To use this system, you need to break down your cleaning jobs into three categories, light cleaning, daily cleaning and deep cleaning. Light cleaning jobs include dusting, sweeping, vacuuming and laundry. These jobs can be done just once each week and completed on different days of the week. Always schedule the dusting first so that any dirt that is knocked to the floor will be picked up on vacuuming day.Daily cleaning jobs are the jobs that need to be done often when you are cleaning your house. These jobs include tidying up; doing the dishes and wiping down counters and other highly used surfaces. By spending at least fifteen minutes each day on these jobs, you will keep them from building up into a large mess and also enjoy the feeling of a clean house even when the other chores have not yet been done.
Deep cleaning jobs such as cleaning the bathroom, mopping and wiping down the walls and appliances, should be done once a week. Most people like to schedule these jobs for the weekend when they have more time to devote to cleaning the house. By spending an hour or two doing the big jobs on the weekend, you can enjoy a fresh clean week ahead.
After your system is in place, use the list to assign chores to all of the members of the family. If each person takes on just one or two jobs then cleaning your entire house can take no time at all.
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What You Need To Do Daily
1. Clean Dishes
Maybe you've never seen what happens to a sinkful of dishes left to sit, but it isn't pretty. Smells, stains, and odd fungal growth usually go with forgotten dirty dishes. Cleaning dishes daily is the best choice all around.
Dishwashing Resources
Dishwashing Tools
Dishwashing 101
Proper Dishwashing Order
2. Wash Laundry
Not every family needs to wash laundry daily, but many of us find that at least a daily load of laundry is necessary. With work clothes, school uniforms, soccer practice clothes, and sports uniforms, our families can generate a lot of dirty clothes. A daily load can help prevent a mad dash to find a baseball jersey in the bottom of a hamper.
Laundry Resources
Stain Removal
Sorting Laundry
Baking Soda in the Laundry Room
Choosing Water Temperature
3. Tidy Up
Doing a little clutter control on a daily basis keeps your home ready for company at a moment's notice. A few minutes of picking up each day also prevent your home from turning into a disaster zone that will take hours to plow through. A tidy room makes a big difference in our motivation to tackle bigger projects. Use the 15 Minute Cleanups as a daily help to keep your main rooms ready for visitors.
Clutter Resources
4 Container Clutter Method
Quick Clutter Cleanup
15 Minute Cleanups by Room
4. File Papers
If you don't file daily, you risk piles of papers on every surface in your home. Between junk mail, letter offers, school papers, and receipts, paper can overtake our homes before we even realize it. It only takes a few minutes each day to prevent a major pileup.
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What To Clean Weekly
Vacuuming
Vacuuming your home on a weekly basis prevents buildups of dust that can trigger allergies and respiratory issues for your family and guests. While high traffic areas may need to be vacuumed on a daily basis, other areas of the home need a good once-over once a week. Vacuuming flooring adds years to the life of your floors.
Don't Forget to Vacuum...
Carpets
Rugs
Stairs
Furniture
Hard Floors
Dusting
Through no fault of our home, dust collects on every surface, leading to breathing issues, dull looking surfaces, and the need to dust weekly. A good weekly dusting staves off the need for more in depth cleaning on a regular basis. Be sure to dust from top to bottom to prevent settling. Consider using a vacuum attachment to suck up the dust, or a good microfiber cloth to trap dust particles.
Don't Forget to Dust...
Furniture
Windowsills
Wall Coverings
Cobwebs
Ceiling Fans
Cleaning
There are some areas of our homes that receive such frequent use, they need to be tended to on a weekly basis. This preventative cleaning keeps these rooms and areas ready to serve our home, and keeps buildups of dirt and damage from requiring more intense cleaning later.
Don't Forget to Clean...
Entry and Patio Doors
Shake Out Door Mats
Straighten Books and Magazines
Clean Bathrooms
Change Linens in All Rooms
Clean Kitchen Sink
Toaster
Stovetops
Wipe Down Kitchen Appliances
Microwave (inside and out)
Spot Clean Walls
Clean Leftovers from Fridge
Gather and Take Out Trash
What To Clean Monthly
Dust Ceiling Fans
If it has been awhile since you've cleaned your ceiling fan, take a look up. You're likely to see a ton of dust and dirt clinging to your ceiling fans. Dust the ceiling fan at least once a month to keep it looking nice and functioning well.
