Household 'chore' energy saving tips.....

[divingdancer]

My freezer has needed de-frosting for a few months now.  It is a job I detest.   To top it all, my boiler is not working at the moment.  I bought a couple of halogen heaters as they really throw out the heat and keep the family warm.

Well, I got up this morning, decided I had to tackle the freezer.  I must have been inspired by my Occupational Therapist, I set up one of the halogen heaters in front of the open and empty freezer and sat down to watch tv.   It has been around an hour and the ice is melting really well.  I usually sit and use a hairdryer to melt the ice but this was much easier.

Does anyone have any good energy saving tips we can share?

Amanda

[Duchess]

Yes, get your family to help if they don't already.

Prioritize. Don't think your home has to be in perfect shape.


Duchess

[stephL]

Thank you for this topic, divingdancer!

My fatigue pro-tips are:

I use disposable paper plates and plastic cups often. But other than that, have invested in a set of lightweight plastic dinnerware plates, bowls, etc. Much easier to carry a stack of these instead of regular dinnerware!

An alternative to scrubbing pots and pans with a steel wool pad is a finely powdered cleanser called Bar Keeper's Friend. Works great!

For cleaning the bathtub/shower, I started using a ceiling fan brush on a long handle. I'm sure I don't have exactly the right tool but so far it's working ok.

I keep cleaning supplies in the bathroom and every time I go in, I don't leave until I've done one small maintenance task like wipe down the sink, give the toilet a swish with the brush, dust off a shelf, polish the mirror, etc.

[4Kids]

I only clean with Microfibre cloths. I don't use any cleansers. my son is particularly sensitive to them and I think they are making us sick. The dollat store has allthe Microfibre I need dirt cheap.  Vinegar goes a long way if something really needs scrubbing. A good wipe and dry with a cloth and things are sparkling clean a lot easier and with less scrubbing than w a normal rag. Dust sticks like crazy to a dry microfibre cloth. That saves me a lot of work.

[Skylar]

I only clean with Microfibre cloths. I don't use any cleansers. my son is particularly sensitive to them and I think they are making us sick. The dollat store has allthe Microfibre I need dirt cheap.  Vinegar goes a long way if something really needs scrubbing. A good wipe and dry with a cloth and things are sparkling clean a lot easier and with less scrubbing than w a normal rag. Dust sticks like crazy to a dry microfibre cloth. That saves me a lot of work.

I'm another big fan of microfibre cloths - lightly damped with a little water they are amazing at cleaning. I too don't use much in the way of commercial cleansers to minimize lung/allergy problems - a little scent-free dish washing detergent, vinegar, bleach when needed and ammonia occasionally.

I pick up things daily to keep the debris from piling up otherwise it overwhelms and depresses me.

I use disposable paper plates and plastic cups often. But other than that, have invested in a set of lightweight plastic dinnerware plates, bowls, etc. Much easier to carry a stack of these instead of regular dinnerware!

StephL - have you checked out Corningware dishes - those are the lightest plates, easy to stack - they are cheap so they will save you from spending lots of paper products and save the environment. What they won't do, unfortunately, is they won't wash themselves. LOL

Another thing that surprised me when I switched my diet - I don't eat any extracted or processed foods - so I don't use oils etc. I eat whole foods so if I want that olive taste - I eat olives. I thought cooking would be hard and everything would stick and burn on without oil - but the opposite is true - I use water to stir fry etc. and very little sticks and what does stick just falls off when I soak it for awhile in water. I don't scour my pots and pans after cooking now.  Plus I never realized how much cleaning up in the kitchen revolved around removing grease. As you cook, the grease/water etc. goes into the air and gets distributed on the walls, cabinets, lights etc. and gets built up and was a pain to clean. Now cooking with out oil leaves me surfaces that I just need to lightly wipe with my damp microfibre cloth - don't even need detergent so I don't even have to rinse. I had no idea and I'm thankful for less work.

Edited to add - I've been thinking some more about why my pots and pans are so easy to clean and I realize it's also because I'm not cooking animal products - as a scientist I know that protein is the stickiest glue there is and when it gets baked on...... look out- heavy scrubbing. Sooooo - if you cook meat - try to cook it enclosed in something disposal like one of those plastic roasting bags or aluminum foil - leaving your pans easy to clean up while you toss the bag/foil.

[Joe S.]

I have a real energy saving tip for house hold chores. Look at what has to be done, do the item that needs that most attention and go back to bed.

