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I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but I've been living in a rental apartment for about 2 years, and I think I might have a mold problem. I've already lost a few clothes to what I had initially believed to be moths or mildew, but now I noticed that the same mold is growing on the air vents and some of the doors. This is the first apartment that I've lived in on my own, and I didn't think much of it until today when I saw this:  My question is, what should I do about this beyond just cleaning the gently caress out of everything? Should I notify my landlord? Do I need to call some health agency? I am honestly at a loss and would like to go to bed tonight without thinking that some fungal spore colony is growing in my throat while I sleep.
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Aug 21, 2012 01:25
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I've decided to just sell the majority of my stuff when I move next month. I'm pretty much just keeping my CDs, DVDs, a few important books, tool box, Warhams, a few hard to find board games, TV, Xbox, Bluray Player, laptop, clothes, and a few small display items and knickknack type things. Sadly I do not think these will fit into my car. My CDs, and DVDs are pretty important to me so I'm not ditching the cases, but I've manages to fit all but a few oddballs and boxed sets into six shipping boxes (approx 10 x 16 11, 65lb limit) I got from the retail place I work at. I figure the board games, smaller books, and Warhams will be the easiest things to ship, probably taking up one box each. I don't want to ship the CDs as the majority of them are limited, rare, hard to find, out of print, import, etc. I figure that with the DVDs I'd have to double the number of boxes to six. Add an extra box for good measure, that's about 10 boxes. I don't know exactly what I'm asking, but any advice on how to ship these kind of things? EDIT: Oh yeah, how should I go about selling my other stuff? Tomorrow, I'm going to start cataloging it and taking pictures. I know it should be easy to do small stuff with eBay, but first round goes to Facebook to see if anyone I know wants it. After that be eBay for smaller things (then Craigslist if that doesn't pan out), and Craigslist for bigger things, followed by Goodwill. If I had a house there would be a garage sale in there somewhere. If I wasn't trying to put together money to buy new furniture when I get back out, I'd just drop it all off at Goodwill. Iron Crowned fucked around with this message at 01:53 on Aug 21, 2012 |
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Aug 21, 2012 01:40
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Feast of Burden posted:I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but I've been living in a rental apartment for about 2 years, and I think I might have a mold problem. I've already lost a few clothes to what I had initially believed to be moths or mildew, but now I noticed that the same mold is growing on the air vents and some of the doors. This is the first apartment that I've lived in on my own, and I didn't think much of it until today when I saw this: Sometimes landlords have specific clauses about this in leases. I know that I personally have been obliged to inform the landlord promptly of any mold growth. Take a look at the fine print of your lease and see what it says. And yes, clean everything with a mild bleach solution. You will need to contact your landlord to remedy whatever is causing this problem - usually a humidity problem that can be solved with proper venting, heating, and air replacement in your unit. The mold I can see in your photos should wipe right off - if it doesn't, you will need to contact your landlord about repainting with anti-fungal paint. You likely wont die.
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Aug 21, 2012 01:49
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Trilineatus posted:Sometimes landlords have specific clauses about this in leases. I know that I personally have been obliged to inform the landlord promptly of any mold growth. Take a look at the fine print of your lease and see what it says. And yes, clean everything with a mild bleach solution. That's a load off my mind. Will follow through, and thanks. Iron Crowned posted:Oh yeah, how should I go about selling my other stuff? Try the SA-Mart, if you haven't exhausted that option.
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Aug 21, 2012 02:04
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Feast of Burden posted:Try the SA-Mart, if you haven't exhausted that option. nope, not yet, I do have a 60 gallon tub full of Lego.
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Aug 21, 2012 02:41
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Iron Crowned posted:I've decided to just sell the majority of my stuff when I move next month. I'm pretty much just keeping my CDs, DVDs, a few important books, tool box, Warhams, a few hard to find board games, TV, Xbox, Bluray Player, laptop, clothes, and a few small display items and knickknack type things. Sadly I do not think these will fit into my car. DVDs and CDs can be shipped media mail which is cheaper and slower. For the rest probably I would go with flat rate boxes whenever possible.
