How to Clean the House More Efficiently

The biggest mistake people make is cleaning room by room (this is called “zone cleaning”). It’s much too slow! “You can either clean your kitchen in four hours, or clean your entire house top to bottom in four hours,” says Lisa Romero, owner of a professional cleaning service. “A lot of people get caught focusing on one area – say, doing a super job cleaning the counters – and never get to the stove, let alone the next room. In reality, just wiping things down and moving on is quick and efficient.”

Most pros are in favor of “task cleaning” – completing one chore, such as dusting, throughout the entire house, before starting the next. “You’ll do a little more walking, so it’s a good workout,” says Ronald Payne, owner of a janitorial service, “and I find that it’s faster because you’re in a mindset to keep moving.”

Here are seven steps to make the whole house sparkle in no time – four hours for a beginner, two and a half for a pro:

Step 1: Dust your house. Dust each room, including the topsides of all the furniture, undersides of shelves, and all handrails, as well as picture frames, TV screens and knickknacks. “When it’s possible to dry-dust, I do – getting something wet makes it harder,” says Romero. To get rid of fingerprints, dampen a microfiber cloth with warm water.

Pro cleaning tip: Look up top. “People don’t dust up on the very top of furniture, and that’s where all the dust collects and then falls off,” says Romero.

Step 2: Clean furniture fabric. Go through the house and strip and remake beds; neaten any pillows or furniture blankets. Brush furniture surfaces with a vacuum extension as needed.

Step 3: Clean mirrors and glass. Wipe down mirrors and windows throughout the house.

Pro cleaning tip: Using one wet and one dry microfiber cloth won’t leave streaks.

Step 4: Clean surfaces. Wipe down all surfaces and counters throughout the house, disinfecting as necessary.

Pro cleaning tip: Be sure to wipe down all places that fingers touch, like door handles, light switches, TV remotes and phones. “Those are the places that people forget, and they really hold germs,” says Payne.

Step 5: Clean the kitchen and bathroom. Walk through and spray cleaner on tubs, sinks and toilets. Return and scrub. Then, in the kitchen, wipe down the inside of the microwave, and cabinet and appliance doors.

Step 6: Clean floors. Sweep, then mop or scrub the bathroom and kitchen floors, and any other floor that needs it.

Pro cleaning tip: “I always do bathroom floors on my hands and knees with a microfiber cloth and cleanser,” says Romero. “That’s how I know that I got every corner, even behind toilets, and that they’re 100 percent disinfected.”

Step 7: Vacuum the house. “I vacuum my way out the bedrooms, down the stairs, through the living room and out of the house,” says Romero.

Pro cleaning tip: It’s not crucial to vacuum every single inch. Just keep moving. You’ll get the spots you missed next week. (www.womansday.com)