House Cleaning 101: From the Toilet to the Microwave

Getting married? Moving into your first home? Lived in your place awhile but can’t seem to get a handle on cleaning the house? Not sure how often you should do it? Or what to do? Can’t afford a maid? As a wife, mother, and former teacher, I can give you advice on the basics of housekeeping.

I grew up in a home with my mother and grandmother. They were both neat freaks. I was the typical messy teenager, and they picked up after me (lucky me!). Then I married and left home and suddenly had a home of my own. And after a couple of weeks, I looked around and thought, “This place sure is messy and dirty!” It was then that I had two thoughts. The first was I am going to have to clean it, and the second was, I have no idea how! You may be thinking the same thing. Housekeeping is not rocket science, but when you have no idea where to begin or when to do what, it can be frustrating. What cleaners do I buy? What else do I need?

The first rule of housekeeping is it’s easier to do your housekeeping weekly. If you are at home during the week, do some each day. If you work, you can get it all done on a Saturday morning, and then not worry about it the rest of the week. So where to begin?

As with any job, you need the right equipment. There are as many brands of cleaners and different preferences to those cleaners as there are people. I can give you some basics, but you may find others you like better. First you need a broom, a dustpan, a vacuum (if you have carpet), some old cloths (old T-shirts work great), a spray bottle of window cleaner, some pine-oil cleaner, a spray bottle of bathroom surface cleaner, some furniture polish, a mop bucket, and a sponge. (I use a sponge with the nylon net sewn on one side for scrubbing without scratching.) You will also need a toilet brush and some paper towels. If price is a problem, some household cleaners can be made. There are many websites that can tell you how to make natural cleaners from products like baking soda and vinegar.

It’s easier to begin at the top and work your way down to the floors. Start by walking through your house with the trash basket and throw away wrappers, old newspapers, tissues, soft drink cans, etc. Then go back through the house straightening as you go. Hang up clean clothes, put dirty clothes in the hamper. Clean off surfaces. It’s easier to clean if you can eliminate the clutter first.

Next, pour about a half cup of pine oil cleaner in each toilet and leave it there. Make your bed. Do the dishes or load the dishwasher.

Then go back to the bathroom with your cleaning supplies. Spray the mirror and wipe with paper towels. Spray the bathtub or shower with the bathroom cleaner (you can use diluted pine cleaner instead). Using your wet sponge, wipe down the sides of the tub or shower. You may need to do a little scrubbing in the bottom of the tub. Then turn on the faucet and rinse with water. Pour a little pine cleaner on your wet sponge and wipe the tank lid of the toilet. Wipe the lid and raise it. Then wipe the seat, especially around the brackets that hold it on. Lift the seat and wipe the rim of the toilet. Wipe the outside of the toilet and around the bolts that hold it to the floor. Then take a toilet brush and clean the inside of the toilet, making sure you get under the rim. Flush. Spray the bathroom counter with bathroom spray (or diluted pine cleaner) and also the sink. Wipe with paper towels.

In the bedroom, spray any mirrors with window cleaner and dry with paper towels. Spray furniture polish onto wood surfaces and wipe clean with a soft cloth. You can use the same cloth to wipe off any knick knacks and picture frames.

In the living room/great room, repeat the same procedure as you did in the bedroom. Mirrors, then furniture, then knick-knacks and pictures.

Now you’re ready to do the kitchen. Since you already did the dishes, this should be easy. Put the stoppers in the sinks and fill the sinks with hot water and add a small amount of dish soap. Dip a clean cloth into the water and wipe off counters, stove top, range hood, the doors of the appliances. If you have a microwave, clean the outside of the door, and open it. Then wipe down the inside of the door and the inside of the microwave. (Hint: If your microwave has an odor, put a sliced lemon in a small bowl and add about a half-inch of water. Put in the microwave on high for one minute.) Let the water out of the kitchen sinks when the water has cooled. Wipe around the sink and the faucets with a paper towel. (Hint: As an extra step, and if you want to, you can spray window cleaner on the sink and faucet and wipe dry, and they will really shine!)

In the dining room, wipe off the top of your table with a wet cloth if it’s not a wood surface. If it is wood, use furniture polish and a soft cloth to dry.

Now you are almost done! Using the broom (or an electric broom if you’re lucky enough to have one!) sweep the solid surface floors (usually kitchen and baths). Sweep from the outside of the room toward the middle. Then sweep the debris into a dustpan and throw away. Using your mop bucket, add a cup of pine cleaner, and then fill about half full (Hint: This works for the average size mop bucket, but if you have one of those large commercial ones, you will have to double the cleaner and then fill half full with water). Wet the mop and mop the floors, rinsing your mop in the bucket as needed.

Vacuum carpets. Empty the trash. Put your cleaning cloths on the washing machine to put in with the next load .Wipe the finger prints off outside of the front door.

Sit down with a cup of your favorite beverage and relax. Your home is now presentable, and you’re ready for company. And it smells CLEAN. Ahhh…Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well-done!