I’ve found that one of the best ways to motivate kids to clean is to make cleaning a game.  I’m sure you have all participated in a White Elephant gift exchange over Christmas.  My suggestion is to use a gift exchange as a motivation for cleaning.

Develop a list of chores to be done around the house that your children are capable of successfully completing.  Make some of them simple such as taking out the garbage and some of them more challenging like cleaning your shower enclosure with CLR Bathroom & Kitchen Cleaner.  Get a present for each chore that is commensurate with the difficulty of the chore.  Wrap the presents and you are ready to start the game.

Pick a child to go first and have them pick a chore to complete.  I would suggest starting with the youngest and going up in age.  Work with them to make sure that they complete the chore correctly.  Once they are done with their chore, let them choose a present, but don’t let them open the package.  Have your next child pick their chore and then, once they are done, their present.  Once all of your children have a present, start all over with the first child.  After the first child completes their next chore, they can either pick another present from the remaining gifts or they can “steal” one from one of the other children.  Keep going until all of the chores have been completed and then let the kids open their gifts.

Sue

When your kids get older, before they start working, they have reached a point in their lives when they need money but they have no other options other than to get money from you.  When that time comes, you’ll have your best occasion to teach them responsibility around the house and what it means to work for a living.  Instead of just giving them an allowance, develop a list of chores around the house that they can do to earn their allowance.  Teach them the proper way to complete these chores whether it is cutting the lawn or what cleaning supplies should be used on what surface.  I’d suggest using CLR Bathroom & Kitchen Cleaner if their chore is cleaning the bathroom since you can use it on most surfaces in the bathroom.  Show them how to complete these chores safely.  Tell them why they should wear safety glasses while cutting the lawn and wear rubber gloves while working with cleaning solvents.  Teaching them the right way to clean will have a long term benefit not only around your home, but it will lay the groundwork for them to someday keep their own home clean.  When you develop your list of chores assign a different pay for each chore depending on the difficulty and the length of time it takes to complete.  Your child will learn the harder they work the more money they can make.  Make sure that they have chores around the house that they have to complete that are not for pay.  After all, it’s everyone’s responsibility to keep their home clean.

Sue

Are you fighting a Chore War?

Did you know that 97% of all American couples who share chores around the house have a happy marriage? Find out who does the work around your house.

Stop by Chore Wars and have fun while you find out what type of cleaning personality you have and receive tips on how to avoid a cleaning battle in your home.

Cleaning toys for charity

How would you like to get your child’s playroom and your backyard clean of old toys as well as teach your child the virtues of helping their fellow man?  To achieve this lofty end, sit down with your child and explain to them that not all children are as lucky as they are and that those children don’t have any toys.  You can probably find a list of local charities to which you can donate the toys on your city’s web site.  Work with your child to help them sort out with which of their toys they no longer play.  You may have to remind them from time to time when they don’t want to give up a toy that some poor child would get a lot of fun out of playing with that toy.  Once you sort out which toys you are donating, look at each to make sure that they are in good shape.  No charity will accept broken or damaged toys.  Discard the broken toys and clean the other items you are donating.  Some of the toys you will just be able to throw into your washing machine.  For the plastic items, get out your CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner.  CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner cuts through outdoor dirt, grime, bird droppings, grease and food spills.  You can clean any plastic, rattan, wicker, wood, wrought iron, vinyl, PVC or canvas item.  CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner is safe on white and colored resin sporting or play equipment and contains UV protectants to keep outdoor toys from fading and discoloration.  Clean the toys outside and enjoy a beautiful spring day.  CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner won’t harm your lawn, shrubs, flowers or pets.

Sue

Teaching kids to clean

One of the harder tasks you’ll face in raising your children is motivating them to clean.  One technique that I have found to be successful is to tie the chore with a reward and to hide the entire lesson from the child.

My children love brownies.  Last Saturday, I had them help me make a batch.  While the brownies were in the oven, I told the kids that we needed to clean up the counter so that we could cut the brownies and have them with ice-cream once the brownies were done baking.  They were so excited about the treat that they actually forgot they were cleaning.  When cleaning my counters I always use CLR Bathroom & Kitchen Cleaner.  After my kids and I put on our rubber gloves, I had one of them spray the counter and the other look at the second hand on the clock.  After two minutes, I wiped the solution off the counter and had them rinse off the counter with cold, clean water.  Once we were done cleaning, it was time for brownies and ice-cream.  Now if I can figure out a way to get them to help with the dishes!

Sue

Coin collecting is a wonderful way that you can have fun with your children.  Start by buying them a cardboard coin folder for Lincoln head pennies and a roll of pennies for the folder.  Sit down with them, go through the pennies and help them insert them into the folder.

Now that they’ve started collecting, let the fun begin.  Every night when you come from work or the store, empty your change out on the table and look for any new pennies that your children can add to their folder.  When you go out together, check the spare penny dishes at convenience stores and small restaurants for pennies they may need.  The fun is in the searching!

Start with pennies because they are inexpensive and easy to find in your everyday life.  When you start finding some old pennies on which you have a hard time reading the date, get out your Tarn-X.  Before you begin using Tarn-X, keep in mind that some coin collectors feel that Tarn-X can lessen the value of a coin.  If you are collecting for more than family fun, research other ways to clean coins.  To use Tarn-X, first wash the penny in hot, soapy water, rinse and dry the coin.  Pour the Tarn-X into a small dish and set it on an old plastic tablecloth.  While wearing household rubber gloves, dip the penny into the solution, rinse in cold water and dry the coin with a soft cloth.  Do not leave the penny in the solution for more than two minutes.  If the penny is not clean enough to read the date, repeat the process.  When you’re finished, you’ll be able to see the date and your child will be amazed at the shine on their penny.

Sue

I have been told how difficult it is to get teenagers to do housework and that is why I was so pleased to get a note form Karen in Farmington, Missouri.  “I have tried every bathroom cleaner there is to remove soap scum.  Seems like nothing really works like they say they do until I tried CLR Bath & Kitchen Cleaner.  I was amazed at how great it worked. My tubs have never shined like they do now.  I have 2 teenage daughters who hated to clean their bathrooms until now.  With CLR Bath & Kitchen Cleaner the job is much easier for them and they love the results.  I haven't seen any advertising for this particular product.  I just happened to come across it at the grocery store and thought I would give it a try.  Glad I did.”

Glad we could help motivate your girls, Karen.  CLR Bath & Kitchen Cleaner is the fast, easy way and almost the only product you need to clean your bathroom.  Just remember, always use CLR Bath & Kitchen Cleaner in a well ventilated area while wearing household rubber gloves and test a hidden area of the surface before beginning to clean.  Never leave the solution on a surface for more than two or three minutes and always rinse thoroughly when you are finished.

Sue

At my house my kids always come first so when spring rolls around and it’s time for them to go outside to play, I pull out the CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner.  My kids are young so many things still go in their mouths.  They don’t care that their sandbox shovel has been lying out all year and that a bird left its calling card on the handle.  Into the mouth it goes!

I can’t afford to get new outdoor toys every year – who can.  The only thing I can do to keep my kids healthy is make sure all their toys are clean before I give them to them.  Over the years I’ve tried soap and water as well as every imaginable general cleaner.  CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner is specially formulated for outdoor cleaning.  I know when I use it on my son’s plastic shovel, bucket, chair and truck they are really clean.

Once I’ve cleaned my kid’s toys it’s time for me to get after my husband to get the rest of the outdoor furniture clean.  I’m amazed at all the materials and surfaces CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner cleans.  It will clean the full range of outdoor furniture surfaces from cushions to framework – even strapping – without harming surrounding lawn, shrubs, flowers or pets.  CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner cuts through outdoor dirt, grime, bird droppings, grease and food spills.  You can clean all of your plastic, rattan, wicker, wood, wrought iron, vinyl, PVC and canvas furniture.  CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner is safe on white and colored resin including resin furniture and sporting or play equipment and contains UV protectants to keep outdoor furniture from fading and discoloration.

Sue