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PEGGY'S
LITTLE
CORNER
Cleaning
Though requested, I never anticipated my cleaning regimen would be a subject of interest, but it here it is
September 25, 2014

Though it is an overused term, I am legitimately a neat-freak.  I cannot stand disorder and mess and make sure I do not have to deal with either.  When I used to work in dentistry, I often spent time in between patients tidying areas that had been neglected in the offices.  Eventually, I got a reputation as a picture-straightener and workaholic, but that also meant I often got asked by friends and colleagues about my preferred methods for tidying and cleaning.  In truth, though, I have seen worse cases than me, as I like both plants and animals inside with me.  I just happen to like organized chaos.  Similarly, my method is not at all elaborate, being relegated to a simple process with simple inexpensive products. So, for what it is worth, this is my entire cleaning process.

Daily Regimen

Daily I just make sure dog toys are picked up and the kitchen is clean, which is enough of a job in itself!  Our kitchen is in constant use, like a restaurant that works from morning to night, so dishes, counter surfaces, tables, and stovetops are time consuming in themselves. As with anything, though, if I ever have something that gets soiled more than usual, I borrow from any one of the following methods to correct it.

Weekly Regimen

Each week I try to dust my furniture surfaces and attending knick-knacks (including glass, porcelain, brass, and pewter) with an old washcloth dampened with water and a bit of fabric softener, probably not more than a drop to 2 cups of warm water. I use my sweeper’s crevice tool around the woodwork and to suck down corners that have gathered spider webs.  Next, I use the floor head of my sweeper for my hardwood floors then switch to carpet mode to sweep my rugs.  The floors get mopped with a tub of warm water mixed with a bit of dishwashing liquid.  Finally, I clean bathroom sinks, tubs, and toilets inside and out with more soapy water.  On the faucets, I use straight vinegar applied to a wet cloth to wipe everything down, and then quickly follow this up with a rinse of clear water, and buff the surfaces dry.  I usually do all of this on the same day as my laundry, which I do just once a week to conserve on both energy and water, as I can make larger loads.

Once a month

At least one time out of the month I devote myself to a little more thorough cleaning, which includes sweeping the furniture with an upholstery head, cleaning the rag rugs in the washing machine, and spot cleaning any large rugs with some diluted laundry detergent on a rag.  I do not bother with these items more often because, while I appreciate cleanliness, I also know the more you scrub the faster cloth will deteriorate.  So far, I have not had to refresh my upholstery more than twice in the 30 years we have had our furniture.

“Spring” Cleaning

I use the term “spring cleaning” loosely, as I often clean in preparation for spring during the month of January, right after the Christmas decorations get put away. Because we use wood heat, and since I put up Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving, and keep them until Epiphany in the first week of January, the house accumulates quite a bit of dust during the holidays. Moreover, spring is my favorite time of the year, and is very busy for me with the greenhouse.  I just cannot be bothered with cleaning during such a happy time of year, but during the winter months, what else is there to do? For me it is a perfect time to clean.  

During the big clean, all ceilings, knick-knacks, walls, shelves, furniture surfaces, picture frames, and woodwork get stripped and wiped down with cleaning water made from warm water and dishwashing liquid. The curtains and furniture get stripped and cleaned with water and soap, then rinsed, and dried with the wood heat on full blast.  I polish up all the pewter and brasses in the house, using dishwashing liquid and a water rinse for my pewter and a fresh cut lemon to rub down my brasses. I always make sure I always dip the brasses in diluted dishwashing liquid, rinse with water, and buff with a soft dry cloth.   Next, I run through my house and touchup all of my rugs and painted and stained surfaces, plus any holes in the drywall get patched fresh mud and painted.  This is also a great time to do a thorough cleaning of my cellar, and make sure all of my decorations and storage supply is tidy and well organized.

