(c) Copyright 2008, Sarah J. Doyle. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission
Spring cleaning is a "must", so it is always nice to have a few short cuts to get the cleaning done a little faster in order to get back to the sewing room! The cleaning and dusting will no longer be a chore if you have an assortment of "dust busters" available to assist you with the cleaning.
Take an old terry cloth towel that is no longer being used and cut a strip the length of the towel and 2 1/2 inches wide. Sew the strip with 1/4" seams and turn right side out. This strip easily slides onto a yardstick, which can be used to slide under the refrigerator, washer and dryer for quick cleaning. The strip can then be thrown into the washer to clean and save for the next time.
That same old towel can be cut into the shape of your dust mop, then add about 4 inches all around. Turn under a hem and run elastic through it. Slip the terry cloth "cover" over the dust mop and use that for getting the spider webs from the corners in the garage, or reaching areas that are hard to get to. And, as before, when finished, throw the cover into the washer to clean for the next time.
For a "broom duster" sew two old hand towels on three sides, leaving one end open. Sew elastic around the open end (elastic from discarded panty hose is just about the right size). This cover will slip over a broom to use for dusting in those hard to reach places. Once again, when finished simply throw it in the washer and dryer to clean it for the next time.
When doing a thorough house cleaning, it is easier to do one job throughout the house, such as cleaning the fans in every room at the same time. Next you might dust and polish the furniture throughout the house, etc. By taking care of the cleaning "item by item", the only cleaning supplies needed are those for that particular job, rather than loading yourself down with all the cleaning supplies in the house and dragging them from room to room.
About the Author:
Sarah J. Doyle is author of over 25 sewing, craft and how-to books, as well as author of online pattern making, sewing and craft classes. Visit http://SewWithSarah
Note from Lois: With so many disposables these days, adding up to additional cost, these ideas are refreshing. I'm a firm believer of making terry cloth cleaning cloths from old towels, and using a minimal amount of paper towels and other disposables. Terry cloth works better for most jobs anyway. One regular sized bath towel makes eight cleaning cloths, which can be zig-zagged on the sewing machine, after the corners are curved so you are able to continue sewing around all four sides, non-stop. After laundering these cloths, simply folding them in half before stacking them, will save valuable time.
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