I've always said that I am a much better homemaker than I am a housekeeper, but with the kids back in school I've been diving into cleaning in a way I never have before. When it comes to cleaning house, fall is the new spring! Think about it, with the kids back in school and the holidays sneaking right up, it's the perfect time to give your house a serious scrubbing. I can't tell you how nice it is to have a truly clean house. I'm talking a no soap scum in the shower, no hard water build up in the dishwasher, no sticky stuff on any surfaces, kind of clean. If I can achieve (or at least aspire) to this clean freak status, anyone can! So today I've partnered with Lemi Shine to share my best deep cleaning tips.
Tackle one area at a time. Nothing spells burnout like biting off more than you can chew. Break up your deep cleaning into manageable chunks. Instead of planning to clean the entire kitchen, start with the refrigerator. And then really clean the whole refrigerator inside and out. Doing one thing at a time means you won't spend your entire day cleaning, but you will have something to show for your effort, whether that be a shiny shower or clean baseboards. Oddly enough, the satisfaction of deep cleaning can be quite addictive.
Use the right products. For maximum success you want products that work great without exposing you and your family to harsh chemicals. From dishwashing to household cleaning to appliance optimizing Lemi Shine is your one stop shop for safe and powerful cleaning products. Powered by 100% natural citric extracts Lemi Shine products are non toxic, biodegradable, and phosphate free. Find them at a store near you.
Clean from the top down. You will always have the best success in deep cleaning if you remember to start at the top and move down. Dust top shelves first, wipe upper kitchen cabinets before the counter tops, and remember that it is ideal to clean the floor last. This way you aren't brushing dirt onto clean surfaces.
Think thorough. Deep cleaning is different than the once over you do when company is on the way. When you are tackling deep cleaning you will want to think of places that are often overlooked, such as the inside of the dishwasher or washing machine. Lemi Shine makes products that clean both of these appliances and when they are clean, they do a better job of cleaning for you.
Distract yourself. I had a huge shift in motivation for cleaning when I discovered podcasts and audio books. Suddenly this type of work went from boring to engrossing. If podcasts and audio books aren't you're thing (you're totally missing out) use cleaning time to listen to your favorite music, call a friend, or even practice mindfulness.
Enlist help. It's important that everyone in the family pitches in, after all they help make the mess! I've already taught Jude, my six year old, how to properly clean a toilet and Ronan, two, loves to spray and wipe surfaces. I really love the Lemi Shine products because I feel totally comfortable letting my children use them.
Develop a maintenance plan. Once your house is super clean you just need to try to keep it that way. Certain tasks can be managed daily such as dishes, while others only need to happen weekly, such as vacuuming. Creating a cleaning schedule and assigning jobs to family members helps. Another thing that helps maintain a clean house is avoiding some of the mess in the first place. Rules, like shoes must be left outside and all eating happens in the kitchen, can really help. Lastly, Lemi Shine products are actually formulated to help keep surfaces clean.
I hope this helps you unleash your inner clean freak! Happy scrubbing!
This post was sponsored by Lemi Shine, all words and images are my own. If you'd like to try Lemi Shine be sure to grab these coupons and thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible!