Getting started

How Clean Is Your House? Hundreds of Handy Tips to Make Your Home Sparkle
by Kim Woodburn, Aggie MacKenzie

The international bestseller How Clean Is Your House? is a new kind of cleaning book-full-color, hilarious, and fun. Packed with trade secrets and inventive cleaning solutions, it goes through the house room by room, offering do's and don'ts, step-by-steps, and before-and-after "grime scene" photographs.

Kim Woodburn and Aggie MacKenzie are known as "the queens of clean" from Lifetime Television and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Tips include:

• Use a banana peel to dust plants; the dust clings to the skin and the juice nourishes the leaves

• Leave laundry detergent to soak in your bathtub overnight-the tub will gleam in the morning (no scrubbing required)

• To loosen dirt and grease inside the microwave, put a few slices of lemon in an uncovered bowl of water and cook on high for 3 minutes.

Chapter 1

Kim and Aggie's essential cleaning kit

A glance at the shelves of cleaning materials in any large store will tell you that there is a breathtaking array of cleaning creams, powders, polishes, liquids, cloths, mops and tablets available. Of course you don't need them all! Some are time-saving, but buying so many products is hardly economical-we'll show you other cleaning methods that avoid buying a special product that does only one job. However, every home should have a basic cleaning kit. All the homes we visited contained cleaning materials-they just weren't being used. Their purchase was a sign of the best intentions, but then they had been buried at the back of a cupboard-often covered in grease or dust!

Name a product and you can be sure that we have tried it. Here is a list of the supplies we never set off without when we take to the road to clean up the filthiest homes. These will work in your home too-even if you have a lot less grime.

Kim

I've got a tried and tested collection of cleaning materials that I always turn to whenever there's a job to be done. I like a nice collection of dusters, cloths and mops-we all have our favorites, don't we dear? But these work for me, so I have no hesitation recommending them to you.

Washing and scrubbing

Dishwashing liquid-don't economize- the concentrated stuff is best. Good for your dishes, your floors, your walls-you name it, dishwashing liquid can often do it. Hot soapy water is a clear winner for hundreds of tasks.

Scouring powders-I swear by a strong abrasive powder with coarse grit particles for the toughest of cleaning jobs. You can't use it on every surface-especially not plastic, because you'll soon rub all the shine off. But scouring powder is perfect for scrubbing inside the toilet bowl, for example.

Cream cleanser-this is good for more delicate surfaces that won't take a coarse grit powder, such as plastic baths. It's good on grease and very useful in the kitchen and bathroom.

Steel-wool soap pads-or just the plain wire or nylon pads for jobs where you don't want huge amounts of soap swishing about, just a good bit of elbow grease. They can be used carefully on some stoves to remove spills on the stove top, and inside the oven too. Roasting pans are a bother, aren't they? Good for a few months, then you get a buildup of brown spots.

Baking soda-a good old-fashioned cleaning product, with a whole host of uses. Great for washing down surfaces and especially good at cutting through grease. It is also a very powerful weapon in the battle against slimy and smelly drains. Used regularly it can save you an expensive call to a specialist drain-cleaning company. Mix with a small amount of very hot water and pour down the sink, or directly into the outside drain to help keep them clear.

Bleach-don't overuse bleach, it's really not necessary. Warm soapy water will often do, but a little dash of bleach in your bucket of soapy water will make some tough jobs easier.

Distilled clear vinegar-another wonderful traditional remedy my mother used which is just as good today. Use it for removing limescale-the mineral and salt deposits left by hard water-but don't use it on plated surfaces or it will remove the plating too. Wash off thoroughly after use. It's how my mother cleaned filthy windows-one part vinegar, nine parts water. But the solution needs to be rubbed off firmly with old newspaper or it can leave smears. A little vinegar is also good for pet urine on carpet, and it deters pets from returning to the same spot.

Bath soap-wonderful, but not in guest bathrooms. Who wants to use someone else's old soap? Liquid soap dispensers are best for guests. Rub a damp facecloth over soap to tackle all manner of marks-such as lipstick on a shirt collar or a cotton sweater. Don't rub heavily or you'll spoil the weave.

Liquid carpet shampoo spray-I swear by this for small marks, but use it as soon as they appear. Test a small hidden area first to ensure it won't spoil the carpet color, and leave for at least half an hour. For small marks just rub your fingernail along with the pile and tease through the soap. Bang with a damp cloth, followed by a dry cloth. Dirty carpets should be professionally cleaned, and don't be stingy with expensive rugs-take them to a specialist cleaner. If you could afford to buy the rugs you can afford to have them cleaned.

Dishwasher liquid-not only good in the dishwasher, but also for cleaning plastic baths. Don't let dirt build up or you may mark the plastic permanently.

