Cleaning. Even though most of us don’t enjoy doing it, it’s a necessary evil. I really don’t mind the the day-to-day dusting and vacuuming, but mopping, laundry, and window cleaning makes me want to pull my hair out! There are some tricks out there to speed clean while still having your house look like you spent hours on it. I’ve told you before about FlyLady.net and how the site can help you get yourself in gear to clean and organize your home. But there are some times when you just want to hurry up and get it done! Here’s how…
Get The Right Tools
There are some tools that are going to help cut down your cleaning time by a lot.
ERASER SPONGE: Mr. Clean Eraser is a lifesaver in the kitchen, the bathroom, and on every wall in the house.
ALKA SELTZER: What? I know it sounds weird, but Martha Stewart says to drop two Alka Seltzer tablets in the toilet bowl when you don’t have time to scrub it, and they’ll do the job for you! Who knew?
OLD TOOTHBRUSH: This works perfectly to get into small, tight spaces and hard to reach crevices and corners.
MICROFIBER CLOTHS: I use them for everything. They attract dust and dirt, and both stick to the cloths instead of just being wiped around the surface. I bought different colors for different rooms of the house, so that my kitchen cloths aren’t used to clean the toilet, too.
Make Your Own
Why not take a few minutes to make your own cleaning products? It really doesn’t take much time at all, and it is VERY inexpensive to do. Here’s how…
GLASS CLEANER: Fill a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and water. That’s it. No streaks; no harsh chemicals. You can use it on windows, glass, mirrors, and any glass surfaces.
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER: Fill a spray bottle with equal parts of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. For a nice clean scent, add about 20 drops of tea tree oil, lavendar oil, or lemon grass oil. You can use it to clean and disinfect your kitchen and bathroom surfaces; just don’t use it on granite.
SCOURING POWDER: You don’t need to buy Comet; just use baking soda the same way you’d use Comet! It’s cheaper and less abrasive.
Now you’re ready to clean! Hit up one room at a time, and always clean from top to bottom, and from left to right. That way, you won’t be all over the place. It’s just more efficient.
Dusting Tip: Use that microfiber cloth and only touch a surface one-time (not back and forth). Dump it right onto the floor…you are going to vacuum last so save yourself some time this way.
Easy peasy, right? Now if I could just find time to do all of that on a regular basis…
Photo Source: Julie G
