New ways to do work around the house

[tweety00]

Ok everyone I thought this might be helpful to everyone

How are you doing things around the house dealing with injuries and restrictions ?

I have gone to keeping my back straight and using family to get laundry out .... I can start the washing machine so long as hubby puts it level for me .... then I use a grabber to move to dryer.

Anyone have other ideas to help ?
(((((hugs)))))))))

[chrischris]

Good idea Tweety: My house help ideas were given to me by another Injured Worker, so I hope she doesn't mind me posting some of them to help others with upper body injuries.

Hoover Lite Weight Electric MOP -- GREAT INVENTION -- Cheapest at Wal-Mart

Oreck Vacumn -- CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT! -- A little pricey but I saved up my WC Mileage Reimbursement Money.

Any Broom -- Wrap the handle with Bubble Wrap and tape it securely, so you can grab it easier without having to close your hands around it.

Lids Off Jar Opener by Black and Decker -- cheapest online at amazon.com -- A must, and works with most size jars, except EXTRA tall jars. Even breaks the seals so you don't have to take them off first.

One Touch Battery Operated Can Opener -- I use it every day!

Spaghetti Scooper with Long Handle -- For those who can't lift the spaghetti pot to drain. This scooper has been a life saver to scoop out the pasta while pan is still on the stove. Works for scooping out other things like hot boiled potatoes, vegetables. It's very versatile.

That's it for now. My brain is fried tonight!

[monster]

I tape those Swiffer Duster things all over my 3 dogs and then we play fetch in the house...


Those are some really good tips up there, I will actually try to think of some serious ones to add.

Maybe I can make a harness for the dogs and attach the vaccuum, hmmmm, got some work to do now, I'll be back....

[snowbear]

Great suggestions chrischris...thank you!!! I'm not sure my dog would like the swiffer dusters!!! lol

[Pooh]

Badboy will love this one

You know those Microfibre cloths for cars that you can use to clean out the inside - those are actually great for dusting because the dust don't get all over and they are washable - dollar general has them and I think 3 towels cost about the same as a pack of the swifter dusters.

Also the microfibre cloths for car windows make cleaning windows easier and streak free. - again washable.

We did get the new Kenmore Elite washer and dryer last year - this is push button for me - so no knob turning and setting things (other than dryer to change settings for towels realls). Wahser is at perfect height and no bending to put in dryer - just bending to get out and clean lint trap. A little pricey since they are the new line of high efficiency prodects but well worth it for us. But what the heck no need to choose load size or anything - the washer weights the load for you and adds the right amount of water. Does take a special laundry soap that I have only seen Tide produce so far.

My vacuum has bare floor setting - so that helps on sweeping and then bending over to pick up the dirt in dust pan - then mop with one of those mops with the ridges in it that will pick up the rest of the little partles in the ridges. (It also has the dirt finder on it so your not constantly going over the same place wondering if you got all the dirt out of the carpet or not ... lol)

Making the beds - if you have a cat - teach them to help straighten out the sheets as if its a game - my one kitten loves the game - of course she gets carried away at times with the game. But when I grab the clean sheets she's right there on the bed ready to help. (Totally serious here folks)

That's about all I can think about from the green zone right now - but I can also tell you that if you do switch to the new florecent light bulbs that they do save on your electric bills as well. The first month our bill dropped just from replacing 6 bulbs.

[Lilly]

Hi.
I still cannot make the bed, vacuum entire house, have a hard time with laundry & folding clothes....TG I have a wonderful hubby! I did buy a heavy duty steam cleaner with a long hose that has several attachments. It rolls easily (like a vacuum). It's called a Euro Pro & I ordered it off one of the home shopping channels on TV. It is a God send to me for the bare floors! It takes little effort to steam clean the floors with one arm. When I get tired....I put it down and try again later. It has smaller attachments for windows, crevices, the microwave, counters, walls, tub & sinks, appliances etc. I would be SOL without it. It usually takes me all friggin week to clean house though....so, by the time I get done..it's dirty again
Lilly

[Guest]

Heres my tip:

HIRE A MAID roflmao.

Just kidding... I wish I could afford to hire one, im so sick of living in disorganized mess.

To mop the floors i use a swiffer wet jet, that way I dont have to carry around a bucket of water.

I can wipe the counters down now, I gained wiping motions in PT so instead of doing them against the wall, i do them on the counter with a cleaning rag lol.

Laundry- I can only wash a bit at a time, I havent mastered folding with one hand. YOu would think that I could because ive been this way for more than a yrs time.

Changing the sheets takes me forever and a day, as soon as I get one side on and move to the other, it plops off.

Sorry, im not much help, Im not able to do much yet, so i just said screw it before I got flustered and used the wrong hand.

[capricorn]

Hi all....Now that we're on cleaning, hubby and I had our rugs torn up and the floors done. I have been using 4 different tools to clean and it's driving me crazy. The only thing I can't do is wax because when the pad on the mop gets wet I can't move it with either arm. Am in the market for a good vacuum that does floors and rugs and only weighs a couple of pounds. Any suggestions. sheet changing is the worse, I have managed the bathroom with the least amount of bending and using only one arm. Do you think it's clean???? Without my glasses on I can't tell anyway so I don't put them on Laundry I'm not too bad at as long as someone gets it downstairs but I can't fold big things like hubby's clothes, sheets, towels. Been using the dishwasher alot to save hubby and daughter from dishpan hands. LOL This is a great post. When I first came I had a couple of people give me hints on how to be more comfortable at the computer and that really helped. God bless!

CAP

[Pooh]

Cap

We got the hoover savvy at sears - think we paid about 250 for it - not sure if they would have it at wal-marts now or not. But it does both bare floors and then rugs - just switch the settings on the handle. Also the attachments are right there on the vacuum for easy reach when you have to do stairs or things and you can order an extra long hose if you want. Think it comes with a 6 ft hose and 2 extensions - plus the normal attachments.

Then for mopping if you don't want to carry around water - you can do the swifter waterjet or wet pads on the reg floors. I use a reg mop because of the type of floor I have. I have used the wet pads and like the result I got with those as well.

Oh and for cleaning the sinks with something that works great - scrubbing bubbles now has sheets that you can buy as well - talk about something that works good around the sink basin and on the handles and fixutures !!!!!

[capricorn]

thanks Pooh.....I do use the wet/dry swiffer now for my kitchen and seem to be Ok with that. It's the bulk of the house though that I know we need a good lightweight vacuum. will definitely check out the "scubbing bubbles" sheets as I use the spray now and love it.


CAP