I am 34, I am single for the first time in my adult life, I have no idea how to keep a house clean - HELP

[shakinstevenslovechild]

Dh and I have recently made the decision to split.

I have been with him since I was 19/20.

He is moving out soon, and I am really worried.

In our relationship I have worked, dealt with the cooking, washing and our dc, he has worked and dealt with the majority of the housework.

I am ashamed to say that I don't even know where to start with keeping on top of the housework because he has always done most of it.

Please, please share your hints and tips with me.

I have a 3 bedroomed house, 4 dc, and work from home mostly.

I am that I have got this far in life and relied on him so much, so please be gentle

[shakinstevenslovechild]

I have started doing bedding twice a week and we haven't caught anything as yet, I have no idea why I did it every day, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

I think I'll stick to radox baths and leave the dettol for.... actually I don't know, I have a bottle and have never used it for anything.

He has moved out now, a couple of weeks ago actually, and my house isn't perfect, but it's not bad either. I do a big clean on a monday and have a bit of a routine going for the rest of the week now. The kids get pocket money for chipping in with the chores, and I officially love my dishwasher, I really wouldn't have coped through this difficult time without its support

Thank you for all the tips, and for recommending flylady I am not the scruff I once was, I'm still no Anthea Turner though

[oscarwilde]

You change all your sheets every day ?
Well that's 1.5 hrs or more every day that can be spent whizzing around the house.
Unless you live somewhere pretty tropical then once a week should be fine.

[YellowStripe]

My mum used to bath me in Dettol! I still love the smell of it I have been known to sniff it as I walk round the supermarket ....

[HolgerDanske]

Wow you certainly don't need to change bedding every day! Once a week at the weekend

[Maisie0]

Feminine !

Hehehehe....

[Feminine]

Okay Maisie

I'll bet your bath tub stays quite clean too!

[Maisie0]

Just to say that, you guys are hilarious. I just joined mumsnet. I miss girly chats, I do I do. :)

"=It lasts longer." Did I really write that ??

[Maisie0]

Haha. I meant that the effect of reducing the number of bacterias on your skin will mean your skin is cleaner for longer. ;)

It does dry the skin only the first time, but after that it doesn't. It is not strong dilution as well. Just a lighter one. I am a bit of a skin freak these days, because I realised what makes it glow that bit more. I am trying to stay away from spa and use good dead sea bath salts with dettol, every once a while. Sorry, I didn't mean to use dettol, AND bleach AND the tooth pastes to clean with.

[Feminine]

What 'lasts longer' btw? :)

[coffeeinbed]

Tidy forst.

then work your way left to right, top to bottom, dry to wet.

[Feminine]

maisie the bleaching is one thing. I think those baths of yours are going to dry your skin. Honestly, you could never be that dirty!

[Maisie0]

Oops.
=I mean to bathe in.
=It lasts longer.

[Maisie0]

Well, I use the light diluted bleach mostly for floors and kitchen wipe down. In case of bacterias there with food. (And yes, I have had tummy bugs before with handling some pork. So I am extra diligent these days. I am also considering to switch to organic now.)

I have started to use dettol to bath this year, and started to soak the skin to get rid of bacteria on the skin. I always used to use shower, but it is not truly that effective I find. It's one of those "saves time, lasts loner" option for me.

[gamerchick]

I really hope so.

[Feminine]

I'm wondering if she means she cleans the bath with it? :-)

[gamerchick]

maisie seriously man you don't need to do all of that. Use bleach sparingly and you don't need to bath in dettol

You don't really bath in dettol do you?

[bunjies]

I'm not surprised you end up doing 4 washing loads a day if you're changing bedlinen every day . Do yourself a favour & cut down to once a week. You won't catch anything promise .

[colditz]

Maisie, seriously don't bathe in dettol. Also, go to the doctor. It's not normal to bathe in antiseptic and bleach everything.

[Maisie0]

My ammunitions are:

• domestos domestos domestos (lots of it, remember to rinse!)
  
• micro fibre clothes from pound shops (they work SO well)
  
• dettol for bathing (to reduce bacteria growth)
  
• anti-bacteria tooth pastes (yes, it does work so much better)
  

Just do it slowly. Break it down by a little bit each day I think. That is how I do it. If I do too much each day I get too stressed.

[OnTheBottomWithAWomansWeekly]

I think someone else mentioned minimising ironing - I iron once every 6 mths when I want to wear my linen shirt or dress! (plus I work FT in an office environment so need clothes to look good - I own a lot of thick jersey dresses)

Tips - launder clothes as soon after wearing as possible. Don't leave sitting in washing machine - hang up to dry immediately wash is finished, and shake out all creases.

Then hang up (or fold carefully) when fully dry - and make sure there is room in wardrobe/drawer so that you're not shoving the item in making new creases.

This method is actually no extra work - just a bit of managing timings (i.e. don't put a wash on when you're going to bed and won't be there to take it out) and hanging the items to dry carefully.

[EmpressOfJurisfiction]

I bet they could. He's talking about homophobic language in schools so don't see why not!

[shakinstevenslovechild]

Oh no I didn't realise he was coming on for a chat, I'll just go and have a look for it. I've heard him in a couple of interviews and he is just brilliant, I wonder if the school could book him too

[EmpressOfJurisfiction]

That's one bloody AMAZING school. Did you see the Will Young webchat?

[shakinstevenslovechild]

Yep

It's only cleaning I struggle with. I'm a bit stuck with the cupboard just now, I've built the framework for it, but I don't really know what to do next, I'll have a wee look on you tube tonight and be an expert in the morning though an expert in my own mind anyway dh is rubbish at DIY so it was always up to me to so, I quite enjoy getting stuck in to it all.

(Oh and dds school called today, they have booked the guy from Inclusion For All to come and speak at the school about homophobic bullying, and use of language and invited me to come and listen if I want, I bloody love her school)