Gals, I’m sure you’re familiar with Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day—it’s an eco-friendly line of vintagely adorable cleaning products (mrsmeyers.com). But did you realize that Mrs. Meyer is a real person? I just found out! Mrs. Thelma Meyer is an Iowa mother of nine, and her daughter named the company after her to honor her old fashioned values and useful cleaning tips.

She recently wrote a book that launched last week, making her tips available to everyone. It’s called Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Home: No-Nonsense Advice That Will Inspire You to Clean Like the Dickens and it provides tons of suggestions on using common household items to solve problems and keep your home clean. Thelma Meyer was one of the original women to “go-green” and her tips are super budget-friendly. Take heed during these tough economic times!

Here are some of the book’s clever beauty-related tips that may interest you:

• To get hairspray off of mirrors: Pour rubbing alcohol on a cloth and clean in small circles. You can also use a baby wipe if you have them handy. Then grab club soda that you’ve put in a spray bottle and give the mirror a spritz, wiping it clean with bunched-up newspaper
• Cleaning up broken glass: If your makeup mirror falls on the floor, you’ll want to remove all those little pieces from the floor. Dab a piece of bread on top of them, vacuum, then wipe down the floor with a water-dampened cloth
• Removing mascara from clothing: Mix a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid with two cups cold water, apply the solution to the stain, and then blot until it’s gone
• Makeup expiration dates: If you have trouble keeping track of how old things are, start writing the dates on them with a permanent marker when they’re new. Mascara lasts only three months, and it’s important that you remember when you opened it, because that wand gets a buildup of bacteria that you don’t want in your eyes. Sunscreen lasts one year and lipstick up to three.
• Keeping the bathroom smelling fresh: Fill a spray bottle with water, three drops of lemon oil, and two drops of eucalyptus oil. Shake this really well before using.