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Aug 21, 2012 03:30
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Captain Novolin posted:I'm moving out to be on my own for the third time, but I'm completely overwhelmed. I've moved a few times, but it's always been into (or out of) dorms, and now that I have to look for a place I'm feeling really overwhelmed. I'm not worried about what I have/don't have for moving, since I know I have the essentials (and everything else I can get in time), but I am stuck on where to go for the hunt. I'd love to be able to ask people/check bulletin boards on campus/just walk around areas I'd like to live, but I'm not actually in the city I'm moving to right now. I have family living there that I'll be staying with for a while, but they're quite busy and not really able to help that much. rentfaster.ca is a really good option for hunting in Calgary. If you have any specific questions about areas in the city, PM me - lived here pretty much my whole life.
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Aug 21, 2012 03:54
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serewit posted:Has anyone ever used a real estate agent to search for rentals before? Is the cost worth the convenience? My fiancee and I are tentatively relocating to the Albany, NY area next summer for grad school but neither of us are familiar with the area, and I'd think that an agent would be able to steer us in the right direction for a house or apartment to rent for a year or so until we're ready to buy. I'm not entirely sure how much we should expect to pay for their services, though, and if we wouldn't just be better off doing it ourselves, though. In my area (a major metro area), a reasonable commission for a realtor would be equal to one month's rent, with the commission earned when both you and the landlord have signed the lease. In some jurisdictions you pay this directly, whereas in others the landlord pays it, and, if he's not an idiot, passes the added cost on to you in the form of increased monthly rent. Something to consider as to whether or not it's worth it: realtors don't have as complete information regarding rental prices as they do sale prices, if for no other reason than sales are recorded in databases and at the local courthouse, whereas rent agreements are not, so a realtor can easily get a picture of the sales market but not the rental market. You would basically be paying the realtor for their local area knowledge and professional advice regarding the lease terms (which, depending on the jurisdiction, might not be in your best interest). If you have the free time, spending that money on a hotel room in the area for a week and looking at five attractive rental properties off of Craigslist per day will give you a good sense of the rental market in the neighborhoods you're interested in.
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Aug 21, 2012 19:14
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So I moved into my new place and am mostly loving it. The way it's designed makes it easy to decorate and looks lovely. Frankly, I can't believe it's mine. During the day. At night it's pitch black, and seems to reverberate every single noise. First night alone there I could have sworn I heard a cough. Second night my boyfriend came over and we heard the same thing, and it freaked him out enough that he investigated the whole place for me. We figured it was probably the air freshener spray thingy going off and took out its batteries but it didn't sound as mechanical as it should have. That said, how do you guys get over the 'first little while in a new place' jitters? Are night lights immature for a 23 year old woman living on her own? Also, tips on overcoming mild fear of the dark are appreciated, though obviously aren't part of the mandate of this thread. Thanks!
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Aug 21, 2012 20:09
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cuntvalet posted:So I moved into my new place and am mostly loving it. The way it's designed makes it easy to decorate and looks lovely. Frankly, I can't believe it's mine. I also had this problem when I moved into my apartment a couple of years ago, and to be honest just give it time. One thing that also helped was feeling all of the walls in the dark to make a mental map of the place so if the power is cut or you are staring at the shadows in the corners at night, you know what's normal. I usually carry my cell phone in my hand when walking in the dark either for the light or just to know if I need it, it's there. Also, night lights are not immature. I have to keep the light on the alarm clock numbers and the blinds open or I get paranoid.
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Aug 21, 2012 20:16
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My apartment complex has a very explicit "No nails" policy written into my lease in regard to hanging pictures. Knowing that, I've been trying to hang everything with adhesive strips and the like. So far this has worked fairly well, except the other night I hung a picture over my computer desk with a metal plate attached to an adhesive strip. This stayed in place for a couple hours before the whole thing came crashing down and shattered over my printer. Are there any other alternatives I could try for hanging pictures, or should I just say gently caress it and start hammering nails?
