Be a Good Housekeeper

Cleaning up the house will give you a much happier place to live, and you won't be afraid to invite friends over, which is a plus! Don't fret: getting the house from chaos to clean can be a big task, but keeping it clean thereafter will not be.

Steps

  1. Fifteen minutes a day will go a long way towards a really clean house! Start by walking around the main areas- the entryways, living room, dining room and kitchen - first and picking up all the trash. Take dirty dishes to the sink to be washed later. Make sure to look under the tables and under the edges of other furniture to make sure no trash is left.
  2. Everyone has 'hotspots': places where paper and clutter seems to just pile up. An attractive basket is one way to organize these until you have time to file. But be sure to take a few minutes each day to deal with your 'hotspots'!
  3. Look around the living room: tidy up the 'hotspots', fluff the pillows, put away or recycle the magazines and newspapers. You'll come back later to do the floor!
  4. Since we all have to eat, the next area to tackle should be the kitchen. Start with the counters. Clear everything off the counters and place it on the dining table or in their respective cabinets or drawers. If your hands are sensitive, find a pair of rubber gloves. Then clean off the dust and any debris that are on the counters with a damp sponge. If there are any stains from food products, use the Magic Erasers to help with this. If you use your counter as a cutting board (which is never recommended) the magic eraser will clean in the little cut marks on the counter to remove germs and food build up. Just look at the magic eraser when you're done, you'll see how filthy it is. (see warnings section for proper use of the magic erasers, and the "Tips" section for alternatives to it.) Make yourself a note, if you don't have a cutting board, to get an inexpensive one the next time you're at the store. Never cut directly on your counters! Waxing the counters makes them look new and shiny but is probably over-the-top for most people. (Mrs. Meyer's Countertop spray is easy to use and leaves them shiny and smelling nice.)
  5. Next, the oven/stove top. (See: How to Clean an Oven and Clean Stovetop Mess With Salt)
  6. Next on the list is the refrigerator. This can be an extra step and can be saved for another time. However, most people don't clean their refrigerators regularly. This can result in stuck on food bits that are hard to clean, crumbs in the back of the fridge and under the drawers, and if left unkempt for too long, will attract bugs. Clean old food out of the fridge, check expiry dates, clean off the shelves with the magic eraser, pull out the drawers and clean the bits out from under them. You will notice a big difference each time you open your fridge. (See:How to clean a refrigerator)
  7. With the counters dry and shiny, how much of what was on them really needs to live there? Put most of it away in a convenient place until really needed, put the rest back on the shiny counters, and put a nice tablecloth on the table, with maybe even a decorative bowl of fruit or a plant if you have one.
  8. If you have a few extra minutes, wipe down the front of the appliances too. Do the fronts of the cabinets some other time but if they're looking grungy around the handles or knobs, at least give those a swipe now.
  9. Sweep and mop the kitchen floor. We're not looking for perfection here!
  10. If cold season is near, one of the easiest way to prevent them is to wipe off doorknobs with a 10% bleach solution. This is also good for disinfecting kitchen and bathroom counters. You don't need to buy the expensive premade stuff in the spray bottles at the grocery store. For 1/20th the cost you can make it yourself!
  11. The next step is the bathroom. A clean bathroom makes people feel much more comfortable in your home, while a dirty one has a huge 'ICK!' factor. First clean off the bathroom counters. Put things away that you do not constantly use. Find a way to attractively display those that you do. Bathrooms are so small, even a little bit of clutter is unattractive. A rag or paper towel with some glass cleaner will clean the mirror, other surfaces and fixtures as well. This makes a nice impression with guests. Finally, fluff and refold the towels and wipe up the floor with the rag, and toss it in the laundry basket. See also How to Clean a toilet and How to Clean a Bathtub
  12. Go back to the living and dining room. Dust off any tables, shelves and items on them. This gives people a better impression of your home and helps prevent allergies. If the items are washable (such as glass decorations) set aside some time later to wash them and allow them to dry completely before replacing them. If you're expecting company in the next few days and there's time, polishing the wood and glass is a nice touch (but never use the same kind of polish for glass and wood! Lemon oil is best for wood, glass cleaners, such as Sparkle, for glass. If the smell of store-bought cleaners is bothersome, you can inexpensively make your own. There are many kinds of products that are also non-toxic and quite effective such as Mrs. Meyer's.)
  13. One of the last steps is to sweep and mop bare floors and vacuum all carpeted ones.
  14. Last step is Laundry!
  15. Finished.

