Housekeeping Question

Aug 21, 2007
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Here is the problem. I have beige floor tiles, which the maid mops with, of course, a rag mop several times a week. She does it Dominican style. Uses Mistolin. First slops on a flood of water. Then, squeezes the mop dry and mops up the water, rinses, dries mop, and mops up more water, etc.

Yesterday, someone walked through the house with something on his/her shoes that acted as an abrasive. I have no idea who it was or what was on their shoes, however, everywhere he/she walked were footprints with the tiles clean, clean, clean. It looks as if years of grunge have been scrubbed away.

Does anyone have any recommendations of something I can use that would clean ALL the tiles to the same degree as the clean footprint areas I now have throughout the house?

Thanks!
Lindsey
 

GringoCArlos

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Jan 9, 2002
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I think that if you read the label on Mistolin or any other floor cleaner, it says to add one or two caps to a bucket of water. Dominicana style is to take the bottle of Mistolin and pour it out on the floor as they walk, then add water to the floor, and then mop it up as they go. If you are lucky, they will come back a second time with just water, and repeat the process. If they want a fast process, the standard procedure is to pour the Mistolin on the mop, clean a small area, and let it dry, with the only water being whatever was in the damp mop.

What you are seeing is the residue of too much Mistolin left behind on the floor tiles. It has always amazed me that a maid can go through a half gallon of Mistolin in a week, cleaning the floors every morning, and then complain about not having any Mistolin. They normally then resort to using laundry detergent to clean the floors, hehehe.

It's a matter of education. If the house doesn't smell like Mistolin once the maid is done "cleaning the floors", it just doesn't seem clean to them.

The same thing applies to the laundry, and detergent and bleach usage. They have been taught by their mommas that they have to add a lot of detergent and bleach so that the clothes come out "clean". The result is clothes that are loaded with residue, shorter life of the clothes, and/or bleach spots. Another added risk is skin reactions by the wearer from contact dermatits from the residues in the clothes, and the user wondering what the problem is.
 

laurajane

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May 23, 2005
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Every now and again i buy a bottle of "Cruz Verde" in the supermarket, you will find it in the detergent isle. This will not only remove residue but will get the grouting inbetween the tiles a nice white color again. Be careful to wear gloves as it is quite abrasive but gets the job done nicely. IS also very good for any marks left in bathtubs etc, i find no matter where we live that the showers and bathtubs are never levelled properly and the water doesnt seem to drain away, leaving a build up of residue very difficult to remove. hope it works!
 
Aug 21, 2007
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I will try the Cruz Verde. I did buy a bottle of ammonia cleaner today and some sponges with the scratchy stuff on one side.

What do you think the maid is going to say when I tell her the grunge is because she is using too much Mistolin and now she must work on her hands and knees scrubbing the floor by hand to get the stuff off?

Couldn't pay ME to do that work!

Lindsey
 

DrChrisHE

On Probation!
Jul 23, 2006
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Yes, it is the application that is PART of the problem. Our housekeeper was squirting it on until I informed her that the directions say one CAP per half bucket. As I hate the smell of Mistolin and her squirt approach left our floors sticky, I switched to Pine Sol (big jugs available at PriceSmart). Of course the first day she tried to drink it because she thought it was juice (fortunately our teenager caught her). As it is a completely NEW product for her, I was able to teach her the correct usage from the beginning. It seems to strip that grime MUCH better. Good luck!
 

DrChrisHE

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Jul 23, 2006
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Regarding the laundry detergent and bleach...ditto problem with several serial maids. I had to teach them to dissolve ONE cup (and I provided THE cup for each of the bleach and the cloro) per load NO more PRIOR to adding the clothing. Another thing we did was institute a double rinse policy. It works.