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Aug 21, 2012 20:24
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cuntvalet posted:That said, how do you guys get over the 'first little while in a new place' jitters? Are night lights immature for a 23 year old woman living on her own? When I moved in, I had a new deadbolt installed (there wasn't one before). The locksmith I chose had fantastic reviews on Yelp, lived/worked pretty far away, and seemed like a really nice guy in general. Now I'm the only one with keys to my place. I always lock the deadbolt and the doorknob lock, and the chain when I'm home -- not out of fear, just automatically (I live in New York City, for reference). Check your windows. If they're accessible, they should be locked. If it's riskier (fire escapes) or you need the airflow, you can get guards; some are cheap, some are attractive, landlords probably won't mind. If you want, you can get deafeningly, painfully loud alarms for doors/windows for about $10-20. My dad gave me a maglite, which is unlikely to be that useful for intruders, but I didn't visibly roll my eyes because it's a bright color that matches my place, and it's useful for power outages and examining my tonsils and poking a pigeon out from under my window AC. You might also like it as a security blanket kind of thing. See if there's anything (besides the spray, which stopped, right?) that sets you off. My bed isn't far from my front door, which is right next to my neighbor's door. So when I was in bed, if I heard their keys in their lock, my brain would have a momentary "are those keys in MY lock?" Obviously not, but my brain wasn't awake enough to realize in time. So I put a little bell on my front door. Keys + bell = my place. Keys alone = not my place, brain can keep sleeping. Tl;dr: Make your place secure for real, so it's really easy to remind your brain nothing is wrong.
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Aug 21, 2012 21:11
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I'm definitely lucky that my place has an alarm system and motion sensors, had them when I moved in. The first little while I'll definitely just have to buck up and deal with it, figure out what makes what noises, etc. Sound carries really strangely in my new place, so that's also kinda making me uneasy. My boyfriend dug out a baseball bat and nestled it by the door so I could feel safe and last night after disarming the air freshener, stayed the night with me so I wouldn't be scared anymore.  Edit: my alarm system goes bee-bee-beep whenever the front, side or basement doors are opened or closed but sometimes it does that for no reason what so ever. That's pretty creepy too.
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Aug 21, 2012 21:26
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'Sup 23 year old woman living alone by herself buddy! I got a dog. However that's impractical in a lot of apartment situations. After a week or two you'll get used to the normal sounds of your apartment and neighbors. I have deadbolts and chain locks on both my exterior doors. My neighbors walking around their upstairs sounds like they're in my upstairs (townhouse complex) and that kinda freaked me out until I figured it out. Now I don't even notice the weird sounds but the first few nights I'd lay awake going "WTF WAS THAT" every 5 seconds. I'd suggest keeping a gun/taser/pepper spray/weapon of choice/cell phone with cops on speed dial within reach of your bed should someone try to break in. You'll probably not use it even if someone does break in, but for me it gave me peace of mind that if something were to happen I wouldn't be totally helpless.
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Aug 22, 2012 00:11
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 Guns, tasers, knives, and pepper spray are all really terrible ideas unless you're trained and experienced. You at least can't gently caress up as hard with a maglite/bat/baton, although you still shouldn't expect them to do much except as a security blanket (again, without training). Keeping your cell nearby is a good idea. Securing your place -- not just remembering to lock the door, but securing windows and everything else -- is by far the best thing you can do. It will actually have a positive effect and it can't be used against you. If you have a house or if you get into it, see if you can find the Discovery Channel show "To Catch a Thief." It's not bad to watch and it's really eye-opening about your place's security (mostly houses though). Anne Whateley fucked around with this message at 01:19 on Aug 22, 2012 |
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Aug 22, 2012 01:17
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Jay Dub posted:My apartment complex has a very explicit "No nails" policy written into my lease in regard to hanging pictures. gently caress your apartment complex. How large is your deposit and what do you think the chances are of you getting it back?
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Aug 22, 2012 10:09
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Don't laugh too hard at 'FengShuiNinja' asking for furniture arranging advice.  It has become obvious my out dated, over-sized, second-hand furniture needs to go. The dresser, my queen sized bed, and huge computer desk are making my weirdly shaped room seem much smaller than it is. This may mean an hour drive to the local Ikea. I like the low bed frames and mirrored wall-sized wardrobes on the website. Figuring out what to do about the desk is baffling me. It needs to be smaller, but not too small. I was also hoping to find something that would utilize the wall space around the desk. This room needs to ditch the 'poor college student/bachelor pad' vibe and have more of 'A parent lives here!'feel to it. Maybe it would help if I sketched out the shape of the room. A tiny bathroom is attached and has a door, but the sink is located outside. There is also a walk in closet where the blankets, sheets, etc are stored because we don't have a linen closet. Suggestions for 'not huge' desk styles would be appreciated. I keep looking in stores and online, but everything is just too big and home-officy.
