Cleaning the house seems like a job we can do ourselves. But, before starting to clean the house, we often ask “where to start?” Or “how to clean that room?” In this article, we provide a well-organized process for dealing with this problem, which is easy for anyone to do. Through this process, you will not stop until your house is completely clean.
Step
Part 1 of 6: Making a Plan
Step 1. Decide how clean you want your house to be and how much time you have
Deciding on these two things will help you come up with a plan. Realize and acknowledge what you can and cannot do or clean, how much time you have, and how much you intend to clean the house at that time.
- If possible, work from the top down. You certainly don't want the ground floor that you have worked so hard to clean to get dirty again because of the dust that fell while you were cleaning the upper floor. If you don't have much time, clean up the messiest things first.
- For those who are busy, it's better to pay in installments rather than pile it up into one day. However, still set aside a day or two for a longer cleaning schedule each month. Decide on a style that works for you (unless you have a roommate).
Step 2. Always have a neat to-do list and plan ready
Decide which room you should clean first, then which one last. This can help speed up the cleaning process and ensure that you don't repeat the same process, especially if more than one person is involved in the cleaning process.
- When making plans, make it so that you can sweep and mop an entire room in one go. Switching from mopping to frequent sweeping is not an efficient way.
- You can use the task list below as your standard to-do list. Sort according to your conditions and desires.
Step 3. Divide tasks
If you live with other people, then cleaning is everyone's job, not just you. You can take the initiative to lead and determine the picket schedule, that way you don't have to bother yourself.
Make sure the tasks are divided according to the age of the person. For example, children are asked to tidy up their rooms, while teenagers are asked to clean the garage or bathroom, and so on. In addition to making those who have the task willing to do it, the results will also be better (after all, what results do you expect if you ask a small child to clean the bathroom?)
Part 2 of 6: Cleaning the Bathroom
Step 1. Clean the toilet
This is one of the most difficult tasks. So, get it done as early as possible. Get rubber gloves on to keep your hands clean, and scrub the outside of the toilet gently with a sponge and hot water to remove any stains. Then move to the inside of the toilet.
- After that, spray the toilet cleaner into the inside of the toilet. Let stand for a minute, then scrub with a toilet brush. If so, rinse with water.
- After that, move back to the outside of the toilet. Spray disinfectant and wipe dry with a cloth.
Step 2. Clean the shower or tub
Showers usually get dirty quickly. But shower cleaners and bristle brushes (plus a little effort) should do the trick. If you don't have a shower cleaner, dish soap can also be used as a substitute, especially for cleaning tubs. After that, clean as usual using an antibacterial cleanser.
Use car polish in the shower to keep it clean longer. To clean glass, mix half a cup of ammonia and 8 drops of dish soap in a gallon of water
Step 3. Clean the sink
Usually the sink is difficult to clean. However, before you start cleaning and using cleaning fluid, make sure that it matches the surface of the sink. If it fits, spray it, let it sit for a minute, then scrub with a sponge. If it is clean and shiny, rinse with warm water, then wipe dry.
If there are stubborn stains on the sink, use a bristle brush to remove them
Step 4. Clean the glass and mirror
Mirror cleaners don't actually clean your mirrors or glass, they just make them shinier. Clean your mirrors and glass with soapy water, especially if the mirror or glass is quite dirty. Here are some ways to clean it.
- First, rinse the glass with warm or hot water, dish soap, and a washcloth, sponge, or other cleaning tool. Then wipe with a cloth.
- For an eco-friendly way, clean the glass with vinegar and water, dry with a cloth, then buff with newspaper. Make sure you use a little force for a really clean result.
- Another alternative way, of course, is to use glass cleaner and newsprint. The glass cleaner acts as a shield that makes the dirt and dust that sticks to it easy to clean later. However, if used incorrectly, this glass cleaner can leave marks. Therefore, use newspaper to clean it.
Part 3 of 6: Cleaning the Kitchen
Step 1. Wash the dishes
Washing dishes should be a daily routine, because freshly used dishes are much easier to clean than dirty dishes that have been sitting for too long.
- For an easier process, first rinse your dishes to remove any food residue, then clean them with dish soap using a dishwashing sponge.
- For stubborn cooking utensils or stains, use a rough sponge or special tool.
Step 2. Wash the dishes by hand
It's much easier to wash the dishes right after use; You don't need to soak or scrub it hard because the leftovers on the plate haven't had time to dry and harden. Rinse with warm water and use a damp foam rubber or brush to clean it, apply a little dish soap, wash each dish (both sides!) then rinse again with warm water until clean.
Step 3. Don't forget to dry the freshly washed dishes
If you don't dry them first, your dishes will leave water marks, or even allow bacteria to grow in the water. Wipe the dishes with a dry cloth after washing them, then place them on the rack. Or if not, you can just put it on the shelf and let it dry on its own. Make sure the rack is not in a humid place.
Also, dry your dishwasher so that it doesn't become a breeding ground for germs
Step 4. Clean the oven and microwave
One of the most difficult tasks is cleaning the oven and microwave, especially if you don't clean them often. But if you clean these two tools, your kitchen will smell better because there won't be any leftover food that gets baked when baking other dishes later. Here are the details.
- For the oven, check if there is a self-cleaning feature. If there is, then your work has been reduced. Simply soak the tray in soapy water, and wipe the inside of the oven from the ashes and then wipe it clean with a cleaner and a damp cloth. If the oven doesn't have a self-cleaning feature, soak the tray in soapy water, spray the inside of the oven with some cleaning liquid, let it sit for a minute, then clean with a sponge and scraper.
- For the microwave, you can use a bowl of vinegar, lemon and water, dish soap, or glass cleaner. Just spray it in the microwave, turn on the microwave for a few moments, then wipe with a cloth. All the stains will be removed easily, and your microwave will look like new.
- For the sink, the way to clean it is the same as how to clean the bathroom sink.
Step 5. Tidy up the kitchen cabinets
Once you've done the hardest part, it's time to tidy up your kitchen cabinets. How to tidy up kitchen cabinets can vary depending on each person's preferences and how they work when cooking in the kitchen. Just make sure that the arrangement you use later can make the process of finding your ingredients and cooking utensils less time-consuming.
Sometimes it's easier to get everything out of the kitchen cupboards and then put them back in a tidier way. Because with it, tidying up and trying the right arrangement will be easier
Part 4 of 6: Cleaning the Bedroom
Step 1. Tidy up the messiest parts
Like the previous tips, trim from the most difficult. The first step of tidying the room is to throw away or tidy up small things such as scattered papers and clothes, folded blankets, and the like. After that, then start cleaning the room.
While cleaning, take a trash bag and a laundry bag with you. That way you can walk around the room while picking up dirty clothes and trash in the room
Step 2. Make the bed
Making the bed seems trivial and unnecessary because it will fall apart every night. But after tidying it up, you will realize that a tidy bed can make your room look more pleasing to the eye.
If necessary, change your sheets and pillowcases. No matter how tidy, dirty sheets and pillowcases will not make your room look good. Clean sheets also make your sleep much more comfortable
Step 3. Tidy up the wardrobe
This is actually a task that you have to do every day, because the contents of the closet can get messy very easily. Determine the position of your pants, shirts, accessories, and underwear in a position that you think fits, then arrange them according to that position.
While tidying up, there's nothing wrong with going back into your closet and seeing if there are any clothes you don't need and should be thrown away or donated. Maybe there are some clothes that don't fit, are damaged, or you won't wear anymore and are just taking up space
Step 4. Wipe, sweep, and mop the room, then spray the air freshener
Racks or tables that are rarely cleaned will become quite thick dust places. Wipe or clean with a duster or damp cloth. After all the dust is removed, proceed with sweeping and mopping the room.
- Clean some fragile items such as lamps or curtains carefully.
- When finished, spray the air freshener.
Part 5 of 6: Cleaning the Living Room
Step 1. Clean the floor
Different flooring materials require different cleaning methods. So, know in advance what the floor of your room is made of.
- Use a vacuum cleaner or vacuum cleaner to remove obvious items and most dust from the floor or carpet (you should do this daily if you have pets).
- Use a broom, especially for floors made of wood or ceramic. You can also use a broom to clean the carpet. Using a broom after a vacuum cleaner is also not uncommon, especially to reach corners of the room or under.
Step 2. Mop the floor
To remove dirt stuck to the floor and clean between tiled floors, a mop is the best solution. Mops can also make your floors look shiny clean.
- There are many choices of mop materials, from cloth to sponges. But the most effective and give the best results are those made from cloth. With a little effort, you can make the floor very clean using a cloth mop.
- Make sure the mop you use is compatible with your floor.
Step 3. If you have pets, clean the room from fleas
To rid your home of fleas, use a vacuum cleaner, especially if you have carpet, as carpets are a place for fleas to breed and live. So, if you have pets, clean your carpet with a vacuum cleaner every day.
To kill fleas without using insect repellent, each time you finish using a vacuum cleaner, sprinkle borax on your carpet and allow the borax to kill the fleas. You can get borax in supermarkets
Step 4. Clean the furniture from dust
Thin dust must settle on all the furniture in all rooms and can cause coughing, sneezing, and even asthma. In addition to dusting, vacuuming and mopping help, too.
To clean the furniture, use a duster or duster. Wipe or clean all furniture and surfaces such as tables and shelves
Step 5. Polish the wooden furniture
Like glass cleaner, furniture polish won't make it any cleaner. However, this cleaner can still be used for cleaning. But again, if you want to use it, make sure the material matches your furniture material.
- Some furniture can be polished with water, and furniture like this should be able to be cleaned with soapy water. Be sure to wipe it dry after cleaning.
- After that, use furniture polish to prevent dust from sticking to your furniture.
Step 6. Be careful when using any cleaner
Everything cleaner is not always safe to use to clean everything. Read the instructions and product descriptions before buying and make sure they are suitable for your needs. You certainly don't want your furniture to be damaged just because you bought the wrong product.
Also, don't just mix the cleaners. This can be dangerous. Use one by one according to the instructions for use
Step 7. Tidy up small furniture and sofa cushions
After all the floors and furniture are clean, it's time to take care of the little things. Tidy up the sofa cushions, as well as all other things as if you had a special guest. If your living room is too full of stuff, put it in the closet so you don't forget where to put it.
When you're done, spray on some air freshener, sit down, and reevaluate your work. Has anything been missed?
Part 6 of 6: Finishing Your Cleaning
Step 1. Don't forget to clean the yard and terrace
Some people may prefer to skip this. But a clean yard and patio can create a better environment. Sweeping and removing dry leaves that fall in the yard can prevent moss from growing in the rainy season. Cleaning the yard regularly also reduces the number of insects roaming your home. In addition, that way the grass in the yard can also grow faster and healthier.
Pruning shrubs or other plants so they don't stick to the walls also needs to be done so that dust and water on these plants don't stick to the walls and make them dirty
Step 2. Wash clothes
Dirty clothes in your room must be cleaned. If you use a washing machine, your job should be easy; just press a few buttons, wait for the process to finish, and you just have to dry the results. but if you wash by hand, here are some steps.
- First, prepare water in a container with the right temperature and the amount that corresponds to the number of clothes you are washing then pour the detergent and stir the water until the detergent dissolves.
- Soak clothes in detergent water and wait at least 20 minutes.
- After that, you can scrub or rub the clothes first to remove stubborn stains, then dry them as best you can by wringing them out.
- Finally, rinse by soaking it with plain water. If you want to use fragrance, pour the fragrance into this plain water. After that, wring it out again and dry your clothes.
Step 3. Dry your laundry
If you have a tumble dryer, you should just put it down and let it run. But if you don't have one, even though your washing machine has a drying feature, it would be better if you keep it outside to dry until it is completely dry.
Step 4. Re-check the entire room and do some finishing touches if necessary
If you still have the time and energy, try some of these things.
- Empty the trash can and throw it in the large trash can outside.
- Clean the kitchen table.
- Changed sheets and pillowcases.
- Clean the walls.
- Cleaning and/or tidying the refrigerator.
Tips
- Wash the inside of the refrigerator with bicarbonate of soda to remove unpleasant odors.
- Many people prefer to use newsprint to clean window panes (rather than tissue paper.)
- Don't put dry sponges with your dishes. Sponges usually contain a lot of bacteria and germs. If you have a dishwasher, wash the sponge with the dishes as often as possible with hot water and then wring it dry. Sponges can also be sterilized in the microwave for one minute. Make sure the sponge is wet before putting it in the microwave! A sponge that is not moistened first can cause a fire. It doesn't have to be too wet, just enough.
- If your friends are willing to help, this house cleaning will be completed more quickly and you will have someone to talk to.
- Use unpaired socks or old socks to save money.
- You should clean the living room first because people will see this room before looking at the arrangement of the other rooms.
- Cleaning powder is versatile because it is not only for washing clothes but also for removing grease in the oven, not too harsh for cleaning the bathroom and can be used as a fragrant cleaning soap.
- Carry a cane with you while you clean the house to help you get what you need and can protect your back from stress.
- Don't stress in the face of messy conditions! Don't rush to clean your house. Make sure your home is calm and peaceful!
- Pour baking soda onto the carpet 15 minutes or so before cleaning. This will make your carpet smell good, and don't forget to clean it with a vacuum cleaner.
- Clean the refrigerator of old food or other items that can no longer be used.
Warning
- Make sure your sponge is wet or at least damp before placing it in the microwave. Otherwise, your sponge will burn. Also be careful after inserting it, because the sponge will be quite hot.
- Some cleaners may not be safe for certain skin or surfaces. Again, read the product description. Reading product descriptions doesn't take long, and can save you stuff and money. If you're not sure, try testing in an inconspicuous place or object.
- Do not mix cleaners. Mixing chemicals carelessly can be dangerous. Use one by one according to its use, and also read the instructions for use.
