| You know how it goes....you have every intention of | | | | washes. Pre-treat surfaces with cleaning product while |
| getting some cleaning accomplished during the day, | | | | you cart the kids around. And finally, if you are |
| only to find that by the time the kids are in bed, your | | | | fortunate enough to have a Roomba or Scooba, clear |
| house is no cleaner than when you woke up! How | | | | the floor and set up your virtual walls so that your |
| does time get away from us? | | | | floors will be clean when you get home! |
| Here are five quick cleaning tips that any busy mom | | | | 4. Stash the right supplies in the right rooms. |
| (or dad!) can incorporate into their day to clean their | | | | Your bathrooms should all be stocked with a bottle of |
| home a little bit each day. | | | | toilet cleaner, a toilet brush, paper towels, glass cleaner |
| 1. Let the cleaning products do the work by | | | | and all-purpose anti-bacterial cleaner. Kitchens should |
| pre-treating. | | | | have an anti-bacterial dishwashing soap, |
| Instead of trying to speed up the cleaning process by | | | | dishwasher-safe brush for scrubbing dishes (no |
| quickly spraying a cleaning product and scrubbing | | | | sponges!), anti-bacterial all-purpose cleaner for |
| away, spray a generous amount of cleaner onto the | | | | counters and surfaces and a standard glass cleaning |
| surface (tubs, shower walls, countertops, toilet seats) | | | | product and paper towels for the front of ovens and |
| and walk away for five minutes while the cleaning | | | | diswashers. Instead of storing all of your cleaning |
| product does the work. Most products work best | | | | products in one place in your home, assemble these |
| when allowed to penetrate the stain and break down | | | | cleaning kits in each room so you always have access |
| the grime and surface dirt. Take those five minutes to | | | | to the appropriate tools. |
| throw a load of laundry in the washer, change a diaper | | | | 5. Keep laundry going all day. |
| or wash some baby bottles. At the end of those five | | | | Too often, laundry is left to pile up until no one can find |
| minutes, wipe the surface clean with paper towels and | | | | a clean pair of socks! Head off these laundry crises |
| admire your work! You just completed two tasks in | | | | by maintaining the laundry pile everyday, all day....yes, all |
| the time it takes to complete one! | | | | day! Start first thing in the morning by switching the |
| 2. Chunk like projects together. | | | | laundry and starting a new load. Set up baskets for |
| As long as you have that bottle of glass cleaner and | | | | each person in the home who is old enough to fold |
| roll of paper towels in your hands, why not do all of the | | | | and put away their own laundry and sort clean laundry |
| mirrors in the house one after the other. By not | | | | as it comes out of the dryer. Let each person match |
| switching between cleaning products and cleaning | | | | their own socks and put away their own clothing. In the |
| tasks, you will actually save time because you will | | | | evening, put baskets outside each bedroom and have |
| already have all of the necessary tools at your | | | | everyone load them up with dirty clothes and bed |
| disposal. Switching between tasks, even in the same | | | | linens. Each morning, collect the clothes, sort, wash and |
| room, can sometimes take longer than simply | | | | dry and let your kids (if they are old enough) do the |
| completing the same task in each room in quick | | | | rest! |
| succession. | | | | In general, quick cleaning comes from setting up |
| 3. Let machines and technology work for you. | | | | systems that work in for your family. Setting up your |
| You only have ten minutes to clean before taking the | | | | environment for success is the first step toward |
| kids to their playgroup? Use that time to set up your | | | | success in any area, and by establishing routines and |
| machines (i.e. appliances) so they can work for you | | | | stocking rooms with the appropriate tools, you'll be able |
| during the time you are en route with the kids. Finish | | | | to take advantage of those precious few minutes |
| loading the dishwasher and turn it on. Switch the | | | | every day to make a nice dent in your cleaning tasks! |
| laundry and get one load drying while another one | | | | |