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A Good Cleaning Man Is Hard To Find Tips For Getting Your Guy To Pitch In Around The House
By
Aug 13, 2005, 12:26

(NAPSI)-In today's hectic world, it's not uncommon for a woman to bring home the bacon, fry it in a pan and clean that pan, too-as well as the crumbs on the countertops, the dust on the lampshades and the dirt on the carpet.

According to a recent study in the Journal of Marriage and Family, women today say they do 67 percent of all housework.

"Men don't avoid cleaning because they're not capable-it's because the average guy doesn't know how," says Tom McNulty, author of "Clean Like a Man: Housekeeping for Men (and the Women Who Love Them)." "We have no idea where to start, what tools to use or how to do it right."

To help women empower the men in their lives, McNulty offers the following tips :

• Arm Him with a Gadget He Can't Resist. While a vacuum cleaner isn't a DVD player or a new putter, it is the cleaning tool that has the most gadgets for men to play with. McNulty recommends the new Eureka Altima, an "all-in-one" upright vacuum that features three on-board tools designed to help achieve a more complete clean. In addition to taking care of the floors, its Telescopic Self Cleaning Duster extends to reach dirt on ceiling fans, blinds, crown molding and other hard-to-reach places.

The Powered Edge Kleener reaches within millimeters of baseboards, allowing easier access to dirt and dust that nestle along walls and carpet edges. And, there's no more awkward wrist positions when cleaning stairs and upholstery with the Riser Visor, a stair and upholstery brush with a flip-top hood that cleans both horizontally and vertically.

• Keep It Quick and Painless. McNulty says men are easily overwhelmed at the sight of a messy house. One of his "Men Commandments" suggests keeping basic housekeeping tools and supplies in an "MCU" (Mobile Cleaning Unit)-a carry-all such as a bucket, containing glass cleaner, disinfectant, all-purpose spray, dust cleaner, powder abrasive, cotton cloths or rags, multipurpose scrubbing brush, sponges, whisk broom, small dustpan, old toothbrush and rubber gloves. Better yet, place room-specific tools where they will be used.

• Stop Clutter Before It Begins. To stop clutter before it gets out of hand, McNulty suggests investing in a few storage systems and "catch-all" bins for each room. This encourages guys to clean as they go and helps sort through loose items easily on cleaning day. For more information, visit www.eureka.com or call 1-877-270-9289.

The design of this brush makes it easier to clean stairs.

A telescopic self-cleaning duster is just the gadget for cleaning ceiling fans.

Vacuum cleaners are the cleaning tool with the most gadgets for men.

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