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How to Clean Smarter, Not Harder
by Carl Hampton
Description: Simple strategies to giving your home a good deep cleaning.
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We would all like to leave for work in the morning press a
button on the way out and return at the end of the day to find
our homes clean and tidy. Until that day arrives, here are some
tips that may help you clean smarter not harder. Due to those TV
adverts, most of us over accessorize for the job. We have gadgets
for everything and most don't really do what they say or not in
my hands anyway, so lets keep it simple.
Pick up the clutter - always a big help. Keep your cleaning
products to a minimum and this will help you carry them around
with you as you move through your home. Let the cleaning
products work for you by giving them the suggested time that is
recommended on the label to do their job, don't rush it. Divide
your cleaning over the course of a few days, set certain days
to do certain jobs. This way it's not such a big deal. The
following are room by room strategies.
Bathroom. Apply the products that take time first. Vacuum
everything including dust vents or fans. Wipe down doors,
corners, and towel racks with a damp cloth. Now scrub or wash
down all those areas you applied the take-time products on.
The toilet is the biggest trouble spot, so once a week pour a
cup of white vinegar into the toilet, close the lid and leave
overnight. It is very easy to overlook the medicine cabinet.
Remove everything and wipe down the cabinet every couple of
months. Throw out the expired items. There are a few secret
weapons that will help you in your bathroom. For instance,
automatic shower cleaners are a good investment and those
self-cleaning toilet systems that turn the flushed water into a
cleaning agent can be a big help too.
Bedroom. Put away clothes and straighten dresser and strip the
bed so the blanket and sheets can be laundered. Move clockwise
around the room, clean mirrors and blinds or windows. For
blinds, use a damp rag and a mild cleaning solution. It is
always easy to overlook cleaning under you bed, you should
vacuum regularly and get all the way underneath the bed. For
dusting, a secret weapon can be an Ostrich feather duster you
can buy one online or at a hardware store. For your mattress
and bedding you can use an allergen reducer spray. Vacuum, then
put the clean sheets on the bed.
Kitchen. Clear the counters and empty the dishwashers and clean
all the appliances like the toaster, grill and the coffee pot.
Spray the counters with an all purpose cleaner. Clean the sink,
sweep or vacuum, then mop the floor. The refrigerator and the
stovetop would be the trouble spots in this area. For the
fridge, use warm soapy water to clean the inside and outside or
you can do it the real old fashion way and clean with water and
baking soda. For the stove, you can use a strong bathroom
cleaner. Spray, let it sit, and then wipe with a damp sponge,
avoiding using harsh cleaners with ammonia. You can make a
paste with a degreaser and baking soda. Scrub the dirt loose,
rinse with vinegar and water. Turn on oven to 350 degrees to
bake off fumes that may harm your food. A few secret weapons
that will make life easier are a dissolver, a heavy duty
cleaning pad, and believe it or not an enzyme cleaner (you can
get some at a pet store).
Living Room. Again move clockwise then high to low. Work on the
interior windows and mirrors. Vacuum the sofa and then the
floors. Some of the trouble spots are carpet stains and
furniture. For the carpet, use a stain remover to get rid of
the grease, oil, and things of the like. On a paper towel,
spray the solvent, dab it, and dab it again with a damp white
cloth. For wooden furniture, use a lemon oil or a wood-care
product that has a beeswax base. Cleaning behind the furniture
often becomes a serious tasks so most people just overlook it.
But for those hard to reach places, attach an athletic sock
with a rubber band to the end of a yard stick. There are also
some secret weapons for cleaning your living room. Window
cloths because they clean windows really well and are durable
and washable. Get rid of the broom or mop and get the Swifter,
it is very multi-functional a good carpet cleaner that can work
well on both synthetic and natural carpets.
About The Author: http://www.CarlHampton.com,
http://www.fcdtcm.com
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