House Cleaning Tips

by Sherry Hall

Bathroom

- Keep a container of disinfectant wipes inside the bathroom. Each night after you brush your teeth, use them to wipe down the counter, sink and toilet. That way you can avoid soap scum from building up and droplets of water from leaving a stain.

- Go ahead and multitask. Get some diluted cleanser and spray the shower walls, tub, counters and toilet. Every once in the while, let the cleanser soak in the toilet bowl while you empty trash cans and hang towels. Then go back and rinse everything down and wipe those mirrors clean.

- Use your bath towel from yesterday as a bathmat or on the floor of the shower while you clean to keep water from pooling. Then take it and toss it into the hamper when you're done

- Hang a squeegee in the shower and use it to wipe the walls and shower door down after each use.

- While your kids are in the tub take advantage of the time to clean your sink or mirror. That way, you don't just get the cleaning done, you can also explain how important it is.

- Keep brushes, combs and hair accessories in small baskets or drawer organizers to prevent them from cluttering around the mirror.

- Store your blow dryer, curling irons and other equipment in a cabinet or drawer. It means less clutter and less chances of getting electrocuted.

Kitchen

- Use baking soda or peroxide to clean your kitchen counters and appliances. It will take out the smell of food and keep them gleaming.

- Every night use your soapy dish cloth to quickly wipe up the floor before you toss it into the laundry.

- Wash your dishes and put them away after you're done with them. Or if you have a dishwasher, load the dishes after each meal instead of letting them stack up in the sink throughout the day.

- If you have any pets, be sure to vacuum up the hair before you sweep. Sweeping only moves the hair around. What's worse is that it lets the hairs get into hard to reach corners.

- Be sure to rinse out your dish cloth each time you use it and hang it to dry so that it doesn't become a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. Change it every day so that you can be sure that you're wiping your dishes clean instead of getting them dirty again.

- Make sure that your sponges and potscrubbers have been wrung out and soap free before you put them back in place. Puddles mean one more mess to clean up.

Nightly Clean Up

- Make sure that all your dishes have been cleaned and put away and that the counters are wiped off and free from stacks of "stuff". It makes the morning much nicer to wake up to.

- Once you're done with the bathroom for the night, give it a quick look over to see if there's anything lying around that isn't in it's proper place or shouldn't be there. If the last thing you did is take a shower, wipe up the spills and renegade water droplets to avoid any accidents.

- Take the laundry basket and check the rest of the house. Gather up the toys, clothes and anything else that's out of place. The faster you put them away, the less chance they have to accumulate.

Quick Tips

- Set the timer for 15 minutes and see how many rooms you can get cleaned up before it goes off. You'll be surprised!

- Cleaning for short periods of time makes the task seem a lot smaller. If you think that you'll be taking a while, grab that headset and start playing your favorite music our audiobook. This will keep you focused and actually enjoying your work.

- Keep your cleaning supplies where you'll be needing them. Since there are specific supplies that you'll need for your bathroom or kitchen, keep a set handy under the sink or in a cupboard. That way, in case you suddenly decide to sprucen the room up a bit, finding the right tools won't be a problem.

- When you clean your windows wipe up and down on the outside and side to side on the inside. That way if you have any streaks left when you're done, you'll at least know what side they're on.

- Clean each room from top to bottom in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction. That way you will be sure not to miss anything or go through the same place twice.

- Keep a bunch of plastic grocery bags near your pets litter box with a scooper. That way you will have what you need handy any time it needs to be cleaned.

- Store extra garbage bags near each garbage can so that replacing them won't be a hassle.

- Keep an extension cord attached to your vacuum cleaner so that you can clean an entire area without having to stop and unplug it.

- Have a supply of cotton swabs with your cleaning supplies. This is for all those little nooks and crannies that you can't get with your rag.

- Do it now! Organize things as you get them. It'll prevent the clutter from piling up and each item will be easier to find.

- Throw a pile of laundry into the washing machine while you wait for something to cook in the microwave. Or run a load of laundry or the dishwasher while you clean something else. You'll accomplish twice as much in the same amount of time.

- When cooking, put each ingredient away after you use it instead of setting it on the counter. Wash your cooking utensils right away too. Not only does this prevent dirt and grease from sticking to pots and pans, it makes it easier to clean up after dinner.

Sherry Hall is a working mom and cleaning expert. For more great house cleaning tips visit http://www.QuickCleaningAnswers.com

Article submitted Wednesday, February 25, 2009 & read 83 times.

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