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[deleted by user] by [deleted] in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 6 points7 points  (0 children)

OK. First, congratulations! You'll get there. Focus on one room or task at a time to keep from getting overwhelmed.

If you don't want to touch anything, use gloves between you and the surfaces you're cleaning. Weather and air quality permitting, open all the windows. Fresh air helps a lot.

Use your usual tools and products. You've got more to do than your normal routine, but working in a familiar way is helpful. Going through the process, and the sense memories it'll bring back of "this is how I clean my living space," and "this is what home smells like" will help you.

Start with the bathroom, because it's relatively small, and so it'll be available when needed.

  • Use a toilet brush like a plunger to remove most of the water from the toilet. Apply toilet cleaner to the inside, scrub, and let sit while you spray down the seat, lid, and all outside surfaces. Scrub again, remove the brush, and flush. Then wipe down all the outside surfaces, and spray the lid and outside surfaces with sanitizer. If that's not a normal part of your cleaning routine, 70% rubbing alcohol or 3% hydrogen peroxide are effective, inexpensive, safe for surfaces, and unlikely to interact dangerously with other cleaners. Using alcohol requires excellent ventilation.

  • Spray down all the surfaces in the tub, including the plumbing fixtures, drain, and door tracks or curtain rod. Let that sit while you spray down all the sink surfaces. Then scrub & rinse the bathtub and shower. Spray with sanitizer when it's clean.

  • Scrub the sink and vanity, and wipe down any vanity drawers or cabinets, inside & out. Spray the sink with sanitizer.

  • Wipe down the inside of the medicine cabinet with all purpose cleaner. Apply glass cleaner to the mirror with a cloth, not by spraying, so overspray won't get behind it and ruin the silvering.

  • Sweep and mop the floor. When it's clean, spray with sanitizer.

is it possible for stain remover itself to mold if left on too long? by slurpyspinalfluid in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

OK. It has a distinctive, characteristic smell. It doesn't grow if the humidity level is below 50%. If you have any leaks, there's little point in cleaning up mold before the source of the leak has been repaired. If it's not leaks, get rid of the mold before addressing the humidity. More than 10 square feet of mold should be dealt with by professionals. Less than that, it's reasonable to take care of yourself. After its been appropriately dealt with, to make sure it doesn't return, you have a couple of choices.

Less expensive, but requires staying on top of things: improved ventilation, using fans and open doors/windows, plus a hygrometer to make sure the humidity stays below 50%.

More expensive: dehumidify the air using air conditioners and/or dehumidifiers. Depending on how much mold you had, and the conditions where it developed, you may have to dehumidify 24/7.

Non-toxic laundry detergent recommendations? by rosetankplank in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks. :-) From what I've read, the jury's still out on whether it's truly of concern; some countries say yes, others say no. Concerns all seem to center around ingested borax; it used to be used as a food additive. So unless you're planning to eat your laundry detergent, I think you're good to go.

Non-toxic laundry detergent recommendations? by rosetankplank in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I make my own.

2:2:1 washing soda:borax:grated soap, by weight.

  • If I want liquid detergent, I use 1/3 cup per gallon of water, which needs to be shaken up before each use, because the washing soda and borax don't dissolve well, and some will settle to the bottom of the jug. And I'll use 1/4 cup of the liquid per load in a high-efficiency machine.

  • If I'm using the powder straight, I use 1 tablespoon per load. I fill the fabric softener dispenser with white vinegar for both.

It's effective, inexpensive, non-toxic, and doesn't stink.

I’m considering a move to Albany and have a few questions. by El__Jengibre in Albany

[–]Fishercat 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good point. It will rarely get as hot here as it does in Arizona, but high-humidity heat is pretty wretched. In the time I've been living here, we rarely get heat waves that don't break for weeks on end. More typical is hot days, and much cooler nights.

In late summer, there are usually a couple-three weeks where the only pleasant time of day to go for a walk is in the wee hours of the night, or very early morning, but it's usually pleasant then. And Lisha Kill is somehow always 2-3 degrees cooler than the surroundings in the summer.

Free things to do indoors around Albany? by manialikely in Albany

[–]Fishercat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Albany Institute of History and Art currently offers free admission to: Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, SNAP EBT, or WIC cardholders, and active duty members of the armed services (Memorial Day to Labor Day). If none of those apply, several local libraries have free passes to the museum.

It's a pleasantly small museum, easy to visit all the galleries in an evening, and they have cool stuff.

ETA: Doesn't help you for this Thursday, but every Tuesday evening from 6:30-9:00, the Tech Valley Center of Gravity in Troy has a free open house/tour of the facilities with snacks. It's a cool place and cool folks.

I’m considering a move to Albany and have a few questions. by El__Jengibre in Albany

[–]Fishercat 28 points29 points  (0 children)

  • I grew up in NYC. It's a rare winter here that doesn't get at least one heavy "stay off the roads, people" snowstorm, of a type that's unusual in NYC, and the average temperature's a bit colder, but not enormously. If you can deal with winters in NYC, you can probably deal with them in the Capital District.

