Can We Talk 2

Getting Started at FLYing

         I'm only a FLY baby, as newbies are called by the FLY lady. But I still want to talk about it and share the excitement.

         She tells us it all starts with a shiny sink. Yes. Shiny. Clean I understand, but shiny? I read the directions and followed them. I'm hooked. Here's how it works. There's a major first step, then a minor daily one. First, empty the sink and clear the drain of all debris. Scrub the sink (start with the kitchen) with scouring powder or baking soda or whatever you like. Scrub all over and down into the drain. Include the faucets and handles. I usually fail to take out the stopper and clean it inside and out, but now that it's been pointed out to me, pay a lot of attention to it. I've seen people put the stoppers in the dishwasher, along with scouring pads, and sponges. I don't believe that will be necessary from now on.

         The FLY lady recommends using a knife to go around the edges of the sink, the fixtures, and the drain. I prefer a toothpick, which I've always used to get that discoloration up. Rinse the sink thoroughly, not leaving any cleaner behind. Now fill up the sink with water and add bleach. ( bleach mixes with a lot of cleaners to create toxic fumes which could hurt you.) Leave this for 15 minutes or longer. Drain and rinse. Now wipe with a paper towel or a rag of your choice until all surfaces are dry. The faucets should show no finger prints or water marks. The bottom and sides of the sink should be dry. Final step: Spray the sink and fixtures with window cleaner. Dry until sparkly. Repeat in bathrooms.

         You will not have to repeat that first step very often. In fact, you won't have to scour much except for big messes or denture paste. When that zone comes up each month, you will pay a little extra attention. But for now, every day, the last thing in your routine is to make sure the sink is clean and dry. Any dirty dishes you can wash and dry and put away OR hide in the dishwasher. (Always put the clean dishes away as soon as they are done, so that the dishwasher remains available for hiding dirty dishes.)

         I find myself washing dishes as soon as I dirty them, like before dinner. I empty the drain stopper several times a day. Every night, I dry the whole sink, handles, and the drain. Seeing the clean sparkly sink does have a psychological affect. I feel like the kitchen is cleaner, the bathrooms are more inviting. And it's beginning to affect my desire for clean counters and stove top. I've always wanted those, but didn't work on them on a daily basis By doing these small things on a daily basis, the dirty job doesn't get so big. When I concentrate on those zones, sanitizing the sinks really is not that big a job because I kept it clean daily.