In Print: Dog Massage? Isn’t Petting Enough?

Photo by Trisha: Grandma's spastic cat

Right now, I am sitting in my grandma's living room with three of my cousins . . .

. . . (One of whom is an army wife in Korea and one of whom is a music teacher in the Philippines and one of whom is a mother in Michigan) and we are watching Grandma's spastic cat, Charlotte, try to escape out the front door while we listen to my cousin talk about her magic toilet.

(Don't ask.)

Perhaps Charlotte the cat needs a massage. Pet massages are on the rise, after all.

Check out today's In Print article from The New York Times.

The opening lines of the article, by Jennifer Bleyer, read:

RENEE LANE’S living room had been transformed into a spa. Candles twinkled on the coffee table; lavender oil scented the air; lilting guitar music played softly on the stereo. Grace, Ms. Lane’s 2-year-old caramel-colored toy poodle, leaped onto the sofa and, in response to Ms. Lane’s cooing invitation (“Want to lay down for Mama?”), got into position for her evening massage. . .

Read the article here.

Think pet massages are an unfortunate waste of money? So are magic toilets . . .

Dear June: My Blinds Are Driving Me Batty

Photo by AngryJulieMonday

Dear June,

You have mentioned a few times now in our daily to-do lists to clean the blinds. My question is, what's the best way to accomplish this task? I about tore my blinds right off the wall trying to clean them the other day. Micro-fiber is one of my best friends but it has not done the trick for these pesky blinds. I also have a steam contraption (which I love and is good for 'green' cleaning might I add) that has a hose with a fluffy attachment on the end specifically for blind cleaning, and all it did was smear the dust around. I'm at a loss, and now my blinds look worse than they did before I tried to clean them! Please help!

M.F., Allen Park, MI


Dear M.F. from Allen Park, (who owns a fluffy attachment!)

The easiest plan is to throw the blinds out each month and buy new ones.

BUT. In case you are not Donald Trump . . .

Cleaning the blinds has been on the e-mail list a few times recently because they collect dirt and dust so easily. Dusting the blinds often is an important key to avoiding the whole take-em-out-back-and-hose-em strategy.

In the event that you cannot dust them as often as you'd like, one idea is taking them down and putting them in the bathtub to soak (being mindful of any non-plastic parts that can't get wet).

Just last week, I hung mine in the shower and used the handheld shower head to gently rinse each layer.

I like to make a solution using a gallon of warm water and a half cup of automatic dishwasher detergent. Once the ingredients dissolve, I dip a cloth (or paint brush) into the mixture and gently clean each blind.

As much as it's disturbing seeing all of that dust attached to the blinds, we can be thankful the blinds are doing their job and keeping that junk out of our lungs!

Happy dusting--

On Bristles and World Peace

Photo by ArunaR

Believe it or not, I have been asked this question several times recently.

No. It doesn't involve gravity, world peace, or chicken/egg combos. It involves makeup brushes.

Recently, I listed "clean your makeup brushes" on our daily to-do list. Apparently, this sent several of you into momentary shock because you weren't sure how to clean your makeup brushes. Well. Fear no longer. House Honcho is rushing to your rescue.

It's very simple. (And very important!)

First, it's important to note that you should clean your makeup brushes once a month. Like everything else, these brushes get dirty, and since they come in contact with your skin, it is important to keep them dust-/dirt-/germ-free.

Second, all you really need is some warm water and your shampoo. Carefully place the brush bristles into the water. (If you're using the tap, don't run the water on high.) When the bristles are fully soaked, add a small amount of shampoo to the mix and gently wash.

Finally, rinse the soap out fully. (Not doing this step correctly could damage the bristles or aggravate your skin. And who needs that?) Towel dry or use your hair dryer to speed up the drying process.

And there you have it. Clean brushes equal happy skin! Tootles!

Dear House Honcho

Photo by Darwin Bell

Dear HouseHoncho,

I have 3 questions for you that I'm hoping you'll answer for me. One is, how do you get hairspray off of the bathroom door? I have daughters. Enough said. Two, I really struggle with not wanting to clean up every room every day. But I don't have time to clean up every room every day. So something has to give. I am too busy to clean every room every day, but it's hard to know where to draw the line. Finally, can you tell us an embarassing story about yourself? You are obviously very put together.

Jeanie
West Virginia


Dear Jeanie from West Virginia,

I will answer your questions in the order you asked them. First, I get hairspray off of my bathroom door using rubbing alcohol. I take a torn up T-shirt or old sock, dip it in the alcohol, and gently work the "gunk" off the door. It really is amazing--looking at the balled up goo on the door--that we put that stuff on our hair. Almost makes me want to shave my head. Almost.

Next answer. I always advise setting goals, reaching them, and stopping for the day. Now, obviously, if a vase breaks in the kitchen, it needs to be tidied--even if it's Monday and isn't the day you typically clean your kitchen. If toys have exploded all over the living room floor, they need to be put away. But if you have pressing responsibilities that don't enable you to fully clean every room the way you'd like to every day, just maintain a faithful routine and know that you will complete the tasks each week at an assigned time. Manage your home. Don't allow your home to manage you.

Finally, I have more embarassing stories than Uncle John's Bathroom Reader. If you think I have "arrived," (whatever that means), rest assured, I have not. One afternoon, I was running on a treadmill in the gym attached to our apartment. My back was to the door and I was watching Oprah explain personal safety tips. All of a sudden, I heard the door open and close behind me, and a few seconds later, a man's voice spoke--"Stop what you're doing and listen to me." I totally panicked. Thankfully, I had Oprah on the flat screen above my head telling me how to protect myself. I shut the treadmill off and turned around to face my would-be attacker.

And I saw he was talking on his cell phone.

Keep it simple!
HouseHoncho

My "Soap" Opera

Photo by soapylovedeb

I am a sucker for soap.

Little excites me as much as something that smells like apple, softens my hands, or promises to relax me at the end of a long day. Likewise, I love to give soap as a gift. No doubt I have offended many with repeated gifts of soap. (No! You smell fine! I am giving you this soap because I love you!)

But nothing threatens to clutter my bathroom faster than too many containers of the good stuff. And, because old habits die hard, I never seem to actually finish the fresh pear before moving onto the apple blossom or island mango, which means I am generally left with several half-empty, perfectly good containers that fill the limited space that is supposed to be my sanctuary.

Maybe you aren't addicted to soap the way I am. Maybe you prefer collecting hairbows or towels or make-up. Whatever it is, here are some tips for storing items in a small space.

1. Utilize the back of the bathroom door. Towel hooks are a must.

2. Think vertically. Put up a shelf or two. (Use the shelf to creatively store things you use every day.)

3. Use drawer space like it's the last drop of water. If something doesn't NEED to be stored in your bathroom, (think special occasion make-up or your daughter's holiday headbands), don't give it away. Store those items elsewhere.

4. Cut down on the clutter by hiding small items in baskets or boxes, grouping like items together.

5. Use the space inside the shower to your advantage. While I don't recommend stacking your towels on the shower floor, hanging a sleek over-the-shower-head steel caddy that holds your shampoo is a great use of space.

HONCHO HINT: If you need to tame a collection of hand lotion, consider donating some to the women's bathroom of a place you frequent often. (It's a good idea to ask the janitor first!) Your lotion will be used and your bathroom will be lightened.

When the Bathroom Calls

Photo by emdot

It's a fact.

Depending on how your home is laid out, there are two places you can count on visitors seeing if you invite them into your home. The first is your living/family room—where the primary visiting will take place—and the second is your bathroom.

You could probably get away with closing bedroom doors, avoiding the kitchen like the H1N1 virus, and denying you have a basement. But, unless you want to be known as “that family without indoor plumbing,” chances are great you will need to show your guests that you do, in fact, have a restroom.

So how can you make it guest-friendly?

Keep it clean. That’s rule number one.

Fill a basket with items they may use. Consider toothbrushes, soaps, sample bottles of products, and fresh towels, for instance. (Of course, the length of the stay will determine the items that might be needed.)

Always have back-up supplies on hand. Toilet paper, towels, and soap are a must. Guests will likely not want to ask for these things. (Go out on a limb and display these items in a cute way.)

And finally, consider keeping a room spray or scented candle in sight for guests who…well, perhaps they found that H1N1 virus after all.