Press
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

spills

How To Quickly Remove Red Wine From Fabric

I received a bottle of wine this week as a holiday gift! It's a sleek red wine blend called "Tulsa Deco Streamline" inspired by Tulsa's art deco architecture. It will be a great compliment to the unseasonably warm December day we are having in Oklahoma today. But whether you are enjoying a glass of red wine on your outdoor patio or inside during a dinner party, accidental spills will happen! For example, I wore my Mom's wedding dress when I married and had a full glass of red wine dumped on it! But guess what?! Every single trace came out from the heavy brocade fabric! Want to know how? - Watch my cleaning tip on how to quickly remove red wine from fabric:

What you need:

  • ice water or chilled club soda
  • paper towels
  • salt or corn starch
  • rubber bands
  • large bowl
  • water pitcher or teapot
  • hot water