Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Can You Be Cleaner than Them All?

Mirrors and windows can be frustrating to clean. Many times after cleaning, mirrors and windows will still have streaks, specks, dirt or a fog of cleaning chemicals left on it. There are several different cleaning strategies that can leave a surface streak-free and sparkling until the next cleaning.

There is an assumption that you have to use a commercial glass cleaner to get the job done, but in fact you can combine white distilled vinegar with 1 quart of warm water to clean both mirrors and windows.

Depending on the number and height of windows, it may be necessary to obtain a professional window cleaning service to get the job done. Interior window cleaning will be easier for those reachable areas where dogs may put their noses and children their fingerprints. Exterior window cleaning requires taking off the screen and in some cases using the hose to rinse away any excess dirt.

Clean the surface first to remove any heavy dirt or marks. Use plain water to do the pre-cleaning. Newspapers can be used as a cleaning cloth as long as they are not of soy-based ink. You can also use a microfiber cloth, coffee filters or a diaper to obtain a streak-free, lint-free result. Use a squeegee for best results on windows.


http://www.MartaPerrone.com

Crossing Boundaries with the Housekeeper

One of the things I teach in my "career development" class weekly to the various housekeepers and nannies is that once you cross that line with your employer, you will find yourself in a position where you no longer can maintain a professional relationship. To keep things in good order, it is important to create and maintain lines of respect in any employment situation. There is this tremendous gray definition of what families describe as "being part of the family". Does this mean that the nanny gets the same benefits as other members of the family? The likelihood is that she is considered to be part of the family until she does something that is unacceptable. So what might that be??? Ok, here are some examples:

*Asking for a cash advance
*Borrowing clothes and jewelry (shame on Schwarzenegger's Housekeeper)
*Forming opinions and imposing them
*Making political and religious statements
*Taking something without asking (even if you think you deserve it)
*Undermining parental decisions
*Taking advantage of breaks, vacation or time off
*Talking about the family to others
*Assuming a role that isn't yours to take (mistress included)
*Showing any form of disrespect

Now on the other hand, there are plenty of household employers who ALSO cross the line. Yes, they are just as culpable and often do it to such a level that it is even more embarrassing and shameful. After all, as employers, they are supposed to know better. Here are those examples:

*Yelling, using obscenities and making a household worker feel belittled
*Not adhering to an employment agreement for things promised
*Underpaying for a job that demands more for its effort
*Thinking that gifts of unneeded items is like giving a "bonus"
*Exposing themselves and thinking that their 'nudist' way of life is acceptable in their home (yes this did happen)
*Deducting wages for room and board when the employee only lives there 5 days (not permanent residence)
*Having sex because "you are rich and powerful" and the housekeeper is not (Dominique Strauss-Kahn as an example)

Shame, shame on all of you. If you want self-respect as an employee, demand it and do not succumb to the darkness of others. If you are an employer, there is a line that cannot be crossed unless you want to find yourself in an ugly lawsuit. As the employee, crossing the line simply can get you fired and in a situation that may prevent future employment.

Summer Sweat Circles

Ahh the heat has arrived and with it comes sweat circles. Yes, those ugly sweat circles on our shirts, blouses and dresses that cause embarrassment and tend to ruin our clothes.

Brian Johnson – Director at the Dry Cleaning and Laundry Institute tells us that the aluminum-based antiperspirant is the “biggest culprit” for stains left behind on the shirts and blouses. The manufacturers of antiperspirants say that there many other factors that need to be taken into consideration and that they can’t figure out what is the main cause. Their main concern is to eliminate wetness; dropping the levels of aluminum would not make their consumers any drier. So what are people doing? Believe it or not, they are actually going for prescriptions, Botox injections and the removal of sweat glands through surgery and laser procedures to alleviate the problem. Brian Johnson recommends that you wash, rather than dry-clean shirts that have yellow stains. “The Stains are water based so they need water to get them out. Furthermore, wash an item as soon as possible after perspiring. Use detergent or a stain remover with oxygen bleach.

