Cleaning and Home Management Books
Book reviews of "Speed Cleaning", "Spotless" and "How to be Comfy"
Book review of three useful and practical housekeeping and home maintenance books by Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming.
Shannon Lush is Australian ABC Local Radio’s domestic advice guru. Together with ABC radio broadcaster and producer Jennifer Fleming, she has published three best -elling guides to cleaning and home maintenance.
Spotless (ABC Books, 2005)
This 228-page book provides solutions to common cleaning dilemmas in a question-and-answer format. The book includes a brief profile of each of the authors. There is a six-page listing of useful household cleaning products including natural ingredients, basic commercial cleaning products and other helpful items such as wet-and-dry sandpaper.
Chapters cover the various rooms of the home. More general chapters give an overview of floors, walls and windows, kids’ stuff, removing stains from fabric and outdoor cleaning problems.
The question-and-answer format sets out reader questions followed by a summary of the problem, recommended cleaning products and instructions on how to use the products for the best results. Readers are often provided with a range of cleaning options for stains, including natural products where suitable.
Problem stains for a variety of surfaces are dealt with, including objects as diverse as timber, wallpaper, appliances and furniture. An index at the end of the book provides a quick reference guide for quickly finding the appropriate cleaning solution.
Speedcleaning (ABC Books, 2006)
After providing answers to cleaning dilemmas in 2005, Lush and Fleming returned in 2006 to help householders establish a 15-minutes-a-day cleaning routine. Details are given for various cleaning tools and products as well as information on how to best organise time for productive cleaning.
As with Spotless, the book is divided into chapters for different areas of the home. Each chapter begins with instructions for putting together a clean kit for each area. This lists the various cleaning products and items needed to manage that area. Following the clean kit list, speed clean advice is given for different tasks within the room.
In addition to the information on cleaning, directions are given for best organising a room to minimise mess and facilitate quick cleaning routines. An index allows readers to quickly locate answers to cleaning questions and a selection of master cleaning lists such as daily cleaning and weekly cleaning checklists are included.
The book include a variety of general tips, advice on autumn and spring cleaning routines, tips for minimising mess from pets and a collection of home management hints from an 1817 book titled Lee’s Priceless Recipes.
How to be Comfy (ABC Books, 2007)
After covering all aspects of cleaning a house in their first two books, Lush and Fleming now offer advice on making a house a home. With 373 pages, it offers comprehensive advice on many aspects of organising, decorating and maintaining a home.
Once again, this book is divided into chapters corresponding to different areas within the home. There are additional chapters on travel, food and first add as well as a collection of general household tips.
The advice given is diverse covering basic organisation through to decorating and minor home maintenance tasks such as fixing a squeaky floorboard. Buying tips such as how to select a waterbed, washing machine or the best towels feature alongside minor DIY projects such as making a tyre swing or a letterbox.
All three books provide practical, easy to understand instructions for solving the kinds of problems that confront householders daily. Together they provide a comprehensive reference set for any home and make an ideal housewarming gift. They are also well-suited as a gift for someone moving out of home for the first time.
Related article: The House Book
