Follow this simple 5 step process for a clean and tidy home:
1) De-clutter
If you have ever walked into an untidy room and wondered "where do I start first" and end up walking away and shutting the door for another day, then de-cluttering is your first step, it is worth this initial effort because in the long run your rooms will take a fraction of the time to keep clean. Your clutter is someone's must-have item, so why not earn some cash by selling unwanted items on eBay or in newspaper classified advertisements.
2) Prioritise and Motivate
It is important to take on one room at a time, otherwise the whole task will seem too daunting. Give yourself a little treat for completing work - you've earned it!
3) Light Cleaning
Once all your rooms are de-cluttered go back to the first room and surface clean.
Wipe down surfaces (that are now much accessible because everything is tidy)
Take a damp cloth and wipe down window seals, shelves, and ledges and run the cloth along the skirting. Vacuum or sweep the floors.
Put on some music - this helps to keep you going and energised, you will soon find yourself dancing and cleaning to the beat! Tell yourself you are only going to spend a designated amount of time in each room and stick to it, only stay longer if you feel like continuing and remember the next room may only take you 10 minutes in total, keeping this in mind motivates you on.
You will find that the closer you get to finishing, the more you want to keep going. Once you have one room finished, carry on to the next room or take a break, it is important to feel that you are achieving something here, once it feels like a chore, stop.
This may take you a day, a few days or even a week. Take it at your own pace.
4) Deep Cleaning
Periodically rooms will need a bit more care and attention so a deep clean may be required. Don't be put off by the workload, just do one room at a time, one day at a time.
- Thoroughly wash surfaces and polish as needed.
- Use an extended feather duster or a broom handle with a cloth tied to the end, to reach up to the ceiling to sweep away the cobwebs. Pay special attention to the corners.
- Wash cushion covers and dust down the suite, dust down the dining table and remember to run a damp cloth over the chairs, chair rungs and legs.
- Thoroughly vacuum or sweep.
- Take a mop and bucket and wash the floor thoroughly, take a damp cloth to reach into the corners.
- Any carpet stains can be dealt with using a commercial spot cleaner
Stand back and admire your work, doesn't it feel good.
5) Ad-Hoc Cleaning:
For those harder to clean places and spots - don't worry it's easier than you think and worth the effort.
a) Window Cleaning - mix a solution of 2 cups of water with 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar. If a commercial window-cleaning product has previously been used then there may be a little wax residue left on the surface leaving unsightly streaks. If this happens try adding 1/2 teaspoon of liquid soap to the vinegar solution and try again.
b) Grout cleaning - mix together a solution of 2 parts bicarbonate of soda and one part vinegar, mix together in a large bowl, as it will fizz up. Apply the paste to the grout with a toothbrush, leave for 10 minutes and then rinse off with warm water.
c) Oven Cleaning - spray the bottom of the oven with water, scatter with a sprinkling of bicarbonate of soda and spray with a little more water. Leave overnight. Mop up residue with a kitchen roll and rinse with hot water.
That's it - de-cluttered and clean. Now all you need to do is maintain that tidiness and the cleaning will be quicker and easier than ever before.
Autor: Mike Applin
http://www.cleaningdirectory.co.uk
Added: January 1, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
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