You
love a spotless house--but you don't want to spend the bulk of your time
actually cleaning. Well, fret no more. We spoke to seven experts who gave us
some of their best methods to make chores easier, more effective and much less
time-consuming, so you can have a tidy, sparkling home in no time flat.
Here
are the fantastic tips to keep your home clutter free
In The Kitchen
1. Circle
Your Way Around: Always begin on the right side of your stove, then move
clockwise around the room. The stove is typically the dirtiest part of the
kitchen, so ending with it keeps you from spreading dirt and grease. (First,
soak drip pans and knobs in warm soapy water. By the time you've worked your
way around, they'll be easier to clean.
2. Sanitize
the Sink: It's hard to believe, but your dirty kitchen sink has more bacteria
than your toilet seat. Use a product labeled as an EPA-registered disinfectant,
or make your own. To disinfect, clean your sink with soap and water first, then
spray a mist of vinegar followed by a mist of hydrogen peroxide, and let
air-dry. (Don't mix the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide together--spray one after
the other.) If your sink is stainless steel, make it sparkle afterward by
putting a few drops of mineral oil on a soft cloth and buffing. This prevents
water buildup, which deters mold and keeps the sink looking clean longer.
3. Do
Dishwasher Duty:: Once a week, shake baking soda on a damp sponge and wipe
around the machine's edges to remove stuck-on food or stains. To clean the
inside, run an empty cycle with Dishwasher Magic, a product designed to kill
bacteria like E.coli. "During cold and flu season, add a quarter-cup of
bleach to the regular dish cycle to kill bacteria," says Laura Dellutri.
The dishes will be safe and sanitized after the rinse cycle is finished.
4. Love
Your Oven: Keep the heart of your kitchen clean by lining the bottom with a
nonstick oven liner. It can be wiped with a paper towel, put in the dishwasher,
and reused over and over.
5. Disinfect
the Disposal: To get rid of odors, drop in a cut-up lemon, some salt and a few
ice cubes. The lemon deodorizes, and the ice and salt clean away residue. Or
try Disposer Care (Eg: DisposerCare.com), which is specifically designed for the
job.
6. Crumple
Paper Towels Forever: Use microfiber cloths instead. When wet, they sanitize
and clean floors, counters, glass and tile, and eliminate the need for other
cleaning products. They're reusable (machine-wash, hang to dry) and cost about
$5 for a two-pack.
7. Clean
as You Go: Linda Cobb suggests filling your sink with hot soapy water as you
start dinner. "Place used dishes and pans in the filled sink so they'll be
soaking while you eat," she says. Also, wipe up any spills
immediately--don't give sauces, oils or spices a chance to sit around.
8. Zap the
Sponge: We all know that sponges can be a breeding ground for bacteria.
Disinfect yours every night by squeezing it out and microwaving it on high for
a minute. When it's shredded and smelly, replace it.
Bathroom Boosters
9. Make
Doors Shine: Rubbing a teaspoon of lemon oil on glass shower doors twice a
month causes water to bead up and roll off. Or, try Rain-X Original Glass
Treatment, a car-care product made to keep rainwater off your windshield. Use
it twice a year.
10. Get a
Cleaner Liner: Mold and mildew attacking your shower curtain liner? Throw it in
the wash with a few towels, which will help scrub it clean, then hang it back
up to dry.
11. Tame
the Toilet: Drop a teaspoon of Tang Drink Mix in the bowl. The citric acid acts
like a scrubberand it's nontoxic, in case the dog takes a sip. Let it sit for a
few minutes, then swish and flush. And if you cringe at the idea of getting
splashed by toilet water (ugh!), Donna Smallin suggests pushing the toilet
brush in and out of the trap before you begin. This lowers the water level,
allowing you to safely swish away.
12. Corral
Strays: Keep drains free of hair and clogs by using a product like Drano or
Liquid-Plumr to make sure potential clogs are gone, then pour boiling water
down drains once a week to keep problem-free. Get rid of those annoying stray
hairs on the floor by sweeping them up with a damp wad of toilet paper every
morning.
