cleaning

anonymous

New member
Is it bad to use the mop on the floors? I have been using the mop and suddenly I got a feeling that maybe that is wrong. If you shouldn't use sponges on the counters (because it holds many germs/bacteria) why is okay for the floor? Do I have to scrub that sucker by hand every week, sometimes 2x week (he's crawling)? While we are at it...what does everyone else do for dust control? Do you use regular furniture spray or is there something I am missing? I don't like to spray all those chemicals into the air (especially as he plays on the floor) but I'm not sure how many products are safe for wood, etc. I feel like I second guess every step I take... Did I mention that he just cultured pseud? Can you tell I cleaned all day?!

Sharon
mom of 4 year old w/out CF and 8mo old with CF
 

anonymous

New member
Well, I hadn't thought about the mop itself, so I am not sure about that one...I would think as long as the spongy part dries out fully between uses, it should be fine??? As for products to mop with, you could use either water & vinegar or water and grapefruit seed extract (GSE). I am not sure if vinegar kills pseudo, but GSE does. That is what I use for my floors. I mop quite often and use a spray bottle filled with a water/GSE solution.

For dusting, I use the Pledge mutli purpose wipes. They are great bc you can use them on all surfaces and you don't have to spray anything. They are also very convenient but a little pricey.

Good luck getting rid of the pseudo! I have been a clean freak ever since my daughter cultured it a year ago!
Kelli (mom of Sydney 2wcf)
<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://members.tripod.com/sydneymyers-ivil/">http://members.tripod.com/sydneymyers-ivil/</a>
 

anonymous

New member
Sharon, although its understandable to be concerned, if you clean the mop well and put it somwhere to dry out-it should be an issue. Afterall, what do you think they clean the floors in elementary, JR high and High school, and even college dorms. And children with CF go to school everyday. Reading back, I don't mean to be scarcastic, I am just trying to give you some examples. My husbands family always used sponges, as do we in our house and it's never been an issue. I do stick the sponge in the microwave for a minute or two once a week when I am doing my heavy cleaning but other than that, people get sick from many other things than a sponge or a mop.


Julie (wife to Mark 24 w/CF)
 

Justsmurfin

New member
My mom uses a mop. Generally just cleans it really well after using it. We don't use sponges on counters though...use the clorox wipe things or clorox and papertowels.

For dust just a damp cloth. And running a Hepa Filter helps cut down on dust. For our wood floors just a swiffer or vacuum cleaner safe for wood floors
 

HollyCatheryn

New member
You can hang your mop (whether sponge or rag) outside in the sunshine to dry. Sunshine will kill most anything. You can boil a rag mop or microwave a sponge (mop or scrubbing sponge - about 15-20 seconds on HIGH). I posted some cleaning solutions recipes on another thread here called "Safe Cleaning", but will be happy to repost them for you if needed. I have found some cleaning solutions and supplies that work very well for our house and that I use when cleaning other people's homes (for income). As far as cleaning your floors, I would recommend using a soap as well, because though GSE or Tea Tree Oil (TTO) does kill germs, it won't clean up sticky spots on the floors. I use a soap and water mix first and then go back over the floors with a vinegar, TTO & water mix. This gets rid of any soap residue, kills germs and makes the floors smell nice.As for dust control, you can use a special HEPA filter in your central unit. You can also purchase filters to tape to the back of box fans. This will help to filter any extra dust floating around in the air. If you havewindow A/C units, be sure to take out the filters frequently and wash them, you can soak them in vinegar or let them dry in the sun to kill bacteria and germs. This will also help them run more efficiently. If you do not find the recipes and books I listed in that other thread, I will repost them here for you if you like. But, there is a home-made recipe for wood polisher. You are right to worry about the chemicals you spray in the air or use otherwise in your home. Some documentations and news reports show the average home using store bought cleaners to be one of the most toxic environments in which to be. That can be damaging to the average person, but can be especially harmful to a person with CF.
 

lovemygirl

New member
I use a Vileda mop with a detachable mop. You can throw it in the washing machine or buy a new one and they are not expensive...I bought a new one today for $4 CDN. For cleaning you can also try this site

http://housekeeping.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=housekeeping&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipegoldmine.com%2Fhouse%2Fhouse347.html

When my daughter was young I made my own baby wipes so I would imagine the other wipes on this site would work as well. I have saved it in my favorites but have not actually used them yet. The part about using "Bounty paper towel" was essential for the baby wipes.

For furniture I use Pledge or Windex wipes and they do a great job.
 
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