How To: Get that Professional Clean Feel

Let me be the first to tell you.  I am lazy.  LAZY.

But my house is CLEAN.

Rumor on the street was that it was nearly impossible to get your full deposit back from the apartment complex we moved from.  I wasn't just going to roll over and let them keep it without some effort, so I did go give the apartment a good scrub down after we moved out.  Minus the master shower that I left in a condition that I was so not proud of.  In fact, it was that master shower that motivated me to a new style of cleaning and living.

Can I please just say we got every penny back.  They couldn't find a single thing to deduct us for.  Which was nearly impossible because it was BRAND new carpet.  We had a dog and a newborn who both had more than their fair share of accidents on the carpet (which I cleaned my butt off to make sure there were no stains).  Not a single thing.  I am dang proud of that and excited to have an extra couple hundred bucks in our pocket.

Anyways, it all started when I was shamefully expressing to my mother (who is a retired owner of a professional cleaning company) that I left the master shower of the apartment less than par to our standards of clean.  She was confused by this.  In theory, if I had been cleaning the shower weekly like I should have been, there would have been ZERO soap build-up to try to scrap off in the first place.  Not to mention, there may or may not have been mold growing in the grout (in my defense, the grout was old and crumbly so every time I tried to scrub the walls, the grout would just crumble and I didn't want to get charged to re-tile a mater bath).

So when we moved into our brand new home, I made it my goal to never allow my showers to get grubby like that.  I developed a plan.  And after about three weeks of living here, it is going fantastic.

First just a few tips that kinda help the whole process:

1. Dirty dishes never go in the sink.  They either get rinsed and go into the dishwasher, or hand washed and put away.  Luckily my husband cooperates with this as he also never puts dirties in the sink and leaves them.
2. Never go to bed with a dirty kitchen.  I give the kitchen a wipe down every night before bed.  I even sweep and clean the floors.  Something about a clean kitchen makes the entire house feel better.  
3. Wipe down bathroom sink after morning routine.
4. Everything has it's place.  I hardly ever have "stuff" piled or stacked about the house.  Everything has a drawer or a closet that it needs to go in.  Even in a tiny apartment, I was able to find everything it's own place.  Being organized really helps when you go to give everything a good hard-core cleaning.
5. This to me seems like such a given but more and more I am finding that people don't do this: making of the bed every morning.  Every single day I make my bed. You will never walk into my house at noon and find my bed unmade.  The general rule of thumb is, last one out of the bed makes it.  Well, sort of, we both end up helping each other.  But making your bed is a must do.  It makes your room feel so much tidier.  Plus, think about the dust that accumulates on stuff.  I really have no desire to crawl in sheets that have dust and who knows what else on it. 
6. Wash sheets at least weekly. 
7. Vacuum and spruce a couple times a week.  
8. AND finally, clean EVERYTHING once a week. 

My focus today is more on the deep cleaning once a week.  Trust me, it is well worth it.  

I'll start with my must have products:

Scrubbing Bubble--Do not, and I repeat.  do not, go for the cheap off brand.  I have learned the hard way and I am insistent that Scrubbing Bubbles is THE BEST foaming cleaner out there.  

Revel Mopping System:

Ditch the Swiffer Sweaper wet pad system.  The Rubbermaid Revel mop is WAY better.  It is more expensive up front (About $25) but you save money in the long run because the pad is washable and reusable (About 100 washes).     Also, you can customize your cleaning solution that sprays right on the floor with a trigger on the handle.  We have hardwood floors, so I buy a hardwood floor cleaner.   I also like it because the pad size is much bigger than the Swiffers so it takes a lot less time.  

If you have large hardwood floor areas, then a Bissell Hard Floor Vacuum: I always sweep with the traditional broom and dustpan to get all my large items off the floor, but if you are cleaning a large area of hard floors, some type of hard floor vacuum is a major time saver.  

 

Shop Vac: I am a big fan of the shop-vac or any other hose vacuum system.  They are great for cleaning out cars which is obvious, but these are also great for those hard to reach areas around the house.  Behind the toilet.  Base boards.  Ceiling fans.  I shed my hair a lot, so I find it a big help in the bathrooms because it just sucks up stubborn hairs that I tend to chase around with a rag or broom.  

