apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Two tips

1. Oxyclean is the best stuff ever.

2. Dyson vacuumes are worth it.

Hey - that is a picture of Japanese school children cleaning their school floors! I used to teach in rural Japan, and that is a scene that is close to my heart. Every day after school was cleaning time. For ten minutes everyone, including teachers, cleaned. They played music and everyone worked to make every area of the school sparkle.

Why do I mention this?

Maxwell has asked for cleaning tips. And the best tip I have is that of making cleaning a habit and being very organized about it. Here is what I learned from my fastidious coworkers and students --

Keep cleaning materials organized by task. That way you are ready at a moment's notice and you never have to search for the right materials. Each task really only takes a few minutes.

Start high and work your way down.

If you clean every day, there becomes less and less to do all at once. Ten minutes can really be all that it takes. That can be the sum total of commercial time during 24 or ER or some other primetime show.

Cleaning can be great exercise. That picture above is of the kids cleaning the floor - they get behind the dust towel and 'scoot' along the floor. Sometimes they race each other. I got some of my best stretching done while cleaning. If you have another person to help with the cleaning (wife, boyfriend, whatever) it also can become a teamwork task. I look forward to any time I spend interacting with my wife. Cleaning is not ideal, but it beats sitting next to her in a semi-vegetative state watching TV. We talk and enjoy the results together, it becomes another enjoyable activity in our day.

Learning to clean and take care of your environment is a good value to have. I grew up going to a school that used janitors. Everyone made a mess and I remember hearing more than once that it was 'okay because the janitors will clean it up'. In Japan the children even clean the bathrooms for their school. They all work to keep it clean, and therefore respect the space much more. I NEVER once saw grafitti, and the children were shocked if someone littered. This carried over into their lives outside of school. No one would litter in the streets or damage something that was meant for everyone. I am very sad when I see kids littering on the streets here in New York. I wish they knew the value of keeping things clean for all...

Oh, something else I learned from cleaning with the kids - you don't have to buy Swiffer replacements. You can have thin towels that you wring out in a cleaning solution and they work just as well - you can attach them just as easily to Swiffer handles and they are reusable.

Unless you and everyone else in your household likes to clean on the same schedule, make watever sacrifices you can to pay for a cleaner.

Did wonders for our marriage. No more being woken up at 7am every Saturday to get roped into cleaning (now I have to wake up at that time to get the toddlers ready but that's different), no more arguments when I don't do what I'm supposed to, no more pain. Seriously.

We do clean up after ourselves but that is part of every day life rather than being a specific hours long session dedicated to cleaning.

i use mrs. myer's clean day products, and a miele. they are such a pleasure to use i want to regularly clean. I also use febreze anti alergen when i turn the mattress and on the living room rug. it's great to have a fresh scent in the air, especially with a dog in the house for the past 15 yrs.

Swiffers rule.

White vinegar is a great, non-toxic cleaner that I swear by. I try to avoid using toxic cleansers (though I will admit to using Kaboom in the shower). I love the Cosabella products, because they smell good and clean well.

Patrick -- and anyone else -- tell me your swiffer routine and which products you use. I could use some help.

I hate cleaning. I keep up with dishes since I have a dishwasher and don't like seeing dirty dishes and I keep up with laundry. But vacuuming, scrubbing and dusting generally happen when I have to or am inspired to. I can't answer this survey because cleaning varies a lot for me by chore. Vacuuming is probably every 3-4 weeks. Scrubbing hurts my hands, but I try to do the kitchen sink once a week, but sometimes it's less. And forget the bathroom--it's presentable most of the time, but barely.

I should probably hire out the cleaning, but I've never done that and it's too hard to imagine somebody coming into my place to clean.

I clean something every day, even if it's just taking out the trash, doing the dishes, making the bed and cleaning out the litter box...

I bought a roomba and love it. I used to hate to vaccuum, but with a shedding cat who tracks litter around the place I really need to. It's kept my place clean enough that I can still wander around sock-less when I'm home.

Mary, you mentioned the Roomba before and it intrigued me but I forgot to post. I am glad that someone I "know" actually has one and says that it does a good job. I was always skeptical of it and your posts help to dispel that.

I clean my apartment every day! Not the whole thing, but every single day I clean something.

To actually "clean" the whole apartment would be so overwhelming and stressful....I would never even think of undertaking such a task!

It's more a daily "tidy" system where I clean whatever looks the most messy at the time. And I try and stick by the FlyLady system of keeping my kitchen sink empty and clean every night. Nothing makes me feel better than that clean sink!

I've often thought of getting a Roomba. Maybe it's time.

Very funny Roomba review www.epinions.com/content_168622395012

Pixie--
For me the key is to make sure the Swiffer (the hand wand variety) is fairly accessible. It's perfect for dusting while coming and going and while on the cordless phone.

