White vinegar is also good for cleaning the interior of your dishwasher. Simply put some vinegar in a cup at the bottom of the dishwasher and let it run through the cycle. The vinegar will circulate and remove food residues.

​https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-to-clean-a-dishwasher-with-vinegar

Humidifiers can get gunky fast. An easy way to clean one is to fill the holding tank with one part white vinegar and one part water. Let it sit an hour and then rinse and wipe!

Here's a way to get rust out of iron pans. Use alum (found in the baking or spice section of your food store). Make a paste of alum (3 tablespoons) and a little vinegar. You will want to use a bit of the paste at a time because it will turn red quickly and need to be replaced with fresh paste.

Source: Clean and Green​ Anne Berthold

Starting today (9/6) the new booster that targets omicron as well as older-style COVID is available in Minnesota. This is recommended particularly for older and immune-compromised adults but also for others (though there is some debate about its importance for the wider public). With cooler weather on the way and the holidays a few months away, the new booster will hopefully be able to keep a new surge in check and also help people get through the winter more safely.

Here is a good write up about the new vaccine: www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/09/05/1120834024/omicron-boosters-do-i-need-one-and-if-so-when

Here is a listing of public sites where the shot is available, though it is also being given at CVS and Walgreens pharmacies: https://www.mallofamerica.com/directory/community-vaccination-program-site 

Here's a simple tip if you're cleaning your own home on a regular basis. Have a routine. For instance dust everything then vacuum everything. In bathrooms, do the sink then tub then toilet and then mop. In the kitchen, wipe the counters, do the stove top, fronts of cabinets, and then mop. Getting into a standard routine will keep you focused and moving and cut your time significantly!

Here are some recipes for homemade nontoxic metal polishes:

brass and copper polish: use lemon juice or tomato juice
chrome: use a cloth dipped in cider vinegar
silver: immerse the silver object in a bowl with aluminum foil and salt. Let sit a few minutes and then wipe the tarnish off.

Source: Debra Lynn Dadd Nontoxic, Natural, and Earthwise

Here is a resource for a serious problem that affects an unfortunate number of seniors, nursing home abuse. The estimate is that 5% of those in elder care suffer abuse. This organization's website gives good background on the situation and solutions for the problem if you have a loved one who might be undergoing this. https://nursinghomesabuse.org/

This product was suggested to me by someone at my hardware store. Krud Kutter, marketed as a nontoxic cleaner, cuts through tons of stuff. It's my nontoxic go-to for miscellaneous sticky propositions. A great product!

I've been cleaning for many years. At a certain point I started encountering newer-style large shower stalls that require walking into the space to clean the walls. Cleaning shower walls often involves scrubbing using a spray cleaner and then rinsing. So the quandary was how to rinse shower walls while standing in the shower without getting my shoes all wet. Maybe you've encountered this problem in cleaning your own shower. The solution: shower caps over one's shoes. These can get wet because they are easily removed after stepping out of the shower..

Though we are mostly trying to live as though the pandemic is over, it really isn't. In fact, cases are on the rise though infection rates are still considered low in the metro area. Fortunately, deaths are down greatly and the degree of sickness is less than it was earlier in the pandemic, but long haul continues to be a debilitating outcome for many.

In my cleaning, I continue to take precautions. I wear a mask and social distance when others are around and ask that my clients do the same. I try to work without others in the immediate area as much as I can.

A little reality check would help us all I think.

A good source of pandemic news: www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/the-latest-on-the-coronavirus/