The only items that do genuinely get left until spring are the rugs, which need a good, hot, sunny, breezy day to dry.  I usually take my rugs outside and dump laundry detergent diluted in water directly onto them.  I then proceed to scrub them by hand then rinse them with the garden hose on a jet stream.  After I am sure the soap has been completely rinsed from the fabric, I squeeze the rugs dry with both a large and small window wiper.  This simulates the large rollers found in professional rug cleaning facilities.  I rinse and dry as many times as I need to get the soap and dirt out of the rugs and to get most of the water out of them.  I later drape the rugs over a couple of lawn chairs directly in the sun and let nature do the rest for me.  I use this same process for all of my rugs, including my more expensive wool rugs upstairs, but do use Wool-lite on them, instead of laundry detergent.  Two of the upstairs rugs are more than 2 inches thick with wool, so cleaning them is quite a process. Because they are also relatively small, I get extra water out of them by wrapping them in a few old towels multiple times until they are merely damp.  Once again, nature is left to dry them.  It is important, however, to get just the right day to dry these, as putting any of the rugs away damp with leave them stinking very quickly, and it will takes years to get out that smell, if ever.  

Touchups

All told, my spring cleaning usually lasts about a week, not including rugs.  I will go back in September and do a mini-spring clean.  The September clean is not quite as intensive, but it gives me a chance to get rid of dust, organize my cellar, make sure there are no gouges, holes, or heavily soiled spots, and to get rid of any bug droppings on my ceiling before beautiful decorations go on top of them. As always, though, I reserve the right to revisit any one of my spring cleaning techniques any time of the year I feel things have gotten desperate, which, in the past, has been precipitated by almost anything, from a clogged chimney to a flooded cellar!

Comments are closed here.

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October 5, 2020

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I start looking towards the holidays with an old fashioned recipe, and I look backwards as I transplant some wildflowers

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Where has time gone? Visiting a familiar old house that has gone to ruin.

July 12, 2020

The stars and moon align to make a magical Fourth of July

July 3, 2020

The weather has switched to summer heat and it is searing. Time for the garden to explode with weeds and produce.

June 27, 2020

It's my birthday again. Strawberries are in season, and I spend some time hauling rocks . . . again.

June 20, 2020

I do some late season gardening and try some greener products again, this time, with sheep milk

June 13, 2020

The garden has been giving us a preview of what is to come, and the weather gives us a taste of storms ahead

The package saga continues, and some early summer sounds kick into high gear

May 31, 2020

Some cat trouble ensues and the weather plays havoc with the garden

May 23, 2020

I finally bring an old idea to fruition and make a nice little grill cart

May 16, 2020

Mother's Day arrives, and amidst enjoying my homemade tea room I deliver some lovelies straight from the greenhouse

The wildflowers are here. I begin planting the last bits of my spring order and gift an instant garden to my sister

May 2, 2020

Warm weather comes a bit early for us, but my toad friends are back for another year of bugs

April 25, 2020

More deliveries as Covid continues. Each day is full, and only the inconvenience of a few missing packages affects the Little Corner

April 18, 2020

As we all adjust to Covid, Harry helps the Easter Bunny and delivers a bit of springtime cheer to family

April 11, 2020

We tackle the window project and find a few surprises, meanwhile my tattersall rugs arrive in time to give the house a lift for spring

April 4, 2020

We begin ripping out the old windows in preparation for the new installation, meanwhile spring burst forth all around us

March 28, 2020

Some fruit trees arrive, including some very old varieties, and I do a massive replant in the new section. Time to make that little forest grow.

March 22, 2020

We experience a strange St. Patrick's Day as the first Covid birthday gets underway, and the fencing project finally comes to a completion

March 15, 2020

While the country seems to be poised for a lockdown, we keep plugging away at the fence, and work in a little landscaping too

March 7, 2020

The fence project continues, while we have a quick birthday for Doodles and a little bit of cherry pie to celebrate the day

February 22, 2020

We start the task of fencing in the whole of our 5 acres, and with the weather shifting between snow and warmth there is a lot of mud

February 15, 2020

I get creative with trying to solve an old puzzle -- just what did that old baker use to make such perfectly sweet red icing?

