Major Household Cleaning

mrsscott

This is just a general query for all you boardsies out there bout the major cleaning jobs in the house. Would appreciate responses from men and women.

How often do you do those major cleaning jobs in the house. Such as washing the walls ceilings and skirting boards (in all rooms). The kitchen presses, extractor fan etc?

Sometimes I feel like a lazy b***h cos these type of jobs never get done in the house.

In general I do a clean once a week. Like washing floors, hoovering, dusting. Then every day I'd give the kitchen a once over, oven, hob counters and table etc.

So what I'm wondering is is this too little?

I do feel very lazy at times for not doing more. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day-week to do everything.

Galwayguy35

mrsscott wrote: »

This is just a general query for all you boardsies out there bout the major cleaning jobs in the house. Would appreciate responses from men and women.

How often do you do those major cleaning jobs in the house. Such as washing the walls ceilings and skirting boards (in all rooms). The kitchen presses, extractor fan etc?

Sometimes I feel like a lazy b***h cos these type of jobs never get done in the house.

In general I do a clean once a week. Like washing floors, hoovering, dusting. Then every day I'd give the kitchen a once over, oven, hob counters and table etc.

So what I'm wondering is is this too little?

I do feel very lazy at times for not doing more. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day-week to do everything.

I do much the same as yourself, general clean once a week and washing the walls etc every 2 months.

Acoshla

Jeebus we never wash the walls, ceilings or skirting boards Can't say that I've ever noticed the skirtings being particularly dirty, a hoover every now again keeps them fine As for the ceilings, they got painted 2.5 years ago and are fine. We hoover and do a general clean up once a week, twice if we're particularly bored or people are coming over.

My boyfriend is incredibly lazy so things don't get done unless I tell him to, so I clean the sinks in the bathrooms etc about once a week or fortnight. I wipe down the kitchen every day pretty much, our kitchen presses are in two years and have been cleaned out 3 times, they never get very messy so definitely wouldn't need to be done once a week...

Giselle

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

I do much the same as yourself, general clean once a week and washing the walls etc every 2 months.

The WALLS? I've never washed a wall in my life. Do people with wallpaper wash walls too?

I have a routine on Sunday mornings. I do the whole vacuum/dusting thing, followed by cleaning the fridge and scrubbing down the bathroom. Then I do the grocery shopping for the week, and a batch of cooking so I've a few dinners and lunches sorted.

I run loads through the washer and dryer while I'm doing all this, and on Thursday mornings I have a cleaner come in and she does a change of bedding and windows/floors/ironing and another run of the vacuum and duster. I think she might wipe the skirtings, but I've never seen anyone wash a ceiling.

mrsscott

One more thing to add to the list, when doing the kitchen, how often do ye clean the inside AND the outside of the presses (including kickboards).

Morag

mrsscott wrote: »

One more thing to add to the list, when doing the kitchen, how often do ye clean the inside AND the outside of the presses (including kickboards).

Outsides of the presses and kick boards every 3 months, as for inside of the presses every 6 months.

Look do yourself a favour and have a look at the fly lady site.
It basically is a set routine for getting everyone done and breaks the house down into zones and you get an email reminder for the tasks for each day and the rotate around the different zones of the house and set up an established routine, which your not doing on your own thousands of people are doing the same.

http://flylady.net/c/sp.php

It also sets a limit of 15 minutes, so really you don't get bogged down, set a timer and get it done in 15 mins. It also means you don't forget when you last did something.

Acoshla

mrsscott wrote: »

One more thing to add to the list, when doing the kitchen, how often do ye clean the inside AND the outside of the presses (including kickboards).

I clean the kickboards, doors of presses and the oven on Bank Holiday Mondays

Bubblefett

I hoover and dust every 2 days (dog hair and asthma) and do a big genreal clear once a week or so (sometimes more/less depending on mood/state of the place). I wash the floors every 2-3 weeks.
I do clean the skirting boards weekly but only cause it was hammered into me when I used to work in retail.

Giselle

Acoshla wrote: »

I clean the kickboards, doors of presses and the oven on Bank Holiday Mondays

Genius.

I change the vacuum filters on Bank Holidays :P

Lucyfur

I clean the kitchen every day and sanitise the counters several times a day. I HATE when the cupboards are untidy so they are cleaned/organised once a week. I clean the unit doors and kick boards once a week too.
Bathroom is done every second day. I clean down the shower every day after using it and I wipe around the sink every day too.
The rest of the house is hoovered and dusted 2-3 times a week. Tidying is done every day. I hate dirty dishes, so they're done immediately.
I hoover the skirting boards and corners of the walls every time I hoover the floors. I always mop after hoovering.
I've never washed the walls...only the bathroom walls as that's tiled.