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Aug 22, 2012 11:00
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Eggplant Wizard posted:This is totally the right thread. Quoting myself not as a passive aggressive 'read the thread' thing but rather as an 'I am loving lazy and have the same recs as last time' thing Eggplant Wizard posted:It all depends on what you need and what you like. How do you work? Do you need more desk space, or is less okay? Would you use those shelves?
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Aug 22, 2012 13:34
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FengShuiNinja posted:Suggestions for 'not huge' desk styles would be appreciated. I keep looking in stores and online, but everything is just too big and home-officy. Think about what you need the desk for, now that you're not in school. Is it for the home computer so you can email and look at poo poo online? Paying bills? Gaming? Measure the space, and then go to consignment stores / antiques places / lightly used furniture places and just look. Get a feel for pricing and styles. You'll start to gravitate towards one and from there you can look up versions online. For home use, I find I don't need drawers or hutches or anything beyond a small desk caddy. Extra space just becomes a repository for garbage. There is some important paperwork you need to have physically (deed, birth certificates, etc) but it's better to have a lockbox, or better yet, safe deposit box for those items. Everything else you should just digitize. I keep a pad and pen on my desk for notes but anything longer than a grocery list gets typed (and emailed to myself, or kept on Google Docs). Don't look at "home offices". Look for side tables, sideboards, etc. "Home offices" are like the "entertainment system" in terms of furniture - basically, it's poo poo to stick a computer/TV on. Don't go overboard with some crazy filing system and faux-oak wrap-around desk unit. Just get a table that fits the space. Maybe one small filing cabinet to go underneath it if you really have a lot of paperwork.
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Aug 22, 2012 13:58
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Jay Dub posted:My apartment complex has a very explicit "No nails" policy written into my lease in regard to hanging pictures. You probably checked this already, but my last several leases also had an explicit no nails policy, except a paragraph or two later they say that small nails to hang pictures are ok as long as you patch holes when you leave. They were just trying to keep huge nails out of the walls.
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Aug 22, 2012 16:20
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FengShuiNinja posted:Don't laugh too hard at 'FengShuiNinja' asking for furniture arranging advice. Since you want something more compact and want to utilize wall space, you could look into a secretary. It's basically a desk with a bookcase/cabinet over the desk part. Ikea has a nice looking one: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S29891425/ Don't know if it offers as much desk space as you want, though. I actually recently went the opposite direction with desks - upgraded from some crappy computer desk (no drawers) that was way too small to a giant 1950's Steelcase desk that makes me feel like an Apollo-era NASA engineer. However, I needed more space for artwork and storing art supplies. Best part was that it was a freebie from the chemical engineering department. Oh, and universities unload poo poo all the time. My desk was one of over a dozen they were getting rid of at one time. I've seen countless desks and other pieces of furniture out in the hall up for grabs over the years. Authentic You fucked around with this message at 18:04 on Aug 22, 2012 |
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Aug 22, 2012 17:59
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Regarding Nails in the Wall: My apartment has this rule too. We had to ask in advance to use larger nails/screws to fix heavy furniture to our walls. We live in an earthquake zone and it is dangerous to have large furniture items crashing down. My manager was completely cool with this because we asked in advance and would fill in the holes or paint before we left. They are fine with the small nails for picture hanging. Eggplant Wizard, Thank you for the links. I love the look of the ladder-style desk, but I know that my kids would climb on that thing. Could it be fixed to the wall? I also live in an earthquake zone, so it helps to be prepared. Vonnegutt, Advice about staying away from office furniture is a good one and is definitely a policy I follow. The unfortunate thing about having a small room is most desks look home officy because they take up so much space. I have been avoiding office-specific furniture. Most of the wood furniture I have seen would overwhelm the space. I definitely measured and been looking online at habitat for humanity's re-store, consignment places, some antique stores, and estate sales. I'm getting to the point where I am about to give up and make my own desk. My dad makes furniture and would help me make a very practical desk. We do not use the computer area for important documents. They are either digitized or in the family safety deposit box. Things I need in a desk: -Big enough to hold a computer -Has drawers to hold some office supplies/headphones/my husband's WACOM tablet/accessories. -My husband uses his Bachelor's Degree in the Visual Arts frequently. The majority of 'stuff' is his and needs to be in a drawer or a shelf. -Would either come with shelves or would compliment shelves. We have lots of books we still use on a regular basis and the desk is on the only wall that could accommodate them. -The compy is a semi-gaming rig, but is mostly the family television. -I will be going back to school next year to complete my Bachelor's Degree. The computer will be used for this as well, but I would just need a thumb drive or something, so that isn't a a big deal. Maybe I will end up building my own. My dad is totally on board. He's a retired shop teacher and already owns instructions on how to make desks. I've wanted to do this since the beginning, but my husband wants me to look for a kit or an already assembled desk first. It's still garage/estate sale season. Maybe we could get lucky and find something perfect. -Edit- Authentic You, That looks great! A secretary might be what we need.
