While filming the hardwood floor videos the other day, I came across a lot of extra footage which didn’t get incorporated into the final video, so, I put together a couple of bonus videos regarding caring for your hardwood floors!

Hello there, happy Wednesday.

This was another fabulous question that came from a YouTube viewer. I love these questions because it gives me a chance to help the viewers out and it opens up conversations in the comment boxes where I always seem to learn more tips, or get asked more questions. A mushroom, if you will!

Well, here’s the question:

I have a question, My wife is a nurse and her shoes get contaminated. My shoes, lets just say they smell. I have thought of throwing them in the washer and dryer,but then thought against it. How do you recommend we clean the inside and outside of our shoes? Thanks! By the way, your videos are awesome.

Aww, love that. Just love when people comment about my vids, it really makes my day!

Here’s my answer:

That’s a terrific question actually! Thanks for our kind words about the videos My recommendation for smelly shoes: sprinkle baking soda inside them overnight. The next morning, shake out the white stuff and the shoes should be deodorized. You can also wash the exterior of the shoe with some dish soap and hot water with an old toothbrush. Putting certain shoes in the washing machine can deform them (not a good idea). you can also replace the shoe liners as those are the part of the shoe that absorb the odours. For your wife, she can disinfect them by keeping a bottle of disinfecting spray with her and lightly misting the exterior of her shoes and the soles after each shift. Depending on what she likes, she can make up a spray bottle filled with 10 drops of lavender or tea tree essential oil (natural disinfectants) in distilled water, or she can use plan hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and spritz her shoes with that. Just check an inconspicuous area to make sure the shoes are colourfast first! Let me know how this works. I’ve received a lot of shoe-related questions! Thanks again

Essentially, the key takeaways are:

1) MOST shoes can’t go in the wash (canvas shoes can i.e. Tom’s or Keds), so you have to hand wash them

2) Prolong the life of the shoe by deodorizing, replacing the liner/insole and cleaning the outside gently

3) Disinfect shoes with a home made spray so that you don’t track germs everywhere.

Enjoy!

This is a very interesting debate.

Last evening, my friends and I partook in a nerdy pumpkin carve-off and had a ball. I casually surveyed them to amidst our carving fiasco to find out their thoughts and buying habits when it comes to cleaning products.

Here were the characters I had on hand and their opinions:

1) J and J, who are trying to make more environmentally-conscious choices as they want to preserve the environment, health was not the forefront of their concerns. J and J made a pledge in their home to reduce chemicals in their home and replace old products with ones that are better for the environment. They did mention they were not happy with the expense associated with this choice.

2) D and J, who are pregnant. Prior to pregnancy, D and J were very happy with run-of-the-mill cleaning products and felt they were adequate. J is very set in his ways and likes certain products, and D is happy to get products that are going to be better for her and baby. D has an aversion to vinegar, as her mother used it a little too much in their home when she was growing up and can’t stand the smell. The environment was not a concern to them, and health was a new concern strictly due to pregnancy. Cost and efficacy are big factors in their decision-making.

3) Y and D, who are completely obsessed with big brand cleaning products, have no concern for health or the environment. They are both great people with big hearts who are well-educated and very intelligent. They don’t see a need for making a change, and truly enjoy the smells associated with cleaning products. They are also happy to know that products ‘kill germs’ and feel better about being in their homes when the strong smells are present. Cost wasn’t entirely mentioned, however efficacy and convenience were.  Health and the environment were not at all a concern to them.

So, what can I make of all of this information?

People like products that work and that they are familiar with.  More people are moving toward the trend of being health and environmentally conscious, but it’s still a little fringe.

What do you think about this?
What are your opinions and thoughts about cleaning products?
What is important, what do you look for?