Your First Place: Cleaning Tips
Aside for the regular dust bunnies or spills on the dining room table, there are some new territories to explore. Exciting, isn’t it? Here is a list of a couple of hot spots along with some cleaning tips.
Garbage Can: The trash receptacle, as it oftentimes prefers to be called, magically swallows all you throw at it. Garbage pails are your friends, and you must treat them well by lining them with bags and emptying them once in a while. Once a day is preferred, but hey, if you prefer to wallow in the smell of rotting banana peels it’s really none of my business. But what I’m really getting at is this: you need to actually scrub that thing clean once in a while. Yep, you heard me. Various odors and spills will collect in your garbage bin, awarding your kitchen with the faint aroma of decay and deterioration. So once every few months yank the bag out and take the can to your shower or bathtub-con-shower (that’s not an ex convict shower, but a bathtub with shower). If you have a detachable shower head you’re one lucky guy or gal, but we can manage just fine otherwise.
My method: wet can inside out, pour Soft Scrub or preferred cleaner and commence scrubbing with clean sponge. Rinse using shower head or bathtub faucet, turn inside out and let dry. Repeat in a few months.
Broom: brooms made of plastic or other deviantly unnatural fibers can be washed with water in the sink and left to dry. Take my word for it and clean your broom unless you want to spread dust bunnies wherever you go with it, such as at your boss’s birthday bash (‘say, isn’t your date kind of thin? And what is that gray fluffy trail she is leaving in he wake?’)
Counters: It will appear obvious to many of you that counters need to be wiped regularly. It is my experience, however, that some members of the opposite sex (will-not-name-names) tend to think that removing things from the counter (and dumping them into the sink to be ‘soaked for a month) qualifies as a proper clean-up. No sir, it doesn’t work that way. You have to wipe the counter when you’re done with it, even if there are no spills to be seen. There always is some stray sugar or salt to chase off, or worse- oil.
That’s not all though: once a week or so, it’s time for the Counter Scrub. Remove all items from the counter, including bread bin, coffee machine, etc. Find preferred cleaning agent (I stick with Lemon Soft Scrub or Spic & Span) and do one of the following options: 1. Squirt cleaner directly onto counter or 2. mix with water in container.
Grab wet sponge and commence scrubbing, or dip scrub in container, wring and then commence scrubbing. Once done, wipe with a clean cloth (dampened if you like) and go watch TV until it dries. Replace breadbox and coffee machine and sit at table feeling good about yourself.
Window Sills: Dust your window sills using a duster, cloth or vacuum cleaner. I won’t bore you with the details, but go ahead and do it.
Sinks: As with counters, all is not over once the territory is clear. Your sink collects plenty of grease and other substances and it’s up to you to keep it clean. A wonderful woman once showed me how to take care of my sinks every night (Okay, I don’t really do it every night, but she does). Grab your old faithful Soft Scrub or preferred cleaner. Squirt into sink. Take wet sponge, scour the sink without skimping on that muscle. Wash out with water and clean sponge or cloth. Don’t forget to wipe the faucet, it will shine and make you look good.
There, there, don’t you feel much cleaner already? Now don’t dilly dally, grab the pail and start working…
