Tips for a clean home

Home N Garden

oi-Staff

By Super

Monday, May 7, 2012, 14:31

Your house is your greatest place of comfort and as such the asset in your life. Thus you can say that keeping the house clean and clear makes you feel healthy and free from all the diseases. But keeping your house free from any form of germs and dirt is often a great headache for each one of us. Thus we have to take good care of the house that we live in, but at the same time keeping in mind that we need to save our time and energy as well.

Feel the Urge to Clean?
Look at each room in your home and identify specific tasks. Make a list of cleaning priorities. Share the fun with family members.

Best Way to Tackle Cleaning

Always start at the top of the room and work your way down.

Always clean top to bottom. When you dust, start at the top and work down.

Take all your cleaning tools with you into each room to avoid unnecessary trips back and forth.

Unplug the phone and the turn off the T.V.

Eliminate clutter. An uncluttered home looks better than one that is dust-free but strewn with odds and ends.

Clean as you go! It takes a lot less time to remove new dirt than old, and to clean and put away stuff as you use it, than to clean and store the pile-up you can accumulate.

A house that smells fresh will give the impression of cleanliness. Leave baking soda on carpeting for the night to absorb musty odors, vacuum in the morning.

Keep a big astro-turf mat on the porch to cut down on tracked in dirt.

Keep a basket in the kitchen for the mail, newspaper, car keys to help with clutter.

Keep a hamper in every bathroom.

Make everyone in charge of making his or her own bed and picking up their stuff.

Always pickup the T.V. room before bedtime and start the dishwasher.

Prioritize, if your time is limited decided what is most important.

Delegate and get the entire family involved.

Make a checklist. When a job is completed, check it off - you'll feel as though you are really accomplishing something.

Stubborn stains

Lemon juice is a domestic lifesaver in the never-ending fight for cleanliness, and it's been popular as a stain remover for centuries. Try using lemon juice to remove rust and stains from plastic, either neat or diluted, and give curry stains on carpet the heave-ho with diluted lemon juice. For common carpet spillages such as beer, Betty recommends simply dabbing the stain with soda water.

Water marks on wooden surface
Water marks on wooden surfaces can be removed by rubbing half a brazil nut onto the offending area, first ensuring the surface is completely dry. Alternatively, try applying mayonnaise on a soft cloth or toothpaste on a damp cloth to the watermark.

Regular cleaning
If it's dirty - don't wait another week to tackle the project. It takes less time to remove fresh dirt than caked-on dirt. Have all family members make their own beds. Keep a hamper in every bathroom for dirty clothes. Remind your family that if they make a habit of regularly putting away their clothes or belongings, that there will be more time later for enjoyable activities. Before bedtime, pick up the family room and run the dishwasher. Get a fresh start each day.

Eliminate Clutter
Staying organized and getting rid of clutter can make even a dusty home look good.