Checklists for Life

5

Housework and Other Emergencies

We all like a clean house. It’s getting there that isn’t any fun at all. Most of us would just as soon get it out of the way as quickly as possible—and with the minimum of effort. These checklists will make sure you know what to do, and have the right materials to make the job easier.

 Bare Minimum Housework: From Pigsty to Presentable in Six Steps

Okay, so you had a busy week. You worked late every night and left your take-out food cartons around, tossed mail aside after opening it, dropped newspapers and magazines after reading them, and abandoned several items of clothing where you stepped out of them. And you haven’t vacuumed, dusted, or cleaned the bathroom in two weeks. The place looks more like a frat house after a party than the abode of a hardworking, career-minded adult—whose friend suddenly calls from the airport and says she’s coming by in five minutes.


1.

Close the door! The whole point of bare minimum housework is to do only what’s immediately necessary. Decide which rooms and areas of your home will be on view and focus your energy and attention there. Don’t forget the bathroom—and any rooms leading to it. In a true housework emergency, any door that shuts and won’t be opened can be your best friend.

2.

Attack clutter. Make a rapid circuit, picking up newspapers, tennis shoes, books, vases of dead flowers, soccer balls, pizza cartons—anything that doesn’t belong. It’s a good idea to do this with a trash bag in one hand and a box or laundry basket in the other. Fill the trash bag as you go and pile miscellaneous items into the basket for tossing behind those closed doors.

3.

Dust. After tidying, dusting gives you the biggest bang for your cleaning buck. Grab a soft cloth, or feather or lamb’s wool duster, and start at the top, working down. The job will go much faster if you move lamps, telephones, framed pictures, etc., off tables and other surfaces before you start. When surfaces are clean, dust and wipe smudges off lamps and decorative items before replacing them.

4.

Fluff and straighten. Now that your furniture is visible, with clutter and dust cleared, make the room look inviting. Fluff throw pillows, straighten slipcovers, arrange knick-knacks, and stack books and magazines attractively.

5.

Vacuum or nitpick. If there’s time, run the vacuum. If not, pick up smaller throw rugs and shake them outside, then pick any obvious lint, threads, dead plant leaves, etc., off the carpet. If you have hardwood floors, go to the areas where dust bunnies collect (in corners, under tables, behind doors), and scoop them up with a damp paper towel.

6.

Speed-scrub the bathroom. Cleaning a bathroom can be done quickly, no matter how grim the room looks when you begin. First, stow everything you can in a cabinet or medicine chest: move the toothpaste, makeup, shaving cream, and last week’s mail out of sight. If you can get away with it, close the shower curtain or close the tub door and ignore the bathtub. Arm yourself with a pair of latex gloves, a bottle of liquid cleaner with bleach, a roll of paper towels, and a sponge. Douse the sink with liquid cleaner and pour about a quarter cup into the toilet. After the cleanser has steeped for a minute or two, wash the sink quickly, rinse it, and polish faucets, handles, and the medicine cabinet mirror with a damp paper towel. Scrub the toilet with a bowl brush, and use a wet sponge or paper towels to wipe dust and hair from the floor and base of the toilet. Keep wiping the floor as you back out of the room.

Cleaning Supplies

Music is the secret weapon in your cleaning arsenal. Before you pick up so much as a dust rag, go to the cabinet and pull out a rocking, hopping CD. It will boost your energy and put some rhythm into your mopping; or at the very least it will distract you from the drudgery. The best to be said for the rest of this stuff is that the right cleaning tools and potions will make the job easier and will allow you to keep pace with the music.

 CLEANING TOOLS

1.

Rubber gloves. A sturdy pair will enable you to tackle jobs you might otherwise shrink from. They’ll also keep your hands and nails from looking like you just spent the day, well, cleaning.

2.

Vacuum cleaner. If you have allergies, invest in one with a Hepa filter. If you don’t have the room to store an upright, buy the best canister style you can find.

3.

Sponge mop. Buy one with a replaceable sponge head. Purchase a few replacements at a time so you can change them quickly when one wears out in the middle of a job.

4.

Feather dusters. They may evoke images of French maids in frilly aprons, but these are serious work tools and can’t be beat for quickly dusting many items at once, like books or knick-knacks.

5.

Dust cloths. An old cotton dish towel or diaper is ideal. Or consider giving new life to old favorites by cutting T-shirts or flannel nightgowns down to duster size. Keep separate cloths for shining wood furniture with polish and oils and for cleaning surfaces (like windows and walls) that should be oil-free.

6.

Sponges. A variety of sizes will be useful for different cleaning chores: wiping down woodwork and countertops, cleaning out sinks, tubs, ovens, and so forth. Buy a few combination sponge/scrubbers for heavy-duty jobs like cleaning the oven and scrubbing the tub.

7.

Toilet brush with its own holder. Do yourself a favor and keep one behind each toilet in the house. You’ll find the job much easier to tackle when all you need to do is whip the brush from its holder and scrub, swish, shake, and stow.

