Cleaning Tips - Some different things I do to speed up cleaning

 

#1: I love to use the white cycle in the washing machine as a mop bucket.  Crazy right??  No.  I am going to bleach dirty clothes anyways, so I just fill up the basin with hot bleachy water, turn it on for a second to mix it up really good and then I get to work.  The water stays hot and I can just dip the mop in the basin often until I am all done.  Then I toss the whites needing to be washed into the machine with soap.  It's a 2 for one deal!!

#2:  I toss the bath mat and kitchen rugs in the dryer on low heat to catch the debris without having to wash them or beat them outside every day.  The lint trap catches everything and I can put them right back on the floor.

#3: I love fake flowers, they last forever and are beautifully arranged.  I like to put them in the light wash cycle in the dishwasher on the top rack.  A little bit of vinegar, maybe a half of a cup.  And turn off all of the extra settings especially heat dry.  You can shake off the excess water and voila, your flowers are fresh again.

#4:  I load the dishwasher in order of how I plan to unload it.  I keep all of the silverware and utensils in groups so I don't have to sort afterwards.

#5:  I use metal scouring pads on almost everything!  The secret is on surfaces that can be scratched, you barely make contact and make sure that the pad has been thoroughly soaked so that it is pliable.  The metal will take off the grunge without scratching the materials.  I use it on our textured vinyl floors in spots where the dirt is too deep to be moved by a mop.  A hot wet rag and some scouring pads soaked in vinegar and liquid dish soap works wonders.

#6:  I use the vacuum cleaner attachment to clean the toaster, oven and range top before scrubbing them.  It sucks up all of the excess crumbs and makes wiping easier.

#7:  I rarely use paper towels, pretty much only on quick cleanups and when I need to use bleach to clean up after raw meat.  I buy the big pack of white washcloths from wal-mart and use them as cleaning rags.  Washing them is much easier and cost effective than paper towels, much more durable, and they are so cheap you can throw them out if they get too dingy or soiled.

#8:  Baby wipes are fantastic for wiping down things quickly without having to wet a rag or use 5 paper towels.  One wipey can do the work of 5-10 paper towels sometimes and you can rinse them a couple times before throwing them away.