[SueAnn]

I don't think of this as energy saving as much as saving myself from a "cleaner flare", I bought a steam mop so I don't have to use any cleaners as they make my symptoms flare.

I also use vinegar to clean and mircofiber cloth.
SueAnn

[AnaGamble]

I do something similar to StephL, every time I wait for my BF to come downstairs for us to go somewhere I will try and wipe off dust from somewhere or pick up 1-2 items that are out of place.
And with the bathroom as well, I try and wipe one or two things down when I am in there and see it needs doing.
But never EVER doing whole rooms, makes me crash out for 5h on the sofa if I even try for 30-60min.
With small improvements here and there but never actively going for doing it all I think it should be possible to keep it at a pretty decent standard. 

[stephL]

I don't use any cleansers. my son is particularly sensitive to them and I think they are making us sick.

4Kids, I'm chemically sensitive too, have asthma and avoid toxic products. Don't be scared off by Bar Keeper's Friend, tho. The active ingredient is a naturally occurring substance in green leafy vegetables and tea. It's called Oxalic Acid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalic_acid#Occurrence_in_nature

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Keepers_Friend

StephL - have you checked out Corningware dishes - those are the lightest plates, easy to stack - they are cheap so they will save you from spending lots of paper products and save the environment.

Skyler, thanks for the suggestion and sorry I didn't explain it clearly enough, but  the plastic dinnerware I purchased are not disposable, they are permanent dishes, and dishwasher safe. I got them at Kmart for a couple of dollars each. They are sold individually and not packaged as a set. I also have neurological issues, drop and break things easily, so a lightweight non breakable plastic plate suits a clumsy person like me all around.   


Edit: Added wikipedia links

[AnaGamble]

I also have neurological issues, drop and break things easily, so a lightweight non breakable plastic plate suits a clumsy person like me all around.   

Oh that sounds like my hands, I drop plates and mugs all over the place when washing up.
As if there isn't enough muscle strength to hold anything even a bit heavy.
So holding a normal size plate with one hand is impossible without the plate going into the floor.
Feels silly but watching my BF walking around with a tray full of stuff and carrying it with one hand makes me mighty jealous. 

[Doxie]

It is hard to get anything done with the fatigue. I tend to start something, then get too fatigued to finish.

I love some of the light weight Nordicware plates and cookware.  My hands are so bad sometimes I need really light weight stuff.  I love their little soup mugs that are so light weight and have a great handle!

[AnaGamble]

It is hard to get anything done with the fatigue. I tend to start something, then get too fatigued to finish.

I love some of the light weight Nordicware plates and cookware.  My hands are so bad sometimes I need really light weight stuff.  I love their little soup mugs that are so light weight and have a great handle!

Good handles are so important on mugs, got some in the kitchen that are complete death to use on a bad day.
They'll slide into an angle and burn your hand as you are trying to race to somewhere safe to put them down. 

[LisaMarie]

I tend to do chores with whatever energy I have left in the evening.  I never use my spoons for chores early in the day or my higher priority stuff won't get done.

The only cleaners I have issues with are things like pledge or dusting sprays.  Guess I'm lucky.  I love using bleach type products to clean in my bathroom because they are easy.  Just make sure you have air flow.

My dear husband got me a vacuum.  A canister.  I hate it.  Too clunky to move around.  He doesn't understand why I don't like it.  I want a new one.  A lightweight upright so I don't have to deal with the hose and the big floor thing.

My house is not clean.  I really don't care.  We don't live in filth.  My kitchen is clean.  My bathroom is clean.  And I try to keep up with the clutter.  But dusting and vacuuming are hard on me. 

When I get rich, I'm going to have two maids.  Ha ha.  A dream.

[AnaGamble]

My dear husband got me a vacuum.  A canister.  I hate it.  Too clunky to move around.  He doesn't understand why I don't like it.  I want a new one.  A lightweight upright so I don't have to deal with the hose and the big floor thing.

I've completely given up vacuuming, my BF has to do it and that way he can get whatever vacuum monster he feels is the best.
If it needs to be something I can use then it wont have as good suction power nor be able to store very much, so easiest solution. 
I do feel like he still needs some training in getting it done though... 

[sewandsew]

I have an IRobot vacuum.  It is great.  The swiffer clothes are an essential as well.

Since our immune systems are somewhat compromised, it is important we keep germs at bay.  I recently read something about there being more germs in the kitchen than in the bathroom.  Keep anything that's touched germ free with whatever cleaner you choose.

Mainly though, I like Joe's idea.  Go Joe, go Joe!  You beat Martha Stewart in my book.