12/11/2018
Kitchen: 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 k***s in warm soapy water. By the time you've worked your way around, they'll be easier to clean.)
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.
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.
Love your oven
Keep the heart of your kitchen clean by lining the bottom with a nonstick ovenliner. It can be wiped with a paper towel, put in the dishwasher, and reused over and over.
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 (Amazon.com), which is specifically designed for the job.
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 inexpensive.
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: 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.
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.
Tame the toilet
Drop a teaspoon of Tang Drink Mix in the bowl. The citric acid acts like a scrubber…and 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.
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.
Use bedtime as cleantime
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: Pick the right broom
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.
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.
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.
Super storage
Store brooms with the handle down. It makes them easier to find and protects the bristles.
Banish dust bunnies
Pick the proper dustpan. Minimize that annoying line of dust by choosing a dustpan with a rubber edge.
Bedroom: 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.
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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.
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.
Laundry: 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.
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.
Miscellaneous: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
