Brushed steel in the kitchen, particularly with refrigerators, is very popular, and it looks quite elegant. Unfortunately, it is also a surface that shows residue from human touch and even water very visibly. So if you use a damp cloth to clean it, the residue from the water remains. Very frustrating! There are steel polishes that work well(I recommend the product Wow!) but once you start with one it's hard to stop because the oil or wax from the polish itself becomes very difficult to ever remove entirely.

A simpler solution is this (here's a trade secret!): use a clean damp cloth with water and be sure to wipe it dry vigorously against the grain. That way, the residue from the water has much less contact in the brushed steel's micro-grooves to cling to. 

I'm going through a move right now. Of course it's standard to clean the premises for the next occupant after the furnishings have all been cleared. But it's been interesting to find how much unexpected deep cleaning to my own furnishings a move allows. As I've been getting my things packed and cleared off, I see things I haven't attended to in a long time. Two examples: hazy glass on my framed pictures and the dust that has accumulated behind my books on my bookshelves. It's a nice ritual to get at these accumulations to be off to a clean start at the new place!

In line with the new norms, I have eased up on my COVID precautions. I have had both my vaccinations so I'm not likely to be contagious to others. If clients have not had their vaccinations or there are children present who haven't, I continue to wear a mask. Where that isn't the case, I talk to my clients about their preferences. If they wish for us to wear masks while I'm at their house I continue to do so, but if they feel safe not wearing a mask (again, those who've been vaccinated), we don't wear masks.

Two practices I have carried over into this post-pandemic time.First, during the pandemic, I was in the habit of using a different vacuum cleaner bag for each house I clean. I like the hygiene of that and continue to do it. Second, I wear rubber gloves for bathroom cleaning and kitchen cleaning (a different pair in each area). 

It's nice to be a little freer after the year we had!

A little vinegar in water is a tried and true recipe for cleaning wood floors. (You don't want to use too much--about a tablespoon in a quart of water.) But even better is distilled water.

​A few years ago the rage in the cleaning industry was using a fancy dispenser that de-ionized water for cleaning floors. At a training with ARCSI, the national house cleaning industry association, I learned that de-ionized water was tested by the association and found to be the best general floor cleaner available. 

Distilled water, available at any supermarket, is a close cousin to de-ionized water and is as effective. So for the best cleaner, skip the vinegar and use distilled water. That's what I use to clean not only wood but all floors.

Here is a brilliant idea I came across for keeping your shower stall and/or bath tub forever clean. It takes a miniscule amount of work but is worth it, if you are so inclined. It's very simple. Have dedicated towel that you use to wipe down all surfaces--tub, walls, doors, chrome--after each shower or bath. It only takes a minute and will save you ever having to clean your tub or shower!  

This comes from a great source which is full of useful cleaning ideas:
https://outlook.live.com/mail/0/id/AQMkADAwATc3AGZmAGUtODE2Ny1kYTE3LTAwAi0wMAoARgAAA9N%2BaaPP5HZKtwtSu1IXe34HAM6y%2Fs5wvIFDumoLzTQihHAAAAIBDAAAAM6y%2Fs5wvIFDumoLzTQihHAABTiBysIAAAA%3D

Here is a good trick for getting off burnt-on gunk from the inside bottom of a pot, Cover the bottom of the pot with a cup of hot water and a cup of distilled vinegar. Add in 3 tablespoons of baking soda. Watch it fizz. When it's done, it will be softened and can scrub it off easily with dish detergent. 

www.mom4real.com/clean-burnt-pots-pans-natural-cleaning-trick/

Here are some helpful guidelines for window cleaning from a window cleaner's perspective. Some of the main takeaways: cloudy days are better than sunny days because the sun can dry the window too quickly and leave streaks; always work from top to bottom to avoid drips; use a little vinegar in water to avoid harsh chemicals.  https://cleaningbusinesstoday.com/blog/9-best-window-cleaning-tips/

A handy way to get those baked-on brown and black grease spots on your stove is with a Brillo pad. Test it of course, but I have not found it to scratch. On glass stove tops, those spots or rings can be gotten using a razor blade scraper. Be sure to wet the spot before using.

Here are some more things to do to get your home in the mood for spring while waiting for the warm weather to actually return:

1. Vacuum under the cushions of your sofas and stuffed chairs. Lots of things, big and small, like to hang out in there. 

2. Go through your closet and take out those clothes you haven't worn in forever for Goodwill. Marie Kondo's criterion: if it doesn't give you joy, toss.

3. Put your winter hats and gloves and boots back in the closet and take out the spring stuff if you have a bin for these things.

4. Clean the glass on the framed pictures you have hanging on the wall..

I use all nontoxic cleaning products for my normal routines. But sometimes there are just hard problems that only a more commercial grade cleaner can get. Bartender's Friend, a cleanser sold in many supermarkets and hardware stores, is not a green product (though it's lower in toxicity than many others) but is unrivaled in getting out rust and black marks from bathroom fixtures and kitchen counters. It's a very good resource of last resort for some of those hard-to-get issues.