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Aug 22, 2012 18:20
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FengShuiNinja posted:-Edit- Cool! Be sure to check out any local antique offerings, too (if you like antiques). You might even be able to get one for cheaper than Ikea's. But yeah, if you have younger kids, they're great because you can completely close/lock them up.
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Aug 22, 2012 18:41
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Also, look into modernist style desks, if they fit your budget. They tend to be smaller as well as less "desky".
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Aug 22, 2012 19:05
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What's the most efficient way to clean a bathroom? Today I tried using a Mr. Clean eraser on everything and it definitely took off the visible scum and whatnot, but I don't really believe it "worked" because I can still feel a kind of dusty residue on the bathtub. Usually I spray everything with a bleachy cleaner and wash it and wipe it down, but that takes forever and gets water everywhere.  What do you all do?
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Aug 23, 2012 15:51
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Eggplant Wizard posted:What's the most efficient way to clean a bathroom? I get some comet and go to town with a sponge getting it all over everything, then go watch tv for a while, then come back and wipe it off with said sponge. Super easy.
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Aug 23, 2012 15:53
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I'm looking at moving out and most of the apartments in my price range only have communal laundries. For those living in small (cheap) apartments, what's life like living with communal laundries? A chance to meet other people or too much of a hassle to live without your own washing machine?
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Aug 23, 2012 16:10
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Comstar posted:For those living in small (cheap) apartments, what's life like living with communal laundries? A chance to meet other people or too much of a hassle to live without your own washing machine? vv I've never babysat my laundry. I put it in, turn it on and leave. I come back 45 minutes later to put it in the dryer and leave again. ladyweapon fucked around with this message at 16:17 on Aug 23, 2012 |
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Aug 23, 2012 16:12
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Comstar posted:I'm looking at moving out and most of the apartments in my price range only have communal laundries. It sucks. The greatest thing about having your own laundry is that you don't have to babysit it, thus freeing you up to go do more important poo poo.
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Aug 23, 2012 16:15
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Eggplant Wizard posted:What's the most efficient way to clean a bathroom?
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Aug 23, 2012 16:23
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Anne Whateley posted:Yeah, the eraser sands away, so if you use a whole sponge on your tub, you'll have plenty of dust in there. I always just use it when I'm in the shower; the dust gets washed right off and I never notice it. The eraser has to be wet to work anyway, so it's perfect. For right now I'd recommend just wiping down the surfaces with a wet paper towel to get the dust off. I use a two part system. Spray cleaner and sponge for the deep, "I need to eliminate all the germs in here" weekly clean. Magic eraser for in between "Oh poo poo my mom's coming over on a Tuesday" cleans. Also, keeping a clean sponge in my shower is handy because then you can wipe stuff down while you are in the shower when water is already going everywhere. So, spray+wipe bathroom, get in shower (later), wipe off additional residue with shower sponge. I don't take a shower every time I wash the bathroom, but the first shower after the spray 'n' wipe gets a quick wipedown anywhere that residue might be.
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Aug 23, 2012 16:30
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I wouldn't have minded communal laundries if I didn't always live on the 4th or 5th floor of every place I've had that had those. It's really loving annoying to constantly go up and down the stairs just to check on laundry - and God help you if you showed up 10 minutes too early before the cycle is over. The fact that my current apartment had an in-unit washer and dryer was one of the (many) reasons that I'm incredibly happy with it.
