Decorating your home in a beautiful and artistic way is not enough. It must be cleaned and maintained also, in order to preserve its beauty and charm. Cleaning the home is quite a task, but it can be simplified by having a tentative plan of action, and by having all the necessary cleaning materials and tools ready for use.
It is best to start at first with big items or the centre of the room, before trying to get into corners and worrying about details. Start cleaning from the top to the bottom, so that when you dust the bookcases and edges of the ceilings, you don’t have to deal with the dust that settles on the floor and other lower surfaces again. It is best to clean in a system of cleaning, right to left or vice-versa, so that you can be sure of not missing anything. It is always the best policy to sweep the floor last.
Use an appropriate cleaner for the job. Use the mildest cleaning fluid or material at first, and increase the strength of the cleaner if the results are unsatisfactory. Strong cleaners cause abrasion which may damage toilet bowls made of porcelain, and scrubbing vigorously with them may lead to grooves which will cause problems in cleaning later. For your safety, be sure to follow the instructions of the manufacturer when you use abrasive cleaners.
Keep a trash bag and a big box near you while cleaning. Keep all the superfluous items found while cleaning, which you think are worth keeping, in the box. All the things which are damaged, or are useless, can be put in the trash bag.
Be sure to store all cleaning supplies in cabinets that lock automatically, and are out of the reach of children and pets, because, if they ingest them, it can injure their health.
The implements used for cleaning can be chosen according to your preference and budget. Rags are the most commonly used dusting implements, and vacuum cleaners come today with extensions that can reach into fans, ceiling edges, window sills and the tightest corners, and get rid of all the dust. Brooms and feather dusters are also quite useful.
