In all honesty, the answer to the question ‘how to clean your house like a pro’ is ‘with a lot of hard work’. Whilst there are tips and cheats to making it easier, a professional cleaner is nothing if not thorough, and therein lies the answer to making your house super clean.
Replace and repair: replace any light bulbs that are out (and go over the rest with a duster, to brighten up the place). Get round to those little repair jobs that you’ve been procrastinating over; hang the picture, superglue the tile back on, touch up the paint job on the slightly shabby looking piece of furniture.
Professionals clean houses inside and out and from top to bottom. What I mean by this is that they do big jobs like turning over mattresses, sorting out messy draws, throwing away junk, cleaning the fridge and freezer and oven. They also have an order to things, there no point in vacuuming first. So start with the sorting out, throw away anything that is just clutter, then move on to larger items like cleaning curtains and appliances, then wash and dust and finally hoover. This way ensures that any mess that it made in the process is cleaned up at the end.
Let’s break it down:
Clutter: Have you ever seen a house in a catalogue that is full of junk? The first step to a clean house is to get rid of anything that is non-essential. If you are a clutter bug then you may find it hard to throw away items which have an emotional value, so get a friend or family member over to help you. Form three piles: throw away, give away and keep. If you are keeping items, ensure there is a place for them and they don’t end up back on the kitchen counter.
Large item cleaning: Items like curtains and rugs are too often neglected. It is possible that you can clean these items yourselves, but preferable to use a professional such as a carpet cleaner or a dry cleaner to ensure a pristine finish. Turn mattresses, clean inside and out of appliances, wipe shelves in cupboards and wash…. wash cushion covers, any loose covers on furniture, tablecloths, towels and bedding anything that can be washed, then wash it.
Replace and repair: replace any light bulbs that are out (and go over the rest with a duster, to brighten up the place). Get round to those little repair jobs that you’ve been procrastinating over; hang the picture, superglue the tile back on, touch up the paint job on the slightly shabby looking piece of furniture.
Once your big cleaning items are done, you can get on with giving your house a bit of spit and polish. We all know how to clean but make sure you do it with gusto, polishing the items on the shelves as well as the shelves themselves, scrubbing the shower walls as well as the taps and floor.
Finally vacuum or sweep, but with bells on; move furniture, get under sofas, and use the pipe attachment to get well into corners.
When the house is gleaming you can then allow yourself the luxury of plumping the accessories. If you’ve decluttered, you can spend some time arranging pictures and ornaments. Think about fluffing cushions, straightening rugs and even buying flowers.
If you have time you could also think about the outside of your home, sweep the driveway and front porch, ensure the front door and the windows are clean and tidy. Then sit back with a large glass of wine and congratulate yourself on a spotless house and a job well done.
