Speed Cleaning 101

By Kathy Van Mullekom
Knight Ridder Newspapers

Tuesday, June 21, 2005 7:22 PM CDT

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. � Spring showers have awakened more than just May flowers. The itsy-bitsy spider crawled up the waterspout � and into your house to weave webs in the corners of your rooms. Then the sun came out, shining like a spotlight on all the dust bunnies hopping across your floors.

Suddenly, you're faced with a dreaded decision. Do you go bike riding or throw yourself into a spring-cleaning frenzy?

You can do both. You just need to learn a little about speed cleaning.

"If someone stays organized, it's easy," says Pat Stanley, owner of American Maid Service in Newport News, Va.

"It's harder to clean when you have a lot of stuff, knickknacks, all over the place."

Clutter-control expert and author Paula Jhung agrees.

She describes the affliction affecting American homes as TMS � the "too much stuff" syndrome.

"A surplus of stuff not only makes cleaning harder, it makes living harder since there's a definite stress-mess connection," says the author of "Cleaning and the Meaning of Life: Simple Solutions to Declutter Your Home and Beautify Your Life."

"Once we get in the habit of pruning clutter on a regular basis, day-to-day living flows and cleaning becomes a piece of cake � well, almost,"

So, get on your mark and get set to do some speed cleaning, using these tips from cleaning professionals.

Then you can go out and enjoy a healthy bike riding, knowing you will return to sparkling rooms.

Less can be more when it comes to tools and cleaning products. For instance, a microfiber cleaning cloth will clean 90 percent of the surfaces in your home � glass, mirrors, leather, brass, marble, oak, walls and laminate � without chemicals, according to the book "Speed Cleaning 101."

Here are a few additional suggestions:

� Simple Green can replace a slew of specialty products because it works on floors, counters, ovens, laundry, even fireplace brick, depending on how it's diluted, says Jhung.

� Top Job breaks through nicotine stains and smells, and can be safely used on painted and stained wood, says Stanley. And it won't "eat up" blind strings like bleach does. It's one of the best all-purpose cleaners you can get.

� Waxing wood twice a year with a good paste wax like Howard Citrus Shield � found at Home Depot � means you can skip the silicone polishes like Pledge and Endust since they actually attract dust.

� Select one good glass and mirror cleaner.

� Other basic, multi-purpose cleaners include Pine-Sol, Old English, bleach and Murphy's Oil Soap. Always read the label for uses.

� For cleaning rags, use all-cotton bar towels (available in bundles from places such as Costco and Sam's Club) or soft, absorbent diapers.

� Assemble all your products together, including a small bucket with handle, hand-protecting gloves, mop and maybe one nonabrasive scrubbing-type brush

"Sealing most surfaces: i.e. stone with a stone sealer, fabric with Scotchguard, window sills and shutters with polyurethane, will lighten the cleaning caddy and reduce the need for weekly chemical warfare," says Jhung.

Ready, set, clean!

BEDROOMS

After five years of regular use, 10 percent of a pillow's weight is dust mites (and mite feces). They're a pain to wash so protect them with hypoallergenic covers.

Bedding is one of the biggest magnets for dust and the allergens it harbors. Strip the bed and wash all the stuff that doesn't get a weekly cleaning such as your comforters, quilt, mattress pad, pillows, bed skirt and blankets.

Vacuum corners and baseboards first � for corners, use the wand attachment � then work your way toward the center of the room.

Body oils and perspiration pass through sheets and onto your mattress. Vacuum your mattress, then shield it with an impermeable cover under your mattress pad or featherbed.

LIVING ROOM

Don't polish your furniture! Polish makes wood surfaces look good for a short time, but it also creates a sticky layer of gunk that attracts more dust. Stick with a damp microfiber cloth.

Dust from top to bottom so you're pulling the dust in the right direction. Start with pictures and window frames, then work your way down to vases and other objects.

Vacuum drapes with an upholstery attachment, or send them to the dry cleaner; 80 percent of dust on your drapes will be on the top 2 inches and bottom 12 inches, so skip vacuuming the middle part.

CLOSET

Cardboard boxes can leach dyes from clothes. Instead, store winter colors in polyester bags like the ones dry cleaners use.

Donate or toss old clothes that don't fit anymore to create more room.

Overlooked stains can become permanent over time, so inspect clothes under bright light � flip collars and cuffs too � before tucking them away for winter storage.

Ditch dry cleaning bags once clothes make it home. Fabrics stored inside plastic bags can't breathe, so faint or invisible stains (like perfume spots) darken faster.

KITCHEN

Mopping made easier � use two buckets instead of one. Fill one halfway with water and a spoonful of dishwashing detergent. Wring your mop out in the empty bucket � or in the sink if you're working with one bucket � to avoid cleaning with dirty water.

Use a mop instead of a sponge to mop walls. You'll cut your time in half and save your back.

Run the dishwasher empty for one hot cycle with no soap to give it a refresher.

ENTRYWAY

Keep drippy umbrellas and dirty sports equipment in stands and baskets to contain the mess at the door. You can do the same to organize shoes if taken off at the door.

Station a bag of clean rags by the door so you can handle your dog's muddy paws right as he walks in.

Clean your outdoor mat � shake it out and hose it down so it can do its job well.

Emergency cleaning caddy

Keep these supplies in a caddy so you can do a 30-minute clean-up job before company comes through the door.

� Glass cleaner with disinfectant

� Four to six microfiber cloths

� Ostrich feather duster or extended-reach duster

� Trash bag or laundry basket

� Microfiber flat mops

� Air freshener sprays

� Sponge or scrub pad

� Rubber gloves

Clean your house in 30 minutes

� Shine bathroom sinks, mirrors and toilets (5 minutes)

� Shine kitchen appliances, counters and sinks (5 minutes)

� Vacuum high traffic areas only (10 minutes)

� Spot mop floors and entryways (5 minutes)

� Tidy magazines, pillows and throw (2 minutes)

� Pick up mail, toys and newspapers (3 minutes)

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