All About Life Without Maids

[osim]

MizzNAH:

I am a Malay lady with 3 children residing at Woodlands. Got retrenched from a French's bank sometime in November 2011. Look for job but not easy because now in 40ths. Decided to let go my Indonesia maid in early July and become a full-time housewife.


Hubby bought the iClebo Arte and am glad to have it. Currently busy with housework, having relying from maid for the past 16 years. Not easy but still have to do it. My children aged 16, 13 and 12 all busy with their schoolwork and unable to rely on them much. Hubby do helped whether not working. Really stressed up with daily chores and at time slept after 12. Really need some tips from members here.

\"A Clean And Neat House Is A Sign Of A Wasted Life\"

Just a quote I saw at a gift shop

Make time to enjoy your family. The kids will have less time for you as the years go by so Carpe Diem! When they become adults and hardly home, then do more cleaning if you want.

For me, I enjoy cooking for my family. I want them to cultivate healthy food choices and habits. I hope they will always want to come home for Mom's cooking later in their life

[dasalo]

osim:

Hi dasalo,

So does the steam cleaning help get rid of smell?

Yes, it does

I agree with your technician. There will be some condensation at the fan coil, that means moisture and with our warm weather, will trap odours and also a nice place for mould and bacteria growth. The air in the 1st minute or so when you just start the aircon is just, air. The compressor does not kick in until a short while later. In this minute or so, the air that blows out is not cold, the strong wind blowing at in the unit will dry up whatever moisture in there and that evaporation gives 'the smell'. This 'smell' accumulates from us circulating air with 'smell' in and out of the fan coil.

So how do you explain when I don't get this for must last 2 sets with different brand? I would on and off use Lampe Berger diffuser too and I don't get it. Possibly because of the R22 gas

Actually, even if the compressor kicks in and cold air comes out, as the air cools down, you think the smell is gone but actually it's just that our nose is less sensitive to smell in cold air.

So the idea is not to have strong smell circulating thru our fan coil. Your technician suggestion about not using diffuser could be right. A lot of essential oils and perfumes may smell good when fresh but their molecules get trapped and become stale in your fan coil. But then, it's not just diffuser, it could br a pet, smelly clothes, sweaty body, cigarette smoke,etc. Basically, the fan coil just need regular cleaning.

My fan coil unit is cleaned by a professional technician once in 2 months, 6x/year. This unit is less than a year old and has undergone normal servicing twice.

Smells are molecules that can settle ( absorbed) into any surface). My neighbor used to have a very old dog with terrible BO. Her whole house smell of the dog's BO. The BO get absorbed into the sofa, etc. Even after the dog died, the smell lingered on...

I read a aircon tech site that the smell problem could also be due to poor pipe drainage, like one forumner said. If after sucking the pipes with vacuum during servicing still does not help, could your end opening of your pipe be near some hole that gives out bad odor? I think this needs investigation.

The serviceman told me mine isn't the case as poor drainage and end of pipe bad odor can only occur if its back to back drainage. My end of pipe to coil unit is at least 10m away. Anyway, I had the end drainage scrub and clean yesterday. Let see how it goes

The end of pipe is vacuum each time during regular servicing.

Osim, do you get this problem with Daikin? Units that is using R22 gas seldom has this problem I was told. It affects most 410gas users - mine is currently 410, previous R22.

[dasalo]

osim:

\"A Clean And Neat House Is A Sign Of A Wasted Life\"

Just a quote I saw at a gift shop

Do you believe this quotation? :roll:

It explains when it is found in a gift shop.

[Fairy]

micollh:

same prob with floor clothes.. tempted to thow into washing machines but not so hygenic? so now i still use \"soak- srcub \" then hang method.. really killing me..

I use old tees and old bath towels as floor cloth and discard them after use, no need to wash. On occasions when i have visitors, I'll use proper bath mats. Like you, I hate the hand washing part but will not contemplate putting them into my washing machine.

[osim]

dasalo:

Osim, do you get this problem with Daikin? Units that is using R22 gas seldom has this problem I was told. It affects most 410gas users - mine is currently 410, previous R22.

Sorry, I don't know what type of gas is used on mine. I really hope you can solve your problem. Good Luck!

[babycutie71]

Fairy:

micollh:

same prob with floor clothes.. tempted to thow into washing machines but not so hygenic? so now i still use \"soak- srcub \" then hang method.. really killing me..

I use old tees and old bath towels as floor cloth and discard them after use, no need to wash. On occasions when i have visitors, I'll use proper bath mats. Like you, I hate the hand washing part but will not contemplate putting them into my washing machine.

Oops!! I soak the mats with washing powder & hot water overnight. The next day, rinse the mats then put into washing machine & turn temp to 60 degree (stain) & did a quick wash. Should be ok right?

Maybe I should wipe the drum after washing floormats? Btw, how often do u change yr floormats? I change every 2 to 3 days. Is it too soon? But the bathroom mats wet very fast so have to change.

[janet88]

slmkhoo:

Fairy:

[quote=\"micollh\"]same prob with floor clothes.. tempted to thow into washing machines but not so hygenic? so now i still use \"soak- srcub \" then hang method.. really killing me..

Like you, I hate the hand washing part but will not contemplate putting them into my washing machine.

I soak my floor clothes in soapy water for a while, then rinse in fresh water, then put them in the machine. I reckon the worst of the dirt will come off in the soak, and I don't have to wring them by hand.[/quote]I dump my floor cloth into semi washing machine. Put some bleach. Wash, spin 2x. Job done! That machine is strictly for floor cloth...bought it sometime back. I have another machine just for our clothes. Dry ourselves before stepping out toilet. Change floor cloth every week.

[mommylow]

Gosh! I throw my floor cloth, mats and rags into the washing machine after collecting them for about a week in a separate basket. Is it true it’s unhygienic to wash them in the washing machine? I accumulate the cloths so as to conserve water as it is wasteful to use the washer for only 1-2 pieces daily.


Anyway, anyone knows how to clean the drum of the washing machine to remove the dirt accumulated after use for a long period of time?

[babycutie71]

Hmmm… Maybe can get a mini washing machine to wash???

[BeContented]

Is floor mat really that dirty? I also throw into washing machine. :oops:

Basically i change them 2-3 times a week.....mostly due to wetness.

Also, since at home.....should not be that dirty right?