Don't get me wrong! I believe in relaxed! But oh the psychological joys of a clean home!

When I was in college it seemed like I could use every excuse to postpone studying, writing a paper, or cramming for a test.  Cleaning my apartment was usually one of them and the best!  Cleaning the house is still the old stand by excuse for postponing a lot of things.  Can I get an amen?  LOL  You know I'm talking to you!

But oh the joys of actually having a clean house and getting to that place where okay, now it's overkill.  There is nothing more to clean and there are no more housecleaning excuses in the bag.  It's one of those things, moments that make you almost feel complete. 

How long has it been?  For you?  Or have you even been to that place?  Let's give it some names.  Clean house wonderland.  Clean house Amusement Park.  Clean house secret garden.  LOL  I crack myself up! 

Okay so how many out there that are mothers was it difficult teaching your children how to clean up after themselves?  I know children are all about play non stop it seemed in our house.  But then they get to a certain age where you know they need to begin cleaning up after their own little selves.  I stopped trying to teach him but then one day I was shocked to go into his room and it was totally clean.  A miracle!  OMG I was shocked.  So I asked him.  He told me he just felt like he needed to do it!  After that it was pretty much always clean.  He was always a neat boy but before the clean room thing kicked in it was toys and clothes everywhere.  A mother can just kind of give up after trying to tame the beast of a messy kid room.  Amazing when they do it on their own.

In my marriage, thank God a clean house was never an issue.  Going out on each other wasn't either.  We didn't have those problems...ours were more simple...a fight over a tiny thing would blow into a huge disaster.  Those stories for another time...maybe.  But I do appreciate that about my ex that he never got on to me about cleaning.  It was always neat, clean and sufficiently sanitized.  But we were also sufficiently relaxed.  Things don't need to be perfect to have a clean home. 

Clean kitchen counters, dishes washed, floors swept, carpets vacuumed, garbages out, laundry done are some basics that help not only you to be relaxed but to actually not have the psychological weight of a filthy house hanging over your life.  If you don't know what I'm talking about you have no clue. 

How difficult is it to simply wipe off a counter after you've made a mess?  Or to clean the stove top after cooking?  How difficult is it to simply clean up after yourself and leave it clean for the next time around or for the other person?  How many people don't have company over, family or friends visit because their homes are simply just filthy and smelly?  I'm sorry I knew some people like this one time way back.  It was sad because they just didn't get it!  And then blamed family for never coming over. 

And I am not being critical or writing this to make anyone feel bad or make you mad that I'm in your business.  Many women especially might take offense at this but I'm just doing what I love to do and that is write about things.  No, this is simply for inspiration and encouragement!  Don't read into it any more than what it is!  It's either simply either a help to you...an addition to make your life better or it has not use or effect.  Take it or leave.  Just please don't be angry at the messenger!

Happy housekeeping!

Tip #1 How to clean a house!

Don't get it dirty!!! LOL

Ha Ha!

Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness Which Is Next To The Toilet Paper

See more funny pictures and videos at Fugly.

You're Not Finished in the Kitchen!

Okay, so as a professional housekeeper or if you're just cleaning your own home we are picking up from last night's post!  We need to get this kitchen cleaned up!  I mean of COURSE the dishes are done!  And yes there is some real deep cleaning that HAS to be done.  BUT for now we're just working on the first level...layer.  

You've cleaned the counters and under as many things possible without spending too much time moving things.  You can always go back another day and make it a deep clean project if you happen to have MOUNDS of junk, clutter, paperwork on your counters.  I'm just saying IF that's the case.  For now I'm talking about moving the toaster, the coffee pot and the few things around the sink and the other things that are easy to move on the counter.  Just swipe the clean cloth under all these things.  If you need to use a scrubber pad with a little dish soap on the greasy spots do that.  That is important.  Then be sure to rinse with the clean cloth with you rinse out many many times as needed.  Remember you're also dealing with counters where you cook food so it's important for health reasons that the counters are clean and kept clean after this initial cleaning.  Be sure to dry them with clean dry cloth or paper towels.

NEXT: As you are cleaning the counters you can also swipe things...like the toaster, coffee pot any decorative items, clean with your cloth.  BUT you need to back that up with a clean paper tower and Windex and put a real shine on the things that are shiny. If you're a house keeper cleaning a client's home be sure to put things back where you found them.  You weren't hired to re-arrange their home you were hired to clean their home.


