cleaning tips

Whether you're washing up after a major spill or (heaven forbid) a diaper blowout or just getting your old seat ready for a new arrival, cleaning your car seat can seem like a daunting task with all those parts, straps, nooks, and crannies. But follow these five easy steps (and, we suggest, wait for a sunny, warm day), and it doesn't have to be. Before you know it, your little one will be riding in sanitary style!

1. Gather your tools. A vacuum with a detachable nozzle, a nontoxic spot cleaner, leather or upholstery cleaner, a hose, and an old toothbrush, sponge, or rag should do the trick.
2. Remove all cover, straps, and inserts. Have the car seat manual handy or take a picture of how everything is configured so that you can reattach properly, and then either hand-wash all upholstered pieces or put them in the washing machine on the gentle cycle. You'll want to hang everything to dry, so plan this for a day when you don't need your car seat!
3. Wipe down clips, snaps, and straps. Use a toothbrush, sponge, or rag and soapy water or a nontoxic cleaning solution to wipe down all the plastic parts and straps. For any particularly stubborn or crusty (yuck!) stains, let a spot cleaner soak on the spot for a while, and then try to wipe down again.
4. Hose down the frame and base. Let everything dry thoroughly, and then reassemble according to directions.
5. Get your car ready. Vacuum crumbs out of your car's back seat, and wipe down seats with a leather or upholstery cleaner; then reattach your car seat, and you're ready to go!

My daughter loves her cushy high chair with its faux leather, comfy seat, and extra-wide tray, but to me, it just looks like one big crumb and spill magnet, complete with lots of nooks and crannies perfect for hiding peas from who knows how many meals ago, ketchup drips, and crushed crackers. If you're in the same "ick" boat as I am when it comes to your high chair, follow these quick tips to take your high chair from gross to gleaming.

1. Do a daily wipe down. Use a wet rag or nontoxic cleaning wipe to quickly wipe down the seat area to clean up any spills before they dry and harden. Hand wash your tray with dish soap and warm water, or if you have a removable tray, pop it in the dishwasher.
2. Tackle the crevices. My patented cleaning cheat moves involves using my vacuum's removable nozzle to suck up any crumbs, but you can also use dental floss, a cotton swab, or an old toothbrush combined with a wet rag to pick up tiny bits of food. Rub hardened food spots with warm water or a nontoxic cleaning solution (vinegar, water, and a bit of dish soap work well) and allow to soak for a few minutes before you scrub.
3. Work on the straps and seat. If you have machine washable parts, by all means, throw them in the laundry, but if you want your seat to last through multiple kids, consider hand washing. You can wipe down the seat and straps with hydrogen peroxide, a natural disinfectant that kills germs without leaving any residue, or use warm soapy water and a rag to gently remove any dirt and grime.
4. Reassemble and get ready for clean eating! At least, that is, until baby's next meal!

Your stroller is probably one of the biggest investments that you made in the baby gear department, and for good reason. Your little one's first set of wheels is a daily workhorse, cruising through everything from rain and snow to dirt and mud to get you and your baby where you need to go. Protect your precious ride by giving it a thorough cleaning every few months. It will prolong the stroller's life and ensure that your baby is riding in sanitary style. Here's how:

1. Assemble Your Arsenal: You'll want buckets of both regular and soapy, warm water, a few old dish towels or rags, a soft brush, a vacuum, WD-40, and a bottle of stain remover like BuggyLove or OxiClean Baby.
2. Break It Down: Take apart whatever pieces of the stroller that you can disassemble. If you can remove the bassinet or seat, do so. Also remove any accessories (cup holders, organizers, etc.).
3. Vacuum Away: Use your vacuum's nozzle attachment to suck up dirt and crumbs on all fabric surfaces.
4. Wipe It All Down: Use a soft towel and lukewarm water to clean your stroller's chassis, then dry it off with a dry towel.
5. (Not-So) Squeaky Clean: Spray some WD-40 on the brakes to prevent squeaking, and keep your stroller riding smoothly.
6. Brush Up: Use a soft brush to clean dirt and sand from your stroller's tires and any other mechanisms that may be dirty.
7. Suds Up: To clean a foam handlebar, gently rub it down with soapy water, then wipe away any residue with a dry towel.
8. Stains Be Gone: Following the directions on your bottle of stain remover, spray away any trouble spots.
9. Or, You Can Cheat: You'd take your dirty car to the car wash, and now you can take your dirty stroller to one of the many stroller cleaning services that have popped up across the country in recent years. Check out CleanBeeBaby or Stroller Spa to find a location in your area.

North by Northwest isn't just a Hitchcock film; it's also a great way to remember how to scrub your rug. Confused? Here's a little tip. If you're dealing with a stubborn stain on a rug, don't scrub harder; scrub smarter by thinking like a compass.

We all live with people, pets, and things we love that can spell trouble for our favorite rugs. Whether it's a kiddo, a dog, or a glass of red wine, there are dangers lurking. So, if you have a spill that's in need of cleaning, try gently rubbing a cloth over the stain by using the cardinal directions: go from northeast to southwest and northwest to southeast. Rubbing gently from a variety of directions will help to lift the spill without stressing the rug's fibers.

In order to keep you and your family well fed and healthy, a clean kitchen is essential. Here are some tips to keep your kitchen germ- and bug-free.

• Wash your hands before preparing and eating meals and snacks. I know you know this already, but it's just a little reminder.
• Clean commonly touched surfaces in your kitchen. Use disinfectant spray or wipes on sink faucets, refrigerator handles, stove handles, cupboard handles, soap dispensers, trashcans, doorknobs, light switches, and any other areas touched by grimy hands.
• Have separate cutting boards for meat. To avoid cross-contamination to veggies and fruits, use a separate cutting board for meat. Be sure to wash them immediately after use. If using plastic or glass cutting boards, run them through the dishwasher.
• Keep the items that disinfectant your dishes clean. Have both a sponge for dishes and one for the counters; replace sponges every two weeks. While in use, limit bacterial growth by allowing your sponge to dry out between uses, and you can also periodically microwave your wet sponge for two minutes. Dish towels should also be cleaned at least once a week.
• Wash all fruit and vegetable peels, even the ones you don't eat. Who knows how many hands (or worse) came in contact with your oranges, avocados, bananas, and cantaloupe. Wash all fruits and veggies before cutting into them to avoid transferring germs onto the edible parts.

Read on for more germ-busting tips.

I don't wear dentures, but I have worn a retainer, which I cleaned with Efferdent. The experience was valuable not just for keeping my teeth straight but also for educating me on the wonders of denture cleaner.

After seeing how well the effervescent tablets cleaned tiny nooks, I started experimenting on other tough-to-clean items; believe it or not, they are great for cleaning the rubber casings on my earbuds.

Trust me, these tablets are amazing at cleaning hard-to-reach spots, and they're cheap: 120 tablets of Efferdent costs less than $8, and the generic version is even cheaper. To see five surprising ways to use denture cleaner around the house, read more