Cleaning can feel more like a full-time occupation than a chore if your family members – especially teenagers – glide through life dumping dirty dishes in the sink, leaving used glasses on the countertop and never emptying the bin in their bedroom.
You don’t have to be house-proud to understand that a home quickly gets messy and, over time, becomes neglected.
As experienced local agents, we see many properties that feel dowdy and unloved initially but which come back to life with a little elbow grease.
Staying on top of dust and dirt requires diligence, but a little planning will make your life easier.
Below, are seven tips to help you cope with the day-to-day workload of running a good home – yeah, we definitely appreciate it doesn’t happen by accident!
Steam-powered
A steam cleaner will transform your life! It’s the perfect gadget if you’ve got wooden floors, or those covered by tiles, laminate or vinyl. Clean floors help keep the rest of the home clean, too. Tip: put some drops of eucalyptus, lavender or teatree oil on the pad to make your home smell fresh and amazing.
Great gloss
If you’re constantly wiping paintwork, you’ll want enamel gloss as your finish, especially on door frames. It’s more durable than the alternatives and easier to wipe clean.
Elevated furniture
Sofas and chairs on legs will make your living areas look bigger and be easier to clean than those that sit flush to the floor. If you have a vacuum robot, this will also make it easy for them to get underneath.
Dig deep
Long exposure to water turns silicone seals black. You’ll see this most often behind the taps of a kitchen sink. Distilled white vinegar is the ultimate cleaning agent. If that doesn’t work, dig out the silicone and regrout.
Stain pains
Marble and composite stone countertops require constant vigilance. Stains from turmeric, red wine, pineapple juice, raspberry cordial and Bolognese are constant threats. A good scouring liquid will help, but you need to watch for these devils. There’s no shifting a stain that sits too long.
End of open shelving
Kitchen designers love open shelves, but they don’t have to clean them. Fashion is quickly moving back to ceiling-high cabinets for more storage and less cleaning!