No one can blame you if you’re all worn out running after your little one all day, but it’s still no excuse for keeping a dirty home. A few tricks up your sleeve will come in handy and you’ll have your home spick and span in no time!
Firstly, make a commitment to be consistent. That means cleaning the house in the same order each time, starting and finishing at the same spot. That way, you’ll establish a cleaning routine and won’t be wasting time darting back and forth.
Routines lead to better results and you’ll soon gain some speed through consistency and repetition instead of hurrying along aimlessly.
Have everything you need at hand
It’s always good to have all your cleaning stuff in one designated area of your home, like under the kitchen sink or in a cupboard. Come cleaning time however, it’s best to have your tools with you, in your apron for example. Your cleaning products and other tools that can’t fit in your apron can be placed in a pail which can be easily be transported to various areas of the house. If your cleaning products are currently in large bottles, pour them into smaller ones or spray bottles.
Just like a carpenter who has his tools with him in a tool belt, having all your supplies at hand means you need not keep going back and forth for them when you’re cleaning various areas of your house.
For sparkling windows
Place a few drops of dishwashing liquid into a small bucket of water. Dip a clean rag into this solution and ‘wash’ your windows with it. Finish off by squeegeeing it clean.
Always clean from top to bottom
Don’t make the mistake of mopping your floors till their spotless only to see them get dirty again after you’ve dusted the bookshelves or coffee tables. Dust or wipe the highest spots and gradually proceed to the last, which is the floor.
Likewise, for the sake of consistency, sweep, and mop from left to right to avoid cleaning the same places again and unintentionally leaving out some spots.
Get the best results from your vacuuming
Effective vacuuming is truly an art and the secret to effective and efficient vacuuming is to do the entire length of the room in a straight row, then turn around and vacuum in the opposite direction. Place the cord over your shoulder if it gets in the way.
You may have to switch power outlets a few times but soon you’ll be so efficient with this method that your vacuuming will be done in minimal time.
Presentable bathrooms
One tip to remember when you’re about to tackle bathroom-cleaning duty is to do all the bathrooms in your home at a go.
Spray down all hard surfaces in your bathroom with surface cleaner. That means the bathtub, shower stall,
sink, toilet.
Put toilet cleaner in the bowl, scrub down with a toilet brush, and wash or wipe everything else off. Flush the toilet, and place the brush back in its bowl filled with bleach or dissolved toilet cleaner for quick, emergency clean-ups.
Next, wipe down your shower stall/bathtub, empty the bathroom trash, and re-line the bathroom trash can.
Next, you can initiate steps to ensure that your bathroom is always clean and presentable. Here are some of them:
- Keep a mini squeegee and cloth handy to dry off tiles, walls, and shower doors to keep mold away. Do this every time you take a bath or shower and encourage others at home to do the same.
- Regularly check on bathroom products and throw away empty toothpaste tubes, shampoo
bottles, etc. - Have a waste bin lined with a bin bag in a corner for used cotton buds, tissues, etc, and empty it regularly.
- Place rugs at wet-prone areas and replace them often with clean ones.
- Keep toilet bowl wipes handy for quick, emergency clean-ups.
Keep a grease-free kitchen
Grease has got to be a kitchen’s biggest enemy and it builds up quickly. It inevitably ends up on kitchen cabinets, especially those above or next to the stove.
One way to beat the build-up of unsightly grease is to clean up immediately after cooking. Use a grease-cutting kitchen cleaner or even a solution of dishwashing liquid and water for the job.
If you’ve been neglecting your cleaning duties in the kitchen, you’re bound to have tough stains or buildup that won’t come off easily. Try mixing baking soda with water and lemon juice. Spray the solution onto the problem areas and go over them first with a wet cloth, then a dry one.
Microwave saver
Take a look inside your microwave. Chances are, there are food stains and what nots stuck all over it. If those stains are set, it can be tough removing them. One trick you can use is to place a microwavable cup filled with water in the microwave and heat it till it boils over. This will create an ideal combination of heat and moisture that will help loosen up anything on the top, sides, or bottom of the microwave that can be wiped clean with a damp cloth.
Easy maintenance of stainless steel surfaces
Stainless steel surfaces such as sinks and kitchen counters can look unsightly with visible smudges, stains, etc. Did you know that you can use mineral oil to keep them spotless?
Just pour some onto a cloth and wipe them down. Mineral oil helps to repel water and keeps substances like toothpaste from sticking to the sink’s surface. This makes it easier to keep clean.
Make those faucets shine!
Mineral deposits make faucets look unsightly. Some white vinegar on a rough cloth will help for wiping those the faucets clean till they shine.
