10 Tips for Defensive Cleaning

Filed under: Storage & Cleaning, Cleaning

ShelterPop's tips and tricks to make your big cleaning day a little easier.

Housekeeping can be a daunting task, especially on a Saturday morning when your to-do list includes laundry, bathroom cleaning, kitchen maintenance and tidying your kids' rooms -- we won't even talk about the windows that haven't been washed since the Bush Administration. However, there are some simple everyday maneuvers to make your home stay cleaner longer and make your clean-up day easier.

Here are our favorite tips and tricks for "defensive cleaning":

1. Ask everyone to make his or her bed everyday. Made beds will put everyone in the right mindset for maintaining a tidier, cleaner home.
2. Stop dirt in its tracks with doormats at each door leading to the outside. Use one inside (soft, cotton) as well as outside (coarse, coir).
3. Really want to keep dirt out? Ask family members and guests to remove their shoes as soon as they enter the house. It'll prevent dirt from entering day-to-day and will cut down the wear-and-tear on your floors in the long-run.
4. Another tactic to keep grime outside is to install door sweeps at the bottom of all exterior doors and weatherproofing stripping on windows.
5. Keep a squeegee in your shower and wipe excess water off the walls and shower door after each shower -- this will prevent hard water deposits and mildew.
6. Keep a jar of pre-moistened cleaning cloths within easy reach in the bathroom: Wipe down the bathroom sink each evening after your nightly routine.
7. Neaten at night: Have each family member gather his or her belongings at the end of each day and return them to their proper storage spots -- this will keep clutter from building up.
8. Don't stop at the dishes: Sweep the kitchen and wipe the counters every evening after you've finished preparing and cleaning up from dinner.
9. Tackle paper pile-up daily: Shred, recycle or file each piece of mail when it arrives. Recycle newspapers at the end of each day. Create a designated spot for magazines.
10. Presort laundry: Instead of throwing everything into one hamper, set out separate hampers for white, lights, darks and dry-clean only/delicate items. It'll save time on laundry day.

Last but not least, divide and conquer: Every family member should be responsible for some part of your home's weekly and monthly cleaning. So make a list of chores and divvy it up among the troops.

Want more clean home inspiration? Read on:
- The Dos and Don'ts of Cleaning Your Bath Tub
- How to Keep the Kids' Bathroom Clean
- The New Way To Do Your Laundry

 

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