How to Clean Your House in 19 Minutes
Just call me Mr. Clean! I am not, I repeat, I am not shaving my head though!
How to clean your home in 19 minutes
With these room-by-room checklists, you can maintain a sparkling house in just 19 minutes a day, giving you more time for family, friends and you.
Kitchen, 4 1/2 minutes daily - Always start with the sink. “Keep it empty and shining,” says Marla Cilley, author of Sink Reflections (Bantam, $15) and creator of www.FlyLady.net, a housekeeping Web site. A sparkling sink becomes your kitchen’s benchmark for hygiene and tidiness, inspiring you to load the dishwasher immediately and keep counters, refrigerator doors, and the stovetop spick-and-span, too.
* Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).
* Wipe down the stove top (one minute).
* Wipe down the counters (one minute).
* Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (two minutes).
Bathroom, 2 minutes daily - Make cleaning the basin as routine as washing your hands. But don’t stop there. Get the most out of your pre-moistened wipe by using it to clean around the edges of the tub and then the toilet before tossing it.
* Wipe out the sink (30 seconds). Wipe the toilet seat and rim (15 seconds).
* Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush (15 seconds).
* Wipe the mirror and faucet (15 seconds).
* Squeegee the shower door (30 seconds).
* Spray the entire shower and the curtain liner with shower mist after every use (15 seconds).
Bedroom, 6 1/2 minutes daily - Make your bed right before or after your morning shower. A neat bed will inspire you to deal with other messes immediately. Although smoothing sheets and plumping pillows might not seen like a high priority as you’re rushing to work, the payoff comes at the end of the day, when you slip back under the unruffled covers.
* Make the bed (two minutes).
* Fold or hang clothing and put away jewelry (four minutes).
* Straighten out the night-table surface (30 seconds).
Family room, living room, foyer, 6 minutes daily - Start with the sofa — as long as it’s in disarray, your living room will never look tidy. Once you’ve fluffed the pillows and folded the throws, you’re halfway home. If you pop in a CD while you dust, you should be able cover the whole room by the end of the third track.
* Pick up crumbs and dust bunnies with a handheld vacuum (one minute).
* Fluff the cushions and fold throws after use (two minutes).
* Wipe tabletops and spot-clean cabinets when you see fingerprints (one minute).
* Straighten coffee-table books and magazines, throw out newspapers, put away CDs and videos (two minutes.)
2 years ago