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Aug 23, 2012 16:30
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Eggplant Wizard posted:What's the most efficient way to clean a bathroom? A few pointers I have found, as well as how I go about it: - Get a cloth shower curtain that is machine washable, they are less than $10UD and it's so nice ot be able to just pop them in the wash rather than having to try and clean a plastic one. If you hate the earth, you can also just toss the plastic one and replace it as needed  - Toss everything that you can under the sink or out of the bathroom. - Do a quick wipe down/sweep to get loose hair, etc. this is important for the next step. - Turn on the hot water in the shower for 10 minutes, being sure to not turn on the fan and close the bathroom door. This will help loosen all the crap in the bathroom, making cleanup easy for you. getting the loose hair earlier out of the way allows the steam to work its magic. - Turn off the water, spray cleaner in the shower, an all purpose cleaner should work, but something stronger may be recommended if its been a while. That is usually the hardest to clean so I do that last. - I start with the mirror and sink, and wearing gloves because -ick- give everythign a good scrub down. I use a combo of an old sponge and rags because I have yet to be able to ge those sponges from not leaving stuff behind, but they are great for getting in nooks and crannies. - For the Toilet I wipe down the outside, then use the brush to get at the inside. Now, be warned...if bristles get caught in the upper part they can...flick...so I am sure to either use an old tooth brush to ge at the inner rim, or the sponge. If you've never done this you will be amazed at the buildup in that area just from the water that has passed through there. - For the shower I fill up the tub just a few inches, to use as wash water, and scrub the walls and rinse as needed. This is also good for the ring around the tub, as it may take multiple attempts. After you drain it, you can get at the drain and the bottom of the tub. If you have any of those non slip shower decals, toss em in the top rack fo the dishwasher and that should clean them. -Finish by giving the floor a quick mop with a rag if it's a small room, or an actual mop if not. Turn on the fan and leave the door cracked to allow for the air to circulate. WHew! Sorry for the length! That was the way I was taught to clean it when I was younger. Of coruse, it deosn't need that everytime, maybe just a few times a year. There are tricks to making it last. Quick and dirty: - Get a bottle of shower cleaner, the kind you spray down after your everyday shower. It really deos help and they are worth the price. I'm sure you can find home made recipes online too. -Use the washcloth you're about to toss in the laundry after your shower to wipe the sink down quickly with. -Keep the fan on a bit longer, and the shower and bathroom door cracked. This will allow the air to circulate and dry everything sooner, which means less mildew and less mess in the future.
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Aug 23, 2012 16:37
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Those Mr. Clean erasers are a lot more abrasive than you think, and will happily take the finish of most anything you use them on, so choose wisely.
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Aug 23, 2012 16:51
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cuntvalet posted:That said, how do you guys get over the 'first little while in a new place' jitters? Are night lights immature for a 23 year old woman living on her own? I am lucky because my bedroom has a bolt on the door, so not only do I have the front door locked and chain on, I also lock my bedroom door. Also the hallway has a big window and lots of light gets in even at night so it's easy to see where you're going. When I moved in I was still getting "hallway fear" late at night, so if I was in my bedroom and had finished what I was doing and needed to, let's say, go wash my face before bed; I would get really paranoid/spooked about going back into the hallway. The one thing that really worked for me was closing the door of the empty bedroom across from mine. I kept imagining figures sitting on the bed, and with the door shut, I put that out of my mind. I also have to keep the bathroom door propped open all the time because the air pressure makes the door open and shut, and the way it clicks when it shuts sounds just like someone locking it.  Eggplant Wizard posted:What's the most efficient way to clean a bathroom? -Take all my junk off the sink windowsill. (We don't have a bathroom cabinet at the moment, so this is where my toothbrush, comb, handwash etc go) -Start by putting bleach down toilet under the rim -Then I use Method Tub & Tile spray cleaner on the bath and the sink, scrub with a sponge to loosen up dirt/scum, rinse, wipe down with a cloth (this helps get rid of hair and dust, I shed a LOT of hair). Polish the windowsill with a microfibre cloth so it's not wet for when I put the junk back on. -Using disposable toilet wipes I got from the 99p store, wipe down toilet from top to bottom, including seat, seat underside, lid etc. Unless you accidentally drop them into the bowl, throw them away in the bathroom bin, don't flush them (they might clog the system). -Scrub toilet bowl inside with toilet brush. Flush toilet. -Sweep floor to get rid of hair/dust. I mop if I'm mopping the rest of the house too, using water I already mopped the kitchen with. That's it. Here is a useful video on how to clean a toilet in 3 minutes. http://youtu.be/VfDoGQ6urE0 Anyway, the handymen came today, so now I have a working bathroom hot tap and extractor fan! Yay! They were actually really polite and nice guys, so I'm going to send my landlord a thank you text.