Clean Light Fixtures
Cleaning light fixtures on a monthly basis keeps your globes and fixtures from dulling and becoming encrusted with dust and bug remains.
Dust Air Vents
You may not notice the air vents in your home regularly, but they can quickly buildup dust around the vent and wall areas. Dust them down monthly to keep dust from blowing out into your rooms.
Clean Walls
Even families without small children will discover occasional marks on the walls of their home. Spot clean the walls of your home to remove crayon marks, furniture scuffs, dust, and splatters. Food preparation, eating areas, and the place you store your trash will be likely candidates for a monthly wall wipe-down.
Clean Window Treatments
Curtains and drapes may need to be washed, cleaned, or dusted out on a monthly basis. Blinds that attract dust will need to be wiped down as well. Be sure to check the manufacturer's instructions for your window treatments before cleaning.
Dust Intensively
Besides the quick dusting that you do on a daily and weekly basis, more intensive dusting needs to be done monthly. Dust behind furniture and appliances. Dust window sills, ceilings, and baseboards. Don't forget to dust down doors, molding, and hidden corners were cobwebs may form.
Vacuum Inside Furniture
I don't know how so much stuff finds its way into the depths of the sofa, but a monthly cleaning and vacuuming is likely to reveal many long lost items, and quite a bit of dirt. Go down into the crevices to pull out items that need to be kept. Next, vacuum out the inside of the couch.
Clean Windows
A monthly cleaning for windows includes cleaning the inside of the glass and wiping down the windowsills. Use a glass cleaner to remove streaks and spots on the interior of the windows. If you wait for an overcast day, you'll reduce the streaking and spotting on the glass.
Spot Treat Carpet and Upholstery
Check for spots on the carpet and upholstery and spot treat the stains. Be sure to test the stain treater in an inconspicuous spot before applying liberally. If it's been awhile since your carpet was last cleaned, it may be time to schedule a shampooing.
Check Smoke Alarms
Double check that your smoke alarm is functioning properly. Change the batteries if needed. Be sure to dust down the smoke alarm to keep it in working order.
Change Filters
To keep your air conditioner running smoothly, you'll need to change the filter monthly. This is a good time to check your vacuum cleaner filters and clean or replace them.
Deep Clean Appliances
Our appliances take a lot of abuse. At least once a month, treat them to a deep cleaning that renews them to their original glory. Use a good oven cleaner to remove baked on drips and overflows from your oven. Remove everything from your refrigerator and freezer and wipe them down thoroughly. Toss any outdated food. Be sure to place new boxes of baking soda in both to help control odors. Scrub down the inside and outside of your microwave oven.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What To Clean Seasonally
Windows
A thorough window cleaning each season will remove a huge amount dirt and grime. It's also a good time to check the weatherstripping and seals of your windows to make sure no repairs are needed.
Exterior Doors
Wipe down the outside of your exterior doors seasonally to remove months worth of dirt. This periodic cleaning will keep your entrances looking fresh and clean, and prevent permanent staining on your doors.
Outdoor Areas
We may focus much of our attention on the inside of our homes, but occasionally the outside needs some attention too. Clean grills, patio furniture, and gutters. Landscaping may need some cleanup and attention too.
Heating and Cooling Units
Seasonally, be sure to inspect and perform maintenance on your heating and cooling units. Replace filters. Clean vents and make sure that no furniture or other debris are blocking vents. A professional inspection and maintenance can be a great way to keep your heating and cooling units in working order. Don't forget about fireplace maintenance as well.
Appliance Maintenance
Maintaining some of our expensive appliances is as simple as an occasional inspection. Inspect hoses and cords on your appliances. Vacuum the coils on your refrigerator. Cleaning the vent and exhaust areas of your dryer seasonally will prevent a fire. Clean lint and debris from around your dryer as well, and be sure to examine hoses for signs of damage.
Clutter Control
A seasonal closet overhaul is a great idea to keep closet areas from overflowing with junk. Go through all of your closets and pantry to remove clutter and organize. Be sure to make sure seasonal clothing is being stored properly.
