9 Shortcuts to Household Chores
Pros share tips on how to cut corners without sacrificing cleanliness.
Pace yourself. Instead of a dedicated chore day, try to do just one room a day. “If you do everything in one day, you’ll end up overexerting yourself,” says Linda Cobb, host of “Talking Dirty With the Queen of Clean” on the Do It Yourself (DIY) Network.
Focus on the heavy traffic areas. Don’t worry about vacuuming every inch of the rug. “You may need to vacuum only the pathway from the kitchen to the doorway to help spruce up the place,” says Donna Smallin, author of The One Minute Cleaner (Storey Publishing LLC, 2007).
Equip yourself properly. If squeezing a spray bottle or lugging a heavy bottle of laundry detergent is tough, look for easy-to-handle packaging. Concentrated laundry detergents come in smaller, lighter bottles but contain enough product to clean the same number of loads. For scrubbing, simple cleaning tools like microfiber cloths and gloves or Mr. Clean Magic Erasers (2 -pack for $2.69 at chain stores or www.mrclean.com) remove dirt beautifully with just a little water and minimal muscle.
Strategically store cleaning supplies. In a two-story house, stash a complete set of cleaning tools on each floor – including separate vacuum cleaners. “That way, you don’t have to carry heavy equipment up and down the stairs,” says Cobb, or spend time and energy looking for that bottle of cleaner you left downstairs.
Clean messes when they’re fresh. Waiting until a stain sets or clutter builds up ultimately results in more work. “It’s much easier to rinse the sink right after you brush your teeth, instead of letting the toothpaste dry and having to scrub it off,” says Smallin. Keep a canister of cleaning wipes near the sink for quick clean-ups.
Let cleaning solutions do the work for you. Once you apply your cleaning solution, let it attack the grime for a few minutes, then come back to wipe up. “If you let the product do its job, you won’t have to scrub as hard,” says Smallin.
Turn everyday items into cleaning tools. Remove dust from cloth lampshades and stubborn pet hair from furniture with the same lint roller used for clothing. Forgo gripping your old dust rag. Instead, wear an old pair of cloth gloves or slip an old pair of socks over your hands for dusting.
Let the dishwasher do it. Don’t bother handwashing refrigerator shelves or oven burner covers. Pop them in the dishwasher. And always maximize dishwasher loads to cut kitchen clutter.
Freshen it in the dryer. To freshen bed or throw pillows put them in the dryer with a dryer sheet. It not only eliminates odors from people, pets and spills, it also rejuvenates their shape.
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