Over the last four decades I've had my turn buying into the various "cold water formula" offerings that have come to us. Like today's, they worked....after a fashion.....and if you didn't really need the level of cleaning you'd come to expect...and a had a good enough imagination to pretend they were "just as good". They weren't just as good. Today's aren't either. I have soft water and use appropriate (which is to say small) amounts of Tide HE powder. Excellent results for six years, now. My coldest wash temperature is approx. 95F. Most often 100-105F. Sometimes heat-boost to 130F. ( I have allergies and sensitive skin. If I wasn't getting good rinsing, I would certainly be among those who would know immediately.) You think you're going to get the results I do with "Green" Tide Coldwater and 60F water? I'd suggest a mental adjustment, by which I actually mean a reality-check.

Don't look at mine right now! As a general rule, we keep our house very clean and tidy, but we do have busy periods where things get out of control. Early June was one of those periods! Now that we aren't running day and night, we'll get it back into shape. DH and I both work full-time. We have 2 children (boys, ages 9 and 4) and no pets. Years ago I asked a good friend who cleaned houses if she could share any secrets with me. She said, "If it isn't dirty, don't clean it." That sounds almost silly until you think about it. I used to clean the ENTIRE bathroom mirror, top to bottom, corner to corner. Now I only clean the part with toothpaste splatters. 15 seconds later I have a sparkling clean mirror. Instead of mopping the entire kitchen every night, I thoroughly clean under my sons' seats. (the 9 year old is messier than the 3 year old!) She also told me to keep my cleaning supplies close at hand. I now keep cleaning supplies in "stations" throughout the house. When my 3-year-old is taking a bath, I grap a few Lysol wipes and clean the sink, faucet, toliet and floor in their bathroom. As a result my house is rarely "dirty". I have housecleaning help once a month. I know that everything is dusted and vacuumed then. I can spot-clean in between. About 4 times a year I do my "deep" cleaning where I scrub everything. That is also when I change my seasonal decor items. I am a natural neat-freak. Clean and neat translates into calm and peaceful for me. Howver, I have finally realized that I only have two resources at my disposal ... time and money. To spend time cleaning something that isn't dirty is just as wasteful as buying something that I don't need. In addition we have very little clutter. I give my kids ample storage space for their toys. Even my youngest can clean his entire room. If it takes an engineering degree to fit the toys back into their container, your kids aren't going to be able to do it. I don't make my kids do as many chores as I should, but I do ask them to clean up after themselves. For example, when we pull into the garage, everyone takes ALL their "stuff" into the house. I'm driving a van, not a rolling garbage can. Most of my mom friends marvel at my clean house and think I have superpowers. My secrets are ... no wasted efforts, very little clutter, and an involved family (especially DH)! Nin

I am interested in restoring an old machine we have. It seems to run but will need some cleaning and a few parts. I'm trying to identify it first. It is a Goodhousekeeper, green. The plate says " Model SAMB, Deluxe Automatic Sewing Machine, Japan". Another plat has stamped :H24578" onle on it. Next to that is stensiled "J -A38". But on the underside the base has cast into it "J-C36". Also cast into the base are the circled numbers "2" and "15". Lastly, there is some sort of logo cast into the underside, it looks like a capital "Z" overlayed onto the number "8". Do you have any idea what this is? How old? Can I find a manual? Or do you know where I can go to find out? Can I post a pic? (I don't see that as an option). Thank you for any help.

I did have someone come in last year when I broke my ankle. She showed up three times a week (changed quickly to twice), and cleaned up for me (and helped me clean my hair). She collected my mail and brought my trash curbside. I did my own cooking ... unless it's Jamie Oliver or some one with a flair for reasonably authentic Asian dishes, I'd rather cook for myself. (I have a chair on wheels, I just used the patio cushions in a layer of two of them to make this high enough for my use.) Peapod delivered groceries, but seriously, I'd much rather pick out produce and seafood myself. And, as it turns out, lamb. The lamb chops Peapod sent over were extremely fatty. Once I move, though, I really want someone in once every other week, and maybe just prior to any special get togethers. Clean up all the public spaces and bathrooms, special scrubbings for the baths and kitchen. Assist with kitty litter. Periodically do windows. Maybe this person, or someone else, can drop by every three days if I am out of town, to check on / feed / litter change the cats. More visits than that... no. (There is no way I can board my one cat - I am going to be interested in seeing how he responds to his eventual two hour move to my future home...) I am fine with doing my own laundry, although they're welcome to do the sheets and linens. (I needed help with all laundry when I had the broken ankle, as my current laundry set up is in the basement...) It's the nitty gritty of dusting, vacuuming, kitchen & bathroom scrubbing I want to hire out on.