Powdered laundry detergent (with enzymes)-not only is this great in your washing machine, it's also very good for cleaning a dirty bath. Fill the bath with warm water, add a couple of cups of powder, and leave to soak overnight. (You can even add men's dirty white shirts and do two jobs at once.) Rinse and buff dry.

Fabric softener-a wonderful invention. Choose your favorite fragrance. It's very good on natural fibers, but not on your bathing suits; they really don't like it.

Denture-cleaning tablets-these will clean more than just your false teeth! Pop one down the loo for a sparkling bowl, or even dissolve a couple in the kettle overnight. They will loosen the limescale and you can wipe it off with a paper towel in the morning. Rinse after use-who wants to drink tea made with denture tablets?

Polishing

Spray furniture polish-you can get some lovely fragrances. Don't overuse, though, or your furniture will get polishbound. Once a month is plenty, the rest of the time dust with a very slightly damp duster, wrung out as tight as you can. Finally, buff with a dry duster.

Beeswax polish-wonderful on rough and unpolished woods, such as pine tables. You can see when wood is gasping for some nourishment. Rub it in well and buff up with a lint-free cloth-men's old T-shirts (washed, of course, and not the mesh ones) are perfect.

Cream pads for silver-but use gloves. A silver cloth is good, but expensive. A good tip for cleaning silver items, not plate, mind, but good for your jewelry. Line a plastic bowl with aluminum foil, shiny side up, and add a handful of baking soda and some very hot water. Put your silver in for 1-5 minutes-watch the dirt jump to the foil and the silver emerge sparkling. Rinse thoroughly and buff with a dry cloth.

Spray lubricant (WD40)-often found in the garage, but useful all around the home. Great for getting paint off windows-give a quick spray to loosen it, then apply a plastic scraper and elbow grease. Ensure the room is well ventilated.

Gloves, mops, cloths and other useful weapons in the fight against grime

Gloves-I like black rubber gloves best, and I love the novelty designs you can get now. Buy them a size too big; they're much more comfortable. You can even wear a pair of cotton gloves inside, soaked with hand cream to keep your hands moisturized and soft all day.

Toothbrushes-these are invaluable. Save every one! Never throw your old ones away, simply put them to a new use. They are perfect for getting into any little crevice that your fingers won't fit, or wouldn't want to.

Cotton swabs-these are similarly useful, especially for delicate items like computer keyboards.

Toothpicks-if you're as fussy as I am, these are perfect for picking dirt out of screw heads.

String mops-my chosen weapon for dirty floors. They're tough, absorb a lot of water and bleach beautifully. You can wring them out really tight to stop the floor from getting too wet. Change the water frequently, and never leave a mop head dirty. Wash it out thoroughly, and never leave it sitting in a bucket-oh, the stink-stand it head upright to dry.

Dusters and rags-why do they make dusters in such bright colors? They are only any good when the dye is washed out. Buy a dozen the same color and put them straight into the washing machine or soak them. Go through the agony-it's worth it. Have a good supply of old white towels and rags (keep your old T-shirts)-not colored, mind, you don't want to transfer the dye to something you're cleaning, especially a carpet.

Chamois leathers-my first choice for polishing windows after washing with a soapy solution. They work on the small panes beautifully, and well cared for they last for years. Vacuum cleaner-I like an upright. Why break your back? You can get hose attachments, too, for reaching right up to ceilings and the brushes work wonders on upholstery and dusty furniture. Better to pick the dust up than swish it around. I like the bagless cleaners with the clear drums-watching all that dirt spin around is free entertainment. At first you think to yourself, this room isn't so dirty, and then you are amazed just how much dust you've managed to find when you see it spinning around. When I go away I like to vacuum myself out of the front door, so it's all nice and fresh for my return.

I have quite a short list. I don't like the clutter of having cupboards full of stuff when just a few products can tackle so many jobs. I also worry about the effects on the environment of using so many unnecessary chemicals. But these are the things I do like.

Washing and scrubbing

Dishwashing liquid-I love this, especially the concentrated stuff. It can do so many jobs, even removing all sorts of stains from kids' clothes. Squirt some onto the stain, grab the surrounding fabric with both hands, and rub well, then stuff into the washing machine. Dishwashing liquid is good for so many household surfaces, and a little really does go a long way.

Cream cleanser-this has an abrasive action. I prefer it to the powder scourers, because I worry about breathing in the airborne particles.

Bleach-I prefer the really thick stuff, which is less likely to splash on your clothes and ruin them. I've had too many accidents! I like the way it clings to the sides of the loo rather than disappearing straight down the bowl.

