The best thing I have ever done is move back in with my mother. For six months, while my family was between houses, we moved back in with my parents. During this time, I observed how my mother, a wonderful housekeeper, kept her house so spotless.
She only works at 20 minutes intervals. For example, after supper, she would put the dishes in the sink and clean off the stove. Then she would take a break. Later, she would go back and rinse the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. Then, she would take another break. Later, she would go put some laundry in.
I have taken my mother's unspoken advice and have found household chores not to be so daunting now.
By BarwickJ from Ottumwa, IA
This page contains the following solutions.
I find it is much easier to clean when I start at one end of the room and work my way around in a circle. For example, in my living room I sprinkle baking soda or carpet freshener on the floor so it can sit and deodorize while I clean.
Ever need rubber gloves, but can't find a pair without holes? I used to buy the yellow ones that came one pair to a package, but they were always wearing out and were either too large or too small and pretty expensive.
How to fake clean a house (or what to do when your house is a wreck and company is coming in 15 minutes). Family Room: Stack books and magazines in neat piles or place in a decorative basket.
You only need a few basic cleaning supplies to perform all of your household cleaning tasks. All purpose cleaners save money and eliminate clutter caused by an over abundance of specialized products.
If you need to be kneeling down, but don't have a pad for your knees, take two large safety pins and two large sponges and pin one sponge to the knees of your pants.
For odd jobs, to remind yourself the specific jobs that need done, try this idea. Make "tool kits". Put all the items you need for a task into a bin or bucket and label it.
Instead of spring and fall cleaning, which overwhelms me and doesn't get done, I'm working my way through the house with one cleaning project per day.
I tried using SPF 30 sunscreen to get black marker pen out of my white leather sofa and it did not work! I also tried nail polish remover which stripped the leather and ruined my sofa. Do not assume that this will work!
Set a timer for 15 minutes and clean during that period ONLY. When the timer goes off, you're done for the night.
I color code my sponges. For example: yellow is for the toilet, green is for the sink, etc. The sponges last longer because you know what it is being used for. And you can plan accordingly.
When cleaning, apply your cleanser to the surface and let it sit while you work on something else and give the cleaner time to work and you will have to use a lot less elbow grease to get your cleaning done.
Do yourself and your senses a favor by opening up windows when you use caustic cleaners. Opening up various windows and doors will help air circulate throughout the house and help freshen everything.
Get a small steamer used for cleaning. Use the jet tip and when cleaning the bathroom it shoots a strong jet of steam and makes quick work of any and all corners.
I have one rule for food leaving the kitchen. It must be on a tray. For this reason, I never get spills on my carpet or furniture.
Most of us have a general cleaning routine for our homes. But there are a lot of places that are typically overlooked.
I have two baggies under my sink. One is for the sponges (with the scrubby side), marked for veggies. Another is for the "dirty work" sponges. Lately, I have accumulated too many of them and they have begun to smell.