Missy's Cleaning Service

The "Kids" Room helpful hints

Kid's Bedrooms

Removing Stickers

• If you remove as much of the sticker as possible, you can remove the rest with a little Ben Gay ointment and a blow dryer set on the low heat setting. Also works on carpet
• Other products that have been known to remove stickers include WD-40, Oops brand latex paint remover, De-Solve, fingernail polish remover, rubbing alcohol and even peanut butter!

Cleaning Stuffed Animals

• Puts kids' stuffed animals inside a pillow case, tie a knot in it and wash them in the washing machine.
• You can also freshen the animals by placing them in a paper sack with baking soda and shaking them up good.
• If the animal is stuffed with natural fibers it should not be immersed in water, but can be wiped off with a soapy cloth, followed by a clean wet cloth.
• Make sure the animal doesn't have torn seams before you put it in the washing machine.
• Look for plastic parts before tossing a stuffed animal in the dryer.
• Make sure the animal doesn't have a "sound box" or other mechanical parts before you put them in the washing machine and dryer.

Helping Kids Stay Uncluttered

• Put away half of your kids' toys and switch them around every few months. They'll have plenty to play with and their room will stay cleaner.
• Label boxes, baskets, milk crates, plastic tubs - anything they might store toys in - to teach them how to sort toys and keep them off the floor. Let the kids decorate the containers they use so they will be personal and fun.
• Set a short period of time each day or each week that kids have to straighten up their room. Make a game out of it with a timer and give rewards to all kids for jobs well done. It will become a good habit and they'll have fun.
• Get the kids to go through their toys periodically and pick out some things that they don't play with anymore. Pack them up and take them somewhere where there are kids who don't have enough toys.
• Put bookshelves in every available place where the kids can stack their toys, books, etc. Anything to keep the floor clean.
• Teach kids good cleaning habits by being neat and tidy yourself. Hanging up clothes and putting things away after you use them sets a good example.
• Assign specific chores to kids and set a limit on when the chore has to be done.
• Put hooks and pegs on the backs of room door and on the insides of closet doors for quick hangups when the kids come in.
• Let the kids do some "adult" clean up jobs. Sometimes loading the dishwasher or helping mom clean up after a baking session is fun, especially for smaller children and it teaches good habits.
• Let kids listen to whatever they want to while they are cleaning. A little noise will be worth a clean room!
• Assign each child a towel and make sure they hang it up every day. This saves unnecessary washing.