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Does it get any messier? Check out some advice from
the professionals at Merry Maids on how to handle
some of the disasters that occur from our children's
activities.
Removing
Pencil and Crayon Marks from Walls
From Painted Walls:
- Scrub
painted walls with toothpaste or an ammonia-soaked
cloth to remove crayon marks. Rinse and dry.
From
Wallpaper:
- Remove
pencil marks and other non-greasy spots from
non-washable papers with an art-gum eraser or
a slice of fresh rye bread.
- Remove
crayon marks, greasy spots, or food stains,
apply a paste of cleaning fluid and cornstarch.
Let dry and brush off. Repeat the treatment
until the spot is gone.
Removing
Stickers from Walls
If you remove as much of the sticker as possible,
the rest can be removed with a little Ben Gay ointment
and a blow dryer set on the low heat setting. This
also works on carpeting.
Other products that have been known to remove stickers
include WD-40, Oops brand latex paint remover, De-Solve,
fingernail polish remover, rubbing alcohol and even
peanut butter.
Cleaning
Stuffed Animals
For washable stuffed animals, put them inside
a pillowcase, tie it in a knot and wash in the
washing machine.
Some
stuffed animals require different cleaning methods:
- If
the animal is stuffed with natural fibers, do
not immerse it in water. Instead, wipe it with
a soapy cloth, followed by a clean wet cloth.
- Make
sure the animal doesn't have torn seams before
you put it in the washing machine.
- If
a stuffed animal has plastic parts, don't toss
it in the dryer.
- If
a stuffed animal has a "sound box" or other
mechanical part, don't put it in either the
washing machine or dryer.
Helping
Your Children Stay Uncluttered
- Set
aside a short period of time each day or week
for your children to straighten up their room.
Make a game of it with a timer, and give them
rewards for a job well done.
- Let
them listen to their favorite music or stories
while they clean.
- Assign
them specific chores and set a deadline for
each chore's completion.
- Let
them do some "adult" clean up jobs. Sometimes
loading the dishwasher or helping with the clean-up
after a baking session can be fun.
- Put
away half of their toys and switch them around
every few months. They'll have plenty to play
with and their room will stay cleaner.
- Label
boxes, baskets, milk crates, plastic tubs &anything
in which they might store toys - to teach them
how to organize. Let your children decorate
the storage containers.
- Put
bookshelves in every available place so your
children can stack toys, books, etc.
- Teach
them good cleaning habits by being neat and
tidy yourself. Hanging up clothes and putting
things away after you use them sets a good example.
- Assign
your children towels and make sure they hang
them up every day. This saves unnecessary washing.
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