I was inspired to do this by a post last nigjt- so here it goes. Would be great for others to add their own tips, cleaning routines and how long they tend to spend on cleaning a week.
First some advice:
If you have DC- get them involved! DSD has stayed with us for 9 years now and has always helped me around the house. From 14 (she started living with us FT) she did her own laundry and ironing aside from her school uniform. I taught her to cook at from 16 she prepared and cooked 3 meals a week. Obviously her bedroom has been her own responsibility but I will admit that I drew the line and do clean her bathroom for her although she is starting to pick up on my standards sorry for the smug SM moment. She rescued 3 guinea pigs shortly after living with us and they have been her own responsibility on the understanding that if she didn't care for them they would be rehomed.
For younger DC- turn it into a game. Reward charts and stickers for every morning they make their beds, clean up their toys and help to put their laundry away. My DD is too young for this at the moment and DSD was too old but my sister does this and if her DC have full reward charts on Friday evening then they get £3 pocket money to spend when she does the grocery shopping on a Saturday- although she has turned this into a monthly thing if her DC have wanted a certain toy etc.
As someone who was waited on hand and foot as a child AND adult I do feel it important that DC learn from a young age that you have to look after yourself and some of the responsibility of running a home. I left home at 18 and found things very overwhelming which meant mum had to constantly help me out- which she insisted on doing anyway but it didn't help me!
I will also admit until 6 months ago I have had a cleaner for the past 10 years. When she quit as she was having a DC- I won't lie, my arse went. I just couldn't fathom how I could look after 2 girls, DH and a home while running my own business working sometimes 70 if not 80 hours a week.
I did lots of research and finally found that it wasn't hard as I thought it was going to be!
Firstly I recommend having a deep de clutter and have three bags:
- Rubbish
- Sell on
- Charity shop
And in the kitchen/utility i also had a box that I begged in date food etc that I knew we wouldn't use to donate to the local food bank.
Pick a room a week and spend an hour 're cluttering each day- if you forgot it exists, it goes.
By the time I finished decluttering the house (it took me about 6 weeks including the attic) I had 2 boxes for the local food bank, a large boot full of bags for the charity shop and made myself a couple of hundred quid on eBay and Gumtree selling things that we didn't need anymore and we did 3/4 trips to the tip.
I will admit I am a massive hoarder. But you don't really need your old school exercise books, the cot your DC used 15 years ago and your thinking is you can pass it on to your grandchildren (because let's admit the chances are you wont).
You have nothing to lose but plenty to gain- a feeling of acomplisment, a tidier home, knowing you have helped out those in need and not to mention potentially some pennies in your back pocket- even it only means you can have a nice family day out somewhere, it all counts.
Now my cleaning routine:
Daily before work I:
Unload and load the dishwasher (leave anything really dirty in hot soapy water over night)
Put a load of washing in the washing machine and a load in the tumble dryer. Once it's out of the tumble dryer it's either folded into individual piles or thrown in the ironing basket.
Hang laundry on the maiden- I tumble dry MOST things but anything really heavy like heavyweight jumpers, blankets, duvet covers and towels are dried on a maiden.
Replace pets water bowls and feed.
Check calender and to do list for anything that needs to be done that day- and set reminders on my phone so I don't forget!
I get up at 6.30, go down and sort the animals out, sort the washing and dishwasher out while I eat some weetabix, shower then wake DD up at 7.30, get her ready and prep tea while she has her breakfast and leave the house at 8.30am
In the evening I:
Unload and load dishwasher
Unload and load washing machine/tumble dryer
Fold laundry and put laundry away
Cook dinner for me and DH (DD gets fed earlier on)
Replace pets water and feed
Spot clean dog crates
Do daily chore
I'm in by 6pm most nights and get everything done before DD has her bath at 7pm and then bed at 7.30pm.
Sweep kitchen living room and hallway before bed.
Weekly chores:
Monday- Bathrooms.
- Squirt loo cleaner down the loo.
- Spray sinks and bath with cleaner (I use a flash cleaner with bleach)
- Take out towels etc and put in laundry basket ( I carry one around with me)
- Clean mirrors and glass with glass cleaner
- Scrub sink and bath.
- Flush loo cleaner down the loo then bleach
- Hoover and mop floors
Repeat x1 and downstairs loo.
Takes me about 10-15 mins to do a full bathroom and under 10 minutes to do the downstairs loo.
Tuesday
Living room
- Take throws and cushion covers of the sofa.
- Clean coffee table, mirrors and tv stand with glass cleaner
- Hoover floors and down the sides/on top of sofas and armchair.
- Replace throws and cushion covers
- Hoover and mop floors.
Takes me 30 mins max.
Wednesday
Kitchen
- Clean out fridge of food etc and wipe down shelves and doors.
