Contents
General cleaning: where to start and how to optimize the process
If you do not have special robots, you will have to clean up yourself. It is long and troublesome, but an updated and clean apartment is a result that is worth the effort. And if you approach cleaning wisely, it will seem less difficult. Together with the cleaners of the online consumer services YouDo.com, we have put together a simple plan that will help you save time and effort during a general cleaning.
By getting rid of unnecessary things, you will significantly save cleaning time: they do not have to be washed, rearranged and wiped. Start with broken items, expired foods, duplicate items, and emotionless souvenirs.
Clothes that you haven’t worn in over a year are better off for recycling or for those in need. Parting with a pink coat and gold sneakers can be tricky, but you have to be cool. When in doubt about something, ask yourself, “If I don’t have this piece of clothing, will I go to the store for it?” Going through the trash, you free the cabinets and put everything on the shelves.
We wash off contaminated surfaces
Washing plumbing and stove is perhaps the most hated occupation during cleaning. Grease, rust and limescale usually cannot be wiped off with a single movement of the hand, as in advertising. But you can speed up the process by soaking the dirtiest surfaces.
“Fill the toilet, bathtub, sinks and stove with cleaning products. While you are cleaning the rooms, the funds will have time to work. This way you will save the surfaces from unnecessary friction and save your energy, ”advises the cleaner Anna. For the toilet and bathroom, it is better to use products with an antibacterial composition. Abrasive products and powders will help to wipe the sanitary ware, and it is better to clean the stove with special grease removers.
Loading the washing machine
General cleaning is a great excuse to tidy up tulle, curtains and rugs. When you start cleaning, load the tulle into the washing machine. When you’re done, it’ll be done. Hang it immediately on the curtain rods so as not to waste time ironing. The rugs from the corridor should be soaked in water so that all winter reagents are well dissolved. After that, they can be simply rinsed and dried.
With the windows washed, the sun will appear brighter. In addition, the entire apartment will have time to be well ventilated during washing. Instead of soap, add a little ammonia to the water or use a special glass cleaner. Unlike soapy solutions, they do not leave streaks and dries quickly.
“Do not use rags from unwanted clothes, gauze, old towels for cleaning. All these materials do not wash the surfaces well, they leave streaks and fibers that will have to be cleaned up again, ”advises the cleaner Elena. And since you have glass cleaning products in your hands, go through all the mirrors in the apartment at the same time.
We dust off not only the shelves
Cleaners note that most often the owners practically do not wipe dust from cabinets, chandeliers and cornices. Dirt is almost invisible from below, but perennial dust on these surfaces can cause serious allergies.
In everything related to dust, it is necessary to be guided by the “top-down” rule: start cleaning the rooms with cornices, upper shelves and chandeliers and gradually move on to cabinets, office equipment, furniture and baseboards. Particular attention should be paid to shelves with small items. It is better to immediately remove everything from the surface and wipe it completely, rather than trying to clean the dust around objects. Don’t forget to wipe down the items themselves. Try to put things back in place in a different order: you may be able to create a new interesting composition.
“Vacuuming the carpet and cleaning the floor are tasks that are always done last, otherwise dust and small debris from the upper shelves and furniture are guaranteed to end up on the floor, and you will have to clean up all over again,” says cleaner Artem.
To save time on mopping, opt for a double-sided mop. It has two surfaces on which microfiber strips are attached. One can be squeezed out of the water to a minimum, and the second should be slightly damp. Instead of washing and wringing out the rag several times, just turn the mop upside down.
It is better to wash the bathroom at the very end. “During cleaning, you will constantly pour and drain water, rinse sponges and rags, and this does not make the bath, toilet and bathroom floor cleaner,” comments Elena.
Go over the tiles with a mop, wash the curtain. If you have not changed it for a year, it is better to buy a new one altogether – at the same time update the design of the room. To prevent dry water stains on the chrome-plated elements, wipe them with a semi-dry cloth. Finally, wash the bathroom floor and wipe the soles of home shoes.
General cleaning does not require any special knowledge and skills. It is important not to be distracted and to plan everything so that you do not have to wash the surfaces several times. Read the instructions for cleaning products, select special cleaning materials, and then the apartment will not need serious cleaning for a long time.