When we first arrived, my Dh used to buy FABRIC SOFTENER which STAINED our clothing terribly. Eventually we gave up on fabric softener. As for the bleach, you need to repeat it OVER and OVER. Our housekeeper uses about a gallon/day--still an issue. When she was off for two weeks, Dh said I wasn't using my quota of cloro;)
 

retiree

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Jan 18, 2008
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Why should the maid say anything? Sounds like you need a new cleaning person. Our cleaning lady uses a bit of dish detergent in water in the bucket - very little water on the mop and then rinses with a wrung out mop. And once a week is more than enough. I think you are washing your floor too much. But, other than a solvent, I don't know how to get all that dried floor cleaner off your floors.
 

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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Puro Ozua

May I recommend Puro Ozua, a wonderful desinfectant made from pine forests of Moncion. The smell is subtle, and it is gentle on floors. Sometimes I can find it in Super Pola, but I like it so much I resort to ordering it by box from the local distributor. I suggest you call 688-2372, and they will deliver you a box.
 

DrChrisHE

On Probation!
Jul 23, 2006
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May I recommend Puro Ozua, a wonderful desinfectant made from pine forests of Moncion. The smell is subtle, and it is gentle on floors. Sometimes I can find it in Super Pola, but I like it so much I resort to ordering it by box from the local distributor. I suggest you call 688-2372, and they will deliver you a box.

Dolores: Is this a local product? How does it compare to the Pine Sol I mentioned? Pine Sol has the same properties you mentioned.

One thing anyone who doesn't think they have floor build up (from Mistolin) should do is spend an entire weekend walking around your house barefoot. Then look at your feet (I used to take at least one shower a day--sometimes >2 but when I had surgery I couldn't; my feet were black and I wasn't even going outside!) Since we switched to Pine Sol, I've noticed that none of our feet get that icky grime.

For those with animals or who live near construction, I can't see how one could get away with mopping just once a week. Our house needs it every other day with daily sweeping (we have 5 people--including 3 boys--2 cats, and a 100lb dog with long fur.) We are far from being clean freaks but without this routine, everything (beds, sofas, etc.) is covered with whatever is on the floor.
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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... pero yo hay!

I like buying things bulk. We all know, it's cheaper. Or so it would appear, but then...
I buy a Gallon of Suavitel (rinse softener)... a week later it was gone... EMPTY!
So I go out and buy a quart of Suavitel to cover the emergency... it lasted TWO weeks!
Now, I buy 2.5 Gallon of the generic stuff from PriceMart, keep it hidden and re-fill the little Suavitel bottle. Works perfectly, as long the housekeeper doesn't catch me on it.
When there is not much... it becomes precious, if there's plenty... pero yo hay, why bother?

We think different because we can afford to. They buy 20 Pesos of washing powder (ace) and it's got to last for a warehouse full of clothes, we know that is awfully expensive when compared to buying bulk. But to a person who has been raised to buy 20 by 20 looking at somebody who keeps colmado sized stashes of ace... they can afford to live the good life and make lots'a bubbles in the wash machine, now don't they.

Anyway, I now dispense all small quantities of Mistolin (it's not a bad product, btw), ace, suavitel and just about anything used in the house. So it gets appreciated and used somewhat more like it was intended anyway.

The "watering" of the furniture (flooding of the floor) is not quite solved yet, but I'm working on it. Locals love to use a lot of water in general and it seems that it is the believe that more water cleans better.
I have white painted doors and frames. I have shown to my housekeeper that the paint is coming off at the bottom of all door frames where ever they touch the tiles and three times weekly, the water. Yes, we have flood damage on the 2nd floor! I show her that with that kind of "humor"... she starts to believe me but it is a s l o w process... an internal fight... traditions against hard evidence.
Bless her heart, I like her very much for so many other things.

... J-D.
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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May I "SUGGEST" A Way To "SAVE" Money!

