House Cleaning
The simplest
way to keep house cleaning time to a minimum is to choose
mild, all-purpose cleaners and couple of site-specific cleaners
(such as toilet bowl disinfectant and a tub, sink and tile
cleaner). Remember, product labels are your best source
of information. The name usually says exactly what the product
will do but if it doesn't tell you, the label on the back
will.
Here is a list
of the essentials:
- Non-abrasive,
all-purpose cleaner, ideally in a spray bottle
- Toilet bowl
cleaner
- Disinfectant
(try 3/4 cup [180 ml] chlorine bleach per gallon [4L]
of water)
- Tub, tile
and sink cleaner
- A bottle of
liquid dishwashing detergent
- Window and
glass cleaner in a spray bottle
Some quick definitions
for varieties of household cleaning products:
All-purpose
cleaners - These mild to middle strength cleaners are
effective on moderately soiled, washable surfaces, including
cabinets, floors, stove tops, painted walls, countertops
and woodwork. Some all-purpose cleaners will also disinfect.
Bathtub, tile
and sink cleaners - These are formulated to remove soils
commonly found on bathroom and kitchen surfaces, as well
as hard-water deposits, soap scum, rust stains, and discolourations
due to mold and mildew growth.
Cleansers
- These include more abrasive, harsher chemicals than those
found in most household cleaners. They are designed for
deep cleaning of stubborn stains and messes. Many contain
chlorine bleach for disinfecting. Use with care - they can
scratch, fade and otherwise damage surfaces.
Disinfectant
cleaners - These and chlorine bleach are the only household
cleaners that will kill surface bacteria and viruses. In
order for a cleaning product to have the word "disinfectant"
on its label, it must meet government specifications for
effectiveness in killing microorganisms.
Laundry
Each residence
at UNB has washers and dryers (usually coin operated) for
the use of the residence member only. If you are living at
a place that does not have a washer and dryer, check the Yellow
Pages of your phonebook to find a laundromat near you. Laundromats
contain a number of coin-operated washers and dryers to which
you can take your laundry.
Laundry Supplies:
Most laundromats supply washing detergents or bleaches from
coin-operated machines, however, it is cheaper for you to
take your own box of detergent with you to the laundromat.
Dry Cleaning:
For those items that cannot be washed normally, such as coats,
this can be done by any of the dry cleaners listed in the
Yellow Pages.
Getting things
clean:
The secret behind getting everything clean safely, is to sort
your laundry into loads of similar colours, wash cycles and
water temperature needs and to set aside stained garments
for prewash care. Look to the clothing care labels on your
garments for guidance. They make selecting the proper machine
settings simple.
Most of the setting
symbols are pretty self-explanatory:
- An icon of an
iron with dots inside, tells you the proper heat setting
for pressing that garment (one dot for low, three dots for
high)
- A cuplike icon
with dots inside tells you the wash temperature (one dot
for cool/cold, three dots for hot)
- A simple circle
indicates clothing that should be dry-cleaned. A circle
overlaid with an "X" identifies garments that
should never be sent to the dry cleaner.
- A triangle means
you can use bleach
- And a square
with a circle inside means you can tumble dry (or use a
dryer on) your garment.
When it is time
to select a wash cycle and temperature, let your fabrics determine
the cycle if the label doesn't tell you:
- Normal/Regular
cycle: sturdy fabrics such as jeans and heavy cotton shirts
- Permanent Press
cycle: combinations of synthetic and natural fibres
- Gentle cycle:
sheer and delicate fabrics
- Hot: use on
seriously soiled garments and to regularly disinfect dish
towels, washcloths, bath towels, bedding and pillowcases.
Do not mix light colours and dark colours.
- Warm: use for
washing synthetic fibres, natural and synthetic blends and
moderately soiled fabrics. Minimizes colour fading and fabric
wrinkling.
- Cold: use for
lightly soiled clothes and those stained with blood, wine
or coffee, regardless of the fabric. Check for stains or
spots before washing in order to pre-treat the garment.
Cold water protects most dark or brightly coloured clothing
from the dyes running and minimizes shrinkage of washable
woolens. It also minimizes wrinkling and reduces energy
use.
If you have several
small loads, dry them together to protect your clothes from
heat damage and to hasten the drying process. Drying small
loads reduces the tumbling action produced by a pile of clothes
rotating all together, and therefore actually prolongs the
amount of time it can take to dry the clothes.
Dryer Settings:
- Regular/High:
if load is all cotton fabrics
- Permanent press:
if load consists of polyester or other synthetic fabrics
- Low /Gentle/Delicate/Air-Dry
: if load is of fragile or sheer fabrics.
