If you’re a fan of online sites and magazines that help minimize your domestic duties and give you more hours in your day, then I’m right with you.
And when summer turns to fall, and it’s time to do a little deep cleaning to rid our homes of dust and dirt accumulated from having doors and windows open on lovely warm days, I’ll take any available advice.
The website Real Simple recently published an article with great tips on cleaning. Below, I’ve listed a couple of my favorites from their editor.
If you’re considering selling your home in the next few months, I’d recommend you give yourself sufficient time to thoroughly clean your home before the buyers arrive on your doorstep.
A pristine, beautifully presented home always has a better chance of finding a buyer at a premium price.
It’s an excellent time to start planning, as many homes are sold before Christmas as families and professional couples will seek to make a fresh start.
Read instructions
Never assume a particular cleaning solution is suitable for a surface without checking first. The label will also tell you how much of the solution to apply, how long to leave it on a surface, and whether it needs to be diluted. Most of us don’t do this, let’s be honest!
Pre-cleaning
Truly, this is a thing. You should clean kitchen countertops, for example, before you use a cleaning solution. For the best results, remove all the bits of food and spills from drinks on the countertops before applying your cleaning solution.
Spray the cloth
Professional cleaners will never spray an entire surface, but spray the cloth they’re about to use. This reduces your use of a solution considerably and still gets the job done. The Real Simple editor says we’re all using too much cleaning solution.
Cloth confession
We’ll often read about how we should use microfiber cloth. You even see this recommendation from manufacturers of new mirrors, who warn us that chemical mixes will dull the reflection. But not all microfibre cloths are equal. So pay a little extra for the best.
Sweeping statement
Your stick or conventional vacuum cleaner is not a replacement for a broom. They do not pick up the dirt and muck that’s all in a day’s work for your humble broom.
Sour note
Enough with the vinegar, already. Use it sparingly. We know it’s cheap and eco-friendly, but never use it on marble countertops or add it to water to clean hardwood floors. It slowly strips varnish and oil finishes. Feel free to replace your laundry softener with vinegar, though.