I have a walking/crawling infant, two rowdy cats and a husband. It seems my house is always in disarry, though I try to keep it tidy. I'm really not looking for advice, more than this is just for fun. So, Y! Answerers, what are your best kept secrets, tips and strategies to a pristine home?
oh visit the Flylady.
www.flylady.com
she sends out e-mail reminders and has wonderful cleaning lists
use lime to tackle grease.
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oh visit the Flylady.
http://www.flylady.com
she sends out e-mail reminders and has wonderful cleaning lists
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LOL LOL fab question!!
Go read FlyLadys site – that will get you on the right track.
Good luck – its not easy!!
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do a little bit of cleaning every morning: this way your day is free….example: load washing machine before bed…start as soon as you get up.
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You can use Nature's Miracle for natural waste, like pee/poo, blood, throw up, grass stains, ect. You can use the Mr.Clean Magic Eraser for surfaces with just a bunch of gunk, like pen markings, food spills, dirty walls, ect. Both work like a charm!
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Don't ever wait until "later" to pick something up. If you do, things will just continue to pile up. I take every opportunity to clean as I go through the house. You can chase a crawling infant down and dust table tops or items as your going. Husband's that don't help need a good swift kick. It's his house too. But then I have been lucky and my husband has always pitched in. With 8 kids, he has had to, or I would still be cleaning up things from 30 years ago.
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Every evening, I come home to a place that's trashed by a man and two dogs. I play a mental game with myself by saying that I only have "X" amount of minutes to make this room presentable.
I also like to play the "How much can I clean before someone comes over?" or the ever-popular around my place – "How much can I clean and look pissy about it and finally give the impression that I'm tired of cleaning up after his lazy butt?" game
With your situation, nap times would be best to clean (quietly) around the baby. As for the cats, can you lock them up in a room while you clean the rest of the place? And does your husband help at all? I never nag him about it except for once a month, and then when he complains that he's busy, I pull out the "OH COME ON, I ask for your help once a month!" card and then he helps
I've also noticed that incence and candles help a ton in just making the place "homeier."
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Have hubby pitch in, teach the baby to pick toys up and throw them in the toy box, make it a race or game so the baby will have a great time doing it, the older he/she gets, the more it will become a habit and your life will get much easier. Also, take care of things right away – file it, fix it, or toss it. Good luck, I know this is a challenging stage in a family's life.
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eHow
How to do just about everything
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http://www.ehow.com/how-to.html
pick up before bedtime every night and get the stuff at least back in the right room
use cheap shaving cream to clean the tub and sink and tile and marble
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My home is far from pristine! But I've noticed that if I clean/straighten the biggest thing in each room, the place looks so much cleaner. I clear the clutter off of the counters in the kitchen, do the dishes, and clear the table in the dining area. I fix the pillows on the sofa (they're always falling), fluff the pillows, and fold the afgan in the living room. I make the bed and arrange the pillows in the bathroom, and clean the counter and sink in the bathroom. I also have a swiffer vaccuum, which is no good for serious cleaning but great if there's a few things you need to get up. Fifteen minutes later, my place is ready for company.
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I do most of my cleaning at night when my husband is getting the kids ready for bed.. I have a 1yr./3 yr old… I clean/mop kitchen floor- unload/load dishwasher etc…
I have toys stashed everywhere! In laundry baskets the kids help me pick up toys before bath time….
I use baking soda at night on the carpets and then I vacuum it up in the morning.. Cleans/deoderises 12lbs at Bj's is under $5 and I use it elsewhere.
I do a load of laundry at night and put it in the dryer in the morning…
I vacuum everyday to keep dust down
I vacuum my dog once a week !!!!
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I have 2 toddler boys/ a big dog and a husband….
Be organized!!!! When we have dinner we clean as we cook, get coffee ready for the morning(pot has timer), wash our dishes as soon as we finish and then hubby and I put away leftovers and wash the cookwear right away. This saves time for me to be away from the kitchen. Also, the child is just about the age (now that he/she is walking) to learn how to pick up toys and put them away. Use the reward system and the child will be more willing to help. Start teaching now and save yourself the hassle later. If you have one of those push along floor sweepers your little one would have loads of fun pushing it around the house helping mommy.