Here are some products in the market made for this problem: PitStop is a stain remover to fight yellow stains; Beconfident are adhesive underarm shields made of a cotton blend to keep wetness from reaching the fabric.

http://www.MartaPerrone.com

Housekeeper's Voice

The news is flooded with reports regarding laws, unions, and potential changes to protect domestic workers.It began in New York city with the Domestic Workers United Bill of Rights for domestic workers that passed in November 2010. They fought long and hard to impose on household employers guidelines as it relates to benefits, hours and wages, medical insurance and other protections commonly provided to other professions. However, they were unsuccessful in obtaining ALL their wish list. In preparation for this, they did study after study in the household industry interviewing housekeepers and nannies all over the State of New York to get their story. All this served to support their cause.

In Los Angeles,the struggle continues as local legislators seek the passage of the California Bill to ensure that live/in domestic workers would have the right to sleep at least five hours each night and have access to employer's kitchens to cook their own food. Advocates say that because those rights are specific to live/in caregivers, "they must be enshrined in domestic worker-specific law." Lolita Andrada Lledo, associate director of Philipino Workers Center in Los Angeles explains that the ability to cook their own food is essential for caregivers, rather than being limited to what food the elderly and ill patients are able to eat.

Regarding the right to sleep, Lledo comments that in-home workers are often denied sleep entirely, especially when caring for stroke victims and elders with dementia or Alzheimer's who have round-the-clock needs. Their hope is to put in place a law that demands there be a shift of 12 hours for each caregiver, giving the other a chance to rest.

There were other speakers who stressed the need to pass this bill to ensure domestic workers have the legal recourse for harassment and violence in the workplace.

Housekeepers all over the world are abused in various cultures ss evidenced by the many news reports. The United States has always been the frontrunner for all change. It appears domestic workers' voice will be heard as they reap the benefits of this great democracy.

http://www.martaperrone.com

Too Busy to Clean

Time is of the essence, but who has it these days. Unless you can afford full time help to clean up after you and every child and pet in the family, a mess is soon to follow unless of course you make it a routine. Here are some housekeeping tips to keep things running smoothly in spite of your busy schedule.

Beds – When you wake up, open up your bed and pull the sheets up and away from the bed. Open the doors or windows and get fresh air into the room. Ventilate the room for 20 minutes, stretch out the bottom sheet and then proceed to make the bed. While you are there, pick up any glasses or bottles of water, newspapers, tissues, etc.

Dusting – Get some good microfiber cloths and have them handy to use whenever you run the vacuum or sweep the floor. A good wipe down takes only a minute. Lift up the accessories and wipe on all sides of every surface.

Laundry – Clothes can pile up especially when you have children. If your hampers are full on a daily basis, try putting a load in every morning just as you wake up and perhaps are exercising and/or getting the children up and ready for school. Change the wash to the dryer (or line-dry your items) before you leave the house. If you have an extra 15 minutes, then take the things out of the dryer and lay them out flat and/or line dry. When you get home from work, you can fold and put everything away. Designate 1 day per week for the dry cleaners and 1 day per week to either wash/launder the sheets and towels.

Floors – Whether you have carpets or floors throughout the house, they have to be vacuumed or swept at least 1-3 times per week depending on how they look. Kitchen floors should be swept daily after meals and other floors in rooms can be done as needed, but no less than once per week. A quick sweep or run of the vacuum can be done in 5 minutes. Quickly put an attachment on the vacuum to collect dust from the baseboards. Choose a different room to vacuum/sweep each morning or while dinner is on the stove.

Bathrooms – A good deep cleaning of a bathroom can only be accomplished when you have at least 30 minutes in the day. You may need to address this on a Saturday or Sunday. In between, you can do the following to keep things orderly: take the trash out daily, wipe down the mirror if you see any smudges, use a squeegee in the shower, use a toilet bowl brush in the toilet, have a handy cleaning towel available under the sink to dry up the sink and polish the faucets daily. When you use the towels (hand, bath or shower), always fold/hang them neatly.

