As far as house cleaning goes, everybody does it at some point. The ‘house work’ is done by woman more than men perhaps? It sounds like an easy task when it’s just said without thought. What’s really involved though? Is there a correct way of doing some of the mundane jobs about the house?
The answer is yes.
There are some rules to follow if a good job is to be done. Always start at the beginning. For instance, start by putting items back in their proper place. This may include everything from children’s toys to dirty cups. All should have a home. Now the real cleaning can begin.
Start at the top, i.e., wall mounted cupboards, work tops, electrical appliances etc.
Choose the cleaning product that best suits the job at hand. Bleach based cleaners may kill the germs but they can also cause lightening of colors and yellowing of white plastic such as window frames. The glass will also need doing every now and then. The best chemical for this is acetic acid – that’s vinegar to you and me. Think chip shop. Vinegar with a bowel water (1:4 mix), an ink free cloth and a final polish with some news paper will do nicely. All shops and supermarkets do however stock a wide range of items that are designed for particular surfaces. Choose a kitchen cleaner for the kitchen or a bathroom one for the bathroom etc.
Colour coded cloths are a good idea for some places. The wrong cloth or sponge may scratch the delicate surfaces around the home and a cloth too soft may not be abrasive enough to remove tuff debris. Food areas are a place of breading for germs. Wipe down before and after every use. An antibacterial sprays are good but washing up liquid with warm water are just as affective.
Grout between tiles is also a place for bacteria as well as stains and just becoming discolored. 1 part water with 4 parts bleach and an old tooth brush can really brighten up a tiled room. Be care full not to rub the tiles.
Stainless steel is good because germs have almost nowhere to hide on this surface. Again, washing up liquid and warm water should be adequate. The finger marks however can make it look unclean. Remove these with a clean cloth and a spot of baby oil. Do not use an abrasive cloth. The same rule applies to granite type work tops. They are hardwearing and need only a wipe but not the baby oil.
The sink also requires a daily clean. Wipe before and after use. Disinfect every week by filling it with water and a cap of bleach. Scrub around the overflow and make sure the water goes down there too. If a stainless steel sink is the object to of cleaning, do not use a harsh or abrasive cloth, this will scratch. The sealant may also be due a clean. Find a product that is designed for this job. Apply more than once if necessary and if the mildew is really stubborn, you will have to remove the old and replace with new.
Taps and other parts may be overcome by lime scale. Use a lime scale remover for this and in very persistent cases, soak a cloth in the lime scale remover and wrap it around the taps so they have a good soak. White tooth paste can also be affective on keeping taps looking good. It can be used on most types other than gold or brass taps.
Even the house hold items deserve a sparkling shine. Make sure the kettle, toaster, microwave and any other items that are on show are cleaned. Use the methods above to clean cupboards and items such as the washing machine to complete the tasks above floor level.
Once the windows, work tops and all other items and surfaces are clean, the floor area is next.
This is where a broom and a vacuum come to work. Large particles should be swept up and put in the bin so as not to block the vacuum. Then, the vacuum can work its magic. The pipe will ensure that all around the edges will be clear of debris. The vacuum also needs to remain clean. This should be checked regularly.
The next step is to find a floor cleaner that suits and get the bucket full. The next thing is to ensure that the mop is cleaned every time it’s used. This way it won’t need cleaning before you start. The mop must be stored with the handle end down in the bucket and the mop end cleaned and rung out facing up so that it can dry. This will stop smells from mold etc building up. When mops get left in the dirty water they soon begin to rot away.
The more the mop is rung out before it hits the floor, the faster the floor will dry. Stubborn marks may need a scrub with a suitable cloth.
There area some parts of the house that will have carpets down. There are many ways to remove stains from a carpet but the best thing to do is hire either a professional company or a professional carpet cleaner to do a really good job.
The toilet is a place of hell for us and a heaven to germs. When a toilet is cleaned the water should be pushed down as much as possible with a toilet brush first. Then you can apply the cleaning product and leave for a few minutes while you apply cleaning products to other places i.e., the sink and wiping down the seat etc of the toilet. Now the toilet can be flushed. This should be done with the lid down every time you flush because tiny particles of the toilet contents escape into the air.
A home will also have ornaments around. These too will enjoy the occasional soak in soapy water or a polish. Any surface about the home needs cleaning. The coffee table, the top of the stereo or the photo’s and frames.
The last thing to consider is of course is the bedroom and the clothes we wear. Oh and of course, our selves. It does not matter how clean our home is, what’s the point? if we and our clothes are dirty. The bed would have a harmless amount of bed bugs living in the mattress. As harmless as they are, if a person has an allergy, it can be aggravated by them.
Sweat, dead skins and other substances can find their way into the bed sheets. The must be washed in the washing machine on a regular basis. The clothes we wear follow the same rules. Socks and underwear have to be the worst for harboring germs and bacteria. They must be put on clean daily.
To finish, many homes have pets. The area in which they live must be kept clean because they cannot go for a shower or to the toilet. They live in the conditions we provide and if we don’t keep their area clean, they won’t be clean and they will make other areas unclean too.
Without a doubt, cleanliness is a part of everyday life. Without it the human race would probably die out through disease. However, scientist’s now feel that too much bleach around the home can in fact increase the risk of infections. This does not mean that we should live in filth but we should remember that we survived for thousands of years without bleach. Just as animals live in the wild today, small amounts of germs give us and animals an immune system.
By all means, clean your house and your children but at the same time, allow the children to play in the dirt in the garden. So long as there is no real harmful debris i.e. cat or dog fesses, they will be just fine having a soapy shower later on.
Enjoy being clean. And always remember to keep cleaning products clearly labeled and out of reach of children.