13. Use
Bedtime as Clean Time: While the kids are washing up at night, wipe down the
tub, toilet and mirrors, and toss out clutter. When they're finished, quickly
wipe down the sink and floor. Bathroom done.
Sweeping Solutions
14. Cleaning
should always be done top to bottom. That way, any crumbs or dust that fall to
the floor while you're working get picked up last. And believe it or not,
there's a right way to sweep.
15. Pick
the Right Broom: For indoors, choose one with finer bristles to pick up smaller
dirt particles. For outdoors, go for stronger, stiffer bristles, which work
better to clear porous surfaces.
16. Get
Swept Away: To sweep, hold the broom like a canoe paddle, with one hand on top
of the handle and the other toward the middle. Push your hands in opposite
directions to get the most out of every sweeping stroke. Sweep from the outside
in so that you don't miss any spots, and move the dirt to the center of the
room, where it will be easy to pick up.
17. Super
Storage: Store brooms with the handle down. It makes them easier to find and
protects the bristles.
Bedroom Secrets
18. Banish
Dust Bunnies: Pick the proper dustpan. Minimize that annoying line of dust by
choosing a dustpan with a rubber edge.
19. Start
with the Bed: If your bed is made, your bedroom looks neat, says Marla Cilley.
When you wake up, pull the covers up to your chin, then scissor-kick your way
out of bed so it'll be half made. Finish the job before you walk away.
20. Address
Your Drawers: Most women have drawers full of clothes they don't wear, and
their dresser tops then become repositories for things they can't store. Get
rid of things you haven't worn in a year and vow to put away your clean laundry
each week.
21. Keep
Just the Essentials: Have a "pamper basket" next to your bed with a
book, some moisturizer, your knitting or something else you like to do in bed,
says Cilley. Then keep your clock, a lamp and a box of tissues on your
nightstand. That's it.
Conquer Laundry
22. Stave Off
Static: Since fabric softener and dryer sheets can strip towels of their
absorbency, add ¼ cup white vinegar to the rinse cycle or throw two (new,
clean) tennis balls in your dryer to get rid of static electricity, soften
fabrics and eliminate the need for dryer sheets.
23. Switch
on the Cold: Most everything can be washed in cold water (better for your bills
and the environment). But use the hottest water possible for sheets, towels and
underwear. Take special care with undergarments, putting them in the dryer as
soon as possible to stop bacteria growth while they sit damp in the washer.
Mess-a-Laneous
24. Time
It: If you actually time how long it takes to do certain chores, you won't mind
them as much, says Cilley. Believe it or not, most chores only take 10 minutes.
25. Multitask:
Sarah Aguirre makes tasks go faster by doing two things at once. While on the
phone, she folds laundry, fluffs pillows, picks up stray magazines and books,
does dishes, sweeps or dusts.
26. Know
the Hot Spots: Papers, odd toys and other things usually pile up on the dining
room table or kitchen counter. Once you've got your table cleaned off, file
papers or toss them. "One piece of paper multiplies like rabbits,"
Cilley says.
27. Go
Corner to Corner: When you're vacuuming, begin in the farthest corner and work
toward the door, using slow, repetitive front-to-back motions in an overlapping
sequence, says Julie Rosenblum. As you look over the freshly vacuumed floor,
you shouldn't see any footprints.
28. Velcro
Away Clutter: Label the bottom of each electronic game controller (Xbox, for
example), and then Velcro it to the console, suggests Linda Cobb. You'll never
search for them again.
29. Make a
Lost-and-Found: Every house needs one. Use a cute vintage lunch box or lidded
storage container to stash lost game pieces, stray screws and buttons, and
similar small items. When you need the item, you'll know where to look first.
30. Do
Quick Rescues: Do a 5-minute sweep through each room, taking a laundry basket
with you. Place in it anything that doesn't belong in that room, then put away
the stuff that does belong there.
31. Stop
Clutter at the Front Door: Mount a plastic or cloth shoe rack inside your front
entry closet door, and use it to stash all kinds of living room and family room
miscellany--toys, hats, gloves, magazines. You can even designate one of the
pockets for mail you're not sure whether to save or toss.Andrea Atkins
