How do you save energy cleaning?
Energy costs are outrageous lately, aren't they? And what about your own personal energy? What's that worth? Well, the folks at Dirt Devil are wondering what we do to avoid spending energy on cleaning. My personal favorite is convincing the kids that it's a game, but they've figured that one out, so it doesn't work as well anymore.
So, they ask the question, "What are the extremes you have gone through to save energy when you clean?" Here are a few ideas from my own household (ask the kids!) and those of family and friends:
- Put little doggie socks on the Pekinese, set her after a battery operated wiggle ball in the room with the hardwood floor. My aunt told me she never had to dust that floor!
-The pooch is also handy for those pesky kitchen spills, and they think the ravioli with marinara served up on the floor is a special treat. Bonus: you win lots of doggie love points.
- Clean the exterior window screens by sending the kids into the yard in swimsuits with a hose. Bonus: you can keep the kids occupied until the sun goes down with this one. If you're really clever, you can even get your car washed.
- Lock the door. If you can't clean it, hide it. (This doesn't work so well on the bathroom though. You could end up with a much more disagreeable mess.)
- In a similar vein, if those dishes are piled up in the sink stash them in the dishwasher - or even the oven, if you won't be using it), when unexpected guests come to call. Clothes dryers, washing machines and unused freezers in the garage provide additional...ahem...."emergency storage" space. (I had another aunt who often made use of this little trick.) DON'T be tempted to use the shower and close the curtain. People peek.
- Put dust ruffles on all the beds. Shove everything under. (Once the kids' toys exceed the total floor space in their bedrooms, though, you have to start sorting through things. Otherwise their beds get too high to climb into.)
- Dim the lights. It's romantic, saves electricity and keeps the dirt hidden in the shadows.
- Try a shot of lemon scented air freshener in the air. It will create the illusion that you must have been cleaning something.
- Use those blue toilet cleaner drops. They help keep it clean between regular cleanings and hide it when it's not quite so clean.
- Try those nifty cleaning wipes in a canister for quick wipedowns of bathroom and kitchen surfaces. They're available for glass now, too.
Dirt Devil has got a handy new helper too. The new AccuCharge Stick Vac and Hand Vac uses 70% less energy - making the AccuCharge the first cordless cleaning tool to earn Energy Star approval.
So, they ask the question, "What are the extremes you have gone through to save energy when you clean?" Here are a few ideas from my own household (ask the kids!) and those of family and friends:
- Put little doggie socks on the Pekinese, set her after a battery operated wiggle ball in the room with the hardwood floor. My aunt told me she never had to dust that floor!
-The pooch is also handy for those pesky kitchen spills, and they think the ravioli with marinara served up on the floor is a special treat. Bonus: you win lots of doggie love points.
- Clean the exterior window screens by sending the kids into the yard in swimsuits with a hose. Bonus: you can keep the kids occupied until the sun goes down with this one. If you're really clever, you can even get your car washed.
- Lock the door. If you can't clean it, hide it. (This doesn't work so well on the bathroom though. You could end up with a much more disagreeable mess.)
- In a similar vein, if those dishes are piled up in the sink stash them in the dishwasher - or even the oven, if you won't be using it), when unexpected guests come to call. Clothes dryers, washing machines and unused freezers in the garage provide additional...ahem...."emergency storage" space. (I had another aunt who often made use of this little trick.) DON'T be tempted to use the shower and close the curtain. People peek.
- Put dust ruffles on all the beds. Shove everything under. (Once the kids' toys exceed the total floor space in their bedrooms, though, you have to start sorting through things. Otherwise their beds get too high to climb into.)
- Dim the lights. It's romantic, saves electricity and keeps the dirt hidden in the shadows.
- Try a shot of lemon scented air freshener in the air. It will create the illusion that you must have been cleaning something.
- Use those blue toilet cleaner drops. They help keep it clean between regular cleanings and hide it when it's not quite so clean.
- Try those nifty cleaning wipes in a canister for quick wipedowns of bathroom and kitchen surfaces. They're available for glass now, too.
Dirt Devil has got a handy new helper too. The new AccuCharge Stick Vac and Hand Vac uses 70% less energy - making the AccuCharge the first cordless cleaning tool to earn Energy Star approval.
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