Resolve to Keep a Tidier House in 2001

[Guest guest]

(The writer omitted the best cleaning hint - using vinegar, which I find

works best as an all purpose cleaner. It is especially good for folks who

have MCS, since most of them can tolerate it. Wipe off your counters with

it - it has anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties. I wipe the walls

and baseboards down with it, mope the hardwood, vinyl and tile floors with

it, use it in the bathroom - you name it, vinegar works to clean it)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/12/27

/HO125220.DTL

Resolve to Keep a Tidier House in 2001

Tara Aronson Wednesday, December 27, 2000

Since December probably got you into the groove of making lists and checking

them twice, why not continue that effort with a cleaning list for the New

Year?

Relax. A cleaning routine needn't consume your life -- or even a big chunk

of your time in 2001. Even if you abhor a vacuum (or a broom or a mop), you

can do it right -- and fast.

There are simple yet effective techniques for cleaning every room in your

home. And, with today's new, more effective cleaning products and tools

designed to help you get the dirty jobs done at lightning speed, coming

clean has never been easier -- or more stress free.

Resolve to get the rest of the household in on the job, too. Yes, even tiny

hands can be a big help around the house -- even if it only means having

children put cups and dishes on the kitchen counter after dinner. Granted,

getting kids to help with cleaning isn't easy. Besides, how much help can

you realistically expect from a child? The answer depends on the child's

age. Preschoolers can put away dishes and playthings; grade-school children

can wipe up spills, make their beds (well, if you don't count the scrunched

up sheet underneath the bedspread, that is) and clear the table. Teenagers

can clean their rooms, help out with kitchen cleaning, dust, vacuum and

more. And adults, naturally, should evenly divide the workload. The

compromise approach usually works best.

So, with resident help and a healthy resolve to come clean this year, you

can make 2001 shine for you and your family. Here are the essentials you'll

want to tackle in the days, weeks and months ahead:

DAILY

Yes, there are few daily cleanups that can be fit into even the busiest of

schedules. Get into the habit of cleaning up as you go. After all, a clean

and well-maintained home runs smoother and requires fewer expensive service

visits.

You can spare yourself long weekends of scrubbing away at accumulated grunge

by spreading out the bigger cleaning tasks over the months ahead. Which

translates into more time for the things you really enjoy -- family and

friends!

-- Pick up nightly. Resolve to put everything back in its place before you

head upstairs to bed. Waking up to a tidy home can do wonders for your

psyche in the day ahead!

-- Stay ahead. Wash dishes or put them in the dishwasher after each meal.

After all, who wants to come home to a sinkful of dirty dishes?

-- Think prevention. Squeegee the shower walls after each use to keep soap

scum from building up during the week.

-- Have hang-ups. As in your towel. Don't bunch it up; hang it in an open

fashion to allow it to dry quickly and thoroughly.

-- Open the door. After cleaning up your act, open the shower curtain or

leave the shower door ajar to allow fresh air in. This will keep mold and

mildew from getting a toehold in these moist places.

WEEKLY

Until someone out there introduces a self-cleaning home, most of us will

continue to tackle the less-than thrilling task of cleaning our homes each

week. Still, you can make the weekly routine more pleasant and shave

precious moments off your overall cleaning time in the process.

-- Vacuum carpets. To suck up all the dirt and dust hidden between the

fibers, you'll need to spend about 20 seconds or so going back and forth

over each area of a carpet or rug. If someone in your home has allergies or

asthma, you'll want to be meticulous about this task.

-- Dust. Don't just move dust from one place to another -- capture and

remove it. The feather duster your Mom may have used sent dust into the air,

but the dust eventually settled back down where it came from. Today's more

effective tools of choice: a vacuum attachment to suck up the dirt and

allergens, or simply a dampened clean cloth to which the fluffy stuff

sticks.

-- Sanitize. Squeeze some of the toilet-bowl cleaner around the inside of

the bowl and under the rim. Use a long-handled toilet brush to swish the

cleaner around the bowl, under the rim, and as far into the trap as

possible. Let it set for several minutes.

-- Tame scum. Soapy buildup makes for unsightly baths. Spray the shower or

tub and sink with a tub, tile and sink cleaner. Allow to sit and break up

the tough stuff; wipe clean with paper towels.

-- Change the bed. Send bed linens for a spin in the hottest water safe for

the fabric, add safe bleach (either colorfast or chlorine).

MONTHLY

Set aside an hour or so the first (or second, or third, whichever is

easiest) Saturday morning each month to tackle these necessary cleaning

details.

