Very helpful tips, on a wide range of subjects. ( )

There are zines available through Microcosm that cover the same material but chances are there is someone on your gift list who would be more responsive to this format. She provides practical advice on using common household materials to clean almost anything. No one needs to clean everything she lists but pick and choose what is useful to you.

I really see this as a book to be skimmed more than a book to be read cover-to-cover. ( )

Perfect for : Personal Use, cleaning resource book, great gift for: wedding, someone moving into their first house/dorm/apartment, etc

In a nutshell: This book is filled with practical advice, including a very helpful suggested schedule for cleaning throughout the house (daily, weekly, monthly, etc). Once you build a routine, she has provided detailed suggestions for cleaning specific items, for example, the kitchen sink: the sink, the drain, the faucets, and for those trouble sinks - getting them really clean! Other items in the kitchen: countertop appliances, walls and windows, oven, pots, and silverware, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, garbage can, table, cabinets, and floors. . . . those are just for the kitchen! For the past few years, I've been trying to build a household cleaning list for myself (including how often to clean each item), and this book has just done that for me! I love it!! I also really appreciate the household cleaners that she suggests as an alternative to harsh chemicals (baking soda, vinegar, rosemary, club soda, lemon, etc). I think this book would be helpful for the person who already has a clean home, and the one who needs to have a cleaner home! The tips and tricks provided in this book are invaluable, and healthier for you and your family!

Extended Review: One thing I really liked was the author's views about conserving water and energy when possible, and how that transfers to respect for money and resources. She also talks about the safety of cleaning products and offers alternative cleaners (use vodka to clean diamond jewelry, p. 124). She also provides so much detail - I had no idea I was supposed to vacuum the refrigerator coils! Plus, she even shares how to care for books on page 120!

Content: This book contains an introduction which covers the cleaning basics (what to clean, when to clean (spring/fall cleaning), organizing priorities, good-for-you cleaning products, cleaning supply list, and a list of things to do during the week to help keep your house clean. Then there are specific chapters for : the kitchen, the bathroom, the living room, the bedroom, the home office, the laundry, "Nooks and Crannies," and the outdoors. The final sections of the book are more resources and cover "Pets, Odors and Pests," a handy glossary, etc.

Format: The book is set up with an introduction, and then chapters for each main area of the house, including outside! The chapters are set up very nicely with a detail in the front of everything the chapter will cover and what page it is on. This is very helpful as it helps you find exactly what you are looking for.

Readability: Easy to read and understand!

Overall: I just love this book. It is going to have a special place in my kitchen so I can reference it when I have cleaning issues. This book would be a great gift for someone just moving out of the house, or getting married, or someone who wants to try to get away from harsh chemicals. . . or someone who just needs a little extra help getting organized with cleaning tasks! ( )

I really love having this book and thank you to Sheri from A Novel Menagerie for the giveaway. Mrs. Meyer truly did inspire me, this morning I went to the grocery store and stocked up on lemon juice, vinegar and baking powder and went away at all those places I have been meaning to get to. Baking soda and lemon juice cleaned my tub better than any of the harsh cleaners available today and my hands didn't dry out. My hubby came home from work and mentioned how clean the house was. Thank you, Mrs. Meyer!
It was a fun and easy to use guide with cute little pictures and family antidotes included. The woman had a gaggle of children, some one had to clean. The only qualm I had about the book was that there was very limited information of pet spills and some of the advice seemed to be included just to fill space. Overall get guide for young people just getting a new home or apartment. Great gift idea! ( )

The Review

I won a copy of this book from Kalea Kane and was super excited to read it. I just love Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning products and pet products. They smell FANTASTIC and work really good! I always grab it at Cost Plus World Market, which is a store that I just love love love. But, more and more I see her products in other stores. I can see that the Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning line is growing! The real Mrs. Meyer wrote this book and it is her daughter that founded the product line.

There are some wonderful tips that I learned in this book. In addition to the great tips, she offers organization to the art of cleaning. She provides lists of supplies and charts for frequencies of cleaning. ALSO, there are terrific little family stories sprinkled throughout the book. There are also tips on maintaining a good home including a garden, your garage, and even your car!

Mrs. Meyer is a mother of 9, including a set of twins. How she decided to have more kids after having twins (her first pregnancy), is beyond me! My hat is off to her! I really enjoyed this book and felt like she was somebody that I could sit down to tea with after I finished the book.

Another neat thing to share is that it was good to know what I was doing “right” vs. what else I could do to improve. An overall thing that I learned is that dishwashing liquid and white vinegar take care of the majority of your cleaning issues. I’m buying a gallon of each next time I’m at Costco!

One little last tibit… my grandmother was a Myer from the midwest! Hmmm…

On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale:”

I’m going to make the twins read this book. I know, I’m a torture master! But, there are many great things to learn and this book has wonderful illustrations. Yep… they’ll going to read it, alright! For the genre Non-Fiction:How-To, I am going to rate this book a 9 OUT OF 10. ( )