Cleaning is never a chore that people relish. When your kids have grown up and left home, the last thing you want to do is spend hours cleaning your house. This is your time and you want to get out there and enjoy it. Around once a month it is worth designating one day as your deep-cleaning day. This is when you move furniture to thoroughly vacuum, mop down every floor and thoroughly clean surfaces.
The problem is that the house will deteriorate in between these cleaning and may start to get you down. You can keep on top of the cleaning by spending just 30 minutes every day on a quick clean that makes the world of difference. Here is a guide to getting the whole day’s cleaning completed in just half an hour. Ready, get-set, go!
Four minutes on the hallway and the stairs
You have to give this area some attention because it is the part of the house that everyone sees when they first come in through your front door. A handheld vacuum cleaner is a must for cleaning the stairs because who wants to carry a huge vacuum cleaner up and down the stairs and balance it precariously on the top step? They have easy grip handles that provide a comfortable grip and some even come with a stick for sweeping up spider webs. The review guide will help you choose which model would be best for your needs in terms of function, capacity, and weight.
Declutter the hallway by picking all the discarded coats, shoes and bags and hiding them away in cupboards. A hallway is often a place for dumping keys and they can look very unsightly. Get a special box that you hide away and get in the habit of placing house keys and car keys in it. At least you will always know where they are when you go to look for them! It could save you hours!
There is no need to mop the hallway floor more than once every two weeks. Visitors bring a load of dirt with them anyway so there is little point.
Six minutes on the living room
The main culprits causing the problem here will be dust and pet hair. The most efficient way to remove dust is with a microfiber mitt because it collects dust rather than moving it from one place to another. Pop one on and quickly run your hand over surfaces in the room that you can reach easily. You will probably have a coffee table, side tables and open shelves to clean. If you are feeling very energetic, you could also tackle the picture frames and light fixtures but you will need a sturdy chair or a step ladder to do this safely.
Every month, it would be a good idea to do the ceiling fans. To do this you will need to slip an old pillowcase over the entire blade and slide it off. This catches all of the dust and stops it from being spread all over the rest of the room which simply causes more cleaning. Then turn the pillow case inside out over the garbage bag and repeat for the next blade. Pop the mitt and pillow case in the laundry when you have finished.
Pet hair on cushions and lampshades is best tackled using a lint brush. For the floor, you need to use a regular vacuum cleaner because a broom is a waste of time. You can get vacuum cleaners that are specifically designed to pick up pet hairs if you have a pet that sheds a lot of hair.
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Ten minutes on the kitchen
Have a look around the kitchen and identify what is standing out as needing a clean. Then spot-clean the offending areas using a wet wipe or a paper towel. It could be the stove top, counter work surfaces or even the dining table surface. The same needs to be done for the floor. Give it a sweep and then wipe up any obvious spillages. Check out the fridge. Has any food been spilled or have any bottles or cans tipped over? Check the use by dates and throw away anything that can no longer be used. If an item of food is near its use-by date, move it closer to the front so that you will be reminded to use it quickly.
A gleaming sink is what makes a kitchen look clean so give yours a good scrub! Scoop out food from the bottom of the drain using a glove and a paper towel. Then spray the sink with a cleaning solution and wipe it down. There are plenty of natural cleaning solutions that you can use if you are concerned about the effect of harsh cleaning chemicals on your health or on the environment. Finally, make sure that you have sponged away puddles of water under the soap dispenser as this can cause unsightly stains that can be hard to remove later.
The microwave needs to be cleaned every day as food can get splashed around inside however careful you try to be. The best way to clean food from the inside surface of the microwave is to pour water and vinegar into a bowl and heat for 30 seconds. This loosens the caked-on food. Then all you have to do is wipe it away without having to scrub it.
The key to a quick clean is to remove things that catch your eye and annoy you. Unsightly streaks on kitchen cabinets and appliances are a prime candidate. Use a cleaning wipe or melamine sponge to quickly remove anything that catches your eye. Finally, wipe over the trash can lid and throw the wipe away.
Ten minutes on the bathroom
The key elements of the bathroom that need to be cleaned are the sink, the mirror, the toilet and the floor. Spray a detergent cleaner around these areas and let it stay there for five minutes or so. Whilst it is working, you can clear all of your surfaces. Throw away empty bottles of shampoos, conditioner and shower gel. Then spray the surfaces with detergent as well.
You can now spend some time wiping off all of the spray but you need to do it in a particular order. Start with the cleanest surface which will probably be the mirror. Then work through to the dirtiest surface which will be the toilet. Use disposable paper towels and pay attention to all the nooks and crannies. You may need to scrub a little to remove the grime and hard water deposits that stain the drain, the faucets, and the sink handles. Within a few minutes, you will have a sparkling bathroom.
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Now the toilet needs some more attention. The inside of the bowl needs some bleach and needs to be scrubbed with a brush. Then the tank, the seat and the base needs to be cleaned with disposable wipes which can be disposed of immediately.
The lights will need a little attention. The pull cord or the switch plate is the area that is handled often and grime and germs can build up. You need to remove any visible dirt with a wipe.
Finally, have a quick check around to make sure that all of the trash cans have been emptied and the piles of clean laundry have been safely put away in closets. That’s the hard work done. Now you can head out and enjoy yourself, safe in the knowledge that you will be returning to a gleaming house!