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?
I am thrilled to share that I am officially a News on 6 (KOTV-Tulsa) expert and have a regular Monday morning segment on the 7:30 a.m. show! The team at News on 6 is amazing and I am looking forward to sharing many more #happycleaning tips with viewers. You can catch my latest tip - "How to Waterproof your Shoes for Fall" - that aired this morning on their website!
The two products I used in the segment are Obenhauf's Water Shield Spray and Huberd's Shoe Grease!
- Amy
Vinegar is a versatile cleaning agent! It works wonders, is green and cheap! However, there are some surfaces and stains you should NEVER use it on. Check out the hit list of what to avoid!
#happycleaning, Amy
Welcome to my "Survival Kit" - a short list of my favorite items on my radar this month. I lovingly call it a "survival kit" because to be honest, life can try to push you around, but sometimes it's the little things that can help keep you positive and kick ass everyday!
#happycleaning, Amy Bates
I am always in a hurry and often rushing around in my car. After having my purse dump onto the floor of my car for the 5,475th time, I decided to begin a quest to find a solution. You know how it goes, your purse is either setting off the airbag sensor (not that mine is that heavy…) or it's being stepped on by those you are transporting. While I have a handbag cleaner that is phenomenal (stay tuned!), I still loathe having my precious lipstick lost under a seat and melting in the Oklahoma sun. Along comes the Car Cache. The sling that keeps your handbag accessible and off the floor! It comes in two shades (black and beige) and works like a dream. What do you need to make it work? A headrest post and a center console, five minutes to attach it, and you are in business! It doesn’t cramp the kids in the back seat and won’t set off your airbag sensor as it isn’t resting in the passenger chair. Perfection.
There are many things about me that gross out the children. One of the worst offenders is… my phone. I must have lotion on my hands at all times, but the consequence is a greasy phone. While I often have a favorite small-sized microfiber in tow, sometimes I need something with a bit more gusto! Enter Better Life’s Green Screen electronics cleaner. While I would never directly spray it on my devices, it is amazing. I clean flat screens, phone screens, laptop screens (really ANY electronic screens) and know that they will look better, and most importantly, keep working when I am done. So I can go about my day sporting lotion covered hands and nobody will be the wiser (unless they shake my soft hands)!
So my hair is wickedly straight. Growing up, my Mom would take her curling iron with the white handle and orange barrel and have me sit on the stool while she curled it. The magic number was 10 and for each curl I counted to ten in a different language to style my hair in a perfect bob. German, Spanish, and so on until we made it all around my head. Had I known then how many times my Mom has burned her own neck, I would have counted in terror!
So when I was old enough to choose my own style, I wore it straight. Perfectly straight. But eventually, I just felt the calling of the curl coming back to me. So I curl my perfectly straight hair each day, but instead of counting each quick curl, I get help from Living Proof amp instant texture volumizer. It keeps my hair set for hours, adds texture and separation, and keeps it from getting frizzy and flat. According to my friends, it also works on perfectly straight hair Who knows, maybe I will try it soon!
I am always anxious for the first time I can make soup, and Fall is my absolute favorite season to get the soup pot out and start simmering! Laksa has some citrus making it a fabulous transitional soup.
Ingredients:
To Serve:
Directions:
Say "bye-bye" to oil and bacteria buildup on your favorite makeup brushes! See how using warm water and baby shampoo (that's right, you DON'T NEED expensive brush cleaner) can clean your makeup brushes quickly, safely and effectively!
#happycleaning, Amy Bates
With people coming in and out of the house all the time, black scuff marks are bound to appear! Try these three easy ways to remove marks quickly:
#happycleaning, Amy Bates
Here is another one of my "Oh Sh#%" tips! Have you ever been sitting at work in a favorite shirt or blouse and suddenly realize you have ink on your sleeve? Or perhaps you have caught your kids writing on your car's upholstery?
What do you do?
You grab something you already have on hand! Follow these quick and easy instructions and be back to looking fabulous in no time at all!
#happycleaning, Amy Bates
I've attempted to use mayo to remove white water rings from my lacquered wood coffee table - a family heirloom that was damaged when a party guest forgot to use a coaster:
HELP! If you have a suggestion on how to get rid of this embarrassing furniture stain, please leave a comment below!
#happycleaning, Amy Bates
Do you love hosting parties but hate the mess left behind by guests?
In a short 15 seconds, I will show you a quick and easy way to remove lipstick stains from cloth napkins and clothing using a few items you likely have on hand (or should!)
#happycleaning, Amy Bates
With sports season comes a whole new level of stinky shoes around my house! Every tennis practice provides a new battle to keep my son's shoes fresh! -- Try these easy tips to get fresh sneakers for the next practice:
#happycleaning, Amy Bates!
Are you a coffee lover?
Do you hate having a dirty coffee or tea pot but don't want to wash the carafe in the dishwasher (who can part without it for so long!)?
Try this quick and easy tip and say goodbye to using a coffee-stained pot... without using vinegar!
#happycleaning, Amy Bates
