How "Martha" are you with Betsy Karetnick

As an accomplished broadcaster, journalist and media host, Betsy Karetnick is a dream to interview. We had a great time sharing cleaning conundrums, secrets and lots of laughs. Betsy worked for seven years with Martha Stewart Living Radio on the Morning Living Show and has a vast knowledge of everything that pertains to lifestyle. We talked about stains, cooking and took questions from our listeners. You can check out her blog at www.iamnotarestaurant.com

Here is a post from Betsy:

As I was erasing evidence of kids and pets from my front hallway, a thought mentioned by cleaning coach Leslie Reichert popped into my head. When I was on her radio show on W4WN.com, she asked, why do so many people hate to clean? Some of it may have to do with the factory like nature of cleaning (I was pretty sure I’d been in that hallway with a similar sponge not too long ago). Some with the connectivity inherent to the job – rats, now that the walls are clean, I can see the light fixture is filthy…OMG, cobwebs above the doorframe! But I think sometimes we’ve lost sight of just how easy it is to keep a clean house in a century that offers magic in sponges and vacuums that move by themselves. As a radio host for more than seven years on Martha Stewart Living Radio I tried to focus on the upside of cleaning. Yes it is remarkably repetitive, but there is much to be celebrated too.

Here are a few things I've learned along the way from experts like Leslie and from a huge family of listeners.

1.      Everyone needs to be appreciated. I don’t care what you clean – thank yourself for a job well done. Every Monday we used to play “How Martha Were You” over the weekend. It seems like a silly game until you realize you processed 12 loads of laundry, cooked, entertained, organized…all while driving endless carpools. Promise yourself a reward after de-griming the kitchen. Enjoy a cup of tea with two chapters of a ridiculous novel.

2.      If your kids give you clothes that are inside out, wash them inside out, fold them inside out and return them inside out. Either they will start to right their clothing or they won’t care. If they don’t care, neither do you.

3.      Teach children laundry skills. And take a lesson from me – discuss emptying pockets first! Have you ever seen what gum and ink can do to a dryer?!!

4.      Cleaning equals a free gym membership. Don’t believe me? Try this. Vacuum your whole house. Fill a bucket with hot water, a drop of dish soap and a dollop of white vinegar. Mop your wood floors. After each room, either “skate” two dry t-shirts around the room or dry the floors on your hands and knees. Repeat the following week and get back to me.

5.      Lemons can be your cleaning buddies. Try this recipe for cleaning the microwave. Zap slices of a spent lemon in a bowl of water for 5 minutes. Wipe away debris. Smile.

6.      Lemon juice and mayo make your wood furniture sparkle – I learned that from Leslie Reichert, my favorite cleaning coach. But you need her book (thejoyofgreencleaning.com) for the recipe.

Wiping Away Wax

So you had a nice candlelit dinner at your home, or perhaps the power went out and you needed some light for the evening, and the hot wax from your candles dripped onto your tablecloth. This does not mark the end of your tablecloth's use. By following these steps, you can remove the wax from your tablecloth, although if the fabric is very delicate or antique you may want to consider taking the job to a professional.

1. Wait for the wax to cool and harden before you try to get rid of it. Never wipe it when it is still hot as this will make a huge mess.
2. You can leave the tablecloth in the freezer for a couple days to harden the wax and remove any moisture. This will make it easier to scrape off.
3. Grab a spoon and carefully scrape off as much wax as possible and shake off any loose pieces. Be careful not to damage the fabric.
4. Take a brown paper bag and cut out multiple pieces that are about twice as large as the spot of wax. Cover your ironing board with a rag to protect your ironing board from getting wax on it, then place the tablecloth on the board. Put a piece of brown paper under the spot on the tablecloth and another on top and press with a medium warm iron. This heat will be warm enough to melt the wax but not so hot that it will burn the fabric. Run the iron over the paper until an oily spot appears, than switch the paper and repeat until the oil fails to appear.
5. Pretreat the fabric by rubbing bar soap like Ivory into the spot with a stiff brush, but still be careful not to hurt the fabric. If the wax was colored, you can remove the dye with some hydrogen peroxide or oxygen bleach. However if you try this, be sure to test the peroxide or bleach in an inconspicuous place of the tablecloth.
6. Run the table cloth through your washing machine using the hottest water setting available. Then let it air dry and check to see if the spot is still there. You can continue to repeat the process until the spot is gone, and don't put your tablecloth into the dryer until it is. The heat from the dryer will set the spot and make it impossible to remove.

Stop Those Stains - Simple Solutions To Those Unfortunate Mishaps!

Stains can be so daunting, especially if they are on a light colored fabric or surface, but here are some more simple solutions to common problems. The best part is you can find most of these ingredients in your home.

• Makeup can be removed from clothing with a bit of castile soap and rubbing alcohol. Mix the two together and put them on a white cloth so that the color of the cloth doesn't rub off onto the fabric. Blot the stain until the cloth stays white afterwards. The soap and alcohol work together to break down the makeup so that when you do wash the garment, the makeup with disappear. This is for those of you who are either active in show business or have children in shows. Makeup on a white color or dress is simply an occupational hazard.
• If an unfortunate accident at an evening party left you with a red wine stain on your clothes or on your favorite rug, simply relax and grab a drink...literally. You can either use white wine or a combination of club soda and a bit of borax to remove that spot. Simply pour the wine or the club soda mixture onto a white cloth and blot at the spot until it disappears.
• Coffee stains can be removed with an eyedropper of white vinegar or lemon juice.
• That mustard from the cookout doesn't have to be a permanent fixture on your husband's shirt. Just use white vinegar to work out the stain, flush the air with water, and then wash the garment with a bit of dish soap.
• Stains from ball point pens can be removed with a bit of rubbing alcohol. Dip a white cloth into the alcohol and touch the stain with the cloth until the cloth comes up clean

Here is something to keep in mind when you are removing stains from furniture or carpeting. The last thing you want to do is to replace that stain with a bigger water ring, which happens when the fabric takes on the treatment and leaves a ring where any liquid solution was applied. To avoid this, always use a damp cloth to work the stain, work the stain in towards the center so that it doesn't expand outwards, and continue to work until the cloth comes up without a stain. If you keep this is mind and you will be well prepared to conquer any stains that find their way into your home.