ok, I need some advice.

The basement in my house is filthy. Its just got this black dust everywhere. I started with a "swiffer" type mop, but its *so* grungy, that one teeny corner uses up the pad. I thought of bringing down the vaccuum, but don't want to contaminate that, and I'm not sure it will pick up the gunge.

What would you do to clean the place?

The dust mop works well upstairs to start getting things clean. Start being the operative word.

I also need some ideas for dish storage. I've got tons of dishes and no place to put them. I want to get things out of boxes as much as possible, as the boxes make me allergic.


Catherine

quote:

Originally posted by cate:
Ok. The kitchen cabinets are badly designed, and too high up.

I am going to buy a baker's rack, definitely.

I realized that part of the problem in the basement is actually fireplace ashes. So I have to clean that out, so a Shop-Vac will probably be a good investment.

I don't use bleach, its horrible for the environment and I'm sensitive to it, the smell alone makes me woozy and sick.

Thanks for the suggestions though!

Catherine

Catherine,

I RARELY use bleach...I buy it in the smallest bottle possible when I HAVE to have it, and usually end up giving it away after a year of having it hanging around...which is why I suggested the things that I did....don't know if you read my suggestions or not. I use vinegar for most of my cleaning, as well as baking soda, tea tree oil, lavendar oil, and Method liquid dish soap. I have the book "Clean and Green" and LOVE it! It has great suggestions! I used to use Dr. Bronner's castile soap, but I can't get it by the gallon through the coop anymore, so now I just use Method dish soap.

Ok. The kitchen cabinets are badly designed, and too high up.

I am going to buy a baker's rack, definitely.

I realized that part of the problem in the basement is actually fireplace ashes. So I have to clean that out, so a Shop-Vac will probably be a good investment.

I don't use bleach, its horrible for the environment and I'm sensitive to it, the smell alone makes me woozy and sick.

Thanks for the suggestions though!

Catherine

There is a fairly new sponge on the market called Magic Eraser or something like that. I think it is by Mr Clean. They are white & are impregnated with some sort of bleach (I think it is a bleach) that is activated when you get it wet. We used it to clean the walls and floors of my dd's college apartment when she moved out.

Oh, dish storage....are you planning on replacing your kitchen cabinets? Is that why you aren't putting them there?

What about a baker's rack, or one of those cool looking Stainless Steel kitchen shelving cabinets?

Catherine,

I'm with Jen, what is the source of the black "grunge"? I think I would invest the $30-40 to get a shopvac (we LOVE ours!!!!!!), and start there. I would also use a cotton mop (get the type that you can replace the head, and after moping up the black, throw that head away). I really like using a solution of tea tree oil/liquid dishsoap and water for cleaning my floors. But for a first cleaning like that, i would start with a solution of 50% white vinegar, 50% HOT water with an ounce of liquid dish soap.

Cate,
Where did the black stuff come from? That would help in cleaning it, is it soot from a wood stove, is it coming from the heater, the ac, etc? Or was it left by the previous owners? How I would clean it is go down and get yourself a shop vac from Lowes, (They are not expensive) and try to get most of it out that way, these machines are easy to clean, and then I would take a solution of bleach and water to try to clean up the left overs by using a cotton mop head or two.
Jennifer

You could probably find a nice pantry cabinet at Home Depot and tuck it in a corner of a room or in a nook if you have one. They make great storage units, I use mine for all of my spices, and most of my dry food storage. That frees up my cupboards for dishes, etc.

As for the black grunge, how about investing in a commercial grade mop and bucket and washing down the basement with some bleachy/pine sol type solution like you might use on the floors?

Laura