Clutterbugs: Cut your Cleaning Time in Half
How much time do you spend cleaning every week? Whatever it is, it is probably more than you need to spend. Time is literally the most precious and irreplaceable thing we have, and I don't know about you, but I can think of 50 things I'd rather be doing than spending mine cleaning the house.
If I could tell you how to clean a bathroom in 12 minutes, would you be interested? And I mean actually clean, not the way my 13 year old son cleans a bathroom in 12 minutes - ick. With his Clean Team method, Jeff Campbell claims his 3 person teams can clean an entire HOUSE in 42 minutes. He should know, his company has cleaned literally thousands of homes over the years and they have studied and refined their methods and now they are passing them on to us. OK, you might not be able to clean your whole house in 42 minutes, but if you can clean it in less than a whole Saturday afternoon, I think you'd still be interested. I certainly was.
I will share some of the basics of his plan, but if you really decide to give this method a try, you're probably going to want to find one of his books - he's written several. Here's an Amazon link to the one I think is the best one. I bought his books probably 10 years ago and I have incorporated his methods into my cleaning habits. I never quite hit the 12 minute mark on a room, but I know I have speeded up my time considerably.
Basically, speed cleaning seems to come down to two factors - tools and methods. It's really not all that complicated and you can get started in just one day if you like. The main benefit for the tools is to keep everything in one place, preferably right on your body as you move through a room. So Jeff has designed a special Clean Team apron for that purpose. He sells them on his website or you can get something similar from Home Depot. It needs to have several loops for holding spray bottles, and a number of good sized pockets for holding your other tools.
Once you have the apron, it is time to fill it. Start with spray bottles - you will need 3 good, sturdy spray bottles. One of them is to hold what he calls "red juice" - basically 409 or Kaboom, whatever liquid cleaner you use for your non-mirrored surfaces. If you prefer an organic cleaner, you'd probably use diluted vinegar or a vinegar/peroxide solution. This goes on your left apron loop. On the opposite side, of course, goes the "blue juice" - Windex or whatever liquid cleaner you use on mirrors. The 3rd spray bottle is for a weak bleach solution used for getting out stains. I use diluted lemon juice with baking soda as I'm terrified of bleach. Someone dribbled a few drops of it on my hallway carpet and ruined it forever. It's powerful stuff. The bleach bottle goes in a cleaning tray which we'll get to later.
In the apron pockets, you need the following things - a toothbrush, a plastic paint scraper (or credit card), a razor blade holder, a Magic Eraser - stored in an open ziplock bag held in place with a binder clip, a 2nd ziplock bag (also held with a binder clip) to hold small trash items, and a stack of good sized cleaning cloths - large cloth diapers are ideal. Each item goes in a specific pocket and is always returned to it's same location - that way you can reach for things and find them quickly without digging around.
When you have an apron stocked like this, just about everything you need for cleaning a room is right on your body enabling you to move efficiently without digging around under the sink for additional cleaning products or tools. However, you will also need a large plastic open carryall with a handle for more specialty items, such as Lime-a-way, cleanser, brushes, furniture polish, and floor cleaner and extra cleaning cloths. You'll also need a good heavy-duty vacuum with a 50 foot extension cord (you plug it in one place and leave it alone), a feather duster (in your back pocket), and a professional quality sponge mop.
Now for the methods - first of all, everything goes with you into every room, so you have all the tools you need right at hand. Then you enter a room and work in a clockwise path, always cleaning from highest to lowest. That way, you aren't knocking dirt and dust onto the lower surfaces you've just cleaned. You also have to make every move count as you clean each surface and move on to the next area. Use both hands - wipe with one as you move things with the other. Don't rinse until it's clean, and don't clean it unless it's dirty. Get things clean, but don't obsess over cleaning every switch plate and line of grout. That's what slows you down - give it a spritz and a good wipe and move on.
Using the right tools is important. If there is stuck-on gunk on the counter, don't even try to clean it with a cloth, start right in with the plastic scraper. If it doesn't come up easily with that, immediately move to the razor blade, being careful not to scratch the surfaces. Wipe crumbs and dust onto the floor - you will get them on the last step when you vacuum (not sweep!) the floor. Pay attention to what you're doing and track your time with a stopwatch or timer. That will encourage you to move faster the next time.
