The Cleaning Thread

[mrsfran]

OK, I'm cleaning my bedroom after months of neglect - it's very very dusty and I'm borrowing a hoover that works. How do I get rid of all the dust that's in the air after cleaning and airing everything - do I just keep hoovering?
And do supermarket carpet cleaners really work?
How do I/can I clean my mattress?

You're never going to get rid of all the dust in the air. The best thing would be to hoover and dust every day for a week or so and try not to use the room too much (apart from sleeping, obviously) for that time. You could put an attachment on the hoover and wave it about for a bit, if you don't mind feeling a bit silly.

I have found supermarket carpet cleaners to be moderately effective. Obviously best if they're applied immediately to a stain, but they can still work with dried-in stains. If you really want to get it clean, you can hire carpet cleaning machines for not *too* much money.

Have you got somewhere you can air the mattress out for a bit?

 

[Orang Utan]

thans mf
i only use the for sleeping anyway - one of the reasons i've neglected it for so long.
Not sure I can borrow the hoover for a whole week - we'll see.
there are no stains on the carpet - it just hasn't been cleaned for years

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

thans mf
i only use the for sleeping anyway - one of the reasons i've neglected it for so long.
Not sure I can borrow the hoover for a whole week - we'll see.
there are no stains on the carpet - it just hasn't been cleaned for years

I recently borrowed my sister's carpet cleaner (the green Henry) to clean carpet. After carrying it up four flights of stairs, it decided it wasn't going to work. She took it home, her husband bashed it about a bit and it started working, so she brought it back, carried it up four flights of stairs, switched it on, and nothing

 

[mrsfran]

thans mf
i only use the for sleeping anyway - one of the reasons i've neglected it for so long.
Not sure I can borrow the hoover for a whole week - we'll see.
there are no stains on the carpet - it just hasn't been cleaned for years

If there's no major stains then a supermarket cleaner will probably be fine. You might need to give it two goes and bear in mind that if you get a heavy duty one, you may need to sleep on the sofa that night. But then you'll have a nice, clean carpet.

 

[Orang Utan]

man, the sheer volume of cat hair is astonishing - how do I get rid of that? I fear the hoover will just glide over it

 

[mrsfran]

Use a brush first? Or just pick it up by hand.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

man, the sheer volume of cat hair is astonishing - how do I get rid of that? I fear the hoover will just glide over it

Get a Dyson and watch fascinated as the clear tub fills with cat hair and then sit and reprimand yourself for letting it build up for so long

 

[Melinda]

Fat roll of packing tape will pick up lots.

 

[Orang Utan]

Get a Dyson and watch fascinated as the clear tub fills with cat hair and then sit and reprimand yourself for letting it build up for so long

dysons are shit - i may have to buy a henry myself cos i doubt my landlady will ever get round to getting a new one

 

[Jazzz]

man, the sheer volume of cat hair is astonishing - how do I get rid of that? I fear the hoover will just glide over it

damp rubber gloves

 

[dynamicbaddog]

dysons are shit - i may have to buy a henry myself cos i doubt my landlady will ever get round to getting a new one

I recently bought a Henry and I'm so glad I did, it's the best vac I've ever had