The Sponge Is Mightier Than The Sword

Spring is upon us! The spring cleaning bug is in the air and I want to help make your to-do list a breeze.

Keeping your home clean is an act of self-care, not a chore to be avoided. A clean home enhances not only your physical wellbeing but also your mental health. Scheduling time to maintain your home each week will make the cleaning process smooth and maximize the enjoyment you get from your home.

While running my housekeeping business I learned a few amazing deep cleaning tricks. I've compiled my top 15 tidying tidbits below to get your space clean and keep it that way. To spring cleaning and beyond!

1) Use the drying racks inside your dishwasher to drip dry non-dishwasher-safe kitchen items. This will prevent clutter on your counters. Doing this is especially helpful if you have pets or children who get into clean dishes and muss them up if they’re left out.

2) Do any sweeping, vacuuming, and high level dusting such as cupboard tops or window treatments at least 15 minutes before dusting regular surfaces. Activities that stir up dust in the air will cover your freshly wiped surfaces in new dust if done after completing your dusting. Ideally, surface dusting will be your last step after a 15-minute gap for the air to settle. This will help you keep the lowest possible level of dust around your home so you can truly enjoy your sparking space. That 15-minute break is a great time to scratch off another quick item on your to-do list or relax and meditate on the sense of peace in your nice clean space.

3) Use a bristle vacuum head instead of a cloth or duster to clean blinds. A vacuum will reduce the dust spread back into the air which is healthier for you and also prevents dust from immediately resettling on your blinds. If they are particularly dusty it is best to do two rounds of cleaning. First vacuum, then use either a second round of vacuuming or a damp cloth to wipe down the blinds after letting the dust settle. Follow these tips when cleaning ceiling fans and overhead light fixtures as well.

4) If you have a lot of pet dander in your home opt for a Swiffer style broom rather than a bristled one. Gliding the broom along the floor drastically reduces the dust and dander that floats into the air as you sweep with a standard bristled broom. As a bonus, many of these brooms double as a mop head so you can reduce the number of cleaning tools cluttering your space. You don’t have to spend big money on this upgrade. The dollar store version is just as efficient and you can always opt for the more expensive items later.

5) You can use toilet bowl cleaner for a ton of cleaning projects! Mix about two tablespoons into a spray bottle of water for regular shower cleaning and it will get all those tough water marks and soap scum right out. It also works great for cleaning stains off of metal fixtures and removing red residue from iron in your water. Not everyone will have this problem but I have noticed that my city has a particular problem with these stains in sinks, tubs, and other fixtures. This cleaner is also amazing for glass shower doors that tend to get tough water stain build-up. Use it undiluted for extra stubborn projects but be careful not to get it on your skin! You can even use this solution to clean tough grease spots in your kitchen. Be sure to thoroughly rinse all residue away before you begin cooking.

6) Dollar store magic erasers are amazing. They work better than the Mr.Clean variety and save you money!

7) Clear display boxes for hard-to-clean keepsakes or decorations make dusting fast and easy. As a bonus, they also keep your treasures extra safe!

8) Norwex window and counter cloths will save you a ton of money on chemical cleaners and they are much better for the environment. Simply add water to the cloth and wipe clean. The cloth disinfects surfaces without any need for chemicals. If you have children or pets at home it will cut out any residue left on surfaces they frequently touch. Norwex products were a staple item for me as a domestic housekeeper, especially in homes with glass-walled stairways or large windows. The glass cloth can also be used to shine up your chrome and stainless steel surfaces!

9) Proper folding makes a huge difference! Having your clothing and linen closet properly folded and organized will improve the flow of your home. No more struggling to pull out an item from the bottom of a toppling pile of misfolded items. Putting away laundry will be a breeze with everything folded to fit in its special place.

10) Microwave a bowl of lemon water or whole chunks of lemon in water to easily clean out stuck-on food messes

11) Toss vent covers in the dishwasher or wash them out in the sink to cut down dust in your home. Ensuring that your furnace filter is clean and changing it regularly will also make a notable difference in dust buildup and air quality around your home.

12) Add a little soap and water to your blender and turn it on for a quick pulse to wash the blades. It gets the job done quickly without risking your fingers!

13) After a thorough cleaning, polish your shiny metal faucets with wax paper to leave them gleaming. The wax coating will slick water right off and help prevent future water stains.

14) Don’t neglect to clean the unusual items. We use certain items so often we almost stop seeing them. Garbage cans, washing machines, garburators; all of these items require occasional cleaning to keep your house feeling fresh. Over time the buildup in these places will create unpleasant odours. These ninja odours sink into our clean clothes and seep through our homes without us taking much notice. Scheduling a day to clean all of these items with a solution of bleach or vinegar and lemon will keep you and your home smelling fresh and clean.

15) Run a dryer sheet along your baseboards to de-static them after dusting. This will prevent excessive dust or pet dander buildup so you can spend less time cleaning them!

I hope these tips will help you in your quest for cleanliness! For advice on downsizing and organization find my Vocal profile HERE and check out “Maintaining Your Sanity”. A good organizational structure in your space is the strongest base for a tidy home.

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