Baking soda-a good alternative to detergent if you suffer from allergies or are sensitive to chemicals. It's great on stainless steel, it's good for sinks, it's even good sprinkled into smelly sneakers and it's kind to the environment. My homemade scouring mix is a winner: add baking soda to bleach to form a paste. This is very good at removing soap scum from shower tiles when rubbed on with a nylon pad (in general you should not mix cleaning products, as they can cause dangerous gases and reactions, but this tip, like all our tips, is tried and tested).

Washing soda-this is great at removing grease. I fill my sink with it, then pour over a kettle of boiling water and have a little scrub with a bottle brush to get rid of any grimy bits. It's good down the drain once a month too, to stop buildup of grease, which can block drains. Laundry detergent-I prefer the powder to the tablets, which are expensive and so fiddly to open. It's easier to gauge a good scoop of powder to the level of dirt and size of the load. Here's my top tip for cleaning your roasting pans using detergent. No need to scrub. Sprinkle in a cupful of powder, add warm water, and leave to soak for an hour or so. If it's really bad, put the roasting pan, plus solution, on the stove top, heat gently for about 10 minutes, then wash as normal.

Trigger cleaning sprays-I like these in the bathroom because they are quick and easy to use. I apply the spray to the bath and basin and leave it to work its magic while I clean the tiles. Distilled clear vinegar-Kim and I never leave for a job without this. It's good on limescale, for wiping down your shower door, and it's great on mirrors. After washing windows with a warm soapy water solution, buff up with vinegar and kitchen towel.

Beeswax polish-I don't like spray polishes at all; again, I worry about ingesting those airborne particles. I prefer creams or solid blocks. These are great on wood-on with one cloth, buff with another. Once a month is plenty-you don't want your lovely furniture to get polishbound.

Salt and lemon juice-three parts salt to one part lemon juice. This works really well on copper and brass. Rinse and buff dry with a soft cloth.

Spray lubricant (WD40)-this is very good at removing the stickers your kids plant all over their bedroom doors. Peel off the top layer, then spray the residue, wipe with a kitchen towel and hey, presto, it's gone (if the stickers have been in place a long time you might need a plastic scraper to ease the way).

Gloves, cloths and other useful weapons in the fight against grime

Gloves-keep separate gloves for bathroom and kitchen to prevent transfer of bacteria. Kim and I detest toilet brushes, so gloves on and down the bowl is the only real way to clean. After all, who wants a smelly brush sitting around?

Dishcloths-the only kind for me are those cotton ones with red stitched edging. They should be washed every day-either in the washing machine with the white wash, or in the dishwasher with the plates. Alternatively, at the end of the day you can soak them in warm soapy water with a few drops of bleach added-good for the sink, too.

Tea towels-I prefer linen glass cloths. They should be ironed and folded. A hot iron also helps to sterilize them. Always use a separate hand towel in the kitchen.

Lambswool dusters-I like these very much. They act like a magnet to dust, so you know it's not just being flicked around the room.

Toothbrushes-these are excellent for scrubbing dirty grouting between tiles. One part bleach, one part water, about once every couple of months, will keep everything sparkling white.

Paint scrapers-I like to use these on the glass of the oven door. If yours is removable glass like mine, unscrew it, give it a good soak in hot soapy water, and then use the scraper to shift any stuck-on grease marks. It's also a good idea every so often to pull out freestanding kitchen appliances and get to work with the scraper on any little bits of food debris clinging to the sides of the units and appliances. It comes off really quickly!

Vacuum cleaner-I like a bagless cylinder model, as I am quite short and find it much easier to carry upstairs than an upright. I'm not keen on bags, as they are expensive and wasteful and a pain to buy.

Polishes

Beeswax polish-I don't like spray polishes at all; again, I worry about ingesting those airborne particles. I prefer creams or solid blocks. These are great on wood-on with one cloth, buff with another. Once a month is plenty-you don't want your lovely furniture to get polishbound.

Salt and lemon juice-three parts salt to one part lemon juice. This works really well on copper and brass. Rinse and buff dry with a soft cloth.

Spray lubricant (WD40)-this is very good at removing the stickers your kids plant all over their bedroom doors. Peel off the top layer, then spray the residue, wipe with a kitchen towel and hey, presto, it's gone (if the stickers have been in place a long time you might need a plastic scraper to ease the way).

If you spend

two evenings cleaning, that's still five nights off

Grime scene pests

Copyright © 2004 by Kim Woodburn and Aggie MacKenzie. All rights reserved. This excerpt, or any parts thereof, may not be reproduced without permission.

About the Author

Kim Woodburn and Aggie MacKenzie are the stars of the hit television show How Clean is Your House? (seen on Lifetime Television). Before she became a celebrity, Kim worked as a professional live-in cleaning lady for a sheikh in Kent.

Aggie MacKenzie is the star of the hit television show How Clean is Your House?. Before she became a celebrity, Aggie was an associate editor for Good Housekeeping.