These are also known as Hot Spots, and all messies have them. If you are new to messie recovery, you might think your whole house is a hot spot, but you can break the mess down and take it one Trouble Spot at a time.
A Trouble Spot is a place where things just seem to accumulate… sometimes it seems like stuff accumulates even faster in Trouble Spots than in other spots. Trouble Spots in my home include the kitchen sink, the dining room table, the low wall between the dining room and the living room, the hallway (laundry!), and one of the couch tables. Since I backslid after getting a job, right now I’m only working on two Trouble Spots: the kitchen sink and the dining room table.
In the first stage of messie recovery, don’t worry about Trouble Spots until you are getting your 5/5 list done every day. Once you have conquered your 5/5, then you can start evaluating your Trouble Spots.
Start with one Trouble Spot. I suggest the kitchen sink. Make sure you clean it at least once a day. Work your way up to checking and cleaning it three times a day before adding your second Trouble Spot. I suggest the dining room table.
If you backslide, never worry, because the Trouble Spot will wait for you. Just get back to cleaning it at least once a day. Never push too far out of your comfort zone… your comfort zone will expand if you don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. A Cleanie can clean a swamped home in a matter of a day or two. We can’t. We have to accept that and work within our limitations.
bucky
December 31st, 2002 at 5:29 pmWhat do you do about dog hair EVERYWHERE!!It absolutely drives me insane,what can I do???
Thanks,
Bucky
Melissa
January 7th, 2003 at 1:33 pmWhen washing my dark laundry I often get “greasy” spots on my dark cotton clothes. I have cleaned the liquid fabric softner dispenser, changed fabric softner, and changed detergent. I also make sure that the detergent is dissolved before I put in the clothes. Does anyone know what this stain could be, and how to get rid of it? It is driving me crazy!
MamaNana
February 4th, 2003 at 2:45 amHi Melissa ~~~~~
I read your post at My Messy House about the greasy spots on your clothes. I’m not sure what the spots are, but when I do laundry I start with jeans , then darks , lights , whites , what I call ‘dog towels’ ~(towels we dry the dogs ~wash the car ~wipe up messys ,, dog towels
are done after the whites so if there is any bleach left in the washer then it won’t ruin clothes that matter). then sheets, towels , rugs.
What I have been using for greasy or the spots everyone here says when asked what the stain is ~ ‘ I don’t know ‘ is ~ 409 ~
or if you go to COSTCO or SMART and FINAL
their ~ Degreaser ~ it comes in a gallon bottle
( cost $5. to $6. ) that you place in a spray bottle and then add water.
I spray any stain leave the garmet to the side til I finish tossing in everything else, then drop in. I’ve been doing this for the last 23 yrs
and it works 98 % of the time. I’ve even done it to what seems like set~in~stains, sometimes it helps.
Also try this on your kitchen tile grout ~ spray on the grout, wait a few mins. ,srub with
an old toothbrush , wipe clean.
Try this on your bathtub or shower (after the shower) .
Good luck !!!!!
Meg
February 16th, 2003 at 6:13 pmHi,
Thanks for having this site. I am a ‘beginning messy’ and trying to find techniques that will help me get back on top of my cleaning chores.
The last two weeks I have spent my off days working on hot spots. I managed to kill one of them altogether! (yay me!)
Anyway just wanted to check in and thank you again.
Meg
Jordie
April 12th, 2003 at 9:19 amAbout the greasy stains on laundry a really cheap and easy wasy to get rid of them is bar soap. Wet the stain and rub it with any bar soap you have at home – Dove, Irish Spring, Zest, etc – and throw it in the wash while still wet. Believe it or not it works great on most greasy stains, from fabric softner to greasy food stains.