Desperate Housewives of ILX

OMG Thanks for this J, I suddenly needed something like this and saw it in Walgreens and got it! It's good but OH GOD THE FUMES
I used it in a shower cubicle and I usually don't even notice ~vapors~ but these were pretty strog.

tilex mold/mildew is pretty kickass for this
but open all yr windows and wear gloves, shit is hardcore

woah X-14

Xps see, I didn't find it v toxic at all - it smelled like diluted bleach, I was convinced it couldn't possibly work if it couldn't even make my eyes water!

I guess I don't mess with much hardcore cleaners so that was about the strongest I'd come across, lol I r a babby

i sort of have a cleaning lady now

Feel like my house is too messy to get a cleaning lady. If it were about 50% tidier I would consider it.

i mainly need for her to do the bathroom and floors every few weeks

otherwise it's all me

i am resisting a larger apt in part because i dont want to have to clean it

although yesterday i scrubbed my kitchen and bathroom till the sparkled well except the tub i have to do that tomorrow

also i made so much food but i fucked up the barley risotto and its not v good

the last time i cleaned the tub i felt like it saved my life

soo my boyfriend has a hoarding problem. with canvas bags. he just gets them from places, collects them, and lets them accumulate dust. i don't understand it, and it drives me crazy.

omg don't get me started...

omg i knew you'd understand

<3

he's on a conference call right now to help design a new tote bag for work. i'm liiike ...

ok so i'm in the market for some new linens. lately everywhere i go i buy a pillowcase. but i need a couple more comforter covers too.

I love tote bags. Love them! I keep all of mine stuffed in the largest bag, in a closet corner, but they're there when you need them!

Surm, I've been obsessed w the Dwell linen patterns for a while, but they're prohibitively expensive to say the least. Otherwise I buy all my sheets and down bedding items on overstock.com. (Formerly smartbargains.com but I think they've gotten out of the housewares market...?)

And really Target has some great sheet sets for the price.

I'm annoyed that their duvet cover sizing starts at full/queen, though--I need a new cover for my twin duvet, which I'm going to use in the summer because it's less heavy and drapey.

you know, i should look on overstock. i love them. i have actually found some good items at target but i've had to be careful with their cheap cheap stuff bc the thread count is basically like sleeping on paper.

Well yeah. You always have to look at that!

i know. i'm bad at shopping. i've only realized things like this recently.

i bought some CK 300 thrd count sheets in a dusty powder blue

i think they are nice

Enjoy them. I love a made bed with fluffy things and good sheets. Like, a significant portion of my quality of domestic life comes from this one thing. You have arrived!

totally. i have been slowly building up my linen collection. (very slowly). but it does make me happy.

Someday I will have to break down and buy an actual bed frame and mattress, though. Mine is old and sooooo sad. I just cover it up with nice bedding but that won't work forever.

i would really like a headboard. we have one of those wooden frames that has drawers underneath, which i really like, but there's something about a headboard that really finishes a room.

I was just thinking about that, too. No footboard, though. Makes it too uncomfy for tall people plus it's harder to watch tv over it.

My bed is an unfinished pine platform with storage underneath, too, but I'm at least the 3rd owner and it's starting to come apart.

I have a hoarding problem with everything. Except I always throw out the old Village Voice when the new one comes out.

I'm trying to get over my hoarding problem at the moment, mainly by thinking of myself as a philanthropist when I give away books that I haven't read for 10 years.

I've been getting rid of stuff out of my apartment for the last month or so and it feels GOOD

I am going to make a headboard soon!

haha out of what? we have a spare door (yeah...) and my bf is convinced we can construct a headboard out of it but i am p skeptical

I have ruined ny ceramic kitchen sink because I had no idea you're not supposed to use straight bleach on it. Now it's peeling and discolored. Is it fixable?

Probably not, alas. If it's peeling, it might be enamel over metal instead of ceramic. Not that it matters, but you can get bathtubs re-enamelled. It's cheaper and easier to just replace a damaged sink than go through that process. And, if you get a tiny chip or crack in a ceramic sink, there are some spot fix kits but the repair is usually very conspicuous.

Ugh my landlord's gonna kill me

I found this: http://www.ehow.com/how_5896211_repair-porcelain-sink-finish.html

Seems very labor intensive and maybe could make things worse?

i'm sorry justine :(

oh well! worst case scenario is she makes us pay for a replacement. i'm sure it couldn't be more than a few hundred bucks, which sucks but is not the end of the world.

i could also really use some pro tips on maintaining a blockage-free shower - what is a good weekly treatment to prevent hair/soap scum buildup so i don't have to use draino?

A little mesh filter over the drain tbh. Once that stuff goes into the pipes there's only so much you can do.

i have one of those but some hair still gets through (i clean it out regularly).

Ryan actually plunges the shower drain when this starts to happen - it has definitely worked, and it is more environmentally and cost efficient than draino. a quick google should show you how to do it.

These Zip-It things work great. We have a tub with a pop-up drain, so I use the largest of these sink strainers turned upside down on it. An even squirt of caulking around the rim helps seal it better.

I clean out the drain by digging around in the muck with two skewers held like chopsticks. It's super gross, but gets to the cloggy stuff without having to touch it.

In fact, it's REALLY REALLY gross. Works though.

Also -- regularly flush with super hot water, then plunge.

yeah i'm thinking about doing a vinegar/baking soda flush once a week - it doesn't seem do shit for any actual blockages, but it might be a good natural maintainer?

Try HOT HOT HOT water -- it works pretty well!

yeah that works for my sink too

The zip it things did nothing for my terrible drain. After the last time the maintenance dude came to unclog, he said pour some bleach once a week. We also have a mesh thing and I think hot water helps.