February 8, 2020

Our great prognosticator has predicted an early spring, and we begin preparations for the new parcel

January 31, 2020

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January 25, 2020

It is already time to think about the garden and time to think about getting cuttings from my salvaged fall pots

January 19, 2020

Our snow for 2020 looks like it is going to remain a bit spotty, but Harry still gets some time to play, and I tackle cutting the petunia trees

January 13, 2020

I begin the New Year with spring cleaning, a repair inventory, and some Moses Eaton styled floor cloths

January 6, 2020

This year the flower color palette for the Vienna New Year’s Day concert was in shades of pink and yellow. ... View Article

December 31, 2019

I end a busy 2019 sharing my best wishes to everyone and a wish for the 'quiet life'

December 25, 2019

The season marches forward with Christmas bakes, and I try a few experiments on some old favorites

December 7, 2019

With Christmas on its way, I take a look at the 400+ seedlings in the basement, and Harry helps . . . or so he thinks.

November 30, 2019

I substitute an old favorite in our rarely altered traditional meal, and my family and I head to the tree farm again

November 24, 2019

My daughter's birthday inspires some unicorn decorations and the sky seems to join in the fun

November 17, 2019

After so much heat, and still so much green hanging on the trees, an early snow surprises us all

November 9, 2019

I get my husband to make a late season alteration to our coop, which will hopefully help my bones this winter

October 31, 2019

I make some last minute adjustments to the yard, just in time to catch the last of the warm weather

October 20, 2019

The frost finally shows up and autumn activities accelerate to match the change in weather

October 13, 2019

I scurry around gathering seed tops and cuttings for spring 2020

October 6, 2019

When we should be thinking of hot drinks, the weather keeps summer barreling into fall, which makes late season gardening miserable

September 30, 2019

As we wind down the year towards the fall season, another repair presents itself, this time our refrigerator

September 22, 2019

Following a recipe mishap years ago, I attempt use up some of our pear bounty and make a tasty chutney

January 6, 2022

Repurposing old storage containers and celebrating with a 12th Night feast.

April 21, 2021

Crazy weather, the greenhouse is packed and flourishing, Easter happiness, and waiting for the arrival of new baby chicks.

February 17, 2021

Wrapping up the holidays, jumping into a painting project, and cleaning the house from top to bottom.

November 19, 2020

For years I would sit and stare at my house and wonder why it didn’t have that colonial feel that... View Article

November 18, 2020

Seed starting begins again, just before the busy holiday season gets into full swing.

November 9, 2020

November begins with cool weather and blustery days. The seasons change and Harry enjoys the days.

November 2, 2020

Once again the coop needs some attention and some much needed safety additions. My joints just can't take the bend to feeders anymore!

October 31, 2020

Rushing to finish a big job never helps, but some last minute trim ideas make a big difference, and all in time for Halloween

October 20, 2020

When it rains it pours. Both the weather and the power tools conspire to keep the porch from being repaired.

October 19, 2020

A quick autumn stir-fry that is both healthy and tasty

October 19, 2020

A hearty one pot soup for all the leftovers or just in anticipation of Thanksgiving

October 12, 2020

Cool days give a taste of fall weather. I spend some time in the greenhouse and muse over the animals enjoying the day

Spring bulbs arrive for next year and Harry discovers a toad

I begin the porch project with some early painting and decorate for the season

Non-native problems continue but I tarry on with the season all the same.

Anniversaries can never just run smoothly, can they?

I start looking towards the holidays with an old fashioned recipe, and I look backwards as I transplant some wildflowers

The old yew bushes are removed to make way for a porch face-lift, and I attend to some inside repairs

Some late season planting, ordering bulbs for the coming year, and tackling a new antique project

August 17, 2020

Where has time gone? Visiting a familiar old house that has gone to ruin.

July 12, 2020

The stars and moon align to make a magical Fourth of July

July 3, 2020

The weather has switched to summer heat and it is searing. Time for the garden to explode with weeds and produce.

June 27, 2020

It's my birthday again. Strawberries are in season, and I spend some time hauling rocks . . . again.