Acoshla

Lucyfur wrote: »

I clean the kitchen every day and sanitise the counters several times a day. I HATE when the cupboards are untidy so they are cleaned/organised once a week. I clean the unit doors and kick boards once a week too.
Bathroom is done every second day. I clean down the shower every day after using it and I wipe around the sink every day too.
The rest of the house is hoovered and dusted 2-3 times a week. Tidying is done every day. I hate dirty dishes, so they're done immediately.
I hoover the skirting boards and corners of the walls every time I hoover the floors. I always mop after hoovering.
I've never washed the walls...only the bathroom walls as that's tiled.

Wow.

Selfheal

Hmmmm. Feeling a bit intimidated by all of the above replies. Didn't think I was THAT slovenly....

Lucyfur

Acoshla wrote: »

Wow.

I r clean freak

In my defence, I have a doggy and kitteh who are indoor pets.

Acoshla

Lucyfur wrote: »

I r clean freak

In my defence, I have a doggy and kitteh who are indoor pets.

I have a dog and two cats that are mainly indoor animals, they have access to 3 rooms, and I have to say for some reason they aren't that messy and don't shed that much, it's great!

mrsscott

Wow Lucifer!!!

Do you have a full time job on top of all that? When do you wind down or relax?

Lucyfur

Erm...I'm a full time student and I have lots of wind down time.

I enjoy cleaning, I hate when the house is messy, it puts me in a bad mood

Giselle

Lucyfur wrote: »

I clean the kitchen every day and sanitise the counters several times a day. I HATE when the cupboards are untidy so they are cleaned/organised once a week. I clean the unit doors and kick boards once a week too.
Bathroom is done every second day. I clean down the shower every day after using it and I wipe around the sink every day too.
The rest of the house is hoovered and dusted 2-3 times a week. Tidying is done every day. I hate dirty dishes, so they're done immediately.
I hoover the skirting boards and corners of the walls every time I hoover the floors. I always mop after hoovering.
I've never washed the walls...only the bathroom walls as that's tiled.

I used to have a routine like that, but I had to let go a bit. I live alone so its a bit over the top for one person, a tidy one at that.

I find a messy or dirty place a bit depressing too.

Really glad you don't wash the walls.

EGAR

I lead a very very busy life and am not that house proud . In my very little spare time, I'd rather read a book with my 7yro etc. I do hoover and mop etc but I don't go OTT, I have no routine, I do it when it's needed. And no, I do not feel guilty, life is too short.

mrsscott

I like your style Egar. If only I could get rid of the guilt about not having everything spick and span all the time

Lucyfur

Cleaning NEVER interferes with family time. Cleaning is done in my time, when my son is happy doing something, or when he's out at one of his after school activities.

dory

I can't believe people wash walls! I clean once a week, and then clean kitchen as needs be. Maybe I need to look at my walls more....

borderlinemeath

I'd sooner repaint the walls than wash them:D Although I have a brilliant extendable handle cobweb remover that I use in the veluxes and corners so they don't look that bad.

I do certain things more often than others. Hoovering can be anything from once to 3 times a week depending on how bad it is (dog hair and fire ash/dust) but usually the floors get a quick sweep every day. Counter tops get a wipe over every day but a decent clean at least once a week. Saturday or Sunday morning is cleaning day for kitchen/living/bathroom and washing and ironing.

Fridge gets cleaned when it's needed. No set time period. Same with kitchen presses.

The oven. The bane of my life. I bloody hate when the grill pans get food stuck to them and somehow it always happens. I can't manage to cook a casserole or a shepherds pie or whatever without it bubbling over:mad:

Giselle

borderlinemeath wrote: »

The oven. The bane of my life. I bloody hate when the grill pans get food stuck to them and somehow it always happens. I can't manage to cook a casserole or a shepherds pie or whatever without it bubbling over:mad:

Line the floor of the oven and grill pan, and any baking trays you use with aluminum foil. Then if something boils over or spills on the floor of the oven you can just throw it away.

A great tip my granny gave me was to put an ovenproof bowl of boiling water in the oven just when you've finished using it and its still hot.

Leave it there for an hour and all the muck will just wipe off with kitchen towels after being steamed off by the water and the residual heat.

Neyite

Giselle wrote: »

A great tip my granny gave me was to put an ovenproof bowl of boiling water in the oven just when you've finished using it and its still hot.

Leave it there for an hour and all the muck will just wipe off with kitchen towels after being steamed off by the water and the residual heat.