In the "DUMNinican" Culture:..
More IS MORE"!!!
They use "Too Much" of EVERYTHING !!!!
Your maid,wife,mother-in-law, will use bleach,fabric softener,laundry "soap" (Liquid AND/OR Powder), Dish soap,Shampoo,conditioner, Mistolin,(I buy cleaning products from a distributor!) and shampoo/conditioner in gallon bottles.Rice,beans,"You Name It!" as if it comes "FREE"!
You CANNOT change their mindset! You may "THINK" you can/have,but you can't!
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, "OUTSMART" them, dilute EVERYTHING!
As has been stated here already,"Lock Up" the "PURE" bottles,and only have "Diluted" products available for them to use! I once bought an "American" laundry detergent powwwder in a BIG plastic bucket. (BIG MISTAKE!) It said, "Good For 100 Loads!!) on the bucket!!!!
I can't believe the maid did "100 LOADS", in ONLY one week!!!
Why do they cook SOOOOOOOOOO Much food??????????????
There are ALWAYS "Leftovers",which they will eat if left in a "POT" on the stove all day,but NEVER EAT, if kept in the refrigerator for one DAY!!!!!
Oh well,the women sure are "BEAUTIFUL"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:bunny::bunny::bunny:
Cris Colon
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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Puro Ozua is a local product, I would assume artisanally made with natural ingredients. I would speculate it would be less commercial and chemical, than a product such as Pine Sol, but I would have to check the specs of Pine Sol and give the people of Puro Ozua a call to get their ingredients.
 

tish

New member
Mar 10, 2007
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me too...

Now, I buy 2.5 Gallon of the generic stuff from PriceMart, keep it hidden and re-fill the little Suavitel bottle. Works perfectly, as long the housekeeper doesn't catch me on it.

That's exactly what I do. I refill the 32 oz and hide the larger 2 gallon of cloro. I thought it was just me, sneaking around hiding the stock.
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
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Santiago
We don't have the problem of grudge fortunately, that being said our housekeeper mops the floor everyday and she uses mistolin and or cloro. For those with constant dirt problem, mopping the floor with a mild abrazsive, like ajax, etc will do the trick. I think the Dom. version is powdered clorox.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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we are soon moving to an apartment above our farmacia where we have to live while our house is being built. apartment is in pretty bad state so i am rubbing and scrubbing everything. yesterday our maid came in (she has nothing to do with cleaning the apartment until we move in). i showed her around and said i had to scrub bathtub for an hour with cloro to get it back in shape and she says: "yes, it's because extranjeros lived here before, they are all dirty". :)
yes, use less than a bottle of detergent for cleaning the floor and you'll be labeled dirty! :)
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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speaking of our maid: yes, our cat gets so scared of her he does not want to get out of the closet even after she's gone. yes, i can clean the floor better than she can (my mum taught me - always use hot hot hot water) but she can iron like an angel, bless her. and apparently she does not think i'm extranjera, as she communicated to miesposo that he has clean and hardworking wife. :)
 

DrChrisHE

On Probation!
Jul 23, 2006
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speaking of our maid: yes, our cat gets so scared of her he does not want to get out of the closet even after she's gone. yes, i can clean the floor better than she can (my mum taught me - always use hot hot hot water) but she can iron like an angel, bless her. and apparently she does not think i'm extranjera, as she communicated to miesposo that he has clean and hardworking wife. :)

LOL--our huntress cat climbs up in the underside of the bed mattress and when our maid sweeps under the bed she jumps out and scares the daylights out her (but I think it is the maid who scares her first by bumping into her with the broom!)
 

Sanation

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May 21, 2007
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Does anyone know where I can purchase a scoop for washing powder in Santo Domingo?

Our maid goes through a large bag of washing powder a week.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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Does anyone know where I can purchase a scoop for washing powder in Santo Domingo?

Our maid goes through a large bag of washing powder a week.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I don't even know if what you are looking for is available at all. I fill empty yoghurt plastic containers (they have a plastic lid). And keep the bulk bucket hidden "cuando este vacio me avisa pa ir a comprar un chin mas, oio?". I never even let her know there is more.

... J-D.