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Summer Cleaning: 8 Easy Rules

Summer Family Cleaning Routine: 8 Simple Rules.

With the kids out of school, chances are you'll have more messes to clean than usual.

These 8 simple living tips can help.

1. Keep clutter to a minimum.

Having lots of stuff around leaves plenty of places for dust and allergens to collect.

Encourage kids as young as preschoolers (ages 3-4) to put dirty clothes in the hamper and put away playthings after use.

They can also help keep their rooms neat and, with supervision, remove unbreakable and blunt-edge items from the dishwasher.

By making cleanup the precursor to a fun activity, such as a day at the beach or lake, and by helping your child master the tasks, you can make cleaning an enjoyable, confidence-building activity.

2. Wash up.

Have everyone in the family wash hands with soap and warm water regularly to help stay healthy and keep nasty viruses, dirt and germs off household surfaces.

3. Stop summer dirt at the door.

Even your little stomper can wipe shoes on entryway rugs or mats to protect floors and carpets, and to catch dirt, dust, pollen brought in from outsides.

4. Dry out.

Leave shower doors and curtains open after use so shower walls can air dry. Older kids and adults can use a daily shower spray on walls and shower curtains to keep mildew from growing.

If mildew can't get a toehold, you won't spend a single sunny day scrubbing it away.

5. Quick clean-up.

Promptly clean up crumbs and other food scraps after preparing or eating food. You'll need to help your littlest family members, but grade-school-age kids, preteens and teens can do wipe duty on their own.

6. Don't buy it.

Resist the urge to reward your kids for their housekeeping help - compensation tells kids a task is above and beyond the call of duty.

Instead, let younger children know specifically which chores you expect them to do, and let the satisfaction of a job well done provide its own reward.

Let teenagers know they are contributing more to the family and learning skills that will help them in life.

7. Treat clothing stains promptly.

Rinse or dab stains with cool water as soon as possible after they happen. Then plan to throw in a load of laundry when you get home.

8. Keep safety first.

Practice prevention this summer when it comes to cleaning and cleaning products.

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About the Author

Tara Aronson is a native Californian. Having grown up in San Diego, she studied journalism and Spanish to pursue a career in newspaper writing. Tara, whose three children - Chris, Lyndsay, and Payne - are the light of her life, now lives and writes in Los Angeles. She also regularly appears on television news programs throughout the U.S.

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