Just about any mop will work as effectively in cleaning floors as the latest model.
Cleaning your home is important, not only because it creates a more pleasant environment to live in, but because it also protects the health of your family. Unless you have an extremely busy household with small children or many people living under one roof, cleaning the entire house shouldn't take more than a couple of hours once a week. Manufacturers come out with new and better commercial cleaning products or tools all the time, but this does not mean that your old favorites don't do an effective job. Homemade cleaning solutions work just as well in cleaning your home and can cut the cost of household chores considerably.
Floor Care
Floor care is a weekly task that will help keep carpets and flooring free of dust and debris. This will help them maintain their look for years to come. If you have pets, small children or a large number of people in your house, it may be necessary to clean the floors two or three times each week.
Vacuuming carpeting and area rugs is the most efficient way to keep them clean. As of September 2010, vacuums range in price from about $40 to several hundred dollars, depending on the vacuum's brand and features. You can get them inexpensively at a discount store or directly from a retail store that sells vacuums.
Sweeping and mopping your floors will help them look shiny and will keep them clean. Mops and brooms are available at discount and home supply stores for less than $10. You do not have to purchase expensive commercial cleaning products to mop your floors. Using 1 cup of white distilled vinegar in a bucket of warm water will clean your floors effectively. The vinegar odor will dissipate within a few minutes and will leave your home smelling fresh. Commercial floor cleaning products are available for less than $5 at discount and home supply stores.
Dusting
Dusting your home leaves your wood surfaces, lamps and ceiling free of cobwebs and dust and helps control allergy symptoms if anyone in your household is allergic to dust. You can purchase numerous types of dusting tools, such as feather, ostrich, microfiber or extendable dusters, generally for around $5 to $15 (as of September 2010) at discount stores. Using an old sock or cloth diaper is an effective and inexpensive way to keep surfaces dust-free. Different types of furniture polish are available for less than $5 at discount and grocery stores. You can also make your own inexpensive furniture polish by combining 1 cup of olive, walnut or almond oil with 1/2 cup lemon juice or white distilled vinegar.
Cleaning Your Kitchen
Cleaning the surfaces of your kitchen has an aesthetic value just as in the rest of your home, but you also need to use disinfectants to control bacterial growth. Using a plastic tote to transport your cleaning supplies from one room to the other is a time saver. Commercial disinfectant products are available for less than $5 as of September 2010, but they often have harsh chemicals or fumes that affect people with sensitivities to this type of cleaner. Combine 1/2 cup of borax to 4 quarts of warm water to make an effective disinfectant for cleaning your sinks, counters and stove tops. You can find borax on the laundry detergent aisle in your grocery or discount store.
Sanitizing Bathrooms
Keeping your bathroom clean, sparkly and sanitary is an effective way to prevent germs from spreading within your home. Cleaning supplies such as a toilet bowl cleaner, tub and tile cleaner, disinfectant sprays, scrub brushes and sponges are typically less than $5 at grocery and discount stores and will clean your entire bathroom. You can substitute 1 cup of vinegar for a toilet bowl cleaner. Allow it to set for about 20 minutes before scrubbing. This will remove stains, odors and lime deposits.
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