cover image How the Queen Cleans Everything: Handy Advice for a Clean House, Cleaner Laundry, and a Year of Timely Tips

How the Queen Cleans Everything: Handy Advice for a Clean House, Cleaner Laundry, and a Year of Timely Tips

Linda C. Cobb. Atria Books, $24 (464pp) ISBN 978-0-7434-5145-1

When it comes to turning the average home into an immaculate castle, the self-avowed""Queen of Clean"" reigns. In her latest, Cobb neatly combines three of her previous bestselling books into one comprehensive manual. For anyone who despises clutter, grime or grease, this all-in-one ceiling to floor, dust-busting, stain-licking, dish-scouring volume is a must-have. Cobb's no-nonsense""tips and hints"" methods make light of any chore:""I've seen it all: from carpet stains to laundry pains, from messy shoes to washday blues,"" she boasts. Cobb whisks readers through chapters on seasonal scouring schedules, laundry and outdoor chores; she even offers a potpourri chapter dealing with everything from mildew to air ducts. For fast finds and specific problems, she indexes her subjects from A to Z (A and D Ointment to ZUD Heavy Duty Cleanser). But Cobb's crowning glory is her sparkling humor and down-home enthusiasm, which will cajole even the most resistant housecleaner to get the job done.