Lifestyle: Pro tips on how to clean your home the right way

For most of us, cleaning the house is seen as a simple and straightforward task- until we actually attempt to clean it. That’s when we realize cleaning is anything but easy and confusion and frustration sets in.

 Do you start in the kitchen? Should you dust before you vacuum? Not knowing, or doing things out of order, like cleaning the floors before the counters, creates double the work, wasting precious time and energy.

Fact is, there is a science to cleaning, a system to make the process easier, and I’m going to tell you all about it.

















You should assess which part of your house you want to clean first. Furthermore, try to calculate how much time it will take to clean the area and what needs to be done.

Be honest in answering these questions, especially when assessing time. Otherwise, you may find yourself in the middle of cleaning and unable to finish because you have somewhere to go. Here are some tips to maximize your time:

.If your time is limited, save the thorough cleaning and decide what has to be done immediately.

For instance, if you are having company, wipe down the bathrooms, do a light dusting and clean the floors.

.You can scrub the bathtub and scour the refrigerator another time.

.This also applies if you want to break up a floor to ceiling cleaning into smaller, more workable parts.

.If you need to do a little each day, go in the proper order, which means starting at the top and working your way down.

For instance, wipe down the walls and dust the ceiling fan and furniture one day, then sweep and mop floors the next.

.By doing this, you will avoid doing double work and having to go back over what you already did.

Once you decide what you need to do, create a detailed checklist. Include what needs to be cleaned, and how it needs to be done.

.For instance, write dust lamps, dry rub couches, or wet mop the hardwood floors.

And right them in order. That way, you can follow the list and avoid skipping tasks or doing them in the wrong order.

Finally, if you really want to save time, have family members help you. Dividing up tasks can make cleaning quick and alleviate stress.

Just make sure they each are assigned a specific task, so things get done in a neat and orderly fashion.

The Bathroom



Toilet

When cleaning the bathroom,  you should always start with the toilet. It is the most used object in the room, so prepping it and letting it soak while you clean the rest of the bathroom is the best way to go.   Here is a series of simple steps to thoroughly prep and get your toilet clean: To start, put on a pair gloves to protect yourself from bacteria.

Apply a toilet cleaner inside the bowl and the rim.

Let it soak for a while. If there are areas where mildew or grime has built-up, pour hot water in the bwol and let it sit to loosen it.

While it soaks, tackle the other areas (listed below). Use a sponge or brush to clean the inside surfaces of the bowl.

Finally, spray a disinfectant to the outside surfaces of the bowl and wipe with a dry, clean cloth.

Shower and Tub

Your shower and tub are also susceptible to developing stains,grime and mildew, as the bathroom tends to trap moisture.  To remove them, you need to follow this series of steps:

Apply a shower cleaner to your shower and tub, and use a bristled brush to scrub their surfaces. 

If you don’t have a shower cleaner, a dishwashing liquid will work fine. It can remove soap scums and more efficiently.

To rinse off the cleaner, you can use the shower head to remove it, then towel dry.

You may need to apply a car wax on the surface of your shower to preserve its cleanliness.

The Kitchen

Dishes and Other Kitchen Tools

You can save a lot of effort and time if you can clean your dishes properly. To do so, you will need soap and a clean sponge to remove any and all stains from your kitchen utensils.

Big kitchen tools like pots and pans do not fit in a dishwasher, which why it is better to hand-wash them. Plus, dishes washed by a machine can quickly wear out.

The soap that they use can be quite abrasive in nature, which can cause pot coatings to wear off quicker than with hand-washing.

To hand wash, start by soaking any pots caked with food using a mixture of hot water and dishwashing soap.

Let them soak as you scrb utensils and plates. Then, using the proper scouring tools for the pan coating, crub and rinse.

For instance, Teflon pans should be cleaned with a soft spoge only to prevent it from wearing off or becoming scratched.

The Bedroom: Your Sleeping Place



When cleaning the bedroom, the very first thing you need to do is remove any clutter that is in your way.

Remove all wrappers, loose change, clothing, and any other small items that might be in your way and prevent you from doing a good job.

Have a laundry bin and garbage bag on hand to make tidying up quick.

Then, remember the golden rule and start from the top down. Start by dusting and wiping down your ceilings.

