Cleaning Home

I was a professional House Cleaner for many years with many accounts - both small and large homes to clean. House cleaning is an Art and a Science, with good information and organization it goes really well. Of course, cleaning someone else's home is quite different than cleaning your own. My dust bunnies have names and a home here, I know my dishes aren't running off if not washed immediately! I LOVE to do laundry and iron, sick I know! LOL

Here are some tips and info that I hope helps any novices or even old pros.
Upon entering any room to clean, look up. Dust accumulates badly and quickly on ceiling fans, ceilings, tops of curtains, air vents, light fixtures. To thoroughly clean any room and to maintain once you've deep cleaned, paying attention to dust up high is the key. I call it working the dirt down and out!

To deep clean, and deep cleaning can be done once a month or less often IF you keep a few things in mind and do with regularity, you must touch every surface in the room.

Dust and/or wash curtains and rehang. Once thoroughly cleaned, vacuumed or washed, curtains can be dusted like anything else. Dust ceiling fans and lights. Keep dust off ceilings. those nasty dusty circles the circumference of the fan blades is a tell all about how often you clean. Once you have cleaned these areas, duster/Swiffer the walls, first with a dry duster/Swiffer and if doing a deep clean, a wet one.
Whew, now you can get on with the speedier tasks at hand.

Dust/wipe all lamps, light fixtures. Dust those shades and sometimes a damp, not wet, but damp cloth will do a cloth shade good, too. Make sure it's a clean cloth, wrung out in vinegar or fabric softeners, diluted. This keeps a fresh smell emanating when light is on.

Dust/wipe all picture frames and glass. You be amazed at what can get on the glass of a picture frame? Ever had a large slobbering dog? 'Nough said! Eww!

Dust/wipe all shelves, mantles, bookcases and their accompanying knickknacks and books.

Dust/wipe/polish furniture - from top to bottom please. Vacuum sofa and chair cushions.

See how we have worked dirt down?

I clean baseboards every month. Well, okay, cleaned them every month for others, mine are into a slightly dingy look! I call it Shabby Ambiance!

Now you are ready to vacuum/sweep, and Swiffer or Mop. And that room is done and you're out and on to the next one..

For daily/weekly/ maintenance you need an extendable duster, some damp wipes, some furniture wipes, glass cleaner, vacuum and mop. Regular and somewhat frequent maintenance takes a quarter of the time a deep clean does and even assures your subsequent deep cleans are easier.

Next we'll address bathrooms and kitchens, they have their own issues....