Good luck and remember BE ORGANIZED!
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send the kids and cats to a close relative and get the husband to do some cleaning!!!
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Vinegar is your best friend, for practically every cleaning function.
Also works as one Helluva-drain-cleaner:
Pour a liberal amount of Baking soda down your drain, then follow it up with a cup or two of vinegar… allow it to foam up for a few minutes, then flush with hot Water for about 5 minutes…
Drains'll be runnning free n clear in no time, without expensive drain-unclogging concoctions.
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I asked a similar question a while back and one of the answers was get a power washer. Start in the upstairs let the water flow all the way down to the basement and let the sump pump drain it all out. Be sure to open the windows so it doesn't get moldy! lol Good luck.
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I use simple green for cleaning the floors, counters, toilets…since it is non toxic it is safe for the kitties…(whom I have 3 unruly ones), and it is safe for babies….
I use a dryer sheet to clean the tv's since it helps repel the dust…
And newspaper to wash the windows without streaks….
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Molly Maids twice a week
Children doing their chores and making them pick up behind themselves
Me straightening up as we go along and putting things back in place after we are done with them.
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flylady.com
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flylady.com
i break up my cleaning throughout the week instead of doing everything on one day. wed, i will dust, sunday is for mopping floors, saturday is laundry. doing it this way doesn't make me feel like i'm cleaning for so long, although i like to clean
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I have a 7 year old, a 7 month old, a husband, and two cats as well. The easiest way I have found is to make out a list every morning. Then I put stars on the things that are most important. I also clean as I go. If I am headed to the bathroom I pick up a few items to take to the bedrooms. Pick up as you go basically. When it comes to the bathroom and kitchen I do all the cleaning when the baby is in bed for his nap.Other than that I run around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to keep the place livable.
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hi,
.
I keep a mental list of what things i have to do. Basically i had divided time and days for it. For example In week days I do only laundry ( i put clothes and set timer for machine), fold clothes while watching serial, and in morning i just put the scattered things back to place. This keep my home arranged.
On Saturday I vacuum clean the house, and do some shopping which is stress buster for me
On Sunday I do ironing. And I also clean Almira's once every 3 months so thats for Sunday.
This routine keep my home arranged, clean and It doesn't make my schedule hectic.
Hope it will help you
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I alternate what areas I vaccuum; One day carpetting, the other day ceramic tiles. I alternate laundry too; one day folding and putting away, the next ironing clothes that need to be. The system works well enough for me.
Spilt candle wax can be easily cleaned up by placing a paper towel of the dried wax and ironing it out.
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Steam for heavily wrinkled items.
hang the clothes on hangers and place on shower rack and turn on shower on hot water and let the steam fill room. In about 10mins or so the wrinkles are gone.
Also try throwing the clothes in the dryer to remove wrinkles.
general bathroom cleaner is the same as any other cleaner.
use it everywhere.
Rubbing alcohol is good as a disinfectant and counter top, window and overall cleaner. Just open windows to air out the fumes. lol
Vac go out? Try sweeping up the dirt by wrapping the broom bristles with Duct tape facing outward so when you sweep the floor it catches everything.
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I avoid doing it all at once. Do just a little at a time. For example I spray the shower down just before I take a shower.
I have specific days for laundry. And laundry waits till the designated days. But when it comes I just do it.
I gave up on all the fancy, bulky deep cleaning vacuums. A light inexpensive one get used much more often and it was only $25 at Walmart.
I like to get early to do some of my household chores. This works for laundry or cleaning the kitchen. Everyone complains when I vacuum at 5 in the morning!
And have a plan for dinner. When its suddenly 5:30 and I haven't thought about what we are having, it becomes chaos. But I now also keep some pre made meals so even that is not as bad as it once was.
