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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

How to get a man to clean without asking/nagging (includes giveaway)

As previously mentioned, I have created a #1Hubby-proof plan for getting said #1Hubby to carry out his fair share of the household cleaning.  And then some.

It is genius.  I am a genius.

And no, it does not involve offering up explicit favours.

Or promising not to speak during the cricket.

In my wifely experience, all 12.5 years of it (because when you've done that much time, even the 0.5 matters), I've found that the best form of persuasion is passive coercion.

Where did I learn this?  Not from my mother as you may expect.  She left me hanging high and dry on the husband wrangling tips.  Perhaps because she's still trying to conquer #1 Pop.

It was actually #1Hubby himself who taught me how to convince him to do stuff he'd otherwise hate, without a single suggestive hint, whine, loaded comment, or withdrawal of any services on my part.

You see, we'd been together for around 6 years when I found out, via overhearing him offering marital advice to a couple of newlywed friends, that way back in ye olde worlde times when we first shacked up together, he deliberately mixed colours and whites in the wash to create a couples uniform of pink and/or grey clothing.  He also deliberately - to this freaking day - hangs the clothes as if they've been spat out by a tornado and tossed on the line.

This makes me stabby

The result of his supposedly innocent actions is that I now insist on doing all the washing and hanging all the clothes on the line myself.  It has nothing to do with my extreme need for symmetry, even on the clothes line.

He is an evil genius, and while I was the one on the receiving end, I don't think I've ever loved him more than when I found out about this scheme.

It was a pure coincidence that I singed water stains into his work shirt while ironing it the very next day.

I have not been allowed to touch the iron ever since, 10 years later.

And so, I give you my #1 tip on how to get the menfolk to do their share of the cleaning and other household chores : passive coercion via human error..


Floor needs vacuuming 
Only do it while sport is on TV.  Make sure you have valid excuses not to do it any other time.  If possible, let the vacuum butt up against the TV cabinet a little and jiggles it, so he panics that it will all come toppling over and break his beloved TV.

Kids have lessons to be ferried to and from
Take them the first time, let him stay home.  Go shopping after the lessons, and buy something for yourself that you don't need.  Shoes, clothes, make up.  Anything he can't use and will see as a luxury item.  If he isn't scared into action the following week, repeat.  Trust me, after a few weeks he'll insist on you staying home while he takes the kids to their lessons.

Windows need to be cleaned 
Use his best Tshirt, claiming it leaves the windows streak-free.  And if that isn't enough, bust out his jocks too.  After cleaning them, lightly spray with window cleaner so that the next time he pulls them out to wear, he can smell the cleaning product on them.

Sick of ironing his uniform / work clothes / business attire? 
A few singe marks and water stains will see him insisting on doing it himself.

Sick of ironing your own stuff? 
A few singe marks and water stains requiring you to go out and purchase new clothes will see him offering to iron your clothes too, rather than fork out for a new wardrobe.

You're welcome...and on to the point of this post, besides sharing my domestic wisdom:



It's no secret that Chux are a Sponsor of Awesome and, coincidentally, creator of awesome products.  Just ask #1Hubby who does the bulk of the cleaning me.




#1Hubby and I have put together a list of our top 5 Chux cleaning products, the must have items:

Chux Kitchen Wonder Cloth
For those who have a severely unco-ordinated wife, prone to spilling stuff. This will soak it up before the wine coffee reaches your mobile phone, laptop, or other vital equipment that she insists on drinking/spilling near.

It's true. It really is the every-man cloth of the cleaning market.

Chux Non-Scratch Scourer Sponges
Removing baked on food, the result of hours of blogger neglect. I know I've mentioned this one before, but it's still happening, it's still an issue in our household.

It's true. I can't seem to commit to cooking without a sneaky Tweet or 20 in the middle and suddenly I'm totally lost amongst Ebay auctions ending soon, blog posts and Facebook (oh my).

Chux Magic Eraser Hard Surface Cleaner
The kids like to go all Pro Hart on the walls and tiles.  You wouldn't know it, thanks to this.  Now if only they'd make one that filled the cracks and holes and reapplied the paint.  That would be impressive.


Ladies, he likes to flex his biceps while scrubbing the walls. It's a mix of alluring, fetching, hilarious and desperate.  Mostly alluring and fetching, on account of the fact that he's cleaning and I'm not.

Chux Magic Eraser Bathroom
Brace yourselves peeps - this one is my recommendation, not his.  I do the bathroom cleaning, for the most part.  This thing is awesome.  Considering I hate cleaning, this thing manages to cut through the months weeks of soap scum and crap built up around my shower recess with ease.


He has no Peanut Gallery style remark.  He was too busy laughing at me claiming to clean the bathrooms every few weeks.