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Aug 25, 2012 11:58
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So basically it's normal for cleaning the bathroom to take at least half an hour? Ugh. My current usual routine, for comparison:
It just seems really inefficient. Blah.
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Aug 25, 2012 13:38
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My routine takes around 15 minutes if I'm quick scrubbing. I do a more intense one with non-hippy cleaner once a month that takes about 30 minutes but gets up all the limescale. Is the shower a fixed one and that's why you're getting water everywhere? Maybe try filling a spray bottle with water to rinse the bleach off instead? That's what my mum did when we lived in a house without a shower.
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Aug 25, 2012 14:05
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Eggplant Wizard posted:What's the most efficient way to clean a bathroom? I love the Mr Clean erasers, but it's not the best tool for normal jobs (and kinda expensive to use beyond removing tough to remove stuff). The dusty residue is the little bits of eraser that gave its life to clean. I'm a big fan of an anti-bacterial multipurpose cleaner like 409 for toilet surfaces and sinks, bleachy stuff for bathtubs (where mold and mildew tend to grow) and inside the toilet and Windex for the fixtures and mirrors. I use a microfiber cloth on the sinks and toilet surfaces, a scrubby brush inside the toilet, newspaper on the mirrors and fixtures, and a scrubby sponge on the tub. I don't like using the bleachy stuff on surfaces and fixtures because it tends to leave a cloudy film on everything if you don't hose them down. Which means you end up cleaning them twice -- once with the bleach and again with water. I'm kinda obsessive about clean, so my method may not be the most efficient but it does work. Goober Peas fucked around with this message at 02:51 on Aug 26, 2012 |
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Aug 25, 2012 19:49
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"Eggplant Wizard posted:So basically it's normal for cleaning the bathroom to take at least half an hour? My mom is the queen of the quick/thorough clean. Your routine sounds about right. You're not cutting any corners. Here are some other cleaning methods. Some are mine and some are my mom's. My husband is the one who deep cleans the bathroom, so I'm not exactly sure what he uses bleach solution on. Toilet: I have a toilet that's etched on the inside so any rust/minerals in the water/etc stick to it forever. The only way to get rid of it is by using a pumice stone. Darn property manager won't replace the toilet because 'It's just fine if you pumice-stone it!' I actually had a cool trick in my other apartment where I'd put in denture cleaner in the toilet for a few hours and then scrub it out. It worked like a charm and the toilet smelled minty instead of chemical-y. Bathtub: For the real stuck-on stuff, my mom uses Soft Scrub and as sponge. It shines the tub like new. She's a fan of the "spritz every day" or "Quick scrub" once a day with a shower cleanser. I'm very sensitive to chemicals and don't use things like Soft Scrub unless I absolutely have to. I've been pretty successful scrubbing soap scum off with baking soda or salt. I haven't had any problems with mold so far, so I don't have any suggestions for dealing with that. Fixtures and Stainless Steel: Windex works! I was very surprised. My mother realized that she had never taught me the 'tricks' to keeping my home show-room shiny. We took apart all of the knobs to the fixtures, cleaned them, windexed the metal parts while the knobs were off, and reassembled. We also washed and windexed the kitchen sink and it looked like a mirror. -edit- I forgot I was going to ask a question! I'm currently in search of easy-care nontoxic houseplants. I am armed with a list of nontoxic plants and several books about which ones grow well in low or filtered light. I'm leaning toward Philodendrons. They have worked fantastic for me in the past, but I would also like to have other types of plants. Air plants are neat, but they aren't quite what I am looking for. Does anyone have any suggestions for nontoxic houseplants that won't die if I forget to water them? Currently I have Orchids, Wandering Jew, and a sad philodendron cutting. FengShuiNinja fucked around with this message at 22:54 on Aug 25, 2012 |
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Aug 25, 2012 22:48
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FengShuiNinja posted:I forgot I was going to ask a question! Spider plants are piss easy to grow. I grew a bunch of them as a kid and I never watered them much: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorophytum_comosum Also I inherited a pony tail palm on the edge of death (literally all leaves had gone brown, thing was so wrinkled), and brought it back to life with just water. They're pretty indestructible: http://houseplants.about.com/od/palm1/p/PonytailPalm.htm They grow into big trees if you put them in a big pot, but the one I have has been alive since 1986 and it's still only about a foot tall.
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Aug 25, 2012 23:52
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