The Libman Company Shares Customers' Best Spring Cleaning Tips

ARCOLA, IL, February 21, 2014 (Press-News.org) Spring is one of the key cleaning months for most Americans who use the time to reorganize, clean, and tackle those DIY projects they'd been sitting on all winter. The Libman Company, a 118-year old American manufacturer of cleaning products, has teamed up with The Accidental Housewife, Julie Edelman, as well as its own customers to offer some of the finest tips to help you make the most of your spring cleaning time and resources.

Over the past 10 years, The Libman Company has compiled an abundant list of helpful cleaning tips that were originally submitted by its customers for the ongoing "Tip of the Month" contest. Upon submitting their tip, entrants are automatically entered to win the monthly grand prize package: a Libman Prize Pack featuring a Libman Wonder Mop, Large Angle Broom and a Power Scrub Brush.

"We consider our customers cleaning experts in their own right, and appreciated any new insights and uses they have not only for our products, but cleaning in general," said Erin Favot, marketing manager for Libman. "And this year, we've also asked our good friend Julie Edelman - than Accidental Housewife - for some of her tried and true spring cleaning tips," added Favot.

"Spring cleaning is a kind of rite of passage and many of us look upon it as the perfect motivator to give our homes a thorough clean" says Edelman, "But, as someone whom is all about doing just enough to maintain a clean and healthy enough home, there are certain tips and tricks that will help you do just that while saving you time, money and your sanity! "

Ms. Edelman selected some unique tips from her cleaning arsenal for those undertaking a thorough spring cleaning overhaul:

WASHING WINDOWS: Contrary to what you may think the best kind of weather to clean your windows is NOT on a sunny day but on a cloudy day. The sun causes the liquid you're cleaning with to dry faster and leave streaks making more work and frustration to get them preened and cleaned.

REAL PLANTS: We may not think that our plants need cleaning but they do since they become landing grounds for dust and other debris that can worsen allergies particularly after a long winter of closed windows. Here's a simple solution: Take a banana peel, remove the stringy residue inside and wipe the leaves to clean. The natural oils in bananas will also shine the leaves! If you notice white mold dust fill a spray bottle with a 3:1 ratio of white vinegar to water and spray away to kill the mold. Non-diluted white vinegar will also do the trick!

SHOWER HEADS: Over time, mold n' mildew and other minerals can build-up. To remove, wrap the showerhead in a cloth drenched with white vinegar which is a natural sanitizer. Place a plastic bag around it and secure it with one of your butterfly hair clips or a scrunchie. Leave overnight! NOTE: Disinfectants need to remain wet on ANY surface for at least 20 minutes otherwise they cannot disinfect!

In addition to Edelman's tips, Libman has provided helpful cleaning advice from its consumers can be found on the Libman web site (www.libman.com) and are organized into several categories including: Mopping, Sweeping, Kitchen, Surface Care, Bathroom, Personal Care, Outdoors and Misc.; the tips can also be found under the product section.

Libman Consumer tips:

For scratches on your wood furniture, you can take the meat of a walnut or pecan and rub it into the scratch. The oils in the nut will cover the scratch. -from Michelle W. in Parkhills, MO

When washing your shower curtain in the washer, throw in a couple of old towels. The friction of the towels scrubs the soap scum from the curtain. While the shower curtain is in the washer, make use of your time by cleaning the tub with Libman's Tile and Tub Scrub (#61). -from Cathy K. in Austin, TX

When cleaning your fireplace, spread newspapers on the hearth and mist them with water. Using your Libman Shaped Duster Brush (#231), brush the ashes onto the dampened newspapers. The ashes will stick to the newspapers and you won't have ash dust on your furnishings. -from Crystal B. in Okeechobee, FL

To remove tar from vinyl floors, rub some peanut butter on the spot. The peanut butter will dissolve the tar. -from Mike P. in Edwardsville, IL

To remove caked on hairspray from the door or wall behind where you stand in the bathroom, simply mix fabric softener with some water. It will dissolve the hairspray. - from Nicole H. in Chandler, AZ

For a shinier floor, add baking soda to your mop water and clean with your Libman Gator Mop (#3020). - Saundra A. in Hilton, NY

To keep brightly colored clothes from fading, just add 1/2 cup salt to the rinse cycle when you wash them. -from Sherri F. in McCarr, KY

Often without thinking of the consequences, we heat up spaghetti sauce or other food that stains in plastic or Tupperware containers. The next thing you know, you've stained your Tupperware beyond repair, or so you think. I've found the one think that truly saves them. Fill the container with water and some baking soda and place it in the freezer. Let the mixture completely freeze. Take it from the freezer, hold the container upside down and clunk out the ice. You will have your good Tupperware back again! -from Angel P. in Mesa, AZ

I use just the head of the Wonder Mop (no handle) to dust window blinds, large areas like the dining room table, and the tile around my whirlpool and fireplace. Just dampen the mop head a little and let it work! -from Sandy L. in Whiteland, IN

For any Libman product samples or
for high-res images, please contact:

Stacey Vaselaney
slvaselaney@slvpr.com
216-905-0908

About The Libman Company

The Libman Company is a family-owned company that has been making quality cleaning tools since 1896. The company manufactures products from brooms and mops to more specialized tools for kitchen and bathroom cleaning and industrial uses. Libman proudly manufactures most of their products in the United States, including the company's well-known Wonder Mop. For more information about the Libman Company, please visit http://www.libman.com.