You will need a dust mop or rag, dusting spray, and a ladder. Wipe down the ceiling, then go around and wipe down the walls, removing all dust and bacteria. This can be done weekly.

Closet

Arranging your closet is quite simple once you figure out how much space you have. Assess your closet space and see if there are compartments, or shelves for shoes and other accessories.

Then, try to hang shirts and pants in order to find them easily.  Line up shoes so you can find them quickly.

Dressers and Shelves

To clean your shelves and dressers you will need a dust cloth, dust mitt, dusting spray, and disinfectant wipe.

Start by wiping down shelves, then move on to the dressers. Dressers tend to build up dust, so try to wipe them down every few days.

Bed

Remove the bed linens weekly, including bed sheets, comforters, and pillowcases.

Put on fresh linens and arrange them neatly. Once everything is done, you can start vacuuming or mopping the floor until they are squeaky clean.

Living Areas – Your Hangout Place



Furniture

Your furniture is susceptible to dust and mites, especially if you have pets in your house.

These microscopic substances can be harmful to you and your children, causing coughing and asthma.

To efficiently dust your furniture, you need to use a damp cloth to wipe the surfaces. When wiping, use a fluid motion that follows through from one end to the other to ensure you don’t clean the same spots.

To maximize cleaning and eliminating mites, use furniture spray. Floor

Once you dust and wipe down all the furniture, you can start to clean the floors.

Before beginning,consider what kind of floor you have. Is it wood, tiles, or carpeted? Each of these platforms needs different cleaning methods.

For carpet, you will need a vacuum, and possibly a steam cleaner if there are problem areas.

A vacuum can effectively suck up all dirt, dust and grime.

However, if there are stains, a steam cleaner can help spot clean, loosening and removing them.

A steam cleaner can also go deeper than a vacuum, for a more thorough cleansing.

For wood or tiles, you will need a dry dust mop, as well as a wet one for tile floors to get the job done.

For wood, go over with a dry mop, using a dust spray or hardwood cleaner for extra cleaning.

For tiles, ideally, you should dry mop first to pick up dust, then go over with a wet mop.

There are a lot of ways to mop your floor, but nothing beats a rag mop. It can efficiently remove sticky grunge on the surface.

Other Amazing Home Cleaning Tips

Bathroom

1 You can use vinegar and paper towels to remove any buildup in your faucet.

2 Just soak the paper towel with vinegar and let it sit on the faucet.

3 For cleaning your shower curtains, the best way to remove scum and prevent mold is by bleaching them.

4 Of course, you should include washing your bathmats and towels. Yes, your towels need washing, too!

5 Your shower head needs cleaning too! Detach it to unclog and de-scale it by soaking it in vinegar.

6 Stains in your shower glass can be removed by applying acidic cleaners.

  Kitchen

1 You can remove the layers of food build-up on your stove burners by letting them sit and soak in a bag of ammonia.

2 If you use a electric stove burners, detach them from the main body and use some elbow grease to scrub them clean.

3 You can clean your glass cooktops by sprinkling baking soda over its surface. Then, take a damp towel to soak the baking soda for 15 minutes and rinse.

4 A melamine sponge is efficient in making your oven glass sparkling clean again.

5 Use mineral oil to expel grease and other dust build-ups in your cooking area.   Living Area

Sprinkle baking soda on your couch (if it’s made of fabric) to remove unwanted odors.

1 A TV screen is quite sensitive, so you need to be careful when cleaning it. To remove dust from its surface,  use a coffee filter, which is soft but effective.

2 A pillowcase is a good tool to remove dust from your grimy fan blades (without the dust falling on your floor)

3 Use a microfiber cloth and a pair of tongs to remove the dust from your blinds.

4 Cleanse your windows by using a window cleaner and lint-free rag.   Conclusion

When cleaning your house, the outside is just as important as the inside. You must maintain and groom lawns, walkways and the sidewalk, keeping it clean of debris.

It is also important to have different trash bins for proper segregation of waste.

House cleaning should not be done once in a blue moon. You need to do it regularly to maintain a healthy and dust-free environment to live.

Plus, regular cleaning leaves you with less work to do, making the process simple and easy.

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