Realised today I don't actually know how to clean.

[ohfook]

Basically my method of cleaning is to spray with antibac and wipe with a cloth and if that doesn't work I don't know what to do.

I lived in a new build for years and that seemed to be enough but now I live in quite an old house that seems to get dusty very easily and my old methods are no longer working.

I fell down a total you tube hole last night watching people clean various areas of their home and I really enjoyed it. So I'm planning on 'teaching' myself how to properly clean one room a week until I know what I'm doing.

This thread is just basically me asking for all your you tube/instagram recommendations or just any tips that you might have - please throw them all this way!

I follow the organised mum method ( or team tomm as it's also known ) there is a brilliant app and insta etc . You get quite accomplished and I'm rather ashamed to say I now take real pride in cleaning

One last thing I’ve learned is always so the dry cleaning first ie dusting/wiping before doing the floors. They always come last. Start at the top of a room and work your way down so in the kitchen it could be- wipe down cupboard fronts, clean appliances on worktops, clean the actual worktops, dishes done and give the sink a good scrub, clean the kitchen table depending what type it is, mine is glass
so I always finish off with glass cleaner and microfibre cloth to give it a nice shine, empty and clean bin and only then move onto floors last.
bigger appliances like the oven/fridge/washing machine can be fitted in on other days once you’re in a good routine. Don’t forget your windows/light switches/skirting boards. I know I am a bit extreme but that’s how I clean.

assess each room before you clean it, make lists if you want to, do one thing at a time and don’t beat yourself up if it takes a while to get into the swing of things. This isn’t a quick fix and new habits take time to get used to.

again, good luck!

I use a small amount of window/ glass cleaner
on a cloth.

If you wipe it with a dry cloth it charges it with static and it will attract more dust after.

This is our approach. Broom, dustpan and brush, hoover, wipe down.

But be careful with dishcloths, they are known to contain more pathogens than a toilet. Moist hot surfaces are ripe for bacteria multiplying.

We drip dry washing up to avoid contamination, and also rinse first to remove suds.

I pretty much start with a dry clean cloth each day in the kitchen, and just get good rotation, then dampen, nuke and hot wash the lot in their own batch. And bleach in the sun.

I use the kitchen worktops for dough etc. Usually wiping them with something like a home made spray like vinegar and a kitchen paper towel. But you might need something different if you have naked quartz, marble etc. These all end up in the compost.

Microfibres cloths are great, but must be killing the waterways. Stick to cotton and paper.

God I'm definitely no martyr to cleaning either! I think that's why I find it helps to keep it simple. You don't need a load of different products and chemicals really, just good scrubbers, brushes, hot water ( I remember star drops from working as a cleaner in my teens Lola!) Also a decent vac, with attachments you can do the sofa and curtains with.
Prevention is also good, so get a scraper for the bathroom, dry down the shower screen, prevent mould. Re grout regularly to prevent build up.

I love the ideas for cleaning. I've got lots of cleaning stuff and gadgets and a lovely shelving unit in my utility room with folded cloths in labelled containers and my sprays nearly lined up but I have better things to do with my time (like still being in bed scrolling through MN at 9am).

I am in a very, very old house and I do find it gets very dusty and the woodwork is very old and a bit pitted. I feel it never looks really, really clean no matter what I do! Quite disheartening really, but thanks for this thread as I am getting lots of tips.

I like the idea of a bucket of soapy water cleaning everything as I have a pet and I worry about all those toxic chemicals and I can't spray anything because of my lung condition.

All you really need for good cleaning is Cif and cloths. Obv, you could have loads more and I do also have window and mirror spray, vikal, pledge and flash floor. But Cif and a selection of cloths and plenty of hot water if what I mostly use. Regularly wring out your cloth so you are not leaving streaks.

I use a damp cloth to dust, i think a dry cloth is just pushing the dust around.

for shower screens, spray on the vikal, leave it sit while you clean toilet, sink etc, then give it a rub and it takes the limescale off easily. A friend puts some turtle wax rain repellant (that you get in car shops) in a spray and sprays the clean screens, keeps it cleaner for longer.

An old toothbrush for cleaning around taps with a bit of CIF or again Vikal if you have limescale.

I have a vileda steam mop which is the business for streak free floors. I just pour half a cap full of Flash on the floor first and steam away.

Barkeepers friend, powder is great for cleaning kitchen sinks, stainless steelappliances etc.

Cleaning can be a complete drudge if you hate it. I really like it.

Lakeland do a thing like a giant electric toothbrush - it's great for getting into grotty corners. You can also get them on Amazon.

If you live in a hard water area and don’t have a pristine cleaning regime (me) buy a box of citric acid crystals. Dissolved in some hot water it’s magic, e.g. I unscrewed the shower hose and put it in a bowl, used some in a mug to clean bits of limescale off the taps that the ordinary bathroom spray doesn’t shift etc.