June 20, 2020

I do some late season gardening and try some greener products again, this time, with sheep milk

June 13, 2020

The garden has been giving us a preview of what is to come, and the weather gives us a taste of storms ahead

The package saga continues, and some early summer sounds kick into high gear

May 31, 2020

Some cat trouble ensues and the weather plays havoc with the garden

May 23, 2020

I finally bring an old idea to fruition and make a nice little grill cart

May 16, 2020

Mother's Day arrives, and amidst enjoying my homemade tea room I deliver some lovelies straight from the greenhouse

The wildflowers are here. I begin planting the last bits of my spring order and gift an instant garden to my sister

May 2, 2020

Warm weather comes a bit early for us, but my toad friends are back for another year of bugs

April 25, 2020

More deliveries as Covid continues. Each day is full, and only the inconvenience of a few missing packages affects the Little Corner

As we all adjust to Covid, Harry helps the Easter Bunny and delivers a bit of springtime cheer to family

April 11, 2020

We tackle the window project and find a few surprises, meanwhile my tattersall rugs arrive in time to give the house a lift for spring

April 4, 2020

We begin ripping out the old windows in preparation for the new installation, meanwhile spring burst forth all around us

March 28, 2020

Some fruit trees arrive, including some very old varieties, and I do a massive replant in the new section. Time to make that little forest grow.

March 22, 2020

We experience a strange St. Patrick's Day as the first Covid birthday gets underway, and the fencing project finally comes to a completion

March 15, 2020

While the country seems to be poised for a lockdown, we keep plugging away at the fence, and work in a little landscaping too

March 7, 2020

The fence project continues, while we have a quick birthday for Doodles and a little bit of cherry pie to celebrate the day

February 22, 2020

We start the task of fencing in the whole of our 5 acres, and with the weather shifting between snow and warmth there is a lot of mud

February 15, 2020

I get creative with trying to solve an old puzzle -- just what did that old baker use to make such perfectly sweet red icing?

February 8, 2020

Our great prognosticator has predicted an early spring, and we begin preparations for the new parcel

January 31, 2020

A new phase of the Little Corner begins with the beginning of a wildlife habitat and expanded sheep field

January 25, 2020

It is already time to think about the garden and time to think about getting cuttings from my salvaged fall pots

January 19, 2020

Our snow for 2020 looks like it is going to remain a bit spotty, but Harry still gets some time to play, and I tackle cutting the petunia trees

January 13, 2020

I begin the New Year with spring cleaning, a repair inventory, and some Moses Eaton styled floor cloths

January 6, 2020

This year the flower color palette for the Vienna New Year’s Day concert was in shades of pink and yellow. ... View Article

December 31, 2019

I end a busy 2019 sharing my best wishes to everyone and a wish for the 'quiet life'

December 25, 2019

The season marches forward with Christmas bakes, and I try a few experiments on some old favorites

December 7, 2019

With Christmas on its way, I take a look at the 400+ seedlings in the basement, and Harry helps . . . or so he thinks.

November 30, 2019

I substitute an old favorite in our rarely altered traditional meal, and my family and I head to the tree farm again

November 24, 2019

My daughter's birthday inspires some unicorn decorations and the sky seems to join in the fun

November 17, 2019

After so much heat, and still so much green hanging on the trees, an early snow surprises us all

November 9, 2019

I get my husband to make a late season alteration to our coop, which will hopefully help my bones this winter

October 31, 2019

I make some last minute adjustments to the yard, just in time to catch the last of the warm weather

October 20, 2019

The frost finally shows up and autumn activities accelerate to match the change in weather

October 13, 2019

I scurry around gathering seed tops and cuttings for spring 2020

October 6, 2019

When we should be thinking of hot drinks, the weather keeps summer barreling into fall, which makes late season gardening miserable

September 30, 2019

As we wind down the year towards the fall season, another repair presents itself, this time our refrigerator

September 22, 2019

Following a recipe mishap years ago, I attempt use up some of our pear bounty and make a tasty chutney