The Cleaning Bible: Kim and Aggie's Complete Guide to Modern Household Management

by Aggie MacKenzie, Kim Woodburn

You watched the TV programme and you bought the book but is your house still a bit dull round the edges? It is time to get Kim and Aggie round to do the spring cleaning - their ultimate "Cleaning Bible" is the only helping hand you need for all tasks of a domestic nature. Every tip and trick from their combined cleaning experience of about half a century is included, and they always use natural products where possible so even your conscience will be clean. Make a space next to Delia and Jamie and welcome Kim and Aggie to your domestic bookshelf!

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Education, How To

Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a history of cleaning and thorough discussion of all aspects of housekeeping than I was looking for. I was mainly interested in recipes for homemade, environmentally-friendly, cost-effective cleaners (baking soda, vinegar, etc.), like the ladies use in their show.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a perfectly fine book, but turned out not to be what I wanted. I enjoyed reading the personal stories. It was very UK oriented, which is usually charming, but not when you're already feeling defeated by the cleanliness of your house, and don't feel like translating bicarbonate of soda to American. Many of the brands they use were also not available in the US.

So... it was more a matter of me looking for help in a particular way, and this was literally written for a different audience than me.

Also - moths. Does Old Blimey just get covered in moths all the time, ruining clothes, etc? I've lived throughout the US, and have never had an issue with moths, but they had plenty of advice for them in this book, and it reminded me of all the anglo books I have ever read (I am really an anglophile when it comes to literature) and moths are always out there destroying things. Dang moths!

[Jenni · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read one of kims books and they are fantastic. I would have prefered reading hers to this, although it has some handy tips that ppl may like.

[Lacey Caselman · Rating 5 out of 5]

My go to household maintenance manual

[Joanne Tognarelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revisiting the original & classic queens of clean - great book filled with useful tips

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

"do a little often"

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never saw the show, but picked up this along with their shorter How Clean is Your House?, which I actually preferred. This is a great reference though for how to keep a home running and especially how to keep it clean. Plus they are just sassy, and call me things like "love." Not as in-depth as the massive Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook but it covered pretty much anything I would ever (not) want to clean.

Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home
How Clean Is Your House?: Hundreds of Handy Tips to Make Your Home Sparkle

[Bonnie Zink · Rating 2 out of 5]

An excellent book for anyone setting up a house, looking for ways to organize cleaning time, or for anyone interested in adding economical and environment friendly cleaning solutions to their arsenal of weapons to wage war against the ever present dust bunnies. Sprinkled with humour and tales of old, Kim and Aggie bring the art and science of cleaning to the masses. Whether you need to mend a burnt or stained carpet, bring a sparkle to precious metals or stainless steal, eliminate the nasty bacteria and small critters that invade everyone's home, or are in need of a few tips on using non-toxic solutions to get the job done this is the book for you. I highly recommend adding it to every household's library. It has already turned into one of my favourite and mose useful resource books.

[Becki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exhaustive resource on cleaning and taking care of your house. I really enjoy detailed minutiae on this subject, so this was a great book for me. Kim and Aggie give good advice on cleaning methods and products. I tried quite a few of their suggestions and found their advice to be very good.

If you're just starting to get into cleaning, I'd highly suggest reading a decluttering book such as "Clutter's Last Stand" by Don Aslett, or "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo. "The Cleaning Bible" was a little lacking on the details of really decluttering, especially if you have an emotional attachment to your stuff.

[Rebecca E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't a fan of Kim & Aggie - nothing against them, I just never saw the tv programme - but I am now! I borrowed this book from the library and i'll be buying my own ASAP. Packed full of really useful and practical advice and it ranges from basic stuff to advanced cleaning tips I really need to learn. There are a couple of sections not particularly relevant to me at the minute but that will hopefully change. Highly recommended.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a so so book. Most information you can find elsewhere anyway. Picked up a few hints and tips along the way.

[Brigid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love these two. Watch the shows on YouTube. Needs a better index, though.