Magic eraser I use for lots of things- marks on the wall, our stainless steel bin, the inside of the oven door - if in doubt try it, just break off a tiny piece and read the instructions about what not to use it on.

Any tiny black mould dots on silicone sealant get to them asap with mould remover gel. Bleach won’t work though it does pretty well for grouting between tiles.

Think those are all my tips - I’m sure the more domestic goddess types on here never get limescale on taps or mould spots on sealant!

I don't know if you remember the cleaning programme with Kim and Aggie but they wrote a book called the Cleaning Bible which is great - explains everything about cleaning different rooms, even laundry etc. You could probably get a copy secondhand very cheaply.

Yes sorry I wasn't meaning to imply this at all- reading back I see my post was poorly worded. Just sharing a reflection on my ambivalence- that you're right it is embarrassing for kids to grow up in a dirty home. But at the same time my mum gave me permission to put rest first and I can see not all my female friends give themselves that permission- so i dont entirely resent them for the dirty house. There's a middle ground I suppose which is what I'm aiming for. I really admire efficient types who can do it all.

Great tips on this thread

I strongly suggest giving Nancy Birtwhistle (of Bake Off fame) a follow on Instagram for amazing eco friendly cleaning tips. Bleach products etc are very harmful for the environment... she shares brilliant cleaning recipes using bicarbonate of soda, citric acid.

Sonic scrubber - these are brilliant 😄

Use a dry cloth on things first to get the dust off. I hate it when I use a damp cloth and then the dust builds up into one long line of dust that is then really hard to get off. I always make this mistake when cleaning cistern on the toilet because I usually have a wet cloth in my hand but the top of the cistern gets weirdly dusty! Hoovers are also really good for dust and skirting boards etc.

Im sure most people do this anyway but always do floors last so when you clean you can sweep bits onto the floor and know you’ll hoover or mop it up later. I say this like it’s obvious but my husband always does the floor first and it drives me mad!

I’m eagerly reading this for tips. Here are mine:

• cleaning and tidying are two separate jobs, do not mix them or it will change your focus and take twice as long
• clean every room from top to bottom, left to right (or right to left, just not here there and everywhere)
• floors last because that is where the dust goes when you clean furniture (hence top to bottom)
• dry wipe furniture first, it really does make cleaning/polishing/buffing easier
• Barkeepers’ friend is awesome for bathrooms!!!
• have a caddy that you take around the house with you to save running back for things when you need them. Have whichever products you use but should include - all purpose cleaning spray, glass cleaner spray, furniture polish, kitchen paper, cleaning cloths, bin bags, gloves if you use them, magic eraser
• save old toothbrushes for detail cleaning
• keep bathroom cleaning stuff in the bathroom, with or without a caddy

Something little you can do in every room in a spare 5 or 10 mins can make a difference and it makes sense to just whizz round the whole house. Eg, one of these - as soon as you notice one needs doing, do the lot.
Clean all light switches
Clean all plug points
Clean all remotes
Clean all mirrors
Clean all door handles
Sweep front and back doorstep

I mostly use mine on sinks, grouting etc. More info here sonic scrubber info

I also grew up in a chaotic household. My late father wouldn't have his stuff touched. Late DM was a 50s housewife, husband was head, what he said went. I wasn't allowed friends in, because of the state. I am super tidy and clean. Open plan bungalow, everything put away straight after use. I dust daily, have one of those Flash antistatic fluffy dusters, one on the end of a cane to get under the beds and sofas,(so heavy to move) a Flash Power mop, mainly laminate flooring now (2 long hair dogs) carpet just in hall,spare bedroom and sitting area in conservatory. As it's a bungalow and open plan, you need to do everything at the same time. A few minutes a day,keep on top of it. Dyson have never made hoovers. I have a sh pet ,corded hangs behind the kitchen door,no upstairs cupboard,or anywhere else to store an upright vacuum cleaner. Windows monthly, I don't have nets,we are 10 minutes away from the sea,you get the spray,and can see the mess on the windows.

These are brilliant at getting into the grooves of your fridge door, and cleaning the edges of the hob.

Hard-Bristled Crevice Cleaning Brush, Wood Handle Gap Cleaning Brush, Multifunctional Recess Crevice Cleaning Brush for Tiny Window Door Track Groove Gap (2 White) https://amzn.eu/d/fpqmeTm

Also, vinegar is great for cleaning. I mix while vinegar with a small squeeze of washing up liquid for surfaces.

Brilliant podcast called ‘ask a clean person’

she wrapped it up now so no more new episodes but I go through the archive when I need motivation.

she really cares about clean bras,