First up: Melissa's Corner, where she shared some of her favorite cleaning tips and products.1. SOS pads for cleaning the grime on stove tops and other tough cleaning jobs.
2. Magic Eraser used to scrub anything dirty, soap scum in the bathroom and sinks, clean the microwave with a little disinfectant spray.
3. Toothbrush and Toothpaste used to clean your jewelry.
4. Dreft Laundry stain remover for stains of all sorts.
5. Microfiber towels for dusting!
Then Judy shared with us about teaching our children responsibility (doing what has to be done, when it has to be done), especially in the area of keeping a tidy home. Check out Titus 2, tucked in there among those virtues is keeping a tidy home. This brings new meaning to cleaning with a smile - but I'm giving it my best go, and I'm teaching my kids along with me.
Some of Judy's tips:
Start giving chores early. Even little ones can help with something and it should be daily. Keep in mind small responsibilities should be given to small children and big responsibilities to big children.
Start an allowance at age 8. It doesn't have to be much and should be age appropriate. With that you can charge for having to pick up after your children.
Start a Box Lunch tradition. This meant taking the child out once a year and introducing a new responsibility. If the child mastered this responsibility by the end of the year, a new one was added. If not, repeat the year. Ideas include keeping your own room clean. And this was recommended at age 13.
My new motto: Pick up, clean up, throw away.
Remember what she said about her mother using vinegar and baking soda? These products still work today! (yes I'm pro-green!) So I'm putting my own plug in here. Save money, the environment and don't live with all those chemicals. For more green cleaning tips, check out this site with Natural Healthy Home Cleaning Tips.Judy also recommended DisneyFamily.com which has a good size parenting section where I came across this article on Green Cleaning and Clutter Busters
These are just the things that caught my fancy. I'm sure there are things that stuck with you, and I already know several of you went home and did some cleaning. Post a comment and let us know what I've forgotten that was shared or other tips you have!!
