Some people know how to go about house cleaning because their parents taught them (and they have got this wisdom from their own parents). Some learn this skill the hard way when they face a grimy kitchen and a dusty room in their own first apartment and then start Googling the basic tools and rules of cleaning. The most surprising (or unsurprising) part of this process is that the essential rules of cleaning are the same. They were gained through centuries of experience and immortalized in books on home economy and professional cleaning manuals
If you ask a professional cleaner, like the people on the https://mastermaid.ca team, you’ll get a succinct set of rules to follow if you want to get the chore completed in less time and with fewer bouts of anger and desperation. Some rules are suitable for cleaning pros only since they imply the use of special equipment and working in coordinated teams. And other rules are well worth jotting down and displaying on the fridge. Next time the cleaning day comes, you’ll be more prepared to face the challenge and complete it successfully.
1. Follow a specific direction while cleaning.
Start working top to bottom and back part of the room to front one. Like, clean the ceiling light fixtures, fans, dust the ceiling and tops of cupboards or wardrobes if you own them (or top shelves, for that matter). Then move to mid-level objects like tables, drawers, and shelves, and end with the floor. When you operate like this, you let the removed dust settle on lower levels and then remove its residues from the floor.
2. Start cleaning early and finish early when there’s plenty of light.
Then you can see dust and spots clearly. Do not get stuck in heaps of cluttering stuff, just dist or clean under it and leave it for another tidying round. Decluttering and organizing things are separate tasks.
3. Clean bathtubs and showers first (and do it regularly).
Have the best product available to make the process fast and relatively easy.
4. Start with the biggest mess in the room (or the area that scares you most).
Do it bit by bit, get some music playing, and when you’re finished, the rest of the cleaning will feel like a trifle. Yeah, the ‘eat the frog first’ rule is applicable here as well.
5. Have an ample stock of rubber gloves and cloths, rags, and sponges.
If you can stretch your hand and get a new one to continue the work, it keeps you focused and motivated. If you have to look around for a cloth to use or even do a shopping trip, you can consider your cleaning finished for today.
6. Test and try to understand what products work best on surfaces and items you have in your apartment.
Even the most promoted new super-product can be powerless against some surface spots, while a good ol’ Krud Kutter does the job in a breeze. So don’t fall for the ads, use what’s best for you (even if it’s old-school vinegar and water solution).
7. Keep all cleaning supplies and tools (except for a mop and a vacuum, maybe) in one box.
It’s even better if you could carve out a corner in your closet to them. Then on Day X, you just pull out that box, pull on the gloves, pull back the hammer of your spray bottle – and you’re a James Bond ready to fight the evil guy GrimeDust!
It may be so that you know some rules already, and some are new to you. Don’t worry and don’t torment yourself for doing it all wrong back then. Knowledge comes with experience. You can pull it off, after all. Your cleaning – your rules!