Tips

  • Check hotspots daily to see that they're not getting out of hand. Devise a workable file system - a binder perhaps, or set of them, or a file box - for your paperwork: one for things to keep permanently, such as birth certificates (unless you choose to keep those in a safety deposit box at a bank), and one for things to be filed every month, such as paid bills and business paperwork.
  • If you have a pet that sheds its coat, don't forget to clean off the furniture every day or two. This will ensure a better looking home, a better smelling home and decrease the possibility of allergies. Not to mention, your guests would rather not sit down on a chair or couch with animal fuzz on it! (See: Get Dog Hair off Furniture)
  • Every week try to devote a few a day to a new area of your home - a closet, a cupboard or cabinet. Little by little does the trick!
  • Keep a trash receptacle in an area you can tell accumulates a lot of trash. Besides the one in the kitchen, you might want one by the coffee table (for old newspapers, used tissue or food wrappers), computer room, or bedroom.
  • Since this particular article is on "How to be a Good Housekeeper", if you're cleaning someone's house, keep in mind to ask them where they want particular things to go when cleaning up. Also ask them about forbidden areas (such as the bedroom for some, or office for others)
  • An alternative to the magic eraser can be a simple paste made with baking soda and water. Use this paste to lightly scrub any surfaces that might have stains. However, the magic eraser works really well at getting greasy fingerprints off the fridge handle and around door knobs and on door frames.
  • If you should accidentally break something or otherwise destroy something in someone else's home, make sure you set the item aside and inform the owner. If you can, offer to replace the item, no matter how small. If there are things such as Fine China, or other rare souvenirs, probably stay away from it to avoid this situation.
  • If some indication of mice or bugs are found, inform the owner and let them make the decision on what type of pest control to use. Never set out mousetraps or place pesticides anywhere, especially if there are children around.
  • If you cannot complete all tasks in one day, try to do 2 each day until completed. Getting the house clean is the task, keeping it clean is the easy part.
  • If you should run across any excess of items such as toys or magazines, invest in a plastic bin or shelving unit to help keep them organized and off the floor.
  • Small details such as the following will impress the owner of the home you're cleaning and ensure you keep your job: Duck the baseboards and paneled doors, dusting the ceiling fans or vents, removing cobwebs from the ceiling, polishing wood surfaces or furniture, cleaning fingerprints off the walls and doors, scrubbing and shining the sink, cleaning the lint out of the dryer, or other quick tasks like this. Details make a big difference!

Warnings

  • Some chemicals can be hazardous to humans and animals. Always read the instructions and warnings on your products and use only as directed.
  • Always use the Mr. Clean Magic Erasers as directed on the package they came in. These are VERY abrasive sponges and they can and WILL take paint off of surfaces and leave a "matte" type finish. Always read the instructions and use rubber gloves.
  • If you need to use a ladder to complete any task, make sure it is on a stable, flat surface and always use caution. Get help to steady the ladder if necessary.

Things You'll Need

  • Rubber gloves
  • A few old washrags
  • Paper towels
  • Glass cleaner
  • Mr. Clean Magic Erasers®
  • A trash bag or trashcan
  • A broom and dustpan
  • A mop
  • A duster
  • And a vacuum if you have carpet.
  • Reserve at least 1 hour of your time to complete the tasks. Of course, time will vary depending on the size of your home and how dirty it is.

Related Articles

  • Clean a House to Help Prevent Illness
  • Assemble a Housekeeping Cart
  • Do Furoshiki (Wrap and Carry Things With Square Cloth)
  • Freshen a Room

Sources and Citations

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