Speed Cleaning

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Don't have a lot of time to spend cleaning? You can do the dirty jobs right - and fast.

Most important, cleaning 'lite' can lift your spirits just as much as if you had attacked the place with your most thorough cleaning regimen.



1 Shift into high gear by stocking up on supplies for the quick-and-dirty jobs that lie ahead.

Gather cleaners, rags, paper towels, sponge, and scrub brush in the kitchen and bath so you won't have to backtrack between rooms to get what you need. Get tips on creating your portable cleaning caddy here.

By keeping a permanent stash of supplies in each of these rooms, you'll always be prepared to tackle those last-minute cleanups quickly and efficiently.

2 Break down the big jobs into small, manageable tasks, and tackle them day by day.

Clean the microwave Monday, the toilet Tuesday. Mop the floors Wednesday, tackle the tub Thursday.

By Friday, your big target areas - the kitchen and bathrooms - are nearly done. A few minutes spent Friday on surface duty, and your home is clean - and the weekend is yours.

3 Quicken the pace of your weekly cleaning routine by focusing on a different type of cleaning each week.

Choose an all-purpose cleaner this Friday, and spend several minutes spritzing and wiping the main surfaces of your kitchen and bathroom.

Use a disinfectant cleaner next Friday, spraying on countertops, in toilets, and in the tub or shower. Then go read the mail or relax; return to flush the toilet and wipe clean the countertops and tub or shower.

Dust this week, vacuum the next. This simple routine means no juggling of cloths and paper towels, switching of spray bottles, or putting away of dust rags as you pull out the vacuum. You focus on just one thing at a time. (For a definition of types of cleaners, check out cleaning products defined.)

4 If you've got better things to do this week than speed clean - or you simply can't summon the energy for housework - it's OK to take a break from your cleaning routine.

Going two weeks between disinfecting and dusting won't casue any irreparable harm, and taking a rest may do you good.

10 Steps to a Cleaner Home

Cleaning Products Defined

Your Cleaning Cache - The Essentials

Speed Ahead: Return to Coming Clean