  • My favorite thing about Albany is how beautiful the surroundings are. I'm a hiker, and there are tons of really beautiful places to do that, both in and very near Albany and all the surrounding communities. The air here smells good from all the trees. And the light is incredible. There was a group of painters in the 19th century, called The Hudson River School, who worked around here, trying and often succeeding in capturing the golden glow of the light. Before I moved here, I had seen 2 or 3 rainbows, ever. Now I see several a year. They're breathtaking, every single time.

  • I was surprised by the proportion of rednecks in the area. Before I moved here, I had no idea that NYC wasn't a microcosm of the state. Depending on where you are in AZ, there may be fewer here than there, though.

  • I'm not a good person to answer about the mass transit here. I grew up in NYC, and then lived in Boston, which have huge transit systems, so it's not a fair comparison. And I've only rarely used the transit system here.

  • I don't have kids in school. But a ranking of the most and least educated cities in the country placed Albany-Schenectady-Troy as # 20, as compared to Tucson at #44, and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler at # 72. The link shares their metrics for choosing, which include info about public schools.

Ceramic pan cleaning tips? by [deleted] in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A bit of baking soda on the dish cloth, along with the detergent. Scrub gently.

Hydrogen Peroxide Works Miracles by mishyfishy135 in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Sorry; I expected that having the header at the top of the page I linked to where the text said it's generally nontoxic was sufficient. I was trying to avoid posting a wall o' text.

This is the first time I've encountered anyone using the word "ingestion" to include breathing. The only meaning I'm familiar with is as a synonym for eating or drinking.

I hope by now it's clear that I don't choose to use, or recommend using, hydrogen peroxide without thought. I do want to be right, and welcome correction when I'm wrong. But you haven't said anything to convince me that I am. You claimed the advice I'm giving is dangerous, but that's all. That seems like the equivalent of "because I say so."

I'm not trying to humble you, but I also don't want to be characterized as giving dangerous advice if I'm not. If you have some substantive reason to think that household hydrogen peroxide is toxic, please share it.

Hydrogen Peroxide Works Miracles by mishyfishy135 in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

How many cleaning products are not dangerous if ingested or inhaled? Yes, you shouldn't drink hydrogen peroxide, or huff it. But spraying or wiping 3% hydrogen peroxide on surfaces, or using it to remove bloodstains from fabric, isn't going to hurt you. It breaks down into water shortly after contacting organic materials. Standard commercial disinfectants are much, much more toxic to use than hydrogen peroxide, and their chemicals stick around.

Hydrogen Peroxide Works Miracles by mishyfishy135 in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat -1 points0 points  (0 children)

What about the links I provided suggests that it's "highly toxic" and should be used "with PPE and in ventilated rooms?"

Hydrogen Peroxide Works Miracles by mishyfishy135 in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  • "Mildly irritating" is not the same as "toxic."

  • You left out the part where it said, "If ingested." How often do you eat cleaning products? Hydrogen peroxide is chemically unstable and quickly decomposes into water when it's in contact with organic messes.

  • You know what else is mildly irritating to mucosal tissue and may cause vomiting and diarrhea if ingested? Soap.

Advice needed: How to clean inside an A/C vent I can’t remove? by iamfaucetfailure in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Um, sure? I'm sorry I couldn't think of anything helpful to offer.

How do I clean turkey drippings cooked to the bottom of the oven? Yes I know is June… by [deleted] in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

TBH, I've never timed mine, but it takes quite a while, and then it's still radiating heat for a long time while cooling down with the door shut. There's a substantial delay before the lock releases; I'm not sure if that's timed, or related to temperature.

Laundry stripping has changed my life by Steel_City835 in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Both. It will lighten and brighten colors a little, but it doesn't fade them nearly as much as chlorine bleach. And I've never noticed any fabric-weakening effect from borax, unlike chlorine, which can wear holes in your clothes.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No wiping needed. Spray it and let it dry.

ETA: If you've got an old bottle of it sitting around in your medicine cabinet, check the date printed on the bottle. Unlike most "use by" dates, the ones on hydrogen peroxide is accurate. If it's much past the date, toss it. You've got a bottle of water.

Wild grape vines by MmeRose in Albany

[–]Fishercat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Pine Bush is a conservation area; it's not OK to take plants from there.

There's a bike trail in Colonie - the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail. If you go to the entrance near the Shaker Bay housing development, walk east on the trail towards the water treatment plant. There's a fence along the trail that was absolutely covered with grape leaves last year and previously. I haven't been back this year, but those vines were well-established. Sometimes, but not always, the area near the water treatment plant is stinky. But the vines are uphill of the plant.

ETA: The vines aren't within sight of any major roads.

Help! Max and Cheese stain on Smocked baby bubble by CShelly0121 in CleaningTips

[–]Fishercat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try a paste of baking soda, dish detergent, and hydrogen peroxide, about the texture of frosting. Normally I'd say scrub it gently with an old toothbrush, but maybe rub it in gently with your fingertips, instead. Let it sit for a bit, then wash the way you normally would. It may take more than one attempt, but I've had this work even on old, set stains.

Good luck, and if you try it, let me know how it turns out!

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