Cleaning House

We tackled the laundry, now you are left with needing to clean house. Oh I dream of a clean house. If you want to make me happy, clean up your mess, so I can enjoy a clean house just vegging in a clean house emphasis on clean house. You see, I have a bit of OCD and the need to live in a clutter free clean house. I know for a fact that God has a sense of humor, because He did not give me one boy but four amazing boys albeit mess could be their middle name. I could spend my time freaking out with a capitol F about the mess that ensues from their daily living or else I could relax my standards. I have pretty high unrealistic standards that no one should have to keep. I do require things are to be cleaned as in no more gunk can be seen, but I do not require say, perfect vacuum lines on the carpet. I know that can get you a one way ticket on the bus to crazy town, but oh how I love lines perfect lines in my carpet. Clean sheets and perfect lines in the carpet is my idea of Heaven. 

A couple of things that makes my life so much easier. I do not believe in crap. We only keep things in our home that we love. So there are no knickknacks to clean, piles of stuff to put away, etc. I learned along time ago, that children really do better in life with not a lot of toys. We have tamed the toy monster. By the time, our 5th child came along (8 years after the last), we knew she would have only a few small Rubbermaids of toys. We keep one Rubbermaid out in the garage, and we only bring it in a few times a year. She really enjoys playing with those toys but not all the time. Even when we have a dozen children over to visit for Rosary, it takes less then 15 minutes to clean up the toys when they leave.  We make sure everything in our house has a home. No one is confused where their shoes should go when not wearing them, or where their coat belong. Although some one in this house thinks his baseball caps belong on the bookcase, but I will keep him despite that fact. 

I like to clean alone. So once a week, I get up super early or stay up super late and clean my house all by myself. I cannot live in a dirty cluttered house. When I was in college before I could study, I would clean. I got more studying done with a clean house. When I was working full time, I always cleaned on Thursday evening, so Friday I could come home to a sparkling clean house, a great start to the weekend. Since we have a home for everything, and no extra stuff in our lives (I am always purging) cleaning our house only takes a couple of hours. 

To properly clean the house you need the right tools:

I like to be all natural as possible plus lets face it I am cheap: My cleaning bucket consist of:

I buy the vinegar and baking soda from Costco in bulk. Mr. Clean Erasers come from Dollar Tree. I know what you are thinking, but the vinegar smells. Vinegar dissipates within a few minutes leaving no smell at all. I know you are also thinking but Heidi that means there is no smell. RIGHT! Because clean has no smell. When you smell something that you think is clean, and there is an odor,  it means a chemical has been involved. Not great in my book. 

The rest of the tools:

The spray bottle is filled with 1/4 vinegar and the rest hot water. 

You technically do not need a steam cleaner to clean your house but once you have used one you will never go back. I am fascinated the gross crud the steam pulls out especially around the toilet. 

If I did not have a steaming mop, I would be on my hands and knees cleaning as mops are gross. We had a Bissel steaming mop for years. Well, we actually had quite a few. I love how they clean, but they are cheaply made and do not last but a couple of years. TFOLT actually purchased the Hoover one. I love it. It has a cord long enough to do all my mopping with out changing plugs, it is better made plus it does corners.

The very first thing I do before I start to clean is put on Pandora. I like a cheesy station that allows me not only to sign along but occasionally dance. Do not be alarmed if you drive by my house early one morning and see me convulsing. It would only be me cleaning and dancing. It is not a pretty sight. 

I like to clean the bathrooms first because if I suddenly have a heart attack on the job at least I have clean bathrooms. Why yes, I think of these things. I have no idea what is going on in your head but in my head when Mr. Fireman comes over to save my life, there will be a clean bathroom.  The Mr. Clean Sponge and baking soda does quick work in the tub and shower. I use baking soda on the inside of the toilet and sink. I then spray down the outside of the toilet, sink and floor with the spray bottle and steam away. I am fascinated what comes out. It is like picking that piece of thread on your skirt. You know you just cannot stop. 

Once the bathrooms are cleaned, I move onto the family room. I do a quick sweep for any loose items and set aside if they belong in another room (I never move onto a different room until that room is clean). The family room couch usually has to be washed every other week. So before I even start the bathrooms, I get the laundry going, starting off with all the couch pieces and cover. About once a month, I sprinkle baking soda in the carpet and let it sit for a few minutes before vacuuming. I hate carpet. Carpet is so gross especially for a neat freak like me. But it is what I have, so I am grateful to have such first world problems. I continue on to the living room doing the exact same thing. By the time I am done with these two rooms, the laundry for the couch is done. I fluff and make pretty. We always clean the kitchen after every meal. But on deep cleaning day, I spray all the cabinets down with the vinegar spray and the counters. I sweep then mop. 

I know once a week my house has been deep cleaned. It gives me a sense of peace.I am pretty sure I can hear the Angels sing when the house is cleaned. 

Usually on house cleaning day, I make a crock pot meal for dinner and maybe a couple of loafs of banana bread. I do not feel guilty iota when I pour a cup of Joe and sit down to a good book for the rest of the day basking in the glory of a clean house and the laundry done.