- Wipe down appliances
- Clean grill pan (we use foil which we replace after every use so it's not as bad as it sounds!)
- Deep clean dog crates and pet beds and replace blankets
- Put food delivery away when it comes
- Hoover and mop floors
Takes me about 60 minutes but DH does DDs bedtime
Thursday
Bathrooms again
Friday
Bedrooms
- Strip bed linen in the morning to let the bed breathe for the day
- Replace bed linen of an evening
- Dust bedside tables and clean mirrors etc with glass cleaner
- Hoover floors and upstairs landing
Takes me about 60 minutes
Monthly (I do these chores on the set room day)
- Clean shower head in the bathrooms (i use a vinegar solution in a bag tied with an elastic band and leave to soak overnight)
- Pull sofa out and clean underneath/behind
- Bleach floors after first mop- just make sure the floor is fully dry before you do and nobody goes near it until it's dried!
- Wash mattress protectors, throws and cushion covers from beds and Hoover beds.
- Wash a set of curtains
- Clean skirting boards and light switches
- Bath dogs
Probably adds an extra hour/90 mins a day a month to my cleaning routine
Every three months:
- Wash duvets.
- Maintenance clean washing machine and dishwasher
Yearly:
- Wax wooden floors
- Deep clean carpets.
- De clutter
Laundry routine:
Monday- my laundry- 2 loads
Tuesday- DH laundry and whites wash- 3 loads
Wednesday- DD laundry- 2 loads
Thursday: Household laundry- 3/4 loads. I usually have Thursdays off so I spread it over the day so I don't feel overwhelmed
Friday: Catch up and ironing- only iron things that are for work for me and DH and best for DD. Probably spend an hour at most doing it and it's my time to catch up on junk TV on my iPad.
Nothing on weekends as its all done- if we are having guests over then I will do an hour or so spot cleaning the house but it's never anything strenuous. DSD does her laundry of a weekend although I used to iron her school uniform.
Cleaning products I recommend:
- Flash with febreeze. Smells amazing. Not cheap but have seen it on offer a few times
- All in one cleaner with bleach. I know many people don't like bleach, but I love it and makes me feel things are properly clean
- Anti bacterial cleaner. I only really use this for cleaning dog crates as can't use a bleach spray. I pick up whatever is on offer but do love Stardrops- I pour a quarter into an empty spray bottle and dilute with water.
- Wooden floor cleaner if you have laminate. Again no particular brand I just pick up whatever is cheapest. I got one from home and bargain once which I loved
- Thick Bleach. Bleach is bleach so pick up whatever is cheapest just make sure it's the thick stuff.
Cleaning equipment I recommend:
- Dyson animal hoover. Yes it's expensive but it's amazing. I brought mine 4 years ago and it still sucks up like new.
- A round head and flat head mop- round head to mop, flat head to run over it and dry if your in a rush
- A metal or steel mop bucket. I find the plastic ones very flimsy and that they break easily.
- Thick washcloths. I use one in the kitchen and one for doing cleaning daily and then wash them. While you can get big rolls of thin ones cheaply they aren't washable and I throw them away after one use so not very economical
Laundry products I recommend
- Bold camomille and lavender washing powder. I find tablets and liquid bung up machines.
- Lenor fabric conditioner- currently using a yellow one but can't bloody remember the name but it smells amazing as do most lenor fabric conditioners.
- Pink lenor unstoppables. Not cheap so don't use on everything but do on towels, bedding and throws. Cap full in each wash. Probably enough in a bottle for 10 washes.
- Ironing water- I put a capful in every time I fill my big steam iron
Laundry equipment I recommend
- A large size washing machine. We have gone from a 4kg washer to a 8kg which has obviously tremendously cut down our washing. We have a Bosch one.
- A separate tumble dryer meaning you can run both a washer and dryer at the same time.
- A decent steam iron- it cuts down ironing time by quite A bit
Organisational tips
- Prepare everything for the next day the night before: lay out clothes, make packed lunches so you can grab and go. Wash hair and shave of an evening so it gives you more time of a morning.
- Get calenders. We have one each, one for the house and one for our Nanny so we know were everyone is and what needs to be done. This could also be done with a weekly break down on the fridge
- To do list- stick this on the fridge and cross off as you go on so nobody can forget to call a plumber etc. I check this and my calender each morning and set reminders on my phone.
- Grocery list on the fridge- write things down as you remember them to add to your weekly shop.
- Meal plan- we have a four weekly meal planner saved on the computer with shopping lists so we just need to add to them as and when.
- Buy birthday cards etc in bulk- so when you forget to buy one, you have one at home.
- Buy intrays to put mail in- one tray for unopened post, one that needs your attention, one that needs to be kept but requires no response and another for outgoing mail.
Hope this helps people. Would be good for people to their own tips routines etc