A few finishing touches and the basics are done in the kitchen except for the floor.  You are not working on deep cleaning here so unless it's just a few swipes in the fridge leave that for another day.  Time to clean tables, chairs, and sink.  Always leave the sink for last.  In this case if the floor has not been done yet, then leave the sink for the end, especially if you are a housekeeper in a client's home.  You may need the sink to rinse the mop or any cloths that you're using in that part of the home.  

The SINK.  Make sure the sink is wet.  And before you start run some cold water down the disposal drain and run the disposal.  You don't want to leave a beautiful kitchen but the garbage disposal is full of scraps and food.....ewww....gross. 

So now that the sink is wet so shake some Ajax in it and walk away for a little while.  After a little while come back and take the green scrubber pad (you know the with the yellow sponge on the other side---my fav) and scrub the sink.  It doesn't matter if it's a white porselain sink or a stainless steel sink both are okay to use Ajax on them.  Get around the entire faucet very good.  Use the edge of the sponge to get in the cracks and crevices near the faucet.  Be careful with the scratcher pad if you are using it on the shiny parts....gentle.  Now rinse very well and when you are completely finished in the kitchen us paper towels to dry and shine the faucet, around the faucet and in the sink leaving it real pretty and clean AND SHINY DRY.  Clients LOVE this!  

Wrap up: Don't forget to empty the garbage and put a new trash bag in the kitchen trash can.  Make sure the microwave is clean on the inside and outside.  It's a no no to clean the kitchen but leave the microwave dirty.  The outside of fridge and around the edges, sweep and mop the floor, Murphy's Oil soap on the wood cupboards and drawers to clean and lemon oil or Liquid Gold to those will make the kitchen even more beautiful.  

I've rushed, but these are the basics....and oh!  Don't forget to dust any other wood furniture in the kitchen and touch up any mirrors and or windows that you can get to without having to take too much time.  I'm not talking about windows inside and out I'm talking about a sliding glass door smudges cleaned off it it's very obviously dirty.  If you are cleaning a client's home you may not get to all these things in one cleaning.  But for the basics there you are! 

There's The Fancy Way to do it or the Wandafay Way - Housekeeping Tips and Inspiration for The Kitchen

 Around the kitchen depending on what kind of mess you're dealing with on the counters, sink and stove I like to use a clean cloth and Clorox "Clean-up" with bleach, Windex, and Ajax for the sink.  The "Clean-up with bleach smells really good and you can dilute it because you don't need it as strong as they make it.  Plus by diluting it you will make it last longer and make it stretch.  It has the bleach in it so it will be just as disinfecting strong and/or diluted.  

As a professional housekeeper leaving the kitchen really nice is...really...nice LOL. There are just a few basics you can do that does not involve deep cleaning for now but when the client comes home I KNOW they are blessed, comforted and happy coming home to not only a clean home but a clean kitchen. 

Now I know for all the women out there you may not feel like you really want some other woman telling you how to clean your own home and kitchen so I just want to remind you this is for inspirational purposes mostly! I am sure you are a great housekeeper of your own home! 

So...take the clean cloth (I know this may also all be elementary Watson but just hang with me okay will ya Hehe). Rinse the cloth with clean warm water. If the counters are generally already clean that's great but they aren't your clean. Take the "Clean-up" with bleach and give the cloth a gentle spray. CAUTION: this has bleach in it...duh...so please be careful you don't get the spray on anything but the cloth. Begin to wipe the counters down and move what you can on the counter so you can clean UNDER things. My clients always liked the way I did this. If there was a crumb from the toaster on the counter I got it! Get the corners of the counters well and the edges too!. Now don't just leave it like that! Take another dry clean cloth....or paper towel and either use a LITTLE Windex or use just plain and wipe the counters dry getting every single thing that has been stuck to the counter OFF. 

Okay....this is just the start of cleaning the kitchen. I'll be back for more on cleaning the kitchen on another post but I want you to enjoy the link below on the article how the "Pros" do it! Enjoy and thanks for tuning in! Don't forget to come back now ya'all!  

5 Ways a Pro Would Clean Your Kitchen

Welcome to My New Blog! Housekeeping Can Be Fun!