Chux Kitchen Super Scrub
Again...this is my recommendation, not his.  Occasionally, I get a bit over hearing #1Hubby whine about my burning the bottoms of pots.  While he swears by the Non-Scratch Scourer Sponge, I swear by this little baby.  And despite what he says, I do my share of dishes.


He made some totally false and derogatory comments pertaining to my claims of regular dish cleaning.  Comments I simply could not publish *ahem*.


But don't just take #1Hubby's my word for it.  For your chance at winning this plentiful Chux bounty:
Excuse me while I hold #1Hubby up as he goes weak at the knees over the sight of all this cleaning awesomeness


1.  Follow this blog, here there and everywhere (AKA subscribe, Facebook and Twitter)

2.  Follow the Chux Facebook page

3.  Comment below with your one single must-have cleaning item.
     Can you guess what mine is? *cough* #1Hubby *cough*

Entries close Tuesday 3rd April


Winner announced here Wednesday 4th April




The fine print :
  • Entry open to Australian residents only (unless Chux want to pay me to escort the prize to another country, to personally deliver it to the winner...they may be awesome but I don't like my chances)
  • One entry per person
  • Entries close midnight (WST) Tuesday 3rd April
  • Winner announced on the blog Wednesday 4th April
  • Winner has one week to respond before I plunge into the depths of despair and carry out a re-draw


Goodluck!






119 comments:

  1. My mum! :) ha ha!
    She is a domestic marvel! She eliminates dirt from places I don't even think about.
    In all seriousness, she's taught me alot about cleaning "properly" and I'd be lost without her visits to help me get things neat and tidy (if only for a short while!)

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  2. Vinegar. It's cheap and leaves such a crisp, clean smell behind.

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  3. Snotface Stinkbum's MumMarch 28, 2012 at 6:51 AM

    old (or cheap) toothbrushes - great for tile grout, around taps and down drains

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  4. I have to agree with Snotface, old or cheap toothbrushes for cleaning the tricky bits in the bathroom

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  5. A cleaner..I wish. I love using my bicarb of soda, teamed with vinegar fantastic cleaner.

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  6. Clean quickly before small problems turn into huge ones.

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  7. Using any cola beverage, apply to rusty area with a crumbled sheet of
    aluminum foil. Works great on chrome bumpers, hub caps, bikes and other
    stuff. May also make you rethink your choice of beverages!

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  8. A lemon. It cleans through grime, polishes up items and I always have one on hand no matter what season.

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  9. Bicarb soda and vinegar is my go to mix for cleaning anything and everything!

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  10. Simply a spray bottle, so whatever substance I use, vinegar, water, detergent etc, I just grab my handy spray bottle & off I go on my cleaning tangent!

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  11. Mine is the chux magic eraser,and I promise I'm not making it up!,having a child who tends to create his masterpieces on the walls I was elated when i discoved these!making the huge task much,much simpler and I've also found it's great for getting mark of the bath tub left by colored bath toys!

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  12. Old stockings, they work great if you use them to wipe gunk from around tap bases. Just hold in each hand and shimmy from side to side

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  13. Magic Eraser - gets all my kids graffitti off the walls for them to do it all over again...grrrrr, thank god for glad!

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  14. Chux Magic Eraser - simply magic. Takes off anything!

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  15. As a mother of 4 I have to go with the Magic Eraser. Master 3 has evolved into Picasso and likes to open his exhibits in every room of the house ...no wall is spared :)

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  16. Chux cloths are the ones for me
    They don't tear, and wash well when stinky
    Chux, I just cannot get enough
    They help me clean even the toughest stuff!

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  17. I am finding the Chux Cleaning Wipes with antibacterial great at the moment as my son has hayfever and he is projectile sneezing everywhere.  Sorry if this makes some sick but the wipes are great.
     

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  18. I love the Chux Kitchen Super Scrub, anything that makes my life easier stays, everything else goes!

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  19. The chux magic erasers are great and not just for kids drawing grown men make mess too...with there dirty hands from work and they think marks magicially disappear

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  20. These microfibre booties that I put on my cats' feet! :)

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  21. Gumption, it will clean just about anything from just about anywhere!

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  22. paper towel the amount of sticky messy spills i get at my house i differently couldn't live without it 

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  23. Scrubbing brush to get to the grout.

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  24. Tea-Tree Oil diluted with water in a spray bottle is my absolute must have. It's a disinfectant, antibacterial, top carpet stain remover, polishes stainless steel and has a great smell.

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  25. I'm with you and vote for hubby too :-) Closely followed by teenage children

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  26. Gloves, it keeps all the nasties off your hands, and keeps your hands fresh and young (not overworked)!

