Grandma and Aunt Bertha are coming to stay for the weekend. You are not the type of guy who has a cleaning routine. If it’s Monday I must dust. You do not spend Saturday vacuuming your place. The best thing to do is of course call a cleaning service to come in right before the visit. Make sure the service you hire will clean refrigerators and ovens.
If that is not possible and you are doing this on your own here are a few tips and tricks. Think about the detail you put into cleaning your car. You can do this.
10 Cleaning items that you really should have in addition to Windex and 409
1. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
2. Alka Seltzer
3. Swiffer
4. Duster with telescopic pole handle
5. Vinegar
6. Lint roller
7. Febreeze
8. Disinfecting wipes
10. Baking Soda
12 Cleaning tips and tricks to make it all easier.
1. No self-cleaning oven? Take vinegar, baking soda and a few drops of Dawn dish detergent and make a paste. Coat the inside of the oven, shut the door and turn on for five minutes. Turn it off, open the door and after 15 minutes you can wipe off the paste. Now you should rethink calling a cleaning service.
2. An old sock dipped in a solution of white vinegar and warm water will wipe off all the dust and crud on your blinds. You might need several socks.
3. Put two Alka Seltzer tablets in your toilet. Let it sit for 20 minutes.
4. The Swiffer cleans up all sorts of detritus from your floors. Change the pad as needed.
5. Shower doors? Go get a squeegee. The best way to clean glass and keep it clean is always a squeegee. You can put Rain X on the doors 2 or 3 times a year and the water beads right off.
6. Cut up a lemon in quarters and along with some ice cubes put them in the garbage disposal for stinky smell
7. Use a lint roller to clean lampshades.
8. Cut lemon in half place in a bowl of water. Microwave the bowl for 5 minutes to get the hard gunk that is stuck on the inside of your microwave. Just wipe off with a paper towel.
9. Here is a tip for cleaning the gunk off the cabinets near the stove in the kitchen. Mix a little bit of baking soda and vegetable oil. Use an old toothbrush to scrub the mixture on the cabinets. Then wipe of with a dry cloth.
10. The gunky goo in the tracks for your sliding glass doors are a pain in the ass. There is no way but the hard way to clean those. Vacuum, and then get out a bunch of q-tips and vinegar. Keep wiping till the track is clean.
11. Damp wad of toilet paper picks up stray hairs on the bathroom floor.
12. Rub wax paper on spotty metal faucets. It helps prevent water spots and fingerprints.
Here are just a few extra tips to help keep your place clean. And maybe somewhat ready for last minute visitors.
1. You should microwave kitchen sponge for a minute every day to kill the bacteria that are living in it.
2. Right before you turn the water on to shower, spray the walls with a no-wipe cleaner. The splashing water and hot steam will do the rest of the work. If you need to scrub the grout, bring a rough sponge in with you and scrub as the water runs.
3. Always have a spare shower liner handy for visitor emergency $5
4. Keep an empty box, bin or basket kept on the closet floor. Throw everything you can in the box, bin or basket and put it back in the closet. Instant clean for last minute visitors.
5. If you rarely use your George Foreman grill because it’s a pain in the ass to clean, this will get you up and using it again. As soon as you’re done using the grill, unplug it and then place a wet paper towel on the plate. Close the lid to steam clean. Wipe dry with a new paper towel.
6. Right before you turn the water on to shower, spray the walls with a no-wipe cleaner. The splashing water and hot steam will do the rest of the work. If you need to scrub the grout, bring a rough sponge in with you and scrub as the water runs.
7. I use a clean makeup brush to get in between the keys of my laptop. Since blowing with canned air spreads the crumbs all over the place. I just hold my laptop over the trash can and brush away.
8. If you use your blender a lot, you’re probably sick of taking it apart to clean it out. Every time it needs to be washed, just pour in some dish liquid and water, turn it on for a minute and then rinse it out.
Just a final thought.
Go buy new sheets, towels, and a shower curtain. Wash the sheets and towels in hot water and vinegar to remove the sizing and make them soft. And spray all the soft surfaces with Febreeze.
But I still think calling a cleaning service is the way to go. Because you’re probably already exhausted just reading this blog.
XXOO
Kisses
Wanda
