She offers tips for tackling spring cleaning.
Q: Why is having a clean home important?
A: When your home is clean and clutter free, you have more mental space to breathe and take care of other tasks. It brings a certain sense of accomplishment. Also, keeping your house dusted can really help with allergies.
Q: What are the biggest challenges preventing people from keeping their homes as clean as they would like?
A: Our busy lives leave less and less time for cleaning. Even if one parent stays home with children, he or she is often running around town for the children's activities and errands more now than they would have been 50 years ago.
When both parents work, that leaves little time to spend with children and take care of the household. Keeping a house really clean can begin to feel overwhelming.
Q: With the official change in seasons, families will begin their annual spring cleaning. What tips can you offer readers on how to get started?
A: First, I suggest making a list of priorities of what needs to be done. Look at the calendar and schedule time to do specific tasks.
Instead of saying, “we are going to clean the entire house,” break it down either by room or by task. For instance, this Saturday we are going to focus on getting the windows clean: cleaning the glass inside and out, cleaning the window sills, the tracts and the screens.
Q: What is the most common pitfall people experience when they start?
A: I think the most common pitfall is to have unrealistic expectations, especially when families have young children or things have piled up over time.
It helps to set realistic goals to accomplish tasks in a specific time period or on a specific date.
It is important to remember that every family functions uniquely, and each family will have to find ways to work together to keep their home clean.
Q: What habits can be put in place to build a cleaning routine?
A: Some people find it easier to have one day a week that they devote to cleaning the entire house, while many others find it easier to assign a task or room to clean to a certain day of the week.
Good daily habits can make the big cleaning days easier. For instance, wiping down the shower walls and doors after a shower will help prevent mold and mildew from growing and keep the soap from building up.
Each member of a family picking up their belongings from the family room before heading to bed will prevent the room from becoming cluttered and make for a more peaceful morning.
Q: What are some of your favorite cleaning products?
A: Vinegar and water are great for cleaning — from floors to windows. Bar Keepers Friend is useful for porcelain sinks and other hard surfaces, and I also like Clorox spray with bleach.
Q: What is the best way to find a house cleaning service?
A: The best way to find a good service is to ask friends who have a cleaning service for a referral of who they like and trust. When you meet with a potential service, be detailed about what you want to have cleaned.
Contact this contributing writer at lisa.knodel@gmail.com.
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