Pre- Holiday Clean Scene with Mrs. Hart

Thanksgiving is two weeks away housewives!!! TWO weeks, that's 14 DAYS!! Are your menus planned, house cleaned, travel plans made, Black Friday shopping strategies shaping up? Did I ask you if your house was clean yet? Not exactly sure yet if I am cooking or my MIL, but since the holidays are coming and my house is always in the need of a good cleaning... 

I have a gas stove. Anyone who cooks with gas knows that the grease, grime, burned on food on the grates and drip pans is nearly impossible to get off. I have tried Comet, Soft Scrub, my dishwasher, everything imaginable. 

During Fall Break, I even priced at Lowe's replacement parts. Yeah, that is not happening in the near future. The double drip pans alone are $12.99 and only come in black. Last Tuesday night, I found the following pin on Pinterest. I guess she just had nasty grates to contend with, not the pans. 

Source: pinchingyourpennies.com via ShaRhonda on Pinterest

Warning: What you are about to see is disgusting. I am ashamed, that I let the mashed potatoes last week boil over and hadn't cleaned it before now.

Supplies needed: 

1 gallon Ammonia- $2 

rubber gloves 

scouring pads 

 large sealable container, I used an ice chest 

well ventilated space- I went outside

Now, I must warn you when you start a Pinterest project such as this you will probably end up opening an entire stove clean scene. I mean really how can you have a clean cook top and the inside not be cleaned as well. 

You are going to put the grates and pans into the large container and pour the ammonia over them. Let them sit overnight. My burner covers and the left drip pan were clean within about six hours. During that time is when you will do the other clean scene.

Now, I am not going to lie to you, you still have to use a little elbow grease. At least I did. Some of the baked on black gunky mess, I am sure, had been on there for a good nine years. It is back wrenching, elbow using, grease and grime. I even felt it in my rear Saturday morning at the football games. Be prepared for some work, but be even more prepared for the shock that I am about to reveal.

"Whoa Mommy, did you get a new stove?", straight out of the mouth of my five year old daughter.What amazing cleaning secrets do you have or have found lately? Please share, so we all can have clean homes for Thanksgiving!

♥Mrs. Hart♥Who can RHOK an upside down cleaning mask like

P.S. I knew it was upside down, my glasses kept fogging up with it turned the correct way!

The Fairy Tale Life of a Housewife

Dear Seven-Year-Old Priss,
Little do you know that someday most of your dreams will come true.  Your dreams at this age are quite simple, really.  Grow up, fall in love, get married, have kids - that sums it up.  
When you get a little bit older you will be afraid to admit that these things are really all you want in life.  People might think you have no ambition!  Sure, you'd like to be a veterinarian... or an occupational therapist... or (gasp) a school teacher.  But ultimately, you wanted the glamorous life of being a housewife with a houseful of kids.
At this point your mind hasn't been warped by Sixteen Candles and the thought that Jake Ryan might be pining for you.  (And why wouldn't he, huh?)  Your knight in shining armor will arrive in a more subtle way.  He will sneak up on you by way of friendship first.  And you'll be glad.  Already you are running away from boys instead of to them.  Relax and know you will eventually find one who makes you want to stay.
Sometimes you will need to remind yourself of how blessed you really are.   This is the life you wanted.   This is the life God has blessed you with.  
Sometimes you will wonder why you wanted to be a professional maid.  Your job will become tedious and you will be tired of cleaning up after every single living thing in your house.  It is unfortunate that rodents and birds do not swoop in and clean your house while you sing your good morning songs.  Cinderella and Snow White tricked you. 
You think your family would happily devour every meal you cook for them.  And why wouldn't they?  You will have amazing recipes and foods that you crave - but you will never make these since you are the only one who will eat them. You will become a short order chef and wonder why you bothered learning to cook. You will never be able to compete with the high quality McDonald's has to offer.
You can't wait to join your kids' school PTA and be the President. With one glance, you will quickly change your mind and volunteer in their teachers' classrooms instead.  In fact, you will find many other things to be passionate about to volunteer your time with.  And you will volunteer with gusto!
The list goes on and on as you live the dream. Your mom forgot to tell you that working for free can sometimes leave you feeling a bit drained and under-appreciated.

What Happened to Snow White?

You will have moments when you wonder why in the world you ever wanted to be a housewife.
When you feel this way, just look at the faces around you and it won't take you long to smile.   It may not be exactly the way you picture it, but this is your very own real life fairy tale. Your dreams really will come true.
Love, Middle-Aged Priss


Mrs. Priss -

who thinks it's time the kids learn to clean their own toilets.

How do you clean?

I'm watching hoarders while remembering that it's my day to post.

I watch this show to remind me my house is seriously fine comparatively. I mean you can't touch the ceiling from climbing upon stuff.

This has me thinking about cleaning routine. Are you a clean as you see it ? Or are you a scheduler? Or do you pay for a cleaning lady and clean too. There are all kinds of people- I'm just taking a poll.

Personally I am thinking of coming a scheduler. I've been an at random for ever. There are somethings I cannot stand, and it must be fixed pronto....like dirty counters & crap on the floor. But other things I could leave for months like the dishwasher to be emptied.

Is there a favorite cleaning tip or website you'd like to mention? I'm thinking of making a chart, and also making my kids in charge of a lot more. Share your ideas!

Mrs. Sinclair,
A RHOK STAR
who wants to declutter