Mary Ellen's Complete Home Reference Book (Paperback)

~ (Author) "My heart beats so fast when I make an expensive purchase that I consider shopping aerobic exercise..." (more)
Key Phrases: commercial adhesive remover, scouring cleaner, prewash spray, Air Only, Yellow Pages, Corning Ware (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Brought to you with Mary Ellen Pinkham's wry brand of humor, this is much more then a cleaning manifesto: she tells you how to buy and fix appliances; what to put in your sewing kit...and your tool kit; the best way to select home furnishings, bedding and kitchen stuff; childproofing and securing your home; and, of course, lots on dealing with those tough cleaning jobs-be it your carpet or your laundry. There's also good general information on home maintenance and repairs, along with the basics on do-it-yourself projects like painting and wallpapering. With a bit of everything and a jane-of-all-trades approach, this book won't let you down. Where else can you learn the proper way to turn a mattress, press a shirt, fix a short circuit and unclog a toilet all in one place. -- From The WomanSource Catalog & Review: Tools for Connecting the Community for Women; review by Ilene Rosoff

Product Description

All the information you need to purchase, maintain, and clean everything you own--now in paperback! "Answers almost every household question you could imagine.--Salt Lake Tribune 50 black-and-white photographs.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (March 29, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517881853
• ISBN-13: 978-0517881859
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #482,842 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, a true home reference book, August 27, 2000

By A Customer

This book is fantastic. It provides guidance on just about every home/housekeeping problem, from how to fold a fitted sheet to how to remove smoke odors from a room to how to restore wood furniture and paint a room. It makes practical recommendations (like purchasing cleaning products from a janitorial supply company) and is very easy to read. I recently purchased another housekeeping reference book, Home Comforts, and was disappointed because, in my opinion, there was no way I could meet all the expectations discussed in the book for keeping my house clean. Mary Ellen's book, on the other hand, is very realistic and makes suggestions that anyone can accomplish --how to maintain your house without constantly doing housework. It even has a whole chapter of recommendations on how to quickly prepare your home to sell it. I plan to send this book to people as a housewarming present.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tremendous resource!, April 24, 2000

By	Amanda Thomas "Amanda Thomas" (Plano, Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I received this book as a wedding gift, and have found it to be an invaluable reference tool in my life as a homemaker. Any question about how to clean ANYTHING can be answered with this book. The author includes recipes for homemade cleaning solutions that REALLY work, as well as tips for "frugal" living and ecological conservation. Illustrated drawings help teach how to "fix" things that the husband keeps promising he will and never seems to get around to doing. Everyone should have a copy of this book in their home!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book everyone needs!, July 14, 2000

By	Rebecca Johnson "SeasonedwithLove.com" (Washington State) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This is truly an encyclopedic collection of housekeeping hints. Mary Ellen Pinkham has done her research. If you love to read, then most likely you don't want to spend hours just cleaning your home. Once you learn some of her quick and easy solutions to everyday problems, you will have more time to spend on yourself.

While I use just a few basic cleaners, you will find oodles of specific cleaning hints and tips. You will also be warned not to mix chlorine cleaning products with baking soda. I was surprised to find information on refinishing furniture, saving time, saving energy and saving money. Those are things we could all learn whether we like to clean or not.

I would recommend this for a new bride, for your own reference library, or as a gift for your friends who are interested in having all the answers to their questions in one convenient book.

~The Rebecca Review