Swiffer Dust and Shine: This formula is WAX FREE which is a biggie for me.  A lot of the cheaper dusting sprays create buildup on wood surfaces.  Plus this stuff is safe on granite, and so far the ONLY thing I have found to clean granite without leaving streaks (besides very expensive granite specific cleaners).  

So finally, my routine.  I do this weekly.  Every Monday it seems.  

Bathrooms: 

• Remove all rugs from the floor and dirty towels. 
• Shake out rugs outside. 
• Spray down the entire shower with Scrubbing Bubbles.  After I spray it down, I leave the foam to work for a few minutes
• Spray Scrubbing Bubbles on toilet.  I clean toilet top to bottom leaving the inside for last.  I pay special attention to the base of the toilet giving it a good wipe down.  After cleaning with scrubbing bubbles, I wipe dry with a clean towel.
• With toilet bowel cleaner and brush, I scrub out the toilet.  I leave the brush hanging in the toilet to let drip dry before I put it away to prevent mold and nasty build up on the brush
• Revisit shower.  Follow Scrubbing Bubbles cleaning directions.  Wipe dry with a clean towel.  Don't forget the shower head and shower controls.  Pay special attention to shower pan to prevent soap scum build-up.
• Spray Scrubbing Bubbles on shower doors.  Clean from top to bottom.  Clean shower door rail sliders.  Soap and lime build-up is common in those areas. 
• Clean tub with Scrubbing Bubbles.  Start from top to bottom.  Once clean, wipe dry with clean towel.
• Then I move to the vanity.  I start by using a glass cleaner on the mirrors.  Clean mirrors top to bottom with glass cleaner and paper towels (or news paper)
• I usually use glass cleaner on my light fixtures as needed.  I don't really use hair-spray to I generally just have to clean the dust off.  
• I spray Scrubbing Bubbles in the sink basins ONLY.  Scrubbing Bubbles is not really granite friendly. 
• While Scrubbing Bubbles are foaming in the basins, I wipe down the vanity tops with granite safe cleaner.  I also clean out the tooth brush holder to clean out any tooth paste nasty's.  (remove everything from vanity top to make it easier to clean, once dry I put everything back on the vanity top)
• Finish cleaning basins, then wipe dry with clean dry towel.  
• Wipe down vanity fronts and organize vanity if needed.  
• Sweep bathroom floor paying special attention to behind the toilet.  Shop vac baseboards and behind toilet if needed.
• Use Revel Mop to mop tile floors.  Mop your way out of the room.  

Bedrooms/ living areas: 

• Once a month I clean the ceiling fans.  I do not recommend a wet rag.  I usually use a shop vac.  Be careful of falling dust onto bedding.  
• Remove bedding and wash
• Remove decor from surface tops.
• Dust all surface tops.
• Put any objects out of place into their spots.
• Dust blinds and window seal.
• Windex any glass surfaces.
• Vacuum myself out of the room.

Kitchen:

• Remove any rugs (shake clean outside) and remove dish towels/ rags
• Make sure any and all dishes are in the correct place (dirty in the dishwasher, clean put away).  
• Spray sink basin with Scrubbing Bubbles, let foam.
• Clean granite tops with approved cleaner starting at one end of the kitchen, working my way back to the sink.  As I clean the tops, I make sure to wipe down anything I have setting out on the tops.  
• Clean sink, wipe dry.  
• Clean all appliances with approved cleaners.  With all appliances I also start top to bottom.  Paying close attention to the inside of the microwave, inside of the oven, and bottom/inside of dishwasher.  
• Wipe down cabinet fronts and drawer pulls 
• Sweep/sweep vac.  Shop-vac baseboards if needed.  
• Revel Mop

I think you get the idea.  I do this weekly.  And I don't skip steps.  I have always given the house a deep clean once a week, but I have been prone in the past to skip things that "already look clean".  The key is, clean it every week EVEN IF IT LOOKS CLEAN.  If you do that weekly, you will be less likely to see any soap scum/lime scale build up.  It is a little time consuming. (Takes me between 2 and 3 hours depending on breaks and if Haley is napping or not). But by the time you are all done, you have that great "aaaahhh" feeling.  Everything is done.  The house is clean, and now you can sit back and enjoy some family time!