There's something about a freshly vacuumed carpet or newly washed windows that gets me excited - call me boring and dull, but I really do love cleaning stuff! The fascination started when I was a young chap, often vacuuming and sweeping for my mother and grandmother. As a college student, I would secretly curse my roommate for not making his bed or coming into our room with muddy boots. And when my wife and I rented our first apartment, she certainly saw the "clean freak" in all his glory!
With the above said, however, I don't enjoy every domestic task (for example, I despise ironing, making large beds, and cleaning bathrooms). Nevertheless, here are some of my favorite cleaning/domestic chores and how I go about getting them done:
Washing Tile Floors
Start with a good sweep and thereafter vacuum the dirt pile; a dustess floor is key to a good mop job. Next, mix 1 part white vinegar with 3 parts hot water and get your mop nice and wet (I like this Italian Floor Mop but you don't have to get fancy as your local supermarket mop will do just as well). Mop the floor in sections and ring out your mop often. Let the floor air dry and enjoy the clean floor! NOTE: some folks do not use white vinegar on porcelain or ceramic tile because they claim the grout will discolor; I personally have not seen this, but you could use Spic and Span or any pine oil based cleaner as a substitute for white vinegar.
Hardwood Floors
Again, start by removing dust from the floors. I like to use Swiffer (they are great products!) and aim to dust our hardwood floors at least once a week (and more often if we have heavy traffic). Thereafter, and only if floors appear dull or have marks on them, use two clean terry cloth towels and Bona X Hardwood Floor Cleaner to spot clean any marked up/soiled areas. You should spray the area gently and thereafter rub the area with one towel and use a second towel to dry (do not let the solution air dry). It's also important not to use Murphy's Oil or Orange Glow for Hardwood floors as these products will create a hazy film and dull your floors.
Stovetop
Never let grease or oil dry overnight on your black or stainless steel stovetop. The key is to first wipe down the top with paper towels and thereafter use ordinary dish soap and a clean sponge or cloth to clean the messy areas. The soap should be cleaned up with a second cloth or sponge and then dried thoroughly.
Granite
Wipe down your granite countertops nightly and make sure they are sealed properly, I like to use StoneTech products every six months or so. On every 2nd or 3rd night (depending on how much cooking you do) your countertops should be wiped down with a wet cloth and thereafter a solution of simple dish soap and hot water should be used (being careful not to make the solution to watery). Finally, wipe down the counters with a clean wet cloth and dry with a third cloth. I've also used a solution of white vinegar and water and I've found it to work very well for granite.
Windows
Do not use Windex!! Buy a plastic bucket, a squeegee, terry cloth towels, large sponge, and ordinary dish soap. Start by washing down the windows with soap and water via a sponge. Next, use a second wet sponge to go over the glass removing the excess soap and water. Thereafter, use your squeegee to remove all water from the glass (this should be the last time you touch the glass). Your windows should be spotless and have no residue or haze, as you would normally get with a Windex type product.
Note: The views expressed herein are solely my own and should not be attributed to my employer in any way. This site is not maintained utilizing my employer's resources or on company time.
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