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  27. Gloves, especially for my 19 year old sons room, it always a worry what I will find under the bed

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  28. A spray bottle filled with water and a dash of metho, it cleans everything glass and floors especially

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  29. I love the CHUX Pre-Moistened Cleaning Wipes there super handy and my kid's don't think twice about grabbing one to clean up any spills.

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  30. Best cleaning item is the plastic net bag that my onions come in. The BEST scourer on the planet and it rinses clean! Although I really do need a Chux Magic Eraser for my bathroom too.

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  31. I follow you! and Chux! My must-have cleaning item is the vac. I can clean everything else to my heart's content, but unless I have vaccumed, the place doesn't look as good!

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  32. A sponge/scourer and elbow grease - like a genie in a bottle of bit of rubbing is magic! 

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  33. white vinegar! is there anything it can't do?!

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  34. I agree with you ... hubby is my must-have cleaning item. Most cleaning product irritate my dermatitis (including natural things like vinegar), so hubby is essential!

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  35. Water, you can add so many things to basic water to make it a cleaner

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  36. I love plain old white vinegar!
     

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  37. I love my dettol. I use in in and on everything.

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  38. I need heavy duty for my lot, so Gumption is essential. If it's good enough for my plumber, it's good enough for me.

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  39. Definitely Chux Cleaning wipes! We go through so many of them that I'm too embarrassed to admit even an approximate number. Pine O Clean also make some awesome antibacterial wipes that have a scourer side - great for getting dried chocolate & sauce off benchtops & floors, then flip over & use the smooth side to scoop it up. They come in tubs of 80 which suits my needs much better than the 35pks by Chux (there's a hint in there for Chux's marketing department).

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  40.  Just love the micro fibre cloths - made such a difference to cleaning in all sorts of places.

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  41. Chux Magic Erasers are essential
    for a toddler with a texta or pencil.
    When there are stickers plastered on whatever
    my little Magic Eraser does something rather clever
    and for all those random marks whatever they be
    Chux Erasers work their magic for one very happy me.

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  42. Bi Carb Soda added into everything heavy duty

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  43. vinegar!! its awsome for everywhere in the house and is eco friendly :)

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  44. A broom is my essential. If the floor is clean then the whole room looks cleaner. And with four children the floor needs sweeping regularly

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  45. A cleaning lady/man I am not fussy but it would be the only  item I need the most .

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  46. my steam mop because it dries almost instantly which I need due to it being a high traffic zone and tiles everywhere

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  47. duster it gets too all those hard to reach places and makes cleaning easy and fun

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  48. I can't for the life of me think of my single most must-have for cleaning unless it's 'someone else'! I like the sound of Chux Magic Erasers though. I have a lovely little wall drawing that my 17yo daughter drew for me when she was an infant. It is probably about time I tackled removing it. Sigh.

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  49. Water! - With a toddler and newborn water does everything. Just use it with a cloth and your desired cleaner.  Bathes their stinky bodies, cleans their grubby clothes,  Helps clean toilet training accidents.. arghh! Forever cleaning up after my bloody kids Haha

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  50. My old toothbrush that gets into every nook and cranny that nothing else does. Can't live without it.

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  51. Peace. I can't do the job properly when people (short AND tall) are saying things like "Fetch/hold/smell/taste/fix etc...this for me." Leave me alone while I clean my world!

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  52. Old pair of pantyhose(stockings) shine up those door handles

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  53. Hahaha yes definitely hubby...or kids...or the dishwasher! lol

    But in all seriousness my must have cleaning item would have to be dishwashing liquid- I use it for so many things- mopping, strip washing my mcns, wiping down surfaces, cleaning windows...oh and of course washing up!

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  54. definitely paper towels...can't live without them!

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  55. Vinegar, environmentally friendly and economical, is my best
    friend in killing most mould, bacteria and germs in the household.
     

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  56. Old t-shirts - chance to clean and get rid of them at the same time

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  57. Scrubbing brush and Elbow Grease - a techinique passed down from  generation to generation!

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  58. I'm following via GFC as Jasmine1485, I'm a fan on Facebook as Kate Ryan and I'm following on Twitter as NTFancy.  I'm also a fan of Chux on Facebook.

    Bicarb soda for me, if I have no idea how to clean something I just try that, it mostly works!  I've used it on tiles, glass, my oven and plenty of other things with varying success, it's best on floors and tough stains on pots and pans. :)

    kate1485 at hotmail dot com

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  59. Lemons are great for alot of cleaning chores in the house and also leaves a great scent afterwards

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  60. Rubbergloves! I cleaned dear teenage stepsons toilet today - after refusing for 2 months (a bout of gastro will force you to clean everything!) Lets' just say 'OH. EMMMM. GEEEEEEE!' Disgusting, filthy and revolting does not cover it. Next time I'm going to ask to borrow my CFS mates Hazmat suit!