Running the dishwasher once a day whether or not it is full may waste some energy but it has made emptying it much easier – and part of the routine.
All this leads to a reasonably clean home. If you really want pristine, you may need to hire a maid. And with two toddlers you could probably use it!
Good Luck!
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Blast the tunes,
And work work work,
Even hard work beats out talent.
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With an infant, 2 cats and husband…
You won't have a pristine home..at least not without having a mental breakdown. Give it up and just settle for getting the toys off the floor before your husband gets home from work!
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Just some good old fashion elbow grease.The harder U try, the more clean it'll become.
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Vinegar, baking powder & pinesol are all cheap and clean everything from floors, carpet to clothing. Spray bottles mixed with equal parts of vinegar and water are great for getting pet smells out of carpets and furniture (I have 4 cats)- a cup of vinegar or baking soda to any load of laundry helps them come out cleaner and smelling fresher. See Heloise Hints for more vinegar tips.
Storage ottomans are great everywhere- in the office to keep stray cat toys hidden. In the living room to hide magazines or cd's or game parts (dice, cards, etc.)… In the bathroom to hide shampoo or toilet paper… In the kids room for toys or art supplies… And while they're hiding stuff, you can sit on them or use them as side tables.
Throw junk mail away IMMEDIATELY- as soon as you grab the mail- seperate the junk and toss it. Don't set it down on the coffee table or dining table and "go through it later"- just toss it. That way it doesn't accumulate.
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http://www.heloise.com/
When I get off work on Fridays, I come home and eat then head to the store to buy groceries for the week. When I get back, I wash the clothes, wash dishes, place the toilet bowl cleaner in the toilet, sprinkle Comet in the tub and sink, use the sanitation wipes on the kitchen counter and table and other kitchen surfaces and vacuum. In the meantime, the clothes are in the dryer and I'm ready to clean the bathroom, then I mop the kitchen and bathroom. Then I have the entire weekend to myself. Part of which is spent preparing breakfast for the week ahead to be microwaved later along with other preparations for dinner.
By the way I'm a man and I would encourage your husband to pitch in.
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Take advantage of bio-cleaning. Ants are very good at cleaning up crumbs and food spills, so you don't have to. They're also fascinating to watch. Spiders spin webs that are excellent for catching dust. Every six months, collect the cobwebs with a broom and put the whole mess outside. No need for you to do any dusting beyond that.
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I use a SOS Pad to clean my tub..I like my skin soft …so I take a lot of those herbal scrub baths…at times the tub ring gets yucky! So, I just experimented with the SOS brillo pad and it works like magic!
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experience
i am in the same situation, except for the cats! for me what helps me keep my house clean and tidy without it feeling overwhelming is organization. my son is 16 months old and the thing i find the most annoying is toys everywhere. he knows how to pull everything out but he doesn't understand putting it back. to keep this under control in major places in the house ( play area, rec room, bedroom) places he plays the most, i bought several large rubber maid containers with lids. when he pulls everything out it takes me 2-3 minutes to throw it all back in.
we don't have much clutter in our house, ( no knick knacks, random thing all over the place) so when i clean up toys or do a quick sweep/vaccuume my house right away look tidy. just make sure to keep up on small things like dishes, sweeping/vacuuming,laundry because when you get around to the big things you can concentrate on it and not feel like you have a mountain to do.
we don't have a dishwasher, so what i do is make sure to do the dishes 3-4 times a day. it seems like allot, but when it takes you 5-min to do just a couple dishes the task doesn't seem to take so much of your time and in turn won't feel like a huge task. i always make sure to have the dishes done before i go to bed so i start the next day from scratch without anything on my mind!
i suppose my advice is to space out lot's of small things throughout your day instead of letting them all build up, because then you won't have time to stop, spend time with your kids or even yourself.
hope this helps
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Purchase the book Green This by Dierdre Imus. It is all natural cleaning techniques which is good to do anyway since you have little kids running around. This book really opens your eyes to the toxins inside your house. Google her online and see what you think. I have a spray bottle with vinegar, water, lemon juice, and a little bit of Palmolive mixed together. It cleans everything. No need for anything else except glass cleaner.