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Time Saving Bathroom Cleaning Tips
The bathroom is often the most used room in the house and because of this the hardest to clean and keep clean. By incorporating a few time saving bathroom cleaning tips into your regular routine, you can cut your cleaning time, save money on cleaning products and enjoy a cleaner bathroom for longer periods of time.
When cleaning the bathroom, always start with the mirrors and shower doors. By cleaning from top to bottom you will save steps. The dirt from the mirrors and wall can sometimes fall to the floor. If done first, the dirt can then be cleaned in one step when you sweep and mop the floors.
To clean the mirrors and shower doors, you do not need an expensive commercial cleaner. The best cleaner and one that doesn't leave streaks, is a simple solution of water, white vinegar and rubbing alcohol. Simply add water, 1/3 cup of vinegar and 1⁄4 cup of rubbing alcohol to a spray bottle and shake gently to mix. Spray on glass surfaces and wipe with a clean white paper towel.
To clean grime and soap scum off the tub and shower stall you will need to use a two step process. First scrub the area with a white bristle brush to loosen grime and score the area so that a cleaner can penetrate it more readily. Next, spray or wipe on a concentrated orange-based commercial cleaning product. Allow the product to set for thirty minutes and the grime and soap scum should rinse right off.
After cleaning the tub and shower stall, coat the surfaces with an expensive car wax. If you do this twice a year it will help to repel dirt and cut cleaning time in half.
Another great time saving bathroom cleaning tip for your shower stall is to wipe away all of the water after each use. This will keep the dirt and grime from building up and make weekly cleaning a breeze.
After you have cleaned the big surfaces, it is time to clean the toilet and wipe down the counters, sinks and faucets. White vinegar is an expensive and effective cleaner for these jobs. Simply apply the white vinegar with a cloth and allow it to set for a few minutes. Then rinse the solution and wipe down the surfaces.
Other simple bathroom cleaning tips include the use of a bath rug outside the shower to collect water and dirt, the cleaning of your plastic shower curtain by tossing it in the washing machine with your dirty cleaning rags and the use of toothpaste and a scrub brush to shine and clean your ornate metal faucets
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Do-It-Yourself Carpet Cleaning Tips
Keeping your carpet clean and looking new is no longer an easy job. To get the most wear out of your carpet, use the following do-it-yourself carpet cleaning tips.
Regular upkeep is vital to the life of your carpet.
By vacuuming your carpet weekly and not allowing shoes to be worn in your house, you can extend the life of your carpet by five years or more. Vacuuming regularly keeps dirt and grime from becoming ground in to the carpet fibers. Allowing only socks or slippers on your carpet keeps it from becoming soiled by hard to remove stains such as mud and oils.
If your carpet does become stained or overly dirty, there are numerous homemade products and easy carpet cleaning tips that you can use to make it look new again.
When cleaning the entire carpeted area, always use a warm water solution. The warm water allows the grime and oils to be broken down more quickly and completely. For the cleaning solution you can use any of the numerous commercial products available but a simple mix of water and vinegar works just as well. The white vinegar will pull residue from the fibers making your carpet softer and cleaner.
For stains, there are numerous treatments. Club soda works great on red wine stains. Brake cleaner works great on tough food stains and WD40 works great on oil or grease spots.
To use brake cleaner, simply apply the cleaner to a cloth and then blot the stain. Once the stain is removed rinse the area with a vinegar and water solution.
To use WD40, simple spray the stained area and allow the cleaner to sit for 30 minutes. Blot the area dry and then rinse it well with a mixture of dish soap and water.
The best carpet cleaning tip for removing general stains is shaving cream. Shaving cream, when applied directly to the stain and allowed to set for 30 minutes, will remove just about every type of stain. After the cream has set, gently blot it away with a dry white cloth. Be sure to rinse the area with a vinegar and water solution after cleaning.
When cleaning a carpet stain it is important to remember to blot the affected area and never rub it. Rubbing causes the particles to ground into the carpet fibers and it can also lead to the premature breakdown of those fibers.
By using these simple carpet cleaning tips you can make carpet cleaning and upkeep a breeze. Plus, you can save money on products and still have clean carpets that you are proud to show.
For QUICK CLEAN UP IDEAS
click on the photo to the left.
