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Needed: your best cleaning tips!


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I know some of you out there have shining wood floors and sparkling windows! Now that I have off for a few weeks, I really want to do some deep cleaning. The problem: I am not a good cleaner. My house never looks/smells clean no matter how hard I try! I had a maid come once, and I was amazed at how clean she could get my shower and how much nicer my house looked with the dust gone! So, if cleaning comes naturally to you, please share some of your secrets!!! Thank you! :001_smile:

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Mr. Clean Magic Erase works wonders on the clear glass in our shower. We also get mold near the caulk lines and bleach mixed with water gets rid of that.

 

For deep cleaning start by straightening up the room. I like to keep a laudry basket for all the items that don't belong in the room. Next I clean top to bottom circling around the room. I start near the celing hitting cobwebs with a feather duster, then dust horizontal surfaces, door jams and base boards. I also use the feather duster on the window treatments. I use spray or Mr. Clean Magic Erase to spot clean walls and light switch. When I finish going around the room I hit the ceiling fan, then polish/vacuum furniture. Finish by

shaking out the rugs, empting trash and vacuuming the floor and underneath furniture.

 

To clean windows I use a bucket of water with amonia and a squeegie. Just sponge the amonia water, (ratio is on the amonia bottle) and squeegie horizontally top to bottom. Use a rag to wipe the squeegie between swipes. I use windex and a special lint free towel for bathroom mirrors.

 

I love to light a candle while I am cleaning to make the house smell great.

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One word: Declutter!

 

When we were getting ready to sell our house this summer, we decluttered and packed a 10x20 storage unit to the hilt, not to mention all the stuff we donated or threw away. My house had become such a drag to clean, and even after being cleaned it didn't look good. I dreaded cleaning, so I procrastinated, which only compounded the problem. Our house sold after 3 days on the market, and we're getting ready to close on Monday. I currently clean the house from top to bottom once a week, and bathrooms get wiped down every couple of days. Vacuuming in common areas happens daily. And none of it takes much time because I don't have to shift so much "stuff" around to do the cleaning. I'm realizing that the worst part of cleaning is all the time it takes to work my way through the clutter to get to the surfaces that need to be dusted, vacuumed or sanitized. With all the clutter gone, it actually becomes pleasant, and the payoff is almost instant.

 

Let's hope I can keep this up at my new house. Do I really have to unpack that storage unit? I don't know if I want all those things coming back into my house!

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One word: Declutter!

 

When we were getting ready to sell our house this summer, we decluttered and packed a 10x20 storage unit to the hilt, not to mention all the stuff we donated or threw away. My house had become such a drag to clean, and even after being cleaned it didn't look good. I dreaded cleaning, so I procrastinated, which only compounded the problem. Our house sold after 3 days on the market, and we're getting ready to close on Monday. I currently clean the house from top to bottom once a week, and bathrooms get wiped down every couple of days. Vacuuming in common areas happens daily. And none of it takes much time because I don't have to shift so much "stuff" around to do the cleaning. I'm realizing that the worst part of cleaning is all the time it takes to work my way through the clutter to get to the surfaces that need to be dusted, vacuumed or sanitized. With all the clutter gone, it actually becomes pleasant, and the payoff is almost instant.

 

Let's hope I can keep this up at my new house. Do I really have to unpack that storage unit? I don't know if I want all those things coming back into my house!

 

I agree that decluttering makes a huge difference!! One time my basement flooded, and I was sooo happy to have an excuse to throw a lot of stuff out!!

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My best tip: hire a cleaning person for half a day and take the kids to a sitter. Work together with the professional to get it done faster so that you still get a professional clean, you are paying them less (if they charge per hour) and you learn something from them.

 

I am now planning to do this once a week. (2 hours) Charlene is on vacation for a month, but once a week when she gets back!

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Invisible glass for the windows and mirrors (you can buy it at Walmart in the auto section). Water and Woolite mixed 10:1 for leather. Make sure to rinse with plain water and then dry immediately after. It leaves leather beautifully clean. I use scouring powder for ceramic sinks and tubs and non-abrasive cleansers on metal parts. If you have carpets, I would shampoo them (you can rent a machine at Home Depot). That will greatly help with the odors in your house. A lot of that gets trapped in carpet fibers. I'd also recommend painting the walls if you have the time. There is nothing that spruces up a room like a fresh coat of paint. I wish you all the best. :)

Edited by Ibbygirl
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Here are my spring/fall cleaning tips:

 

1) Dust those high places; if you keep them free of dust, the rest of your house will stay dust free for longer periods of time.

 

2) Use Pledge or Murphy's Oil Soap on wood furniture. I know the new fad is to simply feather dust everything, but my furniture stays dust free for two to three times as long with the help of a product. Pledge can also be used on leather to freshen it up.

 

3) If you have hard water stains in your toilets, use Bar Keepers Friend to remove them and then drop one of those tablets in the water to keep your toilets cleaner longer.

 

4) If you have soap build up in your showers, switch to a liquid soap and you'll never have to worry about cleaning soap scum again.

 

5) If you want a really clean feeling home, don't neglect the windows and screens.

 

HTH!

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5) If you want a really clean feeling home, don't neglect the windows and screens.

 

 

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree: Absolutely!! I do this routinely in my house and it really puts the finishing touches on a room and makes it look really clean. :)

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Flylady.net for how to get myself into the habit of cleaning.

 

I use orange oil based cleaners for almost everything, for the smell and the environmental friendliness.

 

I use a real ostrich feather duster for dust because it makes me want to dust (its pretty and soft :) ) and its delicate enough that I dont have to move any ornaments around to dust them.

 

I burn essential oils for putting beautiful aromas through the house. I put drops of essential oils on the pillows at night often.

 

Decluttering- I agree, thats essential.

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