ONLINE STANLEY HOME AND HEALTH NEWS
brought to you by Stanley Home Products

Housework Cleaning Checklist: Part Two Cleaning Supplies

Before you begin a major cleaning project around your home, be sure that all your tools are in top shape, your cleaning products are on hand and fresh, and your housework cleaning checklist is current. It will make the job easier if you to get your tools organized. First, make a list of problem areas in your house that need to be handled: items in need of repair, unusual stains, and jobs you only tackle seasonally. Add your regular jobs to this list so you have a complete reference. Break the list into sections by room. This list will be your guide.

Before you start to clean is also the time to sort through the contents of closets and shelves. House cleaning is made easy when there is a minimum of clutter. Then you can focus on the actual cleaning instead of getting bogged down as you move the clutter around to clean beneath it. Divide the “stuff” in your house into three piles according to how long it has been since you last used it. Label these piles to keep, to give away, and to throw away. When you have tossed or given away the things you no longer need, or when you have held a garage sale to clear that clutter, you are ready to clean.

Next, check the condition of your cleaning equipment. If you need to do so, purchase good replacements now. At a minimum, you should have a good broom and dust pan (Stanley Slimline Broom, Stanley Clip-On Dust Pan), a wet mop or sponge mop (depending on the type of floors you have) (Stanley Cotton Wet Mop), a dust mop (Stanley Woolux Dry Mop and Stanley Mop and Duster Spray), soft cloths for polishing, dusting, and wiping off fixtures, and a variety of brushes to clean the different surfaces on your walls, windows, and in your bathroom and kitchen. You may need a wax applicator or a window squeegee. A good vacuum with a variety of attachments or carpet sweeper is also a wise investment. Make sure that you have serviced your vacuum recently and that you have fresh bags, replacement rollers, or replacement belts on hand. Quality cleaning supplies are made for a particular job or surface. They will speed your jobs because you will not have to work as hard to get the job done. Also, this equipment will last for years if cared for correctly.

Next, be sure to have enough of your favorite cleaning supplies on hand. At a minimum, you will need glass cleaners (Stanley Glass Cleaner Concentrate), tile and grout cleaners, kitchen and bathroom disinfectants (Stanley Germ-Trol II), degreasers (Stanley Original Degreaser), and soaps or detergents specially formulated for the type of floors you have. Again, the correct formula for each job will protect the surfaces in your home while cutting the time involved to clean those surfaces. Products that are too harsh can destroy a surface, while products that are too mild will not get the job done. Planning for and purchasing the right products before you begin the project will also save time. It will not be necessary to stop in the middle of a job to run to the store because you have run out of cleaner. Be sure to cross-check your list of supplies against your housecleaning list and the tasks at hand before you purchase your supplies.

Find a sturdy bucket, tote, apron, or rolling cart so you can store all your cleaning equipment in one place. This container can be taken from room to room, saving you the time and energy to go back and forth from your cleaning storage area to the room you are cleaning. If size is a factor, fill the container with only the tools and products you will need for the room you are currently cleaning. It is a good idea to also store items on the cart that might need refilling in the room on which you are focusing. For instance, carry trash can or wastebasket liners, soap refills, light bulbs, or tissue boxes and toilet paper. Have a place to store any items that belong elsewhere in the house or to carry out any garbage you find in the room. At the very least, take two plastic bags with you – one for trash and one for stuff to put elsewhere. Organizing what you carry in your tote or cart is made simpler if you have your housework cleaning checklist at hand. That way, for example, you will have made notes to yourself that when you clean the bathroom, you will also need the screwdriver to tighten the towel rack, and will need to refill the hand soap container. House cleaning is made easy by being organized and planning ahead.

Back to Home & Health News / Articles : 10

Bath Body, Skin Care, Body Care Articles, Stanley Home Health News