Your granny is a genius!

I recently discovered Oven Pride. No fumes. You basically bung the oven shelves into a massive zip lock bag along with the solution, leave overnight and rinse. Does a far better job on the inside of the oven than Mr. Muscle which leaves you with a dirty oven and gasses you into the bargain.

Wash walls? Pffft!

mrsscott

Oh thank god! I'm not as lazy as I thought!

Now while we're on the subject of cleaning, my Hoover has gone bust so I need recommendations for a new one.

Looking for great suction, needs to pick up dog hair off carpets really well but I don't want to spend a fortune either. Hopefully less than €200

What can ye recommend?

Neyite

the sister swears by the Miele Cat and Dog hair one. She doesnt have pets but her husband reckons she sheds like one

Dunno how much though. I dont have carpet at all so a €40 Tesco one does the job for me.

LisaLee

The bathrooms are given a 'deep clean' once a week, then topped up during the week. Fridge is cleaned once a week for the shopping. Skirting boards, doors and smudges on walls and around light switches are cleaned if I notice they need doing really.

I've never cleaned a ceiling in my life, not sure how I'd go about it tbh. I think cleaning can be very therapeutic, whereas other times it can be a pain in the hole!

borderlinemeath

Giselle wrote: »

Line the floor of the oven and grill pan, and any baking trays you use with aluminum foil. Then if something boils over or spills on the floor of the oven you can just throw it away.

A great tip my granny gave me was to put an ovenproof bowl of boiling water in the oven just when you've finished using it and its still hot.

Leave it there for an hour and all the muck will just wipe off with kitchen towels after being steamed off by the water and the residual heat.

I do my best to use foil to line the trays but I manage to tear them when I'm checking on whatever is in the oven. As does my heavy handed OH.

Love the tip with the steam:)

memind

mrsscott wrote: »

This is just a general query for all you boardsies out there bout the major cleaning jobs in the house. Would appreciate responses from men and women.

How often do you do those major cleaning jobs in the house. Such as washing the walls ceilings and skirting boards (in all rooms). The kitchen presses, extractor fan etc?

Sometimes I feel like a lazy b***h cos these type of jobs never get done in the house.

In general I do a clean once a week. Like washing floors, hoovering, dusting. Then every day I'd give the kitchen a once over, oven, hob counters and table etc.

So what I'm wondering is is this too little?

I do feel very lazy at times for not doing more. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day-week to do everything.

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better,
To paint a picture or write a letter,
Bake a cake or plant a seed,
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim and mountains to climb,
Music to hear and books to read,
Friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair,
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come 'round again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not always kind.
And when you go and go you must,
You, yourself, will make more dust.

Giselle

Neyite wrote: »

Your granny is a genius!

Its true!

Other tips of hers are to wipe neat washing up liquid on the bathroom mirror, buff off, and it doesn't steam up!

And dust your tv, laptop or anything electrical with a tumbledryer sheet, the antistatic aspect of it stops your appliance attracting dust.

Soda crystals - about 1kg for I euro - whack a scoop in on any really dirty or stained laundry wash and it'll come up new. I think its the main ingredient of all those proprietory stain removers.

Also flush a cupful of crystals down the kitchen sink with boiling water, and watch the water flow out faster than ever. 'Tis great stuff.

Babybuff

My daughter just returned home after spending three months with her grandmother, at the moment I hear the sound of the mop being swept across the living room floor..it's a joyous noise. Yesterday I came home from work and she had made dinner, from scratch it made me a little teary. The washing machine has been on constantly since she got here and all her laundry has been dried and folded and put away orderly in her wardrobes. Her room is a shining beacon of cleanliness, it just had a makeover so everything is repainted with additional new floors, there isn't a speck of dust to be seen.
Before she went to my mothers she wouldn't so much as pick up a cup and wash it after herself, make food or do laundry. It's like someone has given me back the wrong child. Just hope it lasts because after 18 years of doing it I'm burned out and can do it no more.

(I did manage the washing up in fairness)

Lucyfur

Giselle wrote: »

Its true!

Other tips of hers are to wipe neat washing up liquid on the bathroom mirror, buff off, and it doesn't steam up!

And dust your tv, laptop or anything electrical with a tumbledryer sheet, the antistatic aspect of it stops your appliance attracting dust.

Soda crystals - about 1kg for I euro - whack a scoop in on any really dirty or stained laundry wash and it'll come up new. I think its the main ingredient of all those proprietory stain removers.

Also flush a cupful of crystals down the kitchen sink with boiling water, and watch the water flow out faster than ever. 'Tis great stuff.

