Get your groove on.
Gear up music that feels good to you and work to a rhythm—you'll clean faster and stay more focused. Before you start, program your MP3 player or stack up your favorite energizing CDs. And don't hesitate to take a dance break and let loose. You're sure to keep your energy high!
Find Your Cleaning Groove
Here are my favorite songs for various household tasks.
"Light My Fire" (kitchen)
"It's My Life" (living room)
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (bathroom)
"Don't Leave Me This Way" (decluttering)
"Rich Girl" "(closets)
"Dancing on the Ceiling" (dusting)
"Get On Up, Get On Down" (mopping)
"I Walk the Line" (laundry)
"Little Red Corvette" (car)
"You Are My Sunshine" (windows)
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (any hard task)
"It's Raining Men" (rainy days)
Arm yourself in advance.
Precollect your arsenal of cleaning products, paper towels, gloves, and, if you suffer from dust allergies, a face mask.
Dust first, vacuum last.
Otherwise, you'll have to vacuum all over again when the dust from your dusting falls to the floor.
Clean from top to bottom.
It's an old-school rule but it works. This technique forces you to look at your ceilings, door and window frames, and high corners—areas often overlooked in cleaning. Simply put, dirt does not fall up, it falls down as you clean. So, for example, start at the top of your refrigerator door and clean down.
Schedule an hour and stick to it.
Get as much done in that hour as you can. Then take a break (
my favorite treat here) and start again.
Use multitasking products.
You won't believe the time you will save with products that tackle multiple surfaces.
Pledge® Multi Surface Everyday Wipes can be used on wood, glass, stainless steel, sealed granite and electronic appliances.
Windex® Multi-Surface Antibacterial easily cleans many rooms—from kitchen to bathroom—including windows, mirrors, exterior surfaces of appliances, countertops and more.
Clean all bathrooms at the same time.
You'll save time and effort!
Scrubbing Bubbles® Fresh Brush® 2-in-1 Toilet Cleaning System is so easy to use and even has a disposable pad you toss in the trash. Be sure to use a new one for each toliet.
Use the strongest product for the hardest jobs.
For instance, I use
Antibacterial fantastik® All Purpose Cleaner Heavy Duty whenever I cook—to wipe the tough grease and grime from my stove top, kitchen counters and the exterior of my microwave and refrigerator. It kills 99.9 percent of bacteria as it cleans* and even leaves a fresh scent!(Be sure to rinse food surfaces with water after cleaning.)
*Kills 99.9% of household bacteria in 10 seconds: E. coli, Salmonella choleraesuis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Listeria monocytogenes.
Don't clean what's not dirty.
Some of us (you, too?) obsess over the same clean counter while the rest of the house is just begging for help. So stay awake to your unconscious habits! For instance, don't clean the oven racks if they aren't soiled.
Leave the sink for (almost) last.
Ever notice how everything gets dumped into the sink while you're cleaning the rest of the room? So why clean it first? Whether you're in the kitchen or bathroom, wait until you're finished mopping the floor to give your sinks a deep clean. And remember to leave yourself a little path to the door. Mop that final swath of floor last!