Detailed Cleaning for Your Home
O Quinn With the busiest season of the year behind us it's a great time to revamp and get a handle back on our cleaning routines. One area a lot of us miss is the detailed cleaning of our homes. What is detailed cleaning you ask? Have you heard of getting your car detailed? Growing up I would hear this all the time from friends who were into cars. I never was and could only tell you if they were four door or two door. But my friends would ooh and ahh over "detailing". Well it turns out that detailing means going beyond just washing your car and paying attention to the small details. This same concept can be applied to your home. Spending just a few minutes a week focusing on cleaning a concentrated area of your home can make all the difference between a clean and a detailed home. A home that shines like a jewel. We're not talking going overboard and cleaning every minute of the day or not letting people sit on the couch or anything. But we're talking about taking care of your investment. Taking care of your home. These are areas your average guests and relatives probably won't notice these areas but they are things that should be done anyway. So here are some ways to detail clean your home. Dusting: You would be surprised how few people dust. But dusting is important. Not only to keep the dirt at bay but also for your help. It doesn't take a lot of elbow grease and you can fit it in with your regular cleaning like when you vacuum. Start dusting the often overlooked areas. Use the attachments on your vacuum to suck up cobwebs in the corners (both floor and ceiling). Dust your lampshades or wipe them down with a damp sponge. Dust your knickknacks, Dust your bookshelves AND books. This is not an every day thing. Once a month in a 15 minute shot for each room can take care of the problem. Use a damp cloth. Glass: Clean the glass in your home. Not just your windows but your glass knickknacks, mirrors, the glass covering your pictures on the walls. Clean the glass doors of furniture you may have. This can take even less time. Five minutes with your microfiber cloth and you're done. Monthly again is great. Baseboards: Clean the baseboards in your home. These can get grimy and dirty and you hardly even notice until the day you are down on your hands and knees picking up something the baby dropped. Then "ewww! how did they get like that?". So save you nose that wrinkle and make an effort to wipe down the baseboards in each room on a regular basis. Once a week is too much. Every other month and you're better than most. Carpet Edges: Vacuum the edges of your carpet and if you have area rugs vacuum their edges too. Use the attachments that came with you vacuum. They're there for a reason. Corners and tight spaces: Use a toothbrush. Save your old used toothbrushes for that detailed cleaning. Use them to scrub faucets, the hinges on your toilets (use a separate one for this), and to softly remove built up furniture polish on your fine pieces. With just a few extra minutes a month your home will shine. Don't overdo it but don't neglect it either. About the Author
O Quinn loves to clean. For more on cleaning your home visit her at Homemaking Organized And did you know lists are the best way to stay organized? For a simply lovely way to stay organized visit Household Notes . O Quinn may be contacted at http://www.homemakingorganized.com. Click here to view more articles by O Quinn. Reprinted with Permission from IdeaMarketers.com
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