Dryer sheets are AMAZING dusters:D I put one in the hoover bag too, it makes the house smell nice while you hoover:D

2 litres of tesco value coke down the toilet at night, leaves the bowl sparkling;)

And bicarbonate of soda is brilliant for everything, from cooker hobs to rugs, make a paste, rub it on, let it dry and hoover/wipe off.


+1 for miele cat and dog hair hoover. It pulls the animal hair right out of the carpet

cdaly_

Giselle wrote: »

Soda crystals - about 1kg for I euro - whack a scoop in on any really dirty or stained laundry wash and it'll come up new. I think its the main ingredient of all those proprietory stain removers.

Also flush a cupful of crystals down the kitchen sink with boiling water, and watch the water flow out faster than ever. 'Tis great stuff.

You're not talking about Caustic Soda here are you? Seriously corrosive stuff. I put some down the sink with hot water and it exploded out of the plug hole!

(Caustic soda heats up as it dissolves so the hot water flash boiled down the plug hole and shot up out of it...)

Lucyfur wrote: »

+1 for miele cat and dog hair hoover. It pulls the animal hair right out of the carpet

Yep, have one of these, the rotating brush head is really handy for getting my metal-head son's hairs out of the carpet...

pickarooney

What's a kickboard?

Neyite

pickarooney wrote: »

What's a kickboard?

The board underneath the kitchen cabinets that goes to the floor. I think.

borderlinemeath

pickarooney wrote: »

What's a kickboard?

The board at the bottom of the kitchen presses. Usually recessed a bit and hides the legs of the units.

cdaly_

borderlinemeath wrote: »

The board at the bottom of the kitchen presses. Usually recessed a bit and hides the legs of the units.

And hides all the crap the installers weren't bothered clearing up after themselves...

Giselle

cdaly_ wrote: »

You're not talking about Caustic Soda here are you? Seriously corrosive stuff. I put some down the sink with hot water and it exploded out of the plug hole!

(Caustic soda heats up as it dissolves so the hot water flash boiled down the plug hole and shot up out of it...)

Oh god no, thats dangerous stuff. Its simply Soda crystals aka sodium carbonate crystals aka washing soda.

I hope you didn't get burned with your plughole disaster!

Dudess

Yay for Giselle's nana!
Superb tips there.

Oh I absolutely love having the place spick and span - I kinda like cleaning (the easy side of it ) but the tougher stuff like the oven and grill - thank god they're dark and hidden; and cleaning windows - well thank god for venetian blinds. :pac:
Nah I'd never let them get gross or anything, but I'd avoid them to the bitter end!
Friend of mine is down to a three-day working week, and bored on the days off - she asked if I'd like her to come in and do the tough cleaning jobs once every few weeks. The girl is a cleaning machine - I think I'll accept. Will pay her extra of course.

I don't think there's anything wrong with being super-clean - as long as you don't nag others to be the same way, and as long as you don't freak over stupid stuff like leaving a cup on the coffee table or not arranging books in alphabetical order. Although I've a friend kinda like that but it's actually just funny - and we simply laugh at him when he gets like that, and he laughs at himself too.

gigawatt

Giselle where do you get the crystals from? i remember my mam using them but I didnt think you could get them these days

Giselle

gigawatt wrote: »

Giselle where do you get the crystals from? i remember my mam using them but I didnt think you could get them these days

Its been a while since I bought them in Ireland, but I think they're in a green plastic bag with red lettering, in the same Tesco section as the stain removing type products.

borderlinemeath

They're made by a company called dri-pak. I picked up the bi-carb of soda made by them in the €2 shop a while ago.

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cts=1331397480623&ved=0CDwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dri-pak.co.uk%2Fsoda-crystals.html&ei=I4NbT6-YKo60hAf1keWoBA&usg=AFQjCNGxVTt7wctplYUSVODnQz-5ZcGCDA

Giselle

borderlinemeath wrote: »

They're made by a company called dri-pak. I picked up the bi-carb of soda made by them in the €2 shop a while ago.

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cts=1331397480623&ved=0CDwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dri-pak.co.uk%2Fsoda-crystals.html&ei=I4NbT6-YKo60hAf1keWoBA&usg=AFQjCNGxVTt7wctplYUSVODnQz-5ZcGCDA

Thats the one alright. I forgot, but simmer a few crystals in a burnt pot for a few minutes and watch the blackness just flake away.

