Susie Homemaker

 It's an old term, that Susie Homemaker business, but it fits me.  I have a lot in common with that iconic 50's housewife moniker.  Like June Cleaver.  I cook, clean, bake, mix a stiff drink for my man (and one for me!) and take care of the kids (although that job requires very little now). I am also often seen putting around the kitchen in an apron! (Pearls are optional!)  Some time ago I admitted my dirty little secret and cleaned the daylights out of my copper.  But I have other little dirty issues.  Not in my kitchen, mind you.  The first is a toilet.  Just one, that seems to get a ring within days.  I tried everything.  I drained it and filled it with bleach water, I tried Comet, Bon Ami, and Magic Eraser.  Nothing would take that ring away, although it faded a little.  So at Home Depot, my second favorite store, I found this little guy.  

No chemicals and a whopping $2.49, what could I lose?  Ha!  I lost the ring!!!  This pumice stone basically makes a gritty paste when wet and takes the ring away in seconds.  Porcelain is fired at a very high temperature so it is not scratched by the pumice.  I keep one in my cleaning bucket at all times.

So fast forward to summer.  Now that the gardens are planted, the mulch is laid, the birds are well fed, my sights turned to the pool.  Our pool is nothing special, a hole full of water basically.  It was put in in 1987, and has had little done to it since.  When we moved in 12 years ago, we knew we would enjoy it on these miserable summer days.  Like today, 98F and 98% humidity....it's hot!  I tried that first summer to polish up the tile with something we bought at the pool store.  It wasn't great, and it was shiny for a few days.  Summers have passed where I pretty much ignored the tile.  And this sumer as I paddled around I thought about that stone...  After retrieving it from my bucket I went to town on the tile at the steps.  I could hardly believe my eyes.  Once the stone is wet and you rub it makes a paste that takes away 15 years of haze on this gorgeous tile.  Who knew how pretty it really is!  I quickly scrubbed through that one pumice stone, got out of the pool and headed to Home Depot in a swimsuit cover up and bought 9 more!  It looks like I'll need a few more, but wow, the results are pretty spectacular.  Then I rubbed the vinyl coping with a Magic Eraser and cleaned that up too!

We've debated over the years about a pool redo, but with the housing market where it's been, we decided that our money was better spent other ways.  As long as the water is sparkly and cooler than the air, it works for me!  So, what are you waiting for?  Certainly something needs a scrubbing!