I'll be the first to admit it: I am not a very good cleaner. I take too long and get too little accomplished. I am wondering if you could share your cleaning tips with me. I have a few specific questions:
1. Say you only had a one-hour naptime (your kids' nap, of course--not yours) to get all your cleaning done. (a) How much of the house would you probably get done, and (b) What part of the house is your first priority?
2. What is the best way to clean a shower tub? I mean really clean it, not just squirt a little bit of scrubbing bubbles over the top. I'm talking hardcore, pull-out-the-rubber-gloves, break-a-sweat-till-your-arm-aches cleaning. What do you use? The same question applies for mopping the floor.
3. What motivates and/or inspires you to keep up with your cleaning week after week?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Hey sweet! You guys already answered the question on mopping earlier. Thanks!
I struggle with the exact same thing!!!
1. If I have an hour and need to make it presentable, I do a quick once over with clorox cleanup wipes on the sink and toilet, then I make sure the kitchen is presentable because it's the first thing you seen unfortunately in my house! Then I do a quick pick up of toys and junk and if I still have time, I vacuum or finger vacuum. I can usually get the dishes and a quick cleanup done during my daughter's nap (but I have two hours still :)
2. I use a scrubbing brush and comet powder. I want to find something gentler though now that my daughter's bum is coming in direct contact with the tub! :)
3. Like I said, I struggle with this. My SIL has a binder-seriously a binder to keep track of her cleaning, she's so good at it! I tried flylady.net for a while but just got overwhelmed! Right now, I have a chart so that I don't do it all in one day and it gets done regularly because I also work three days a week.
First of all, Welcome tagteamo3! We'd love for you post a get-to-know-you about yourself! A lot of us don't know each other personally on this site but we are connected by similar plights in life! Check out the Get to know the Contributors link.
I have a love/hate relationship with cleaning. I love how it feels but I hate how quickly the next week comes along and it's time to clean again (admittedly sometimes over a week passes before I get the toilet bowl cleaner out again).
Here are some things I do to cope!
First, I keep an all-purpose cleaner underneath the kitchen sink all the time and I make cleaning the counters a regular part of after-dinner clean-up.
I recently invested in a Swiffer mop and I love it. We'll see if I actually stick with buying the replacement liquid and pads, but I was very pleased with it. It's quick, easy, and does the job well.
I clean the tub with comet and a scrub brush like Liz. Sometimes I feel like I can get away without scrubbing the shower if I just use Tilex. I spray down the shower and all of a sudden any mildew spots are gone! It's fantastic. I've also just started using a daily shower cleaner so I feel less guilty about not getting in there and scrubbing my heart out regularly.
If I had a limited amount of time to clean, I would vacuum. It's one of those things that shows a visible difference and makes you feel better instantly. Plus your husband thinks that you've been cleaning all day when he sees the vacuum lines. Darn! I can't use that anymore becuase my husband works from home now!
As far as motivation...it's hard to find the time, but when I do, the end result of cleaning feels great. I feel like I'm keeping my family healthier. When I was first married, ants appeared on our kitchen floor and I realied I wasn't being dilligent enough about cleaning. I gave the floor a superior clean and the ants were gone. So sometime I think bugs and critters are more likely to stay out if I clean. That motivates me.
It's been over a week since I cleaned! I need to get to it!
Hmm. My house is pretty much only clean if I know people are coming over. I just don't have the motivation to spend every spare second I have on cleaning.
That said, the kitchen is always the first place I start. I HAVE to sweep at least twice a week and mop at least once. Tidy up and vaccum would come next. Usually I let things get so bad that I end up slaving all day to clean the house when I know it needs to be clean for something.
I'm really not a slob. I don't let things get yucky and sticky. But I'd way rather use nap time to read than to clean.
I have a daily chart I created to try and help me keep up with stuff. I don't look at it.
Sometimes I invite people over just so I'll clean my house.
After the mopping discussion, do you like your new Swiffer mop, Linz? I read that one intrigued because I hate my mop!
oh, and ps, from my earlier comment- "and it gets done regularly" is the intention but, let's face it, not usually the reality!
Do any of you guys get your husband to help? That is one thing that helps me. :)
One thing that helps me is when it gets just too crazy I declare a "15 minute pickup." Everyone spends 15 minutes cleaning/picking up. It doesn't matter what or where the cleaning is. It can start right at that minute or be planned for later in the day. Usually that gets the house pretty presentable for company or clean/tidy enough that I can feel the spirit again. As as added bonus, everyone feels like they contributed and aren't the only ones doing chores.
Post a Comment