Housekeeping for Men

Most of us have aches and pains from time to time, whether we are a bit overactive in doing yard or housework or perhaps we slept a little crooked the night before.  While there are many ways to relive such maladies, a few topical products will go a long way in gaining relief.

As we get older, especially, such onsets of stiffness, muscle and joint pain can rear their ugly heads at any time.  Having a handy dose of liniment or analgesic balm handy can be a good thing.

These products work by stimulating blood flow and masking pain to the injured area.  Increased blood flow is important to bring healing cells called macrophages to the muscle to remove dead muscle cells.  Good blood flow to the area also accelerates the bringing of nutrients so the repair and regeneration of the muscle can occur.

A limited masking of pain while the area is healing allows more movement, which also increased the blood flow.  Limited movement is important in the healing process, as no movement over a period of time has shown that the muscle can atrophy, or shrink, thus lengthening the healing time.

A good rule of thumb is that if you can move the area without too much pain, then topical remedies can be very helpful.  However, if there is severe swelling or if the injury is joint related and you cannot move the area at all, you should seek further medical help.

Liniment works by utilizing camphor which ooccurs in nature in the camphor tree, an Asian evergreen related to cinnamon.  When applied to the skin, camphor produces a mild local anesthetic action (depresses some nerve endings and stimulates others). It also acts as an antipruritic, which means it relieves itching.  Watkins products markets an excellent liniment, which actually was the first product sold in 1868.

Analgesic balm contains Methyl salicylate (wintergreen), menthol and capsaicin which team up in a great muscle warm-up rub. This greaseless, stainless, deep-heating cream penetrates rapidly to relieve and relax muscle tension and soreness and provide temporary relief from minor arthritis.   This product also can be purchased from Watkins.

An ounce of prevention can go a long way in muscle and joint pain relief after that victorious bout of leaf raking, garden planting, or even vacuuming (ugh) that leaves you sore the next day.

Don’t they? Sure they do! Anything women can do, men can do too.

Who’s cleaning house:

• Men who live alone.
• Men who live with a patner as a couple.
• Men who are Dads.
• Men who care for an infirm or disabled partner.
• Men who enjoy housekeeping.
• Men who are too frugal to hire a cleaning person.

With today’s busy lifestyles women and men are sharing the burden of cleaning house, doing laundry and much more. It only makes sense.

Lots of men keep their homes clean and even develop their own unique decorating styles. So we thought the Homemaker Helpers deserved a special place just for men who are involved in housekeeping and cleaning. After all there are tons of resouces out there for women.

We promised no frilly aprons required, just the straight goods!

This real man’s guide to cleaning is designed to help you master the basics, make a cleaning attack plan and get the work done as quickly and easily as possible. You’ll find this routine helpful if you are just learning the ropes or even if you are an old hand at cleaning the house.

Your Cleaning Attack Plan

You decide how you want to do this either one day a week or by splitting the tasks up and doing some each day. Start by making your cleaning attack plan. If you have a spouse, roommate and or family you might want to sit down and draw up your attack plan together, that way you can divide the work load. Depending upon your housing situation your weekly cleaning chores should only take 2 to 5 hours per week, the bigger your home the longer it will take.

Your cleaning uniform should be old comfortable clothes, you might get dirty and sweaty because cleaning house is hard work.

How To Clean The House Guide

The Kitchen
If you cook, and frugal men know cooking for themselves is far more economical that eating out. Not to mention much healthier too.

Daily Tasks: Clean as you go, fill the sink with hot soapy water and wash tools, pots etc. as you use them, or put them in the dish washer. Umm, and don’t put that knife you just used away without giving it a quick rinse and wipe first. Wiping the counter tops and stove top deals with crumbs, spatters and spills before they get a chance to petrify. Sweep the floor, put out the trash and run the dishwasher if needed.

Weekly Tasks: Wipe down the exterior of kitchen appliances and cupboards. Sweep and wash the floor.

The Bathroom
Daily Tasks: Clean the bathroom in the morning or evening after your shower. It just needs a quick wipe to keep it looking half decent.

Weekly Tasks: Use a spray and wipe bathroom cleaner to clean the tub, shower stall and sink. Give the toilet bowl a good scrub with a brush and some toilet bowl cleanser. Don’t forget to wipe down the outside surfaces too. Yes, you need to clean it, sorry it’s not self cleaning! Clean the mirror. Empty the trash. Sweep and mop the floor, make sure to get behind and around the toilet well.

The Bedroom
Daily Tasks: Make your bed as soon as you get up. A fitted sheet and a duvet or comforter is the quickest and easiest way deal with it. Pick up your dirty clothes and put them in a laundry hamper or basket.

Weekly Tasks: Clean the mirror. Vacuum the carpet. Dust the dresser, night stand etc. with an old T-shirt cut in half. Change the sheets.

The Living room, Dining Room, and Family Room
Daily Tasks: Once a day or every evening before you head off to bed, take a tour around the house and pick up and put things away, magazines, dishes, clothes, shoes.

A tidy home looks cleaner than a cluttered one so get into the habit of putting things away. This means your dirty clothes belong in the laundry hamper not on the floor, and dirty dishes need to go in the sink or the dishwasher, they don’t belong on the coffee table.

Weekly Tasks: Dust the furniture with an old T-shirt cut in half. Vacuum the carpet. Sort and dispose of old newspapers and magazines.

Other weekly house hold chores. Grocery shopping, it’s not really house work but you might need to do it. Laundry, if you changed your sheets you need to wash them plus the clothing you wore and the towels you used this week!

Once a month or so… you’ll probably need to do the following:
Clean out the refrigerator, discard any unknown items and wipe the interior with a damp cloth. Change or empty the vacuum cleaner bag. Wipe down doors and around light switches where finger prints and hand prints appear. Look up, way up, do you see any cob webs? Remove them with a clean broom or duster.

Once or twice a year you’ll really should do these:
Wash the ceilings and walls. Clean all the windows inside and out. Move large appliances, and furniture and clean behind and underneath them.

Create a check list of your cleaning tasks and post it some where handy so you don’t miss doing anything. You may find somethings need cleaning more often and others you can let slide a bit longer. Ultimately it’s up to you and your personal standards. If you are comfortable and you won’t be embarrassed by the condition of your home if unexpected guests drop in your mission is accomplished.

More House Cleaning help:

• Find out what the basic cleaning products and tools you’ll need.
• Learn to conquer clutter and live more organized, with these practical tips to help you and your family get and stay organized.
• Simplify your life with one Multi-purpose Environmentally Friendly Cleaner.