Every week I have coffee with my best girls at one of our houses, and one of them recently asked me how best to clean her coffee grinder. Here’s a method that will not only clean the grinder, but will also sharpen the blades!

• Grind up about a cup of raw, uncooked rice. The first round may look a bit like salt and pepper when it’s done. If that’s the case, go ahead and run more rice through the grinder until the results are all white.
• Dump the rice grounds and brush out the interior with a dry, stiff-bristle paint brush.
• Go ahead and wipe out the removable plastic pieces and either wash them in warm soapy water by hand or in the top section of your dishwasher.
• You may want to grind a small amount of coffee to be thrown away or composted before the grinder’s next use, just to make sure all the rice particles have made their way out of your blend.

This week’s Mosaic Mention is gonna be short and sweet. I recently got some feedback from a young professional that she would be very interested in having me come and Co-Clean™ with her, but that my present hours (M-Th, 8 – 5) were making that impossible for her as they conflicted with her own work hours. It’s valid feedback. And so, I’ll be extending my hours to accommodate her as well as anyone else who’s had a similar thought in the very near future. I’m not sure exactly what they will look like – Perhaps more evening availability? Or maybe a day of weekend openings twice each month?

Which would be most helpful to you? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear your opinion!

(cc) LightSwitch Creative

Whether you’re cleaning your home every week or only have energy for a deep clean a few times per year, remember to take care of these often neglected spots:

1. Under the Stovetop - If you have a traditional gas or electric stove, did you know that your stovetop lifts up similar to the way a car hood does? Remove the grates (gas) or burners (electric), and you should be able to just pop that whole top surface up by applying upward pressure in the place where the surface behind the knobs changes to the cooktop. It should hinge at the back and either hold itself up with springs or posts, allowing you to use your favorite kitchen cleaning products to get rid of all those bits of food that have fallen into the abyss.

2. Shower Head - Maybe you have a fancy shower head with some special features that you just love, or maybe you have the one that came with your apartment or house. Chances are, it’s not spraying like it used to. That’s because calcium and lime and the same things that leave your sinks, tubs and toilets looking dull have built up in all those little tiny holes. There are a couple of different ways I clean this. While you could take the shower head off and soak it briefly in some CLR (don’t forget the teflon tape to avoid leaks when you go to put it back on!), I don’t think that’s really necessary unless the flow is really obstructed. Instead, I use Zud (or vinegar and baking soda for my Green Cleaning clients) and a toothbrush to keep shower heads clean.

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With much of the country battened down under the great freeze, who’s not going a little stir crazy with cabin fever right now? Even I, who really enjoys being at home am starting to go a little nuts. It’s hard to be productive when you’re not really even sure you want to get out from under your covers!

So how does this Columbus cleaning lady beat the winter blues? Personally, I fight them by giving to others. For me it starts with this week’s Mosaic Mention: laundry. And I hate laundry…

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