Woman's Day, November 1st, 2006
Me, spend all day Saturday cleaning? I don’t think so. With a home-based business and a crazy-busy life, I don’t have much free time, and even if I did I wouldn’t want to spend it dusting and mopping.
Still, I do like a clean house. My strategy: Take a few minutes here and there to stay on top of the dirt and grime. That way it never gets bad and I don’t have to spend my weekend cleaning. While my house isn’t exactly ready for a photo shoot, I don’t have to bolt the door if friends or family pop over. Try these tactics for every room in your home.
-Clean up spills and drips as soon as they occur. Then flip the wipe or sponge over and clean something else that needs it, such as the refrigerator
door handle or the garbage disposal switch, suggests Laurie Kilpatrick, author of Miss Laurie’s Smart Guide to House Cleaning.
-Wash, dry and put away prep bowls and utensils while you’re waiting for the food to cook.
-Chop veggies on a flexible cutting mat so you can slide them into the pot without spilling.
-Barbara James, a mom of two in Clifton, New Jersey, opens jars, stirs and pours over the sink. “That way I can just rinse away the mess.”
-Use a splatter screen when sautéing or frying. “It cuts down on grease
buildup on your stove and cabinets,” says Kilpatrick.
-Take 10 minutes after dinner to load the dishwasher and wipe the counters, stove, microwave and sink.
-If the dishwasher isn’t completely full, add the microwave tray, a centerpiece
bowl, the utensil holder or anything that’s dishwasher-safe and needs cleaning. Toss in your sponge so it’s sanitary for the next day.
-Unload the dishwasher before bed or first thing in the morning. “That way you won’t have to stack the breakfast dishes or empty it before you start dinner,” says Kilpatrick.
-When you come across a jumbled cabinet or drawer, stop what you’re doing and put it in order.
-Store small appliances you don’t use often in cabinets so they don’t collect grease and the counter is easy to clean.
-Purge the fridge before you shop. Wipe down shelves and bins before you fill it up again.
-Set up landing pads for items that frequently get tossed on tables and
strewn on the floor, such as a basket for school papers and a tray for cell
phones, loose change and keys. When Claire Smith’s four kids walk in the
door of her Rockford, Illinois, home, they put their shoes on a decorative
three-tier shoe rack and their backpacks in a bin that she keeps in the
entryway. “The shoe rack also has a top shelf, which is perfect for my purse and keys,” Claire says.
-Once a week shake outside mats and entryway rugs to keep dirt from being tracked inside.
-Keep microfiber cloths handy and swipe away dust the minute you see it. “It’s easier to remove if you don’t let it build up,” says Kilpatrick.
-Use wax on wooden furniture instead of polish, which attracts dust, says David Bowers, author of Dad’s Own Housekeeping Book.
-Do nightly walk-throughs. Before heading to bed, pick up any items that are lying around and put them where they belong. Fold throws, fluff pillows and straighten books and magazines on the coffee table.
-Lydia Voles often stops to clean the TV screen and handprints on the wall. “It takes two minutes, but it makes a huge difference,” says the Ossining, New York, mom.
-Use baskets for dog toys, crafts projects and books, says Michelle Neujahr, a motivational speaker who lives in Yarmouth, Maine. “At the end of the day, I have my children toss all their junk in there,” she explains. “The family room always looks neat and clean.”
-Make the bed before you leave in the morning, and have your children do the same. Trade bedspreads and sheets for comforters with removable duvet covers so all you have to do is pull the comforter over the top of the
bed, suggests Bowers.
-Put dirty clothes in the hamper, neaten the bedside table, toss shoes in the closet and put your coffee cup in the dishwasher.
-Install hooks in closets or behind doors to hang clothes you wear more than once, such as nighties, bathrobes or hoodies. Let your kids know that their favorite items will always be waiting for them there.
-If drawers and closets are packed, do some quick sorting and purging so it’s easier to find what you need and put things away.
-Keep closet doors closed so dust won’t settle on clothes and shoes.
-Put small trash cans lined with bags (scented ones mask odors) in every bedroom. On trash day, empty each one into a large bag.
-Keep a small vacuum on the same level as your bedroom to avoid lugging
a big one up and down stairs.
-Have microfiber cloths and a feather duster upstairs too, so you can give
furniture, lamps and pictures a quick swipe. “I can do my bedroom—vacuum
in one hand and dust rag in the other—in eight to 10 minutes,” says Denise Baron, founder of Too Little Time, a lifestyle management and cleaning company in New York City.
-Keep cleaning supplies in the vanity so they’re always within reach. While you’re waiting for moisturizer to soak in, wash toothpaste out of the sink and remove dust and hair from the counter with a tissue. “It’s easier to pick up when it’s dry,” says Baron.
-After you clean the mirrors, flip the damp paper towel and run it over the sink, faucet and counter.
-Keep skincare products and cosmetics in a basket or caddy so the counter is easy to clean.
-Win the war against mold and mildew by having the last person who showers spray the tile and door with daily shower cleaner. Keep a bottle handy on the ledge. Neujahr used to leave a note by the tub to remind her
kids. “Now it’s a habit,” she says.
-Substitute shower gel for bar soap to reduce soap scum buildup.
-Drop a self-cleaning toilet tablet in the bowl once a week for fast-action
cleaning and let the bubbles do the scrubbing for you. Julie Edelman, a
lifestyle expert and founder of The- AccidentalHousewife.com, says denture
tablets work well too.
-Run a disinfectant wipe over the commode seat, rim, tank and base once a week.
-“Keep rubber gloves under the sink so you don’t have to get your hands dirty or ruin your manicure,” says Edelman.
-Before starting the washer, wipe the surface and inside the lid with a damp washcloth or towel, then throw it in with the load.
-Remove lint from the dryer trap before every load so air circulates freely and lint stays out of the house.
-Use your vacuum’s crevice tool to suction out the lint trap every week or two. While you have the vacuum out, clean lint and dust off the floor.
-Keep a trash can handy for lint.
-Protect shelves with placemats or shelf liner so detergent rings and drips wipe up easily.
-Now take a break. Repeat.