For an example, let's say I am cleaning my kitchen. I put my apron on and make sure all my tools are ready and in place. Grab my carryall and take my plugged in vacuum and leave it by the door. To the left of the door is my first stop, the fridge. Take my feather duster and give the top a quick swipe, then use my red juice and cleaning cloths to wipe off the finger prints - done! Move onto the first section of counter. Wipe down the cupboards and back splash with a little red juice and I'm ready to start the counter. Work from left to right and back to front - sweep the crumbs onto the floor, lift and replace each small appliance with my free hand and wipe, wipe, wipe. Trash into my trash apron pocket and anything (spices, dishes, mail) that doesn't belong is moved onto the next area or somewhere out of the way. Done! Stove is next - left to right, back to front, use my toothbrush or scrapers for anything caked on, and liberal use of red juice - or blue juice if it's a shiny surface.
Yank off the used kitchen towels and lob them over by the door - you'll get them on your way out of the room. Another section of counter and cupboards - treat same as the first and we're halfway done. Spritz a little bleach in the sink and let it work while I use my toothbrush to clean around the faucets and edging. Hopefully you don't have any dishes piled up. If you do, stack them on a section of counter and come back to deal with them later. Now you're halfway done!
Finish the rest of the counters the same way and move onto the dining room table. Hopefully, it is clear. If not, sweep everything off onto one of the chairs for later attention. Move the chairs back away from the table and whisk broom the seats. Wipe half the table as you're going, then circle around to the other side, wiping the crumbs onto the floor as you go. Use your red juice as needed and refold or swap your cleaning cloths to get a fresh surface. When they're completely used up - lob them over on top of the dish towels to be washed.
Then finish up with a quick dusting of the desk (we have a desk in our kitchen) and a swipe of the pantry doors. 15 minutes and your kitchen is already looking pretty. Time to vacuum. Grab the vacuum and start back in front of the pantry you just finished. Working carefully and quickly, whisk over each section of the floor in a forward, then diagonal motion to make the most of each pass - no need to go back and forth multiple times. Snake around the kitchen in a counter-clockwise rotation, getting under and around the table being careful not to tangle your cord. As you pass the sink, put the plug in and start filling it full of hot water and ammonia (or your preferred floor cleaner) for mopping. Finish your vacuuming and swap the vacuum for your mop. Soak the head well, squeeze off most of the liquid and start at the point in the furthest corner. Mop, mop, mop using your Magic Eraser or scraper for black marks or ground-in mess. Rinse the mop head often, especially after the dirtiest areas - by the door, and in front of the stove/fridge. Leave an exit strip down the center, so you can get out without slipping on the wet floor or getting dirty footprints on your clean floor. And you're DONE! Note the time so that you can improve your speed next time.
This is just a very basic overview of the Clean Team method. To really understand it, you need to read the book. Happily, it's quick and easy reading, with lots of pictures. I buzzed through it in about 30 minutes this last time. I think its time well spent since you will easily knock that 30 minutes off your first week's cleaning and many times thereafter.
Come back again soon for a fresh dose of Clutterbugs. To see past posts on the subject, click on the Clutterbugs label at the bottom of this post for a complete list.
By TwitterButtons.com
If I could tell you how to clean a bathroom in 12 minutes, would you be interested? And I mean actually clean, not the way my 13 year old son cleans a bathroom in 12 minutes - ick. With his Clean Team method, Jeff Campbell claims his 3 person teams can clean an entire HOUSE in 42 minutes. He should know, his company has cleaned literally thousands of homes over the years and they have studied and refined their methods and now they are passing them on to us. OK, you might not be able to clean your whole house in 42 minutes, but if you can clean it in less than a whole Saturday afternoon, I think you'd still be interested. I certainly was.
I will share some of the basics of his plan, but if you really decide to give this method a try, you're probably going to want to find one of his books - he's written several. Here's an Amazon link to the one I think is the best one. I bought his books probably 10 years ago and I have incorporated his methods into my cleaning habits. I never quite hit the 12 minute mark on a room, but I know I have speeded up my time considerably.
Basically, speed cleaning seems to come down to two factors - tools and methods. It's really not all that complicated and you can get started in just one day if you like. The main benefit for the tools is to keep everything in one place, preferably right on your body as you move through a room. So Jeff has designed a special Clean Team apron for that purpose. He sells them on his website or you can get something similar from Home Depot. It needs to have several loops for holding spray bottles, and a number of good sized pockets for holding your other tools.
Once you have the apron, it is time to fill it. Start with spray bottles - you will need 3 good, sturdy spray bottles. One of them is to hold what he calls "red juice" - basically 409 or Kaboom, whatever liquid cleaner you use for your non-mirrored surfaces. If you prefer an organic cleaner, you'd probably use diluted vinegar or a vinegar/peroxide solution. This goes on your left apron loop. On the opposite side, of course, goes the "blue juice" - Windex or whatever liquid cleaner you use on mirrors. The 3