General Household Cleaning Tips

Cleaning Tips · AngeleSelegna Cleaning Services

A clean home is mostly about method, not effort. Working in the right order and using a few good tools saves time in every room of the house.

Clean in the right order

• Top to bottom. Dust shelves, light fixtures and furniture before you vacuum or mop, so falling dust ends up on the floor you have not cleaned yet.
• Dry before wet. Dust and vacuum first, then wipe and mop. Wet cloths turn loose dust into streaks.
• Left to right around the room. Moving in one direction means you never miss a surface or clean the same one twice.
• Let products sit. Spray the shower or stovetop first, then clean something else for a few minutes. The product does part of the work for you.

Tools worth owning

• Microfiber cloths. They trap dust instead of moving it around and work with plain water on most surfaces. Use different colors for kitchen, bathroom and dusting.
• A vacuum with attachments. The crevice and brush tools reach baseboards, vents, stairs and upholstery.
• A caddy. Keep your basic supplies together and carry them from room to room instead of walking back and forth.
• An old toothbrush. Good for grout, faucet bases and the tracks of sliding doors.

Use products safely

• Never mix cleaners. Bleach mixed with ammonia or with acids such as vinegar releases dangerous fumes.
• Test first. Try any new product on a hidden spot before using it on stone, wood or painted surfaces.
• Ventilate. Open a window or turn on the fan when you clean bathrooms and ovens.
• Store out of reach. Keep cleaning products away from children and pets, in their original labeled containers.