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  61. Do I have to have one favorite cleaning item...or can i say that I have four? Four boys that is - in training to be good husbands! Actually my number one cleaning item is anything that will clean our shower in our motorhome. Its the only place that I must have cleaned every day otherwise it gets too moldy. Follow your blog and chux fanpage!

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  62. At the moment my must have is vinegar. It not only does a great job with cleaning, it keeps the ants away too.

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  63. Baking soda! Cleans a glass cooktop like magic and many other wonderful chemical free usages for cleaning.   Works a treat!

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  64. Gumption Multi Purpose Cleanser is my right hand man, for cleaning,

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  65. Vinegar... cleans and gets rid of odours... two in one and cheap to boot!

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  66. Chux Magic Erasers get out those annoying marks on just about any surface without ruining it yayy!!

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  67. Lemon juice is nature’s bleach and disinfectant.

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  68. Chux Antibacterial wipes, especially for the kitchen area, I am always concerned about germs around my family, I actually use them all over the house. I am a neat freak - maybe its OCD lol.

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  69. I use vinegar for everything, a cleaner, disinfectant, water softener and odour neutraliser . No need for expenisve cleaners just my vinegar and trusty chux cloths!

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  70. My hubby is 'chief cook and bottle washer' as I'm often bedbound. He's a CHUX devotee

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  71. My one daycare day a week and toilet cleaner...I'm a nazi when it comes to clean toilets!!
    subscriber and Chux facebooker!

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  72. vinegar, inexpensive  & safe to use.

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  73. Music to take away the cleaning pain!!!

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  74. My iPod, blasting out my favourite sing-a-long songs so that I can forget I'm cleaning and instead imagine myself mid concert, playing to an arena full of adoring fans. 

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  75. Mess. Can't clean without it :P

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  76. original Chux superwipes........'cos they rinse clean AND come up good as new in the washing machine.

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  77. I couldn't do it without patience..especially with a hubby like mine!

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  78. Super wipes! Can't live without them.

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  79. My must have for cleaning - a hard working wife who just happens to be a clean freak! 

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  80. Chux Super Wipes always leave my kitchen sink water mark free and sparkling like new!

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  81. Gumption! It cleans everything!!

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  82. Teach your children how to clean with Chux!

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  83. Carb Soda....make a paste for cleaning stubborn stains on just about every surface....my hubby's feet included!!

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  84. My must have cleaning product is abit of elbow grease.. things never seem to come off easily unless I really get into it. Even then I have to be in the right mood.

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  85. A cleaner.  I can't afford one yet, but I'm saving up :)

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  86. Magic Eraser very easy to get master pieces of the wall, that little fingers think the wall is paper

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  87. Vinegar its great for cleaning washing machines and windows

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  88. cheap toothbrushes - the clean tricky bits everywhere,.
    follow on facebook

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  89. children is what i need!!! more hands the happier

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  90. Disinfectant wipes: perfect for cleaner up after toddlers!

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  91. Vinegar in a spray bottle

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  92. CHUX rubber gloves with a long cuff - whilst wearing these I can tackle any cleaning job whilst keeping my hands protected. We all know what cleaning products can do to bare hands, I just have to look at Grans  hands to be reminded.

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  93. Can't live without Chux Magic Erasers now I've discovered them.

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  94. Rubber gloves so I don't have to touch anything too gross

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  95. When it comes to cleaning my house - a bucketful of energy is my most useful weapon!

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  96. A nailbrush is fantastic for scrubbing tile grout. Following all on FB

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  97. Employ a cleaning lady!

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  98. A willing teenage son...yeah right!

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  99. the scratchless scourer for sure!! with so much stainless around that need scrubbing this is awesome for no damage

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  100. Its not so much of a physical but a mental thing and that is MOTIVATION!determination and chocolate!

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  101. Money!  Give hubby $100 bucks to take kids to movies and sizzler for a few hours so I can get stuck into the cleaning without interruptions!  

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  102. A scourer and an old toothbrush to get into those tight spots.

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  103. The chux magic wipe is a life saver!

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  104. My essential is Bicarb and vinegar, I can clean almost anything with them ,with a chux of course. Saves money always on hand and child and pet friendly.

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  105. Have to agree with "HUSBAND"!

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  106. It's my cleaner!!!, nothing nicer than coming home and smelling the "clean smell" I just make sure she is supplied with every chux product imaginable!

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  107.  Baby  oil is excellent for stainless steel, used with chux of course. cheap  and makes stove tops sparkle.

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  108. Men usually don't like to clean up mess.. Great thing to help educate men to clean up their own mess.

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