Actually, Swiffer and dimmers on all lights are the ideal combination. ;)

I've got the dimmers, maybe that's enough!

You know, I probably do clean more often than I think, based on what others are saying about what they do. Certain things are so aesthetically displeasing -- piled up kitchen sink/counters, clutter piles -- that I'll do something about them sooner rather than later or at least keep them tame. (But not up to perfectionist standards, which is ok.) So, I probably need to think about magic solutions to the things I let go and are sort of invisible until they get out of hand - vacuuming, dusting. I could solve those with Roomba and Swiffer. Any tips on making porcelain scrubbing less loathsome?

Mary, which Roomba do you have?

I swear by SoftScrub and Clorox Clean-up.

We also had clean up time at the end of the school day in CT. (just our classrooms)

I clean everyday. Ussally sweeping and the kitchen counters...but always something beyond the call of duty.

Every 10 days the place cleaned form top to bottom. (everything must sparkle)

A stiff nail brush is great to have for scrubing. I use one in the bathroom.

I prefer to keep my place realativly spotless though from time to time the desk can become semi-cluttered (new office in the works, just ordered the new wood floors.)

I wish i could get a roomba...but I have more than 1 floor , (thus stairs) and sunken rooms...but i love my dyson.

Mr. clean magic sponges are great.

I have the Discovery...

www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00022HYJ6/qid=1115656796/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-8390660-1835958?v=glance&s=home-garden&n=507846

I like it, mostly because it lets me be lazy. I have a studio with hardwood floors, and I start the vaccuum right before I go to work. It's probably not as powerful as a dyson, but since I'm putting in minimal effort daily, my floor stays super clean. Once a month I sweep out the crannies where the robot won't reach. I also have the luxury of just leaving a mess on the floor and letting the vaccuum do its thing. I do have to keep all of the cords in my house neat and out of the way and pick up my socks in the morning, but in exchange, I don't have to vaccuum. The roomba is also not a fan of area rugs and can get caught on them. I actually broke my robot post-renovation -- I let it vaccuum up sawdust daily and broke a sensor. The company sent me a brand new one after a simple phone call. I like these people.

Thanks Mary. Why did you choose the Discovery?

Method daily spray shower cleaner. Smells fabulous and actually works.

I like this thread - there are plenty of people like me who clean a little every day! (I should forward this to my family who say "You don't have a life" when they catch me cleaning.)

I sweep my kitchen floor daily (takes less than a minute, long-handle broom tucked behind a door so it's within easy) and the bathroom floor too (takes 30 seconds - use a small dustpan with attached brush).

I make hour-long phone calls on Sat or Sun morning back "home" - I fit my phone with a hands-free headset so I iron during that time.

My husband and I whirl through the apartment for 30 minutes every Sat morning - I dust and move the furniture for him; he follows with a vacuum. On Wednesdays, we vacuum just the living room so it looks tidy.

I didn't start out this way but have been amazed at how this has become a habit over time.

Question for AT readers - is there an efficient way you have discovered to clean the space on the window sill between two panes of windows? (Am I making sense?) Mine get dusty and gunky real fast.

Thank you. AT readers rock. (Congratulations Pattoo and everyone who posted pics for letting us taking a glimpse!)

They had the Discovery at Bed, Bath + Beyond, and I had a coupon. As much as I like shopping online, this is one of those things where I wanted to actually meet the thing before I bought one.

I do *something* daily - but the thought of taking up all my area rugs and washing all the hardwood floors, for example, makes me shudder. So it rarely gets done.

Also a fan of Clorox Clean-Up - just when I think nothing will get that stain off my countertop, it does.

I'm thinking, though, that perhaps in the future I'll just let my apartment get really dirty and then move. It might be cheaper than a cleaning service.

haha - kinda like the ibankers who don't wash their underwear. They just buy new ones and throw the old ones away after one day's use.

Cleaning would be much easier if the LL hadn't varnished my wood floor with the cheapest a** stuff on the market that flakes off the floor with every step and chair scuff. I constantly have to pick tiny amber flakes out of everything I own. C-I-L-L my landlord!

I'm in the middle of a purge cleaning, basically throwing out whatever I do not need. I unearthed a little file crate full of stuff from 1996-8, which was the era of my living with two psycho roommates. Looking over the cancelled rent checks and other mementos from that time soured my stomach. So, cleaning is good. Even with one person and 203 square feet of apartment, I can still fill a jillion Hefty bags with discarded/donated crap that used to be so important.

SoftScrub has been the cleaning product o' choice for a long time, despite the white residue it can leave behind. I use a flat, rectangular Scott brillo pad to clean surfaces, since it removes grime and tile gunk. To get to the high tiles, I strap one of those bad boys to a Swiffer mop-thing, and voila. The brillo also works well on the fugly linoleum in my bathroom--removes grime from those little convolutions and golfball-sized pits that the linoleum gods sent us to make us batty on cleaning day.

