How to keep the house ^noticeably^ clean

[luckysocks]

I'm getting organised.

We have been clean and tidy for nearly a whole week.

The mission started because we came back from holiday and my first thought was what's that smell? And everywhere looked a bit untidy.

So I've solved that, we're tidy and clean and it smells... normal. But I'm getting a bit addicted and it's no longer enough... I want to walk in and to think wow - it's really clean. I think what I need is for it to smell really fresh, not just like us, if that makes sense.

How do I do it?

[MsOnatopp]

No idea but I have been clean/tidy/organised for a month now My record!! :o

Nice smelly candles? but not too powerful! They are pretty as well :)

[colditz]

Um, do more housework than is rational?

[steppemum]

luckysocks - my house never smells fresh, despite being clean. We have lived here a year, sorted out lots of condensation damp and finally got rid of all mildew, so the mould smell has been conquered, but it still doesn't smell fresh. It is starting to drive me mad.

Have come to the conclusion we need to replace carpets, but can't afford to

[Japple]

...The only reason that visitors think that we always have a clean house,is be-
cause I boil water in a huge kettle,then pour it into my Mop Bucket (on little
red wheels),then pour 1/3 cup of "Pinesol" into it...and,using a big rag mop,I
mop the kitchen and bathroom and entryway floors.I also get fresh water and
wipe down the front door with Pinesol.If guests are coming we rub a cut lemon
on the lightbulbs...so when we turn them on,the Scent is wonderful.Jill.

[luckysocks]

MsOnatopp - that should be it now then - isn't a month the time it takes to create new habits?! You'll be clean and tidy and organised forever - hoorah

I already do more housework than comes under my definition of rational, hence the need for impressive results if I'm going to invest that much effort in something!

steppemum, I think new carpets would help us too, but we're not going to do that yet. I'm considering getting them cleaned. Well done on getting ridding of the musty smell though, that can't have been an easy job.

Japple... right. Taking notes. Pinesol... (little red wheels...) lemon on light bulbs - really? Will that even work with the daft energy-saving-more-light-from-my-phone lightbulbs? And does it not leave them a bit ... sticky? I might have to try it just to see. Thanks for the tips, will be using some of your advice today :)

[luckysocks]

ridding? *rid... :)

[Doodlekitty]

Tumble dryer sheets on radiators work quite nicely too, but are visa me which is a shame.
We are in the middle of decorating and my house is a tip but I'm hoping to start on a real tidy frenzy later this week. I'm 37 weeks pregnant and want this place spotless and lovely when baby arrives

[GossipWitch]

I've recently brought a glade filter bad smells chuck out nice smell thingy, which I keep near my kitchen bin, you can never smell the dirty nappies and kitten poo rubbish anymore, and I always keep a couple of fabreeze mist and refresh in too.

[AitchDee]

Best thing to get it smelling fresh is to regularly wash soft furnishings and bedding, and open windows every day.

Anything else and you will just be masking normal family smells.

[LegArmpits]

I washed some curtains that had been hanging for eight years a long time to go in another room and it made it smell clean for ages.