Effective cleaning does time a bit of time and effort. But, I certainly don't want it to take more time than necessary. I'm sure you don't
either.
To help ensure you're cleaning effectively, in the least amount of time, be sure you're not doing any of these:
1. Cleaning with dirty rags. Once you clean or dust your home with a rag, it's dirty. If you use it again, you're literally defeating the entire purpose of
cleaning. These need to be washed after each use. If you clean often, be sure you have multiple cleaning rags so one is available if the
other is being laundered.
2. Vacuuming with a full vacuum bag. If you're vacuuming the same area over and over again, you're likely not getting the suction you need
from your vacuum cleaner. It's highly likely that your bag/canister is full. Check it and replace if needed. This is necessary around every three months on average if you vacuum weekly. If you check and it's not full, your vacuum may be on the wrong setting (for the height of the carpet) or is ready to be repaired or replaced.
3. Spraying and wiping your mirrors before doing this... If you spray a mirror with a mist of glass cleaner, wipe it with a cloth or newspaper, and end up with unsightly streaks when it dries, that likely is because dust and dirt were on the mirror and you essentially just smeared the dust and dirt around. Before spraying on liquid glass cleaner, wipe your mirrors down with a clean microfiber cloth first.
4. Not allowing cleaning products the time they need to work. It's very important, when using commercial cleaning
products, that you read the instructions on the label. Many products require you to spray or squirt it and then wait a few minutes to allow that product to do its job. For instance, once you squirt toilet bowl cleaner under the rim of your toilet, don't immediately start brushing. It usually takes a few minutes of waiting time before you start scrubbing with your toilet brush. The waiting part makes it quicker and easier to scrub out those stains. Also, disinfectant often has to sit at least
five minutes to actually disinfect.
5. Not working with gravity when you're cleaning. Dust and debris are going to fall down as you're cleaning, so it's always best to
start cleaning at the highest parts of a room and work down. Begin at the ceiling. Is there a light fixture or art/frames hanging on the walls that require dusting? Do those first. Then proceed to dusting high shelves, followed by the furniture surfaces, and then the sides of furniture. Then dust anything lower. Vacuum last.
