My children have spent many hours chuckling over the zany humor in Don Aslett’s books. Although the sound of a child chortling over a book is like late afternoon sunshine, bringing a glow to my whole life, that’s not why I love Don Aslett.
You see, this man writes cleaning books. Funny, helpful cleaning books. And among all his many helpful tips there’s one that tops them all. It’s simple, free, available to everyone, and green:
Let water do your work. If you have a mess, don’t start scrubbing right away. First make it wet and let it sit for a few moments…and then start scrubbing. This works for dishes, counters, bathtubs, floors, cars, windows, garden-dirty hands, clothes, and walls.
I cannot convince my kids. They would rather scrub, scrub, scrub than soak, wait, and wipe.
But I’m less energetic and over halfway through my statistically expected lifespan. I have neither energy nor time to waste. Soak, wait, and wipe (with a few other chores tucked in during the waiting) works for me.
For more great tips, see Works for Me Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, and Frugal Friday.
I totally agree with you here. I soak and then come back and scrape, then wash. It always works. I guess the young ones will learn one day when they are tired from all that scrubbing.