I also have a humidifier that runs 3/4 of the year on low to keep the air moist--not only good for my sinuses but also keeps dust from billowing up and floating about between cleanings.

Wish I knew what to do about my floor. LL won't do anything about it.

Oh, forgot about the Clorox bleach pen. Gets crud out of those bathroom and kitchen sink crevices, and it got tea stains out of my white-on-white embroidered duvet cover.

Love everyone's comments--I'm thinking about getting a Roomba (although I'm still creeped out by that SNL parody commercial...)

My best advice on cleaning is to have company over often. It forces you to get it done or be embarrassed! OK, this only works if you would feel shame at dustiness, but it works for me ;)

Michele, I'm laughing because that's so true (at least for me). A little shame is the best motivator!

Has anyone found a cat litter box solution/method that works really well in a small space?

This thread has been really great and motivated me to try to address some of my cleaning procrastination related to dread and dislike by throwing simplification and a robot at it. I am going to get a roomba as soon as I research and figure out which model I want and I am going to get a Swiffer wand and try some of the other things that people have mentioned. Thanks for everyone's tips.

I may name my first born Swiffer because I am slightly obsessed. It has forever changed my cleaning regime. I rock the floor with the one-two combo of first the dry cloth, and then the wet cloth. DO NOT bother with the contraption with the bottle attached to the broom that shoots the cleaner out - its a waste.

Also, regarding vacuums...I have a smallish studio with one 8x10 area rug and have been searching for a vacuum that can clean the hardwood and the rug, not take up too much valuable real estate, and not cost half my rent (ie, a Dyson). I believe i've found it in the Dirt Devil Power Stick. Its small, has 2 settings - one for rugs, one for floors - and as long as you keep the filter relatively clean, it works great. Check it out.

Another alternative for a small vac... the Euro Pro Bagless Stick Shark.

Well, I think I'm about to become a reborn Swifferer.

I have a Silent Super Shark Euro Pro, which has a shoulder strap. I can just put it over my shoulder and zip around the house getting all the above floor surfaces, then head for the floors. This is so easy, that I now do it instead of sweeping. It keeps the down feathers and dust from flying about like they used to when I would sweep.
DEEPA, it works great on the metal strip of windowsill next to window, if that's what you're talking about. I hoover it once a week.

Thanks, squixan, ptoo and dorio for your small vac suggestions! Lots o' choices to consider.

I just wanted to second that we have a shark vacuum with a hepa filter and a shoulder strap as well. I love the thing - it wasn't too expensive (50 or 60 bucks), you can use it as a dustbuster or a regular upright floor vacuum, it's powerful, doesn't have bags, and is easy to empty out. My only gripe right now is I'm having problems finding a replacement hepa filter for it, although I haven't been to Bed Bath and Beyond where we bought it originally.

Any advice for glass shower doors? I use Tilex daily spray after each shower, and cleaner once a week, but the water marks remain. The doors are only a year old. Thanks.

Here in Japan, microfiber cleaning cloths are really popular.

One company initially marketed them as eyeglass lens cleaners--the microweave grabs all the dust particles and smudges. Then someone suggested using them to gently exfoliate when washing one's face, so now they sell them for that too.

The best incarnation, tho, is the cleaning cloth! Just wet and wring really tightly to get the water out, then go at it--remove grease from stovetops, dust, fingerprints from glassware, smudges from stainless steel teakettles/pots/pans, crusty stuff on floor/table (ok, so maybe I'm the only one with crusty stuff? nevermind...), anything, with NO cleaner/soap necessary! Re-usable, of course.

Kind of addictive, once you get started! Almost as much fun as those white sponges (Mr. Clean version out in the US, right?) that rub stuff off and kind of disintegrate along the way.

After everyone recommended Swiffers, I finally tried the product. The wipe part was flimsy and the wand kept falling apart. So, I tried Grab it (SC Johnson). What a difference. The dry wipes are thicker and hold dust better, the wet wipes seem to clean better, especially in the bathroom. I use one wipe instead of two which is a money saving.

Just tried Clorox wipes. So much easier than spray cleaners.

TIP1--I want to protect my hands, but it's expensive to throw gloves out after each use. (How do you disinfect them between cleanings?) So, I use sandwich bags (the foldover kind) on my hands and throw them out after each use. Don't laugh--it works!

TIP2--Keeping a dirty toilet bowl brush is unsanitary. Instead of buying ones with decorative stands, buy them at a "dollar" store and throw them out after each use. Here is the progression for use--use it to first clean the sink area, then the shower (great for reaching walls and tub), then toilet--then toss. It's more sanitary.

Hi everyone, I am having the worst luck keeping my dark colored wood floors clean and dust free, with three children under the age of five. I have tried swiffer stick vac it was great for a month then lost its suction, does anyone no about miele stick vacs are they powerfull? or anything else.