Your vacuum can clean much more than floors once you know what to use your vacuum cleaner attachments for. Soil is gritty, too, so using a dry cloth to wipe it away leaves microscopic scratches. Cleaning focuses on removing grime. For routine cleaning, a less harsh solution like dish washing detergents and pH neutral cleaners, along with non-abrasive sponges or cloths, is more appropriate. Or would you like to get it done in less time while still doing a good job, so you’ve got time to do something more fun? Not gathering cleaning supplies before you start is nuts, too. 1/4 cup white vinegar to one quart (32 ounces) of warm water for basic solution. That tends to leave just things I might want to read, like the half-dozen magazines I still get. Jeff Campbell is widely regarded as one of America's leading home cleaning experts. If you run out of time or energy after those, you can feel confident you’ve protected your family’s health. If grease splatters and stains are still visible, combine equal amounts vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle. Get tips on the types of cleaners to use to remove minor scuff marks as well as those hard to remove stains. If my baseboards are really dirty, I attach the broom brush to my vacuum; if they just need a light dust I like to go over them with a foam craft brush. Cleaning cloths: Grimy cloths leave streaks. Use a dab of mineral oil on a lint-free cloth to clean stainless steel appliances and surfaces. Then it’ll only take 15-20 minutes each day! But, if you want to continue cleaning, focus on the remaining rooms based on how much they’re bothering you. Dry it with a fresh cloth right away, so it doesn’t rust. //-->. Clean corners, edges or details using cotton swabs dipped in your mixture of water and dishwashing liquid. I think I’m going to get to them to read or decide on and I never do. Linking to Us | Advertising Info | Privacy Policy | Legal Disclaimer, Wall Washing Secrets:  Created on October 10th, 2004. So, I toss anything sales-related, because I don’t need temptations to spend money these days. Here are some easy tricks to make cleaning faster, so you don’t have to work so hard. Clean from the top of the room to the bottom, so you’re moving dirt down then out. A Perspective on Antibacterials — Please Don't Routinely Use Pesticides, ISSA's Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS). (Related: 13 Places You Should Clean and Disinfect Daily. You know the saying, “Work smarter, not harder.” It applies to housework, too. Filed Under: Clean Tagged With: cleaning routines, cleaning tips. Required fields are marked *. It deals with surfaces like counters, bathtubs and toilets, and floors. (I use this one, which isn’t the prettiest, but it holds a lot and is easy to wash.) Also, keep them clean! 1/4 cup baking soda. An easy way to do this is by covering a broom with a towel and wiping the walls from the top down. Tip: Consider washing walls on a warm, dry day so you can open the windows afterwards, which will help the excess water to dry faster. Doing this will prevent the walls from absorbing excess water. bucket half full of warm water and add a squirt of a mild, nonabrasive soap or TSP substitute according to its directions. Certainly some walls would benefit from being washed, but it would be better to paint others instead, and some should be benignly ignored. Work on your walls in small sections and dry each section immediately after washing with a dry microfiber cloth. Likewise, you don’t want to waste time retracing your steps. (Related: Daily Shower Spray to Prevent Mold and Mildew.). Use oxygenated bleach and water to get bathroom and kitchen grout clean. Add 1 cup (240 ml) of ammonia, 0.5 cups (120 ml) of vinegar, and 0.25 cups (59 ml) of baking soda to 1 gallon (3,800 ml) of warm water. Do one room at a time instead, but clean the right rooms first. Clean furniture and beds next, and finish with baseboards and floors — where all that dirt has fallen. Creating a comfortable environment or making things look nice comes after that. Clean the walls, and cover the floors and furniture with a canvas drop cloth. Let it soak for 10 minutes, then rinse and let it air-dry. Use a cleaning cloth and hot, soapy water to wipe the blade. Sand and prime the spackled areas when dry. ), There’s no need to haul a sloppy bucket of water throughout your house. The long, narrow crevice tool fits into tight spaces well. Wipe away fingerprints and other marks soon after they appear. How to Clean Baseboards on a Routine Basis Once you’ve taken the time and effort to clean your baseboards thoroughly, you need to keep them looking nice. Repeat. Combine a tablespoon of ammonia for every cup of water, … (Oxiclean is one brand, but there are plenty of store-label ones, too.) Ads, ad links, products and content on this page are not necessarily endorsed by these organizations. Let the soapy water sit on the walls for 5 minutes before scrubbing them again with clean water to get rid of the suds. Get the surface wet with glass cleaner then run the squeegee left to right across the top. Putting away clutter makes it easier to clean your house fast. Once all of the dry dirt is removed, you are ready to wash the walls. Vacuuming the walls is by far the most effective (and least damaging) way to clean your walls. Using a putty knife, fill holes with spackling compound. (Left to right.) To help keep walls clean, vacuum painted walls with a soft brush attachment. You don’t cook dinner by running to the store for one ingredient, chopping it, and going back to buy the next. Learn how to clean painted walls. Use this sponge to … Don’t try to do both on the same day. Keep them all in one bucket or caddy, so they’re easy to find. These areas are essential to your family’s health. Then run it from top to bottom, left to right, wiping the blade between strokes. My other issue is papers overwhelm me. So, wash your vacuum’s non-motor parts in a bathtub with soapy water. But if you’re consistent about it, you’ll clean house in half the time because there won’t be much mess to clean. Rinse the surface: Run a dishcloth under warm water and gently rinse surface. You need to clean, organize and declutter. Run hot water into the bucket while stirring the water to ensure the Soilmax is dissolved completely. 3. Do bedrooms next for the same reason, then work on the rest of the house as time and energy permit. When cleaning a two-story house, a garden hose may not reach high enough to completely rinse the walls. Rely on the fast cleaning hacks above to work smarter, not harder. Add 2 tablespoons to a quart of water and apply it to the surface. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Scrubbing all tubs and showers, then the toilets before polishing every mirror? Yes, a wet rag is the most basic way to wash walls or surfaces throughout the home, and I only recommend doing it in low-traffic areas because otherwise you really should use some sort of cleaning agent to wash away body oils and smudges that make our homes actually dirty. (Related: How Often to Clean Everything in Your Home.). Use the right tools, keep them handy, and clean them when you’re done. Avoid colored soaps or dyed sponges, which can cause stains. Or do it in the morning while you’re waiting for your coffee to brew. After washing with detergent, wash the walls again with water to remove all traces of the detergent. Always go for a mild cleaner. Toilets, tub surrounds, sinks, and bathroom counters collect a lot of debris. Mix a small amount of your cleaner into a bucket of warm water and then dip a sponge in the water.