| You know how it goes....you have every intention of | | | | one washes. Pre-treat surfaces with cleaning product |
| getting some cleaning accomplished during the day, | | | | while you cart the kids around. And finally, if you are |
| only to find that by the time the kids are in bed, | | | | fortunate enough to have a Roomba or Scooba, |
| your house is no cleaner than when you woke up! | | | | clear the floor and set up your virtual walls so that |
| How does time get away from us? | | | | your floors will be clean when you get home! |
| Here are five quick cleaning tips that any busy mom | | | | 4. Stash the right supplies in the right rooms. |
| (or dad!) can incorporate into their day to clean their | | | | Your bathrooms should all be stocked with a bottle |
| home a little bit each day. | | | | of toilet cleaner, a toilet brush, paper towels, glass |
| 1. Let the cleaning products do the work by | | | | cleaner and all-purpose anti-bacterial cleaner. Kitchens |
| pre-treating. | | | | should have an anti-bacterial dishwashing soap, |
| Instead of trying to speed up the cleaning process | | | | dishwasher-safe brush for scrubbing dishes (no |
| by quickly spraying a cleaning product and scrubbing | | | | sponges!), anti-bacterial all-purpose cleaner for |
| away, spray a generous amount of cleaner onto the | | | | counters and surfaces and a standard glass cleaning |
| surface (tubs, shower walls, countertops, toilet seats) | | | | product and paper towels for the front of ovens and |
| and walk away for five minutes while the cleaning | | | | diswashers. Instead of storing all of your cleaning |
| product does the work. Most products work best | | | | products in one place in your home, assemble these |
| when allowed to penetrate the stain and break down | | | | cleaning kits in each room so you always have |
| the grime and surface dirt. Take those five minutes | | | | access to the appropriate tools. |
| to throw a load of laundry in the washer, change a | | | | 5. Keep laundry going all day. |
| diaper or wash some baby bottles. At the end of | | | | Too often, laundry is left to pile up until no one can |
| those five minutes, wipe the surface clean with | | | | find a clean pair of socks! Head off these laundry |
| paper towels and admire your work! You just | | | | crises by maintaining the laundry pile everyday, all |
| completed two tasks in the time it takes to | | | | day....yes, all day! Start first thing in the morning by |
| complete one! | | | | switching the laundry and starting a new load. Set up |
| 2. Chunk like projects together. | | | | baskets for each person in the home who is old |
| As long as you have that bottle of glass cleaner and | | | | enough to fold and put away their own laundry and |
| roll of paper towels in your hands, why not do all of | | | | sort clean laundry as it comes out of the dryer. Let |
| the mirrors in the house one after the other. By not | | | | each person match their own socks and put away |
| switching between cleaning products and cleaning | | | | their own clothing. In the evening, put baskets |
| tasks, you will actually save time because you will | | | | outside each bedroom and have everyone load them |
| already have all of the necessary tools at your | | | | up with dirty clothes and bed linens. Each morning, |
| disposal. Switching between tasks, even in the same | | | | collect the clothes, sort, wash and dry and let your |
| room, can sometimes take longer than simply | | | | kids (if they are old enough) do the rest! |
| completing the same task in each room in quick | | | | In general, quick cleaning comes from setting up |
| succession. | | | | systems that work in for your family. Setting up your |
| 3. Let machines and technology work for you. | | | | environment for success is the first step toward |
| You only have ten minutes to clean before taking | | | | success in any area, and by establishing routines and |
| the kids to their playgroup? Use that time to set up | | | | stocking rooms with the appropriate tools, you'll be |
| your machines (i.e. appliances) so they can work for | | | | able to take advantage of those precious few |
| you during the time you are en route with the kids. | | | | minutes every day to make a nice dent in your |
| Finish loading the dishwasher and turn it on. Switch | | | | cleaning tasks! |
| the laundry and get one load drying while another | | | | |