The most common error is cleaning room by room (this is called "zone cleaning"). It's far too slow! "You can clean your kitchen in four hours or you can clean your complete house from top to bottom in four hours," Lisa Romero, owner of Just Like New Cleaning in Fort Collins, Colorado, tells Woman's Day. "Many people get caught up in one area — example, doing an excellent job cleaning the counters — and never get to the stove, let alone the next room. In truth, washing things off and moving on is a quick and efficient solution."
Many proponents advocate task cleaning, which entails finishing one activity, such as dusting, throughout the entire house before beginning the next. "You'll be doing a bit more walking," Ronald Payne, proprietor of RZJ Janitorial Services in Plano, Texas, told Woman's Day. "And I find that it's faster since you're in a hurry to go somewhere." If you follow these seven procedures, your entire house will dazzle in four hours if you're a beginner, and two and a half if you're a veteran. You can also find cleaning services in your area of you can't afford to clean your home by yourself.
The Ultimate Cleaning Manual
What is the recommended strategy? Left-to-right, top-to-bottom. "I always start [upstairs in the bathroom]," Romero explains. "It's a nice spot to store goods."
Start at the highest point in the room (if dusting, this could be high shelves) and work your way across the room from left to right. This way, you won't overlook anything and won't mistakenly push dust into already-cleaned lower shelves.
Step 1: Vacuum Your Home
Dust all surfaces in each room, including the tops of all furniture, the undersides of shelves, and all handrails, as well as picture frames, TV screens, and knickknacks. "When it's possible, I dry-dust — getting something wet makes it more difficult," Romero explains. Dampen a microfiber towel with warm water to remove fingerprints.
Cleaning pro tip: Look to the right. "People don't dust the very top of furniture, and that's where all the dust settles and then comes off," Romero explains.
Step 2: Clean the Fabric of the Furniture
Go through the house and strip and remake beds, as well as neaten any cushions or blankets on furniture. As needed, use a vacuum extension to brush furniture surfaces.
Step 3: Scrub the Mirrors and Glass
Wipe down all mirrors and windows in the house.
Using one wet and one dry microfiber cloth will not leave streaks.
Step 4: Scrub the Surfaces
Wipe down and disinfect all surfaces and worktops throughout the house.
Pro cleaning tip: Wipe off all surfaces that fingers come into contact with, such as door knobs, light switches, TV remotes, and phones. "Those are the locations that people overlook, and they are full of germs," Payne adds.
Step 5: Wash the dishes and clean the bathroom.
Spray cleanser on tubs, sinks, and toilets as you walk around the house. Come back and scrub. Then, in the kitchen, clean the inside of the microwave as well as the cabinet and appliance doors.
Step 6: Scrub the Floors
Sweep, mop, or scrub the bathroom and kitchen floors, as well as any other floors that require it.