How to Clean Inside Your Home
Everyone seems to clean their house about once a week. But how do you know if it is really clean? How about cleaning the difficult things? Here is a guide to help you clean walls, floors, carpets, windows and more, properly inside your home.
WALLS AND CEILINGS
First you should clean the walls with a cloth to remove dust or any loose objects. If there are any cobwebs use a vacuum cleaner.
It is best to use two buckets to wash the walls. Use one with water and one with cleaning solution. Start at the top to avoid the drip to wash down on spots you already washed but be prepared to work fast. If you work to slow, cleaning solutions could cause permanent stains when they drip.
Use only white or off white cloths or sponges for cleaning. Some cleaning solutions can cause colors to fade from a cloth and it will get on the walls.
Once cleaned, wipe the wall with terry cloth or something with a high absorbency rate in order to dry it up faster and prevent streaking.
The baseboards are usually the dirtiest part of the wall and should be done last. It is best to do by hand with a damp cloth and sponge. These may take a bit of work depending on when they were done last.
If you have wallpaper you can use gum eraser or dry suds. Also, look for a Magic Eraser. Magic Eraser is relatively new and works fantastic on hard to get out stains. If you have old grease stains on the wallpaper, check your local wallpaper store for proper cleaner. For crayon marks, silver polish cleaner or dry dishwashing detergent will work. If you have an ink spot on wallpaper, pat it with water and dab with bleach. Try on a small area first. Rinse with a cold water sponge.
FLOORS
Cleaning you floor really depends on the type of floor you have. For a wood or no-wax floor, it is better to use a dust mop than a broom. An 18" mop is recommended. Dust mops pick up more dirt and works faster. Do not use a dust mop on a waxed floor as it may ruin the surface.
When washing your floor be sure to remove all the liquid solution by using plenty of water. Many people will just wash the floor and let the cleaning liquid stay on the floor. This will dissolve the protective floor coating forcing you to buy new flooring sooner.
If you decide to wax your floor it is best to use a water based wax. Dampen the floor with water before applying wax. If the floor is well used, you may need 6 to 8 coats a year. Any more than that and you probably need new flooring.
PROTECT YOUR FLOORS
In order to protect your floor you must start at the beginning. Have a rough textured mat for people to clean shoes before entering. In many Asian homes, it is customary to remove shoes before entering. That is always a good idea to keep your floor clean. Your children can get used to doing that if you start them young.
Tips:
You may also want to use area rugs on high traffic areas.
You can also glue pads on chairs to prevent them from scraping the floor.
You can also put masking tape on rocking chairs.
To remove black heel marks, use steel wool.
CURTAINS AND BLINDS
Curtains are easiest washed in a bathtub. Wash with water and a mild detergent. You can wash the rods as well but add wax to the rods, to make the curtains slip on and off more easily.
To clean washable window shades spread them on a flat surface, scrub with mild detergent and water. Dry thoroughly with a clean dry cloth. If you find a spot, use a gum eraser to get rid of it.
For Venetian blinds you can use one of those blind dusters or absorbent cloth gloves to wash by hand.
WINDOWS AND SCREENS
It is best to clean windows on a cloudy day. The sun will often dry the window and make it hard to tell if it is really clean.
Before washing, you should first vacuum window sills with the brush attachment from your vacuum if available.
One of the best things to wash windows with is rubbing alcohol. It removes dirt easily and does not leave streaks. You can also you soapy water and a black and white newspaper to dry it to avoid streaks.
To wash a window screen, lay it on a flat cloth covered outdoor surface such as a picnic table. Use mild soap and water and a scrubbing brush. Scrub gently. Then use a hose to rinse. Shake off access water. You can also vacuum or brush screens if you cannot remove them but cleaning the screens is very necessary. Dirty screens block out the sun so this should be done once a year.
Tips:Use a cotton swab dipped in soap and water to get corners of window frames clean.
To remove paint, use vinegar and scrape it off with a single edge razor blade.
Vinegar will also clean hard water spots on windows.
CARPETS AND RUGS
Before you begin vacuuming a rug or carpet, pick up any loose items, like pins, coins and buttons. These objects could clog the vacuum. Next you should remove any small furniture such as foot rests and chairs out of the room. Clean in overlapping parallel strokes. Go over well used areas several times. You should vacuum carpet about once a week.
If you plan to shampoo your rug, it is probably best to rent a rug cleaner and follow directions. If you have a small rug or want to clean one small area, there is a method you can use. You need to open all the windows to keep the air flowing as you will need to use spray foam. Be sure not to get any on furniture. If the stain is close to furniture and you cannot take it out of the room, wrap the leg with aluminum foil. First test it on a small inconspicuous place on the rug to be sure it does not take the color out of the rug. Vacuum thoroughly and then use the spray foam on the area that needs cleaning. Make sure you make an even layer on the stain. Let dry and then vacuum the area well.
Bring oriental rugs to a professional cleaner. Never try to clean them by yourself.
Tips:You should move rugs around periodically in order to prevent use in one area.
To prevent edges from fraying, use a brush with a liquid resin found at most fabric stores.
For stains that just happen, blot the area with paper towels or a white cloth immediately. Scrape the area with a spoon to remove any deep in residue. Cover area with a white towel. Place something hard and flat like books over it to absorb any access fluid.
Use a scented carpet deodorizer is always a good idea. It makes any rug smell cleaner.
To repair rug snags or pulls, hold scissors parallel to the rug surface before snipping thread. Never try to pull the thread out by hand.
