This always a fun task to do…not really.
The archenemy of every household is cleaning every household. I can’t count how many times I’ve struggled with motivation to do this mundane task. It’s a task that must be accomplished for the health of your family. However, it’s not one that takes a bottle of cleaner per room, per task, as the cleaning industry (and Walmart isle) has led you to believe.
First, what are your cleaning goals? Are you simply tidying up for the day? Dusting? Sanitizing? Disinfecting? Most have genuinely never read the back of the bottles, and that’s OK. Daily cleaning typically involves spraying a counter or table and immediately wiping it down with a cloth. You’re just removing dirt, dust, leftover foodstuffs, etc. Sanitizing is done following cleaning to remove bacteria, viruses and fungi, but the agent is typically left on for about 30 seconds to do so. Disinfecting kills 99.9% of these same microorganisms but left on for longer periods, sometimes for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep in mind this may be in commercial kitchens and homes, unless you have sick family members, don’t need heavy disinfection or sanitizing often. Daily cleaning is fine, with weekly sanitizing. Products such as Lysol All-Purpose antibacterial do fine to spray on areas, leave for 2 minutes, and wipe dry. You could use 1/2 cup bleach to 1 gallon water but we avoid bleach due to fumes and birds downstairs. There is also OdoBan (https://amzn.to/3OGVmFn), which is safe, but we use this for laundry applications more than cleaning.
I use a few different products in my home. Vinegar. It’s great for just about everything. I spray it on hardened bird poop, 1/2 cup down the hvac drains prior to starting each summer, and every few months put baking soda in all the drains, pour some and leave it for about 10 minutes. If you have a drain clog, look to this option first (or purchase plastic drain snakes – money saving tip). Mr. Clean Multi-Purpose Antibacterial. I use this for all daily cleaning, from counters to bathrooms to damp cloth dusting to mopping floors. I use .25 capful in a 30 ounce spray bottle. F10 SC. I have used this product for years. It is a veterinary disinfectant and is one of the few products safe to use in-cage around birds. If I’m carrying the bottle, I’ll use it on everything else. It is on the list for highly effective against the Coronavirus as well. If you had one product in the house and have birds, that’s one I’d recommend.
Let’s talk about dust. This is a home-wrecker if not contained and some family members could even be aggravated by its allergens. There’s a few things that you can do first to help keep dust down.
First, ensure that you are changing out the HVAC filter(s). This filter normally stops dust and other particulates (varies depending on the MPR or MERV rating you purchase) from entering the system into your home. When it gets clogged, instead of it doing its job, the system must work harder to cool/heat by pulling air around the gaps and typically dust and dirt with it. This dirty air gets recirculated back into the home, which is why I mention the HVAC first.
Second is if you have air filtration or purifiers. These normally have, at minimum, a pre-filter and HEPA filters. The HEPA filters usually aren’t cause for concern, but if you have birds or lots of dogs, these pre-filters must be changed or cleaned more often. Or, you have a machine that’s doing more harm than good. Dander is notorious for being blown everywhere.
Third, get rid of your junk. The more stuff that’s accumulated and packed into a room, the more dusty it will be. Ever been in a basement used for storage? Bring a mask 🙂
Fourth, and this is for those with older windows. If you find yourself constantly wiping the top of the locks, it’s probably time to replace the pile seals. They are used for keeping dust out and help keep cool/hot air out. https://images.app.goo.gl/grDsFd225s8AZYT88
Supplies
I use the higher grade spray bottles from either Home Depot or Lowes. You can find some at Walmart by the trash cans as well. It’s much easier to adjust the spray settings and they last longer. I also purchase the larger bottles of Mr. Clean and mix the bottles. The same is true with F10SC https://amzn.to/3QFTBLh; this stuff comes in a small bottle but the dilution rates are just as small and it goes a long way. I buy bulk bags of microfiber cloths as these can be washed numerous times and last ages. A good vacuum cleaner that does well on carpet, tile, and hardwood is necessary. I currently have the Shark Rotator Lift-away and it does well.
To date, I haven’t used robot cleaners but would like to in the near future to save time daily. Cheaper cleaners don’t keep their suction, end up destroying bearings on the brush assembly, or the lift arm (which is plastic) that shifts between flooring ends up breaking. This is especially true is you have kids moving it around the house. You’ll also need a duster with extension handle. It makes ceiling fans and tops of baseboards a breeze. Alternatively, you could use the vacuums wand to go across them as well. The Shark Rotator separates, which makes stairs, hard to reach corners and heights easy to do. Last is a microfiber floor mop. These have scrubbers that velcro on and are super simple to clean any flooring material.
I spray the area I’m going to mop with Mr. Clean as I go to prevent saturating the flooring and the scrubber. If it’s super dirty, you can let it sit for a few minutes before mopping but I generally do it in sections as that yields the quickest and best results.
Let me know what you do.
God bless