Kitchen – While making a meal, always clean up during the cooking process. This will make it easier for you after everyone has finished eating. Always clear the sink of dishes; loading and turning on the dishwasher in the evening. Clean off the kitchen table and sweep beneath and around the kitchen after every meal. Give a good wipe to the stovetop and counters. Run the garbage disposal and take out the trash. This may seem time-consuming – so you might have to enlist the help of a spouse and/or older child.

Family Room – This room is frequently used in many homes. In the evening when everyone is ready to retire, just take a moment to fluff up the pillows on the couch, put glassware or dishware from snacks and drinks away, put away DVDs, throw away newspapers, put toys back in their respective place and leave the room looking fresh and clean for the morning.

Cleaning 101 – Always put things back where they belong and as you found them. When you pass by a room and see something out of place, take a second to make it look right. Stay on top of your laundry, dusting, vacuuming and trash removal; daily attention is needed. Develop an eye for detail and organization.

The key to keeping things in order when you have a busy schedule with not a moment to spare is to do things in a timely manner and as part of a routine. Incorporating these clean up routines into your schedule can be just as natural as brushing your teeth after a meal.

http://www.TheProfessionalHousekeeper.com

Balancing Life when the Baby Arrives

Love and marriage...love and marriage! The bliss of that wedding day when the spotlight is on you. Recently being a bride for as of August 2010, the day was quite different than when 23 years ago as babies entered the relationship. There is no question that the dynamics change from romance and courtship to full attention to the care and development of a child. Working parents face another challenge of finding help for their child, functioning at work after sleepless nights, constant concern for the baby on almost a moment to moment basis. It isn't hard to imagine that there is very little time for yourself, let alone each other.

According to data from Relationship Research Institute in Seattle, conflict between parents will increase within the first 3 years of the child's birth as sex and adult conversation decrease and distance between the two is formed.

Here are some of the issues:

1) Dividing household and baby functions - who is going to be responsible for what? It isn't any different than when hiring a nanny, staff of housekeepers and other household workers. Everyone has to have a clear idea of their responsibilities. Make a list, agree to it and don't get it done.

2) Chemical changes occur in mothers through hormonal changes, nursing, and postpartum depression. These physical changes must be addressed with help from professionals.

3) Women, in particular, tend to throw themselves into the children and forget about their husbands who also need attention. Let's face it, men do not like to be ignored.

4) Attention to your own bodies and good health tend to falter behind your constant focus on the children. Everyone looks fairly fit on their wedding day with great efforts to fit into that dress and suit....but then the weight goes on and time for exercise diminishes. Not just for our spouse, but first and foremost for ourselves, it is never a good idea to let yourself go. Exercise and good eating habits is a way of life that should become routine. It isn't always easy incorporating this; however, maintaining ourselves in good shape and health is important to any relationship.

5) Finances seem to be more of a concern in any marriage, but certainly the expense of a child can exacerbate that discussion. Allocating sufficient funds for clothing, education and well-being of a child is something that needs planning and discussion.

There are numerous people out there that can counsel you through this process. These trained professionals teach you how to discuss a problem without forming criticism, maintain a healthy sexual appetite, and financially plan your lives so that money issues don't tear you apart.

The percentages of marriages that fail is greater with those who have children than childless. That in itself tells you that children are the result of issues between parents that can create a breakdown in communication, intimacy and overall friendship.

It is all about balance - your children, health, physical appearance, intimacy, finances, work and your spouse!


http://www.martaperrone.com

Hotels Going Green at the Expense of Hygiene

Room hygiene at hotels is becoming an issue as the world contemplates "going green" and the economy at hand. Some hotels are asking you not to throw the towels on the floor and try to use them for a more few days instead. This could also mean anything from not replacing shampoo and soap until bottles are almost empty to washing towels every other day to "not changing sheets for every new guest." Well, that is going a bit too far. A new TV ad by the Hampton Inn chain implies that other hotels are not changing sheets for new guests. Hidden cameras have also confirmed that bedspreads are not being washed regularly. The assumption is that this is not happening at a major hotel chain. However, if you plan on staying at an inn, motel or small chain of hotels, you just might end up sleeping on someone's sheets. Oy!!

http://www.martaperrone.com