Tackle It Tuesday.

Every Tuesday morning I post an area to clean and give recipes and tips on how to clean those areas using all-natural products.

This past Tuesday, I decided to tackle my bread cabinet. I call it my bread cabinet, but I have holiday dishes, stuff I’ve never used from my wedding: like a cheese dome (seriously), books of all my recipes I’ve acquired over the years and bread.

I quickly realized that in order for me to organize this area of my kitchen, I was going to have to clean out another cabinet; the one above the oven. Now, that’s a challenge!

That cabinet was full of three different sugars, two bags of flour, random Tastefully Simple products, pancake mix, Metamucil, you name it, it was in there.

The entire process did not take long because once I start throwing stuff away, I cannot stop! I love it. It may sound silly, but it is very liberating to not feel tied down. I always get that feeling of, “well, I haven’t used it…EVER…but what if I may need it?”

I’ve learned to hush that voice and start throwing away or donating things I do not need anymore. See that keyword, NEED. It’s not a want. I don’t need thousands of tupperware containers when I cook for two, so I keep about 12 and throw the rest away. I don’t need three sets of dishes because I never host dinner parties and thankfully the friends that I do have come over for dinner aren’t looking at my place settings. (Even though, I do make sure it all matches because I’m weird like that.)

I think people get tied down to that feeling of “one day I’ll need this.” I’m sure one day I will throw a dinner party. And one day I will be mad at myself for giving those dishes to my cousin when she bought her first house. (I highly doubt it, but it could happen.)

My point is, don’t get so tied down. Use what you need. Keep enough stuff to fill the space you have. I have a two bedroom, one bathroom condo. I have a small storage unit outside and I’m in an upper unit, so I have an attic. I have never been in my attic. Ever. I don’t want to. Whenever I purge the shed and have my “I NEED ROOM” moment, it’s out with the old and in with new.

With such a tiny house, I don’t have room for a whole cabinet dedicated to nothing but Tupperware, but somehow my cabinet is full of Tupperware. Time to purge. I’ll give some to friends and throw away containers where the lids are missing or the container is warped or out of shape.

I am a total freak when it comes to organization. I love little baskets that hold everything from my car keys to hats, scarves, gloves, etc. I love the over the door coat racks and shoe organizers. I will admit that my house gets disorganized, like every other house you live in, but I try to make it point to have a place for everything and everything in it’s place.

Next time you feel the need the purge, just remember you are purging for a reason. You need to make room. So, make room. Throw it away, pass it along to a friend, donate it. Whatever ‘it’ is, if you know you haven’t used it in a long period of time, you probably never will. And, if you do throw it away and a few years later kick yourself for it, you can always buy another one.

I am a fan of anything that makes my life easier. After cleaning houses for seven years, you can imagine I’ve tried just about every “spray it and forget it” or “we do the work for you” product out there. Very few have made the cut, but these are the products I cannot live without. (And, in no way was I compensated for any of these products. I just love them!)

1. Swiffer extended duster. By far, my favorite product of all time. Being 5′ 2” I need all the extra arm space I can get! This product allows easy cleaning for fans, cobwebs in corners, shelving, picture frames and more! If you buy the dusters, you’ll notice they bend and conform easily to fit into tight spaces you wouldn’t normally be able to reach. I love the citrus scented duster refills, but they are not all-natural. 🙁
2. Magic Eraser. There is a lot of controversy regarding the Magic Eraser. First, I like it. It removes soap scum in one swipe, it is the only product I know that can remove just about any scuff mark, sticky residue, crayon and more off of walls. It seriously is magic. I’ve done my research and it’s murky. The product is not all-natural, but the only time it is hazardous is if ingested or filed down to a powder and sniffed. (NOTE: please don’t eat sponges or file them down to a powder to snort. It’s unbecoming.)
3. Microfiber towels. These all-natural little towels are tough. They are great for dusting because they attract the dust. The texture helps to shine mirrors and chrome fixtures. It’s also very helpful getting fingerprints off of stainless steel appliances in the kitchen. I couldn’t live without these little guys.
4. Rubbermaid Reveal mop. I have been through some mops! I’ve had the old-school mop heads that you stick your hand in the mop to wring it out. I’ve had the expensive Swiffer mops that constantly caused me to buy replacement pads, juice, batteries, you get the gist. This Reveal mop is awesome! It has basically a water bottle that you can put whatever concoction of product you want. (I usually use vinegar and water.) Pop the water bottle on the mop and with a few squirts, you’re finished before you know it! The mop head is a reusable microfiber and it is all-natural. (YES!)
5. Melaleuca products. These products are wonderful. They are all-natural, chemical-free and safe to use around children and pets. Actually, it is one of the only cleaning products that your child could drink an entire full concentrated bottle and if you call poison control they will tell you not to worry about it. How much safer could you get?! They have a variety of products for every room in your home. Check them out.

And there you have it! A few of the products that I cannot live without. What are some of your favorite cleaning products?