I believe before contemporary detergents were invented, they used crystals alone for laundry. I can't imagine how bad the contact dermatitis was in the the days before Marigolds.

hdowney

i haven't ever really been a cleaning person. but our house is just beyond cracked at this point, so i have turned into one.

the heating burst under mams concrete floor completely destroying her carpet, bed and chest of drawers :mad: so they all need replacing, after the plumber kango's the floor up to fix the leak. getting wooden floor cos i HATE carpet (two dogs and three cats carpet isn't good idea).

i am also completely blitzing the house this spring, sorting the jobs into how often they need doing, how long they take etc. just trying to make everything more manageable.

however i still don't see me washing walls! :eek::eek:

borderlinemeath

borderlinemeath wrote: »

I'd sooner repaint the walls than wash them:D

But sure if you just paint over the dirt it will fester and grow into mold.
:eek:

gigawatt wrote: »

Giselle where do you get the crystals from? i remember my mam using them but I didnt think you could get them these days

I don't think there are hard to get. My local convenience shops sell them.
They are called washing soda.

chirogirl

I usually give the place a going over once a week i.e hoover, mop floors, clean the bathrooms, change the bed covers. Though it would be easy for me to let things slip with a young baby. But so far I manage, no need to call Kim and Aggie

shinikins

Moonbaby wrote: »

But sure if you just paint over the dirt it will fester and grow into mold.
:eek:

That's why you use sugar soap on the walls before you paint, to cut through the dirt and grease.

Personally I try to clean as I go, I wash the counters before and after I use them, try to wash the pots after dinner, hoover a few times a week. I wash the kitchen floors and mop the kickboards at the same time, wash down the cupboards at least once a week. Bathroom is cleaned regularly, sink after I use it, rinse down the shower after it's used.

My OH would be happy ignoring it all, he has no problem using every cup in the press in turn until they're all dirty, but I have to admit he's great for hoovering!!! Neither of us are neat freaks, mess doesn't bother me-there's a few piles of paper and books lying around, but they'll be tidied away soon enough. I do like to keep the cupboards tidy though, I like to be able to see what I have to cook with, and it makes it easier to see what I need to replace.

Dudess

I have never washed a wall and never will unless I have to.

Rubberlegs

Babybuff wrote: »

My daughter just returned home after spending three months with her grandmother, at the moment I hear the sound of the mop being swept across the living room floor..it's a joyous noise. Yesterday I came home from work and she had made dinner, from scratch it made me a little teary. The washing machine has been on constantly since she got here and all her laundry has been dried and folded and put away orderly in her wardrobes. Her room is a shining beacon of cleanliness, it just had a makeover so everything is repainted with additional new floors, there isn't a speck of dust to be seen.
Before she went to my mothers she wouldn't so much as pick up a cup and wash it after herself, make food or do laundry. It's like someone has given me back the wrong child. Just hope it lasts because after 18 years of doing it I'm burned out and can do it no more.

(I did manage the washing up in fairness)

Any chance my 18yr old daughter could stay with your daughter's grandmother:p? Her room is so bad we are afraid to let her bring our 8 week old in there, in case she goes missing:eek:.
I detest housework, I do as little as I can! In fairness it's hard to get much done with a small baby. I do sweep and wipe over the kitchen counters most days. Mopping, not so much. The toilets get a good scrub once a week, more if needed, sinks wiped over too. But big jobs like cleaning ovens, and kitchen presses, and the fridge are always put on the long finger. I find I put them off because when I start something like that, I keep wandering away from it as it's so boring, so it takes ages to do. It's putting away clean washing that does my head in completely over everything else. I gave up ironing years ago, got sick of the lovely ironed clothes being wrecked by girls and himself pulling them out of the wardrobes to find something in particular. Sometimes there is a mountain of clothes waiting to be sorted and put away. Himself has become obsessed with having the dirty washing basket empty since I was pregnant, he's a man on a mission washing and drying clothes. I do appreciate it, but he leaves piles of clean clothes on our bed then. More often than not I don't get a chance, or forget about them, so they are there when I'm shattered late at night, and just want to throw myself into bed. Nothing worse:mad:. Feck it life is too short to be obsessed with having a perfectly tidy house!!

angry kitten

mrsscott wrote: »

One more thing to add to the list, when doing the kitchen, how often do ye clean the inside AND the outside of the presses (including kickboards).

I do the outside of the cupboard doors once a week. The insides are a chore I've been trying to force myself to do for a while. I'll probably do them this afternoon, usually every 3 months or so.

angry kitten

Does anybody else notice that their bathroom gets very dusty? We clean ours once sometimes twice a week and yet the day after its been cleaned I start noticing dust. I'm not obsessed with dust but it bugs me where it comes from.