-- Disinfect. Clean trashcans, especially those in the kitchen and bathroom,

with a solution of 3/4 cup of bleach to a gallon of water. Rinse thoroughly

and dry with a clean rag.

-- Clean refrigerator. Those foggy fridge shelves need a bath every month or

so to keep your refrigerator looking and smelling fresh and clean. Simply

remove the shelves and place them on a towel and allow them to adjust to

room temperature prior to cleaning. Then, put them in a sink with warm

water, a drop or two of hand dishwashing liquid and gently scrub with a

nylon scrub brush or sponge.

SEASONALLY

Spring in to action at the start of each season. You'll find your home looks

better and runs smoother with this quarterly cleaning routine:

-- Wash windows. Let the sun shine in through the seasons by keeping your

home's panes sparkling. Call in a pro if you have a home with more than a

single story; unless, of course, you're handy with a ladder and don't suffer

from vertigo.

-- Clean refrigerator. Accumulated dust and lint can cause reduced cooling

performance. To clean the coils, remove the toe grille and vacuum with the

machine's cleaner hose nozzle if you have a new model refrigerator; use a

long- handled brush if you have an older model. Pull the refrigerator away

from the wall and vacuum or sweep away lingering lint, dust or stray crumbs

that have settled there. Clean fridge door gaskets. Simply remove them, wash

the surfaces with a sponge and warm water (add four tablespoons of baking

soda per quart of warm water), rinse and dry with a soft, clean cloth. Apply

a light film of petroleum jelly to keep the gaskets pliable.

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SEMI-ANNUALLY

-- Clean carpets and upholstery. Fabrics that have absorbed six months worth

of dirt, body oil and germs will need a deep cleaning to get them ready for

the rest of year's wear.

-- Turn mattresses. Vacuum surfaces of mattresses and turn them over.

-- Clean blinds. Wipe clean mini blinds and send washable curtains into your

machine's spin cycle. Can't wash yours? Call in a professional upholstery

cleaner or send them to your dry cleaner for professional crispness.

ANNUALLY

-- Make doormats welcoming. Shake 'em, wash 'em, swat 'em with a broom. Give

them the toughest cleaning they can take. They're your front line against

tracked-in dirt, so keep them clean enough to function at peak efficiency.

-- Inspect chimney. Have the chimney inspected for creosote buildup and

cleaned, if needed, at least once every couple of years.

-- Clean ducts. Vacuum heating vents and ducts (including toe-kick floor

heaters) to keep air circulating freely and to save energy.

-- Sweep up. Prevent roof leaks and expensive repairs by sweeping leaves and

debris from your roof.

-- Clean up. Help your energy-efficient bulbs shine: clean those ceiling

light fixtures. A few minutes with a stepladder, an all-purpose cleaner, a

sponge and a polish cloth will give new light to your life.

-- Clean ceiling fixtures. Remove dust and dirt from ceiling fans and

air-conditioner vents with a cloth and a vacuum with a soft nozzle

attachment.

-- Wash up. Wash walls, cabinets, baseboards and woodwork. The walls may not

look as if they need a bath -- after all, dust and soot fall to the floor,

right? Most of it does, but just enough clings to vertical surfaces to

warrant an annual bath with a sponge and hand dishwashing detergent.

-- Seal up. Reseal wood floors to prevent scratches and scrapes from marring

the wood.

It takes just a few moments to create a realistic cleaning schedule that

will yield a houseful of spotless results. And you'll find that when your

home sparkles, you shine too. Happy 2001!

10 TIPS FOR A TIDIER NEW YEAR

1. When time is short, speed-clean your surfaces using an all-purpose

cleaner.

2. Make your cleaning time fun -- turn on the tunes and whistle while you

work.

3. Break down holiday and spring-cleaning projects into smaller jobs that

can be tackled throughout the year.

4. Read product labels so you can choose the right cleaner for the soils and

surfaces in your home.

5. You can take it with you -- put your cleaning products in a lightweight

caddy or basket that's easy to tote from room to room.

6. Break down the big weekly chores into smaller tasks and tackle them

during the week; you'll be left with but a few spillover tasks on the

weekend.

7. Stash site-specific cleaning supplies in the kitchen and bathrooms so

they'll be handy.

8. To air out is divine. Throw open the windows daily -- fresh air shows

germs an exit and makes a home smell fresh.

9. Let the cleaning product do the dirty work: Spray tough spots and let the

cleaner dissolve the grime while you do something else.

10. If you can't -- or won't -- fit regular cleanings into your busy

schedule, bring in the professionals.

-- Tara Aronson

©2000 San Francisco Chronicle