Best Cleaning Tips...

[Izzy0906]

Ok, I'm going to spend the day cleaning tomorrow. I will have 6 hours to clean. I Have my cleaning supplies (gloves, furniture polish, bleach, magic erasers etc...) but I could use some cleaning tips. I clean every weekend and never feel like it's clean "enough". What are some of your deep cleaning tips that don't take weeks to complete? I want to step back and actually feel like the house is clean. The fridge you don't have to worry about, i just did a great cleaning of that last week and will just do my basic wipe down.

Any and all tips welcome! TIA

[PennyWise]

For tubs and showers, spray down with a degreaser (I use a product called "Awesome") first and let sit while you clean other parts of the bathroom...then just wipe away the scum with a wet Magic Eraser...this works on shower doors as well. For stubborn toilet rings, use a pumice stone, and while you're on your knees at the toilet, wash the baseboards in that area at the same time.

[PrairieRose]

Decide which rooms are your priorities. Spend the most of your concentrated time in them but set a timer for each one. Like if you're having a crowd for Thanksgiving, really, really clean the bedrooms and then on the week of you can just run over the tops of those rooms, concentrating on the other rooms between now and then. Don't forget things like ceiling fans and light fixtures, and vaccuuming around the baseboards. I think it's the little things that make a house feel really, really clean.

[momof2joys]

I always start from the top to the bottom. I usually start upstairs with the ceilings, move to the walls, then vaccuum after that is all done, I move to the stairs and come to the main floor. One thing I have learned is to move from the back to the front house. Places that are seen most by people, save them for last, this way you are more motivated to get everything else done.

[homemaker66]

Pick the first room that you want done and start in one corner and work your way around with a vacuum and suck down all of the cobwebs(if you have any) then vacuum the blinds off,dust with a microfiber cloth, then work down to the floors. I use the vacuum alot because there is less dust flying in the air. To make things even easier keep your house clutter free. Always have a place for everything just don't let piles of mail,everyone stuff get ahead of you. Keep the main entrance of your home clutter free and picked up and organized then you don't feel overwhelmed when you walk through the doors.

[winner]

Hi Izzy,
Well I am planning to clean my condo today and tomorrow, with my surgery I hope to finish this weekend, ( I moving slow these days) because I am planning to go to work on Monday and want to come back to a clean place. I am out of my cleaning supplies and would love to use natural products, I read that vinigar and baking soda are good, so no choice I will have to use them. I don't have bleach I like the smell of the bleach when I am clening my place. Last nigh washed the fish tank, that was a big task, the thank is huge. I did my ironing, laundry, so only a good cleaning needed. Whish me luck.

[Patty A]

Here is a tip that saves time and work. When cleaning use your vacuum with the upholstery brush to do you curtains and blinds. Its quick, easy and you have no dust.
To do the curtains work from top to bottom, easy and quick and they look so nice.
To do the blinds close them flat. Run the brush from top to bottom, then turn the blinds the other way and vacuum the other side. No dusty mess when you are done.

[shellyrhds]

Something that saves me time is using the least amount of cleansers possible. I prefer to be armed with Mr. Clean and a bottle of Windex and a stack of dish rags. These 2 cleaners take care of just about any mess in any room. Not only is there less to drag from room to room while cleaning, it saves money by simplifying the amount of cleansers I buy

[maryannsms]

Cleaning for shorter periods of time makes it seem much easier and smaller. As for me whenever I'm in a mood to clean the house for longer I then put on a musical CD or talking book and time will go faster. You might actually find yourself waiting till the CD is over before stopping!

[Judi Dial]

I prefer to clean as I go. I have a thin pot scrubber that lives under my bathroom bar of soap. When I wash my hands, I run my soapy hands around the sink, the counter (whatever) and then scrub lightly and rinse. The mirrors are wiped down with a chamois after I have a steamy shower, this works for chrome and glass doors, etc. I try to find ways like this to do throughout my home. When I vacuum, I try and clean the top of baseboards and then use the want for any cobwebs....

You get the idea.

Judi

[Early Bird]

I recommend these books:

• Speed Cleaning
• Confessions of an Organized Housewife

[frugalfranny]

I am going to have to try the magic eraser on the tub. Thanks PW.....will use that tip myself.

For dusting any knick knacks use a large 'powder brush'.......one with lots of bristles. (learned this from my cousin that cleaned houses) It won't damage them and gets in all the crevices.

Better yet.........don't have any knick knacks..........I try not to. I call them dust collectors.

[mamamia]

With my hubby's asthma, only 2 of our bedrooms have carpeting meaning the rest of our house is hard floors. So along with that, I am always sweeping and mopping, especially in the kitchen and family room where I set up a table & chairs for everyday eating instead of using our DR.

To make mopping easier, I fill a spray bottle with hot water and ammonia, and spray all around the perimeter of the room, going a little heavier where my stove top is because of all the cooking/grease in that spot. I wait a couple of minutes to give it time to work, and then go back and mop starting in the first sprayed area, and then just work my way around till the whole floor is done. I never get that dirty build-up in the corners that I used to seem to be always battling anymore. To me that's what makes a floor look clean, and that is that the corners look good.

Not the biggest tip, but I mop ALOT so it pays off for me. Hope it helps you too!

Theresa

Oops! forgot to mention...in the bathrooms I use the same idea except with a bleach based cleaner, and I start around the bowl. I also use a deck brush every so often because my floors are ceramic, and the brush helps keep the grout brighter. I go over it lastly with my mop and plain water.

I also wanted to mention that the mop I use is awesome. It's a Libman that I bought in Lowes. It's about an 18in rectangle swivel style. The "mop" part is heavy duty terry cloth that I can just take off and throw in the washer. Replacements are only $6 but I haven't had to replace mine yet, even after 2 years and MUCHO use. I recommend it to everybody.

Have fun cleaning, and thanks for listening to my usual blabber-mouth LOL!!

Theresa

[shoiji]

I like to use a damp cloth (well wrung) when I dust. That way I pick up the dust and cat hair. Also, this will not leave you with any build up of cleaning products. I keep a bottle of windex and a cloth in the bathroom. This way, I can clean the mirror anytime I need to. It also makes it easier to keep up with the cleaning.

[forHISglory]

While our house was on the market (woo hoo! It sold!), I cleaned every day, top to bottom. We have over 40 windows, so that was the largest part of my cleaning. Here's what I did: I went to the automotive section at Walmart and purchased some microfiber auto detail cloths. Then I bought some cheap window cleaner and mixed it with vinegar: 3 parts vinegar and 1 part window cleaner. A couple of spritzes of the cleaner and a wipe with the detail cloths kept the windows clear and sparkling. When finished with the cloths, I just tossed them into the laundry (cold water only).

We have hard water, so we made a habit of immediately wiping down the tub and shower with a towel after bathing. We also wiped the faucets after using to keep the spill drops from showing.

I immediately cleaned any cooking spills before they had time to run or set. The best tip for me is to clean as soon as something happens.