Boot Brush

Muck on the outside
Grit and twigs on the inside

How they get in, I'll never understand. My tall, working-in-the-yard-and-mud boots get bits of twigs, grass, dirt, and debris into them.  The lining is almost like flannel, so all those little pieces tend to stay.  I've taken out the foot liners and washed them, but there's still lots of stuff that migrates underneath and clings to the inside walls of the boot.  Ick!  The vacuum cleaner was no help.

Best boot brush around

Today, as I grabbed the long-handled dish brush that lives outside for scrubbing buckets and boots, a high-light marker skimmed over Things I get to do today--use this long-handled brush to "sweep" out the deep recesses of the boots before you settle down at the rain barrel spigot to scrub off the mud.  What a good idea!

Free of debris--Happy feet
You bet your big toe, bare feet know the difference!

I took out the insoles and bushed them clean.  The brush could reach all the way to the toe, and believe me, for a size 12 boot that is a long way to reach.  In a very short time, the foot area was smooth and free of debris.  The brush worked equally well to sweep out the walls of the tall boots.  A small annoyance solved.  Happy bare feet.

A Winter's Worth of Lint

The heater was in the way.  We cleaned carpets yesterday since it was 80 degrees out, a dramatic shift from the 55-and-raining routine of the past months that was predicted again for us in few days. But we wanted to clean where the heater sat, so I picked it up to move it.  My eyes took it all in.

A winter's worth of lint and dust
A bent wire from last cleaning attempt adds to the disarray 

The heater bowl is slightly upturned and, as a result, collects stuff, mostly dust and lint, and looks hideous most of the time.  In the past I've tried cleaning it (the wire "safety cage" absolutely cannot be removed) by slipping the narrow vacuum cleaner attachment between the wires.  This returned exceptional frustration and marginal cleaning results.

Fold a damp rag so it will slide through
the fattest openings.  Use the handle of a
wooden spoon to work the rag over the
offending surface.  

So for now I know that the Things I get to do today will include coming up with a better way to chuck the crust and dust off the heater.  Just simply cannot set a dirty appliance back down on a freshly cleaned carpet.

An old toothbrush did the trick on the bottom rim
and groove, and pliers were a simple fix for the bent wire.
LOOKING GOOD

And, of course, it was easier than could be imagined.  The rest of you have probably figured it out long before this.  Well, now we all are in on the secret.  Happy Spring Cleaning to the gang!

Assault and Soda

It was somewhere between bitter and sour.  My nose is sensitive to things gone "bad"--dish or wash clothes and bath towels--and I'd been pursuing the odd smell in the shower for months.  Despite my random efforts, the smell persisted until it grabbed my attention and flung itself in front of all the other Things I get to do today.

Shower deodorant--soda and boiling water

Armed with--what does one use when the cause is not clear?--baking soda by the pound and boiling water, I took it on. Several days ago it seemed that the smell was coming from the shower drain. Down went 3/4 cup of baking soda followed by two quarts of boiling water.  The steam that came up was not reassuring.  Waited five minutes while another pot of water boiled. Added another cup of baking soda. Scalded the dickens out of it with more boiling water.

Assaulted the tub drain the same way, though it had not yet ripened. Soda and boiling water. My thinking was that the soda would neutralize the acidy stuff and the boiling water would soften and wash away sludgy soap and hair conditioner scum.

All the hoopla took place earlier today.  I've put off checking the results, not wanting to be disappointed enough to come up with another plan.  Upon gathering my wandering courage a short time ago, I discovered, hallelujah-hooray, the drain is essentially odor free.  So the other thing I get to do today is write that down so I'll remember it for any future similar situation.

Big Green Jug

If your water is green, don't drink it.  That's my rule of thumb.  You certainly can write your own guidelines on what you are willing to ingest.

Fun water bottles for around the house

My water bottles are filled from a gallon of "sunshine wine" (post 10-28-11), filtered water that has had a chance to bask in the sun until it's absorbed as much sun sparkle as it can hold.  The routine of Things I get to do today includes refilling these recycled, interesting, glass bottles.  To encourage myself to "keep up the fluids," I have several around the house in locations where I settle in for a time or pass by frequently (by the computer, in the kitchen, on the bathroom counter).

Hinting green, the salt slurry has done its work

But the big jug had gone green. Nothing serious, it had a delicate film of green algae coating the inside, and the next step would be the water turning green.  Last time this happened I enlisted the help of my friend, salt. Salt is fabulous for many tasks that require an abrasive.  To clean a big bottle, dump in about 1/4 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of water.  Swirl this about in the jug until the gritty salt has scoured off everything on the inside. Rinse.  I'm happy to drink the sunshine wine/water from this clear container now.

Sparkly fresh and ready to soak up the rays