Humour me: how do you clean?

[OutDamnedSpot]

Talk to me like I’m really stupid: How do you clean?

My house isn’t disgusting or anything, but it never feels ‘spotless’. I’ve realised that I might not be cleaning properly so I’d genuinely appreciate any advice.

At the moment I tend to use one spray (zoflora) and a microfibre cloth for pretty much everything - surfaces, floors, bathroom, etc. Do I need different products?

What about routines? I just feel like I’m forever chasing my tail. How do I get to a stage where my house is always ‘visitor ready’?

Thank you!

Trying to think of my best tips, op!!
-Clean a room from top to bottom, that way the dust falls down to be hoovered up at the end.

• Open windows for at least 10 mins per day (bearing in mind heating costs) or when you remember. Makes a huge difference for little work!!
• water with washing up liquid in spray bottle is good for most surfaces add a teaspoon of citric acid for bathrooms for limescale. Maybe use stronger products once per month for deeper clean.
• Maybe clean little and often rather than leaving it to build up.
• microfibre cloths are very efficient, plus using them in wave shape. Ditto window cleaning cloths for glass.

i try to practise what I preach but doesn’t always happen, life tends to have other ideas.

I use warm soapy water for most things (I’d seriously reconsider the zoflora, it’s horribly full of chemicals). I have cream cleaner for bathroom and muckier stuff. White vinegar for glass and windows. Just clean as is necessary but honestly don’t let it rule your life there’s more important things to be doing

Thanks all. I had some extra time off work this week so I’ve had a good clear out, bought some new products, etc and am
trying to introduce new habits.

As I said, my house isn’t a disaster. I just feel like I never really learnt how to do this stuff. It’s reassuring to know I’m not alone in this. Thank you!

GET A FLUFFY DUSTER! LIFE CHANGING

Seriously though break it down as much as possible. We are relatively tidy (well for a house with 3 kids) but are very routined with our time..I tend to do about twenty minutes to half an hour intense cleaning/tidying about twice a week with a bigger clean of upstairs once a week.

I do work part time though and absolute hats off to those who work full time and manage it all!

Daily

I stick a wash on most mornings first thing then hang it out/up before I go to work. then I fold it and put away when getting kids ready for bed - I only iron once a week but can’t bear piles of dry washing so everything is hung away then pulled out later for ironing, you’d be amazed how many creases drop out before you even run an iron over it.

I take out bins and wipe down surfaces in kitchen.

Kids and I will always make sure we’ve put away any toys before bed so house is relatively tidy in the morning… We have big baskets in the kitchen for toys so kids know to just chuck toys in there after playing). We try to keep lounge toy free but are lucky as we also have a kitchen/lounge which kids tend to play in.

Weekly

Monday afternoons I whizz round downstairs so polish/hoover/tidy and clean downstairs loo. I give the hard floors a mop.

Wednesday afternoons another whizz round downstairs as one of my sons has an instructor come round for sports tuition so like it to be tidy (literally ten min Hoover/tidy etc.

Friday mornings I do upstairs so bathrooms first then tidy/dust/polish/hoover bedrooms. Again kids are pretty good at chucking toys into baskets they each have in their rooms and eldest now cleans and tidies own room
for pocket money. I usually strip beds too. I like to have it fresh and clean for the weekend but appreciate this only works if you are part time! I usually end up giving downstairs another quick vacuum too.

Sunday afternoons I do the ironing and tend to give the Kitchen a bit of a proper clean after making the roast.

It’s a never ending job but after sixteen years I think I’ve made it as simple as I can. As long as most things get a proper clean once a week I think you’re doing well!

ps I wasn’t joking about the fluffy duster!

I don't have a huge house thankfully but I do have pets. I clean one room a day thoroughly and then just do an overall tidy around the place every night before bed. So
Monday - bathroom use cif cream cleaner or similar and method surface spray and method floor cleaner. Also pour zoflora into toilet cistern and down plughole before bed. Change all towels etc. Use toilet duck for the toilet bowl.

Tues- kitchen/ dining area use method surface cleaner for all surfaces. Fairy for dishes. Cif for sink and draining rack. Method floor cleaner.

Wednesday- bedroom. Method surface spray and microfibre cloth to dust. Hoover. Mirror/glass spray and newspaper/ kitchen roll for cleaning mirrors. Use little smelly sachets behind radiator/diffusers.

Thurs- living room. Method surface spray to dust. Leather spray to clean sofas. Method floor cleaner to mop. Hoover everywhere.

Friday- nursery/ Hall. Method cleaner to dust everywhere and then hoover. Mirror glass spray and kitchen roll for mirrors.

Then I just do a quick straighten up in the evenings and do windows etc as they need with pets pressing their noses at them and can use the weekend for gardening and batch cooking/relaxing. Try to do laundry every other day to keep on top of it depending on if I can dry on my line with the weather.

I find picking a room a day keeps it feeling manageable rather than a massive job and I work from top down in the room.