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Amy Bates
Here's What Happened When I Let My Family Clean ...

When GoodHousekeeping.com asked me to stop doing housework for two weeks, I was terrified. For starters, we're your typical, busy Midwestern family with two teenage sons and two dogs. My husband Alan is a tidy and fastidious civil engineer, and I am the proud owner of a Merry Maids office and the founder of the Don't Look Under the Rug blog. The two of us divide the chores (Alan washes dishes, cooks, and vacuums; while I handle laundry, grocery shopping, and monitoring general clutter) and the boys are expected to pick up after themselves. That said, I do feel I handle more than my fair share of housework after a day at the office.

I don't think my standards are unrealistic. I love things to be clean, but I also enjoy living in my home. We do have a mail pile and a "take it up the stairs" collection. So, eventually, I felt cautiously optimistic about taking a two-week hiatus from housework. My boys are well-behaved, helpful, and only slightly sloth-like when it comes to picking up after themselves — how bad could it be? 

Here's What Happened When I Let My Family Clean the House for Two Weeks

dust

Breathe Easy: How to clean your home to fend off allergies and asthma

This month, I was thrilled to talk to Tulsa People Magazine about my cleaning tips for keeping allergens in check! My tips were a part of a larger story on the facts behind allergies and asthma, with expert advice from local doctors..."If you’re sneezing inside your home, allergy triggers might be present. Some of them might be coming inside the house with you..."

This Cleaning Hack Will Change How You Enjoy Your Patio This Allergy Season

I didn’t have seasonal allergies issues until I moved to Oklahoma, and it sometimes feels like it’s the allergy capital of the U.S.! In fact, Oklahoma City was ranked third and Tulsa 12th on the list of most challenging cities for spring allergies from The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. As a result, dealing with dust and pollen both inside and outside is a priority in the Bates house! 

Clean Dust and Pollen from Outdoor Patio Furniture

The fabulous season of fall is here, and where I live that means patio dinner, beautiful foliage, piñon wood fires in the chimenea, AND pollen and dust in outdoor cushions! Three out of four of those don't bother me. Let me cross the one negative (dust, pollen, allergens) off the list with a tip that won't leave your seat wet!

#happycleaning - Amy

P.S. While you are on YouTube, subscribe to my channel! That move means you will be the first to see my new tips. Everyone wants to be first, right?!