8.

Plastic bucket. This is essential for cleaning floors, walls, or any other surface that calls for mixing cleaning solutions with water, or rinsing large surfaces with water.

 CLEANING POTIONS

1.

Spray-on glass cleaner. Use for cleaning windows, mirrors, pictures, and other glass surfaces.

2.

All-purpose liquid cleaner. Use this for floors, counters, or walls. But use it carefully (first spray on the cloth, then wipe surface) so you don’t remove paint along with the fingerprints on walls and woodwork. Consider purchasing a gentle formula that is easy on paint and nontoxic to humans.

3.

Disinfectant. If your all-purpose cleaner doesn’t contain a disinfectant, keep Lysol or a similar product on hand for sanitizing garbage cans, children’s play areas, or any surface where germs are a special problem.

4.

Powdered cleanser. Use it on toilets, sinks, and tubs, but never on paint or any surface that will scratch easily.

5.

Bleach. It can work miracles removing mold and mildew in the bathroom. It can also save you unpleasant digging and scrubbing on discolored tile grouting. Pour on some bleach, let sit for a minute or two to loosen dirt or mildew, and rinse away. A few words of caution: Never use bleach around upholstered furniture or carpets and never wear anything that you wouldn’t like to see decorated with white drip and splash marks. No matter how careful you think you’re being, they will appear on your clothing. Never mix bleach with ammonia. It will cause a toxic gas. Read product labels to be sure of contents.

6.

Furniture polish. A spray can is easy to use and helps capture the dust while leaving a glossy finish on furniture.

7.

Furniture oil. It comes in dark or light and should be used frequently on open-grained (nonveneered) furniture to keep the wood gleaming and prevent drying and cracking.

 Checklist for Spring Cleaning

You might as well know the worst about housework. Every year about forty pounds of dust sneaks into your house and settles into every possible nook and cranny. The good news is that it doesn’t arrive all at once and your regular housecleaning (however hasty) gets rid of some of it. The bad news is that the other thirty-eight pounds continue to lurk in less obvious places. Tracking down and scrubbing away this dirt is the annual rite known as Spring Cleaning. Here are some of the jobs you’ll want to consider for your own Rites of Spring. Warning: Attempting to tackle items on this checklist all at once can be hazardous to your mental and physical health! Spread them over a few weekends, so you don’t lose momentum or sanity.


1.

Wash windows. Ideally, this should be done twice a year. It’s easier to do the job with a partner who cleans one side of the window while you do the other, helping you spot streaks and smears right away. Don’t forget to clean windowsills and the window wells that collect dead leaves and bugs.

2.

Clean window screens. Remove screens and hose them down outside; use a stiff bristled brush if necessary.

3.

Wash or dry-clean drapes.

4.

Wash shower curtain with bleach and water mixture or buy a fresh curtain.

5.

Wash walls and woodwork as needed.

6.

Shampoo carpets.

7.

Have upholstered furniture professionally cleaned. Don’t forget throw pillows!

8.

Clean out clothes closets. Donate or give away unused clothes, shoes, toys, or other items. Anything you haven’t worn in a year should go. (See chapter 2 on organizing your closet.)

9.

Clean and straighten the linen closet.

10.

Clean out medicine cabinets. Clean shelves and replace items that are used regularly. Discard expired medicines.

11.

Clean out kitchen cabinets. Throw away expired food and wipe the interior. Change the shelf paper.

12.

Move large appliances. Clean under and behind them. Vacuum dust from the front coil of the refrigerator (it’s important to do this at least twice a year).

13.

Clean the refrigerator. Empty it out and thoroughly clean shelves and walls of unit; reorganize items as you replace them.

14.

Clean the oven and stovetop. If needed, take burners apart and scrub them.

15.

Go through bookshelves. Remove books that can be donated, given away, or sold. Dust books and shelves with soft cloth.

16.

Clean ashes from fireplace. Scrub hearth.

 How to Do a Load of Laundry(So You’ll Recognize It Afterward)

If this checklist looks like much ado about a pile of dirty clothes, don’t be put off. Once you’ve washed and dried a few loads of laundry successfully, you’ll be sorting, zipping, softening, and folding like an old pro and won’t give another thought to the steps involved.


1.

Read labels. Paying attention to the manufacturer’s care instructions keeps your clothes looking better longer and (in some cases) will save them from instant death.

2.

Sort. Separate darks from lights and regular care fabrics from delicates. Put fragile or small delicate items (like panty hose and lingerie) in a mesh bag before washing to protect them from snagging, tangling, and getting lost in the machine. Also, sort loads by how dirty they are and wash oily or greasy clothes separately.

3.

Check pockets. Sometimes lurking pocket contents can make an annoying mess, leaving you to pick tiny bits of wet tissue off your black turtleneck. Sometimes they can do permanent damage, as anyone who’s ever left a fountain pen in a pocket can attest.

