Household chores done & dusted

Tips to help you get the most household chores done in the least amount of time

ACLEAN home is a thing of beauty – the sweet smell of freshly laundered sheets, the pleasing shine of a spotless kitchen floor, the gratifying gleam of dustless surfaces . . . Only problem is, housework needs time and commitment. The trick is to work smarter, not harder – check out these tips for keeping your castle as clean as a new pin.

TRY THE 30-MINUTE WHIP-AROUND

Pressed for time? Set aside half an hour each day to tackle the tasks that need your attention the most – the dishes, the laundry, the beds, the vacuuming . . . whatever is at the top of your list.

Put on lively music, set a timer for half an hour, get busy – and ignore all distractions.

ONE TASK AT A TIME

Once the duster is out, it makes sense to go around the house dusting, rather than doing one room then dropping the duster to vacuum and picking it up again for the next room.

Whether you’re packing away clutter, picking up dirty clothes or sweeping, go from room to room and complete task by task.

WORK FROM THE TOP DOWN

Clean from high to low so that dirt and dust from upper surfaces fall on the lower ones that haven’t yet been cleaned.

Dust ceiling fans or light fittings then the furniture, and wipe dirt directly onto the floor. Clean floors last.

MAKE EVERYONE GO SHOELESS

To keep floors cleaner for longer make everyone take off their shoes at the front door so they won’t track in dirt and grime from the street.

And while you’re at it, double up on doormats – one inside and one outside – as they do a good job of capturing dirt.

CLEANING TOOLS NEED CLEANING TOO

Dirty cloths, mops and full vacuum-cleaner bags lose their ability to pick up or remove dirt and you’ll be toiling away for nothing – in fact, you’ll just be making things worse.

Wash your mop after each use, wash all cleaning cloths and check vacuum-cleaner bags regularly to make sure they aren’t full.

DUST SMARTLY

Work from left to right and top to bottom with microfibre cloths – which are better at picking up tiny dust particles than regular cloths – as this will reduce allergens and improve the air quality in your home.

A dampened cloth tied to the end of a mop or broom works well for removing cobwebs and dusting hard-to-reach spots without spreading dirt everywhere.

ALLOW IT TO SIT

Allow detergents and tile cleaners a few minutes to work before wiping them up.

Letting them sit helps soften and dissolve soap scum and stains so less scrubbing is needed. SOURCES: GOODHOUSEKEEPING.CO.UK, DAILYMAIL.CO.UK, MOLLYMAID. COM, THEHAPPIERHOMEMAKER.COM