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Hire a cleaning lady.
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I love the Mr. Clean easy erase cleaning pads. They can get smudges off of walls, countertops it is a miracle. Also Clorox Anywhere is Terrific!!
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don´t cleaning. JAJAJAAJAJA
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Just make it look clean. Do half of it then the other half later.
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^Call Rent A Maid or better yet, put the cats in their carriers, send your children to their grandparents or friends, give your husband the cleaning supplies and instructions and book yourself into a day spa you deserve it. Go For It.
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When there were things I didn't want to do, I would make a game of it. Put different chores you really would rather not do onto a slip of paper, and then pick them out of a bowl. I would also throw in some fun ones (such as REST 20 minutes) so that there was a chance I would get to do something I wanted to do as well.
Also, limit yourself in your cleaning time. For example, you can't just write down "Clean kitchen", but give it a stop time. I don't know if a house can ever be 100% clean, so if you dedicate only 20 minutes to cleaning the kitchen, it might not all get done. However, if you dedicate a little bit of time to each room, the house will look markedly cleaner.
And don't forget to spend time with your kid, the cats, and the husband! Mom needs her off time as well…try to (if you can) schedule some ME time in there. Even if it's sitting in the bedroom ALONE for 10 minutes a night while Hubby takes over Daddy Duty. That sometimes makes all the difference in the world.
Best of luck to you!
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Clean as you go!
If all else fails, you can always move!
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you can clean almost anything in your house with baking soda! its safe for pets and babies. most cans or boxes come with tips for using to clean carpets, multisurfaces, i love it and the fact that it has no scent works great for me to.
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arms and hammer
Get a 2 or 3 day a week maid. Legal not illegal
more or less inexpensive and worth it
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Put things that won't be harmed by caustic detergent and heat into the dishwasher, like, stove grates, fridge shelves, etc. Use oven cleaner on cassarole/Pyrex dishes that have carbonized dirt. Teach your husband to pick up after himself.
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Try to make a game with your infant and his /her toys my daughter loved music so we sang the clean up song as we put her toys away together and tried to get them all away before the song was over. Also try using nap time as a good time to clean up from the morning messes this way it doesn't,t seem to pile up on you. The greatest stain remove I have found yet is a cheep bottle of hairspray. it even gets out formula stains just spray it on when your little one takes off all those dirty clothes let it dry and the stains will come right out when you wash. two rowdy cats try turning on the vacuum it sends most cats running. my best kept secret is HIDE, HIDE,HIDE what your guest cant see must not be dirty this works on everyone except nosy mother-in-laws.
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It's not easy! I can clean a room and find filthy again in 15 minutes. I always make the beds & have the dishes done everyday. I clean the kitchen as I cook, and the bathroom before I go to bed. If you can get the toys off the floor into storage, beds made, kitchen picked up..you'll feel like a million bucks.
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The word "dust" should only be used as a noun, never a verb.
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vinegar is as good as bleach and a ton safer. baking soda works just like comet or ajax powder.
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Ugh. I know!
I save my chores for when baby is napping. Hubby is gone during the week this way too. Except vacuuming – that's done right before his nap when he's eating lunch in the highchair. Sometimes it even puts him to sleep (15 months).
Otherwise, I don't do everything at once. I just tackle one thing a day. If that goes well I'll do two. I'm also pregnant so I take it easy on myself.
I also double up on dinner. I'll make an extra portion for the next night. Or, I'll freeze the other half for a rainy day. That way if I'm running behind in the house I don't have to worry about dinner.
But, pristine is a pretty high standard! I don't know if a house can really be pristine with hubby, kids, and animals. Unless you have a cleaning lady getting in the nitty gritty!
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I always wait until everybody goes to sleep when I clean. No interruptions and you get done so much quicker than when your children or husband are awake. Another tip the Mr. clean magic eraser works on almost everything.
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My own expereince