4.

Close buttons and zippers. This precaution keeps clothes from catching on parts of the machine or on each other, saving wear and tear on everything you wash.

5.

Treat stains. Most of the stain removers on the market do a decent job of treating common stains. Be sure to treat the stain as soon as possible. (See “How to Remove Stains,” page 94.)

6.

Set load level, fabric cycle, and water temperature. Most washers allow you to choose all three: Water level (for small, medium, or large loads); fabric cycle (regular, delicate, permanent press); and water temperature.

 

• Use hot or warm water for very dirty loads, but cooler or cold water on permanent press and colors.

 

• Use warm water for white items that are not prone to shrinkage. Be careful with hot water, which can cause whites to yellow.

 

• Read the labels on your clothes for laundering instructions. If there are none (or you’ve cut the labels off), keep in mind that eight minutes is the optimum duration for any wash cycle. Using a longer time setting even on really dirty clothes can actually redeposit soil on fabrics. Knits, sweaters, and delicate items need a shorter wash cycle, preferably one with gentle agitation.

7.

Measure detergent. Use the quantity suggested on the container. Using too much detergent leaves a soapy residue; using too little leaves clothes dirty. Keep a plastic measuring cup with your laundry supplies.

8.

Add bleach. Many fabric guides specify “nonchlorine bleach only,” so stocking a nonchlorinated bleach is a good idea. You can also use it on fabrics that can survive chlorine bleach. If you do use bleach, always dilute it before adding it to the washer and be sure to let the machine fill completely and agitate for a few moments before adding laundry. If you skip this step, your towels, sheets, and T-shirts may be squeaky clean, but they’ll look as if they’ve been nibbled by rodents (which spoils the dazzling white effect).

9.

Start washer. Starting the machine and allowing the detergent to mix with the water before you add the laundry is kinder to your things because it distributes the detergent evenly through the wash water. This is especially important when using powdered detergents, which can clump and leave stains if they haven’t dissolved before the clothing is added.

10.

Add laundry and shut lid. Many machines won’t begin washing and none will spin dry until the door is closed. Once you’ve added the laundry and shut the lid, you’re off duty for twenty-eight minutes or so.

11.

Dry clothes. Unless you’d like to create a Lilliputian wardrobe, take a little extra time to separate out clothes that should be line dried or dried flat before you put the rest of the load in the dryer.

12.

Toss in fabric softener sheet. These are easy to use and require little more of you than buying a package and opening the box. One sheet in a normal load will reduce wrinkling and static.

13.

Remove clothes promptly. If you hate to iron, do yourself a favor and hang or fold your clothes as soon as they are dry.

 How to Remove Stains

The best advice for removing a stain from any surface is to treat it immediately if at all possible. Before applying any strong solution, such as lighter fluid or nail polish remover, first test an inconspicuous section of the fabric. Here are some of the most common kinds of stains and a few remedies.


1.

Blood. Rinse with cold water right away; if the stain remains, sprinkle it with meat tenderizer and cool water. Rinse with cool water after twenty minutes. If the blood has dried, brush away excess so the stain won’t spread when you dissolve it.

2.

Candle wax. Sprinkle corn starch or talcum powder on the spot and cover with a paper towel. Press gently with a warm iron. If color from the candle remains, spray with stain remover and let sit for five to ten minutes before washing.

3.

Chewing gum. Freeze the gum with an ice cube and break the gum from the fabric. If a stain remains, rub gently with full-strength detergent and wash.

4.

Chocolate. Blot or scrape off excess, rinse the fabric with cold water, then rub with full-strength detergent and rinse again with cool water. If the stain remains, apply a fifty-fifty vinegar and water solution and blot. If the stain still remains, blot with lighter fluid or weak bleach solution and launder as usual.

5.

Coffee. Treat the same as chocolate stains.

6.

Fruit juice. Rinse under cold water. If the stain remains, rub with the cut side of a lemon. But test carefully first, because lemon is “nature’s bleach.”

7.

Grass stains. Rub with liquid detergent or try slightly diluted hydrogen peroxide or bleach (if the fabric can take it).

8.

Ink. Many experts suggest spraying with hair spray and blotting. You may also try pouring salt on an ink stain while it’s still wet, or sponging it with water and applying a mixture of liquid detergent and a few drops of vinegar.

9.

Oil (including grease, butter and salad dressing). Wash with detergent and hot water and rinse. For more delicate fabrics, try club soda. Use corn starch to absorb the grease on rough textured fabrics, let it sit overnight; if the stain remains, try the detergent and hot water method.

10.

Wine. Club soda is the standard remedy for red wine stains. If the stain remains after blotting with soda, sprinkle with salt and let sit for fifteen minutes, then wash with cold water and cold-water detergent.



Checklists for Life
Checklists for Life: 104 Lists to Help You Get Organized, Save Time, and Unclutter Your Life
ISBN: 0375707336
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 1998
Pages: 28

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