Written by admin on July 25, 2008
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.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
As a mother of 2 boys, I think it is very important that they learn how to be independent and take care of themselves- this includes cleaning up after themselves. As for my husband, he may be a lost cause!