House Cleaning Guide: Supplies and Tips
Cleaning your home doesn't have to be chaotic or a stressful chore. Many people dread that day of the week to clean their homes because of how tedious and time-consuming it is. Though we may come up with different excuses not to clean our houses; it is essential to remember that we spend more time at home than anywhere else. Not only that, but a home should be a comfortable and safe place to be. After all, a clean home is a healthy and happy home. With that said, here are some tips and tricks on how to effectively clean your house.
Let's start with some organisational tips:
With a helpful and intentional organisation plan, we can clean our homes in half the time! While there’s not just one way to clean your home, there are smarter ways to do it. Hence, here are some basic rules and tips to help you clean thoroughly and efficiently.
- Set Up a Cleaning Plan or System
By coming up with a cleaning system, you'll be able to clean more efficiently and get things done twice as fast. This routine can be a method for you to clean your home without having to plan and brainstorm again on where you should start the next time you do spring cleaning. Some experts have differing views on whether you should clean your house room by room or do ‘task cleaning’; which is completing one chore only throughout the entire house before starting the next. This would depend on how big your home is and whether or not there are people in the house.
- Clean Top to Bottom, Left to Right
Cleaning haphazardly is a common mistake to make for many people. For example, they wipe the coffee table, then sweep the floor and clean the ceiling; only to find out, there's dust accumulating at the newly wiped coffee table again. With that said, you can try the 'top to bottom, left to right' method. What you can do is always start cleaning at the top of the room, such as dusting the ceiling fan. After that, work your way down to the floor so you won't have to repeat what you just did. Likewise, cleaning left to right also makes sure that you cover the entire room instead of running from place to place. By using this method, experts say that you're working once instead of cleaning areas you've just cleaned.
- Have Proper Tools within Arm’s Reach
To save time and energy, having all the proper tools within an arm's reach will significantly help you in your house cleaning. You could wear an apron with pockets to put your cleaning tools, use a carpenter's tool belt and even put everything you need in a bucket and bring it along with you as you clean your home. If you're wondering what essential tools to have for a house cleaning, we've provided a list of tips below.
- Tips on Cleaning the Kitchen
The kitchen has got to be one of the most dreaded places to clean. But it doesn't have to be hard. For example, you can try to wash the dishes every time after eating to avoid them piling up, which would save you time. Next, you should also remember to clean your sink. By using an all-purpose cleaner, wipe the sink and the faucet from bacteria and food particles. You can also use the all-purpose cleaner to wipe your counter and stovetops from grease and dirt.
For tough stains and grease that won't come off with special cleaner or detergent, home ingredients can be used to tackle this issue. Mix baking soda with water and lightly scrub the problematic area with a cloth. Let's not forget to clean the refrigerator too. Before you take out the trash, take a look in your fridge and see if any leftovers have gone bad, or items that have expired. Many people who don't check them often may end up smelling something nasty but not knowing where it comes from.
Another way to clean the refrigerator is by removing all the food, shelves and drawers of the fridge and wipe the interior with hot water and mild dish soap. Don't forget to wipe the exterior part of the refrigerator too.
- Tips on Cleaning the Bathroom
If you don't want a disgusting time cleaning the bathroom, then you probably should clean it once a week or every other week. One of the best ways to clean the bathroom is by spraying surfaces with cleaner and leaving it for a few minutes. Do the same with toilet bowls as well. Since mould will gather in the bathrooms (due to poor ventilation and humidity), hydrogen peroxide can be sprayed onto mould and mildew to kill the fungus.
After that, you could use a stiff-bristled scrub brush to clean the surface. It can help you save time in your cleaning. Before you use liquid cleaners to clean the bathroom, don't forget to tackle an important issue which is hair. Most times, hair that hasn't been picked up for a long time can cause clogging in the bathroom. If your bathroom is dry, you can vacuum or sweep the hair. But if the floor is wet, use paper towels or rags to pick them up.
Essential cleaning items to buy and why
- Broom and Mop. Must-have items in your home. They are used to sweep dirt and dust on floors. Mops can soak up liquid but also wipe the floor of the house with cleaner and disinfectant. If you don’t have time to visit the hypermarket, you can buy sponges, brooms and mops from shops that deliver like Slowood.
- You will need buckets for multiple reasons. For example, you will need it when you’re mopping, washing and even carrying some of your cleaning supplies.
- All-Purpose Cleaner. It acts as a disinfectant, detergent, combat grease and solvent. An all-purpose cleaner is designed to be used on many different surfaces. It is effective enough to remove stains, dirt and grease, but also gentle enough that it doesn't damage the surface.
- Microfiber Cloths/Towels. Microfiber cloths are a great alternative to paper towels. They can clean surfaces with little or no water at all and are dust and allergen magnets. They also don’t scratch appliances or furniture surfaces. You can use it for dusting surfaces and cleaning windows and mirrors.
- Versatile Vacuum. A versatile vacuum that you can bring around will significantly help you suck out dirt and dust particles, especially in hard to reach places.
- Reusable Latex/Rubber Gloves. Handling cleaning products which contain some strong chemicals could irritate your hands, especially if you have sensitive skin. Using gloves in your cleaning process is vital to protect your hands and nails.
- You will need to use some sponges on your cleaning routine. There are a few types of sponges. For example, there are the cellulose sponges (cheap, good absorbency), abrasive sponges (remove stuck-on food on pots and pans), natural sponges (super absorbent, great for washing windows) and dry sponges (clean surfaces that cannot tolerate water or moisture).
- Grout and Tile Cleaner. Grout and tile cleaner can be used to clean the gap between the tiles in floors, showers, countertops and other surfaces. Grout (a mixture of water, sand and cement) should always be cleaned. If not, it will attract mould and mildew.
With all that said, cleaning our home doesn’t have to be an impossible thing to do. Also, living in a clean home brings about so many rewards and benefits. Here are some of the benefits you can gain from a clean house:
- Peace of Mind & Comfort
You might think you'll be able to live with the clutter at home, but it will impact you more than you think. 'Visual clutter leads to mental clutter'. By having a clean home, it will help members of the household feel more comfortable with where they are staying. With that said, aim for a clean and tidy house where you can relax, chill and not have to stress about the clutter and mess.
- Staying Healthy
Regular house cleaning is the best way to ward off dust and other irritating allergens from home. By doing simple chores such as sweeping, mopping, and dusting can help dispose of dust and allergens that could cause cold and flu-like symptoms. People with a sensitive nose, asthma or other respiratory problems will feel more comfortable and breathe easier as well when the house is kept clean.
- Hygiene and Sanitation
By keeping your house neat and clean, you are also warding off bacteria, viruses and other germs that may deteriorate your health. Not only that, bugs and other pests which tend to lurk at dusty and dirty areas can also be warded off. These pests can cause unnecessary panic and may bring along some dangerous bacteria as well. By having a clean home, pests will not be a problem in the house.
- You’ll Feel Satisfied
What better way to enjoy the tidiness of your home than sitting back, and relax in a comfortable environment? You'll most definitely feel that sense of satisfaction. Your mood will be elevated because of your accomplishment. Not just that, but your home will always be ready for guests. You'll feel confident when your home is comfortable for when guests come over.
To wrap it up, we must keep our home clean and tidy. As mentioned, cleaning your home doesn't have to be chaotic or stressful. With your busy and hectic schedule, shopping for your home essentials online using platforms like pandamart can help you save time and money. We can always look for different, smart and effective ways to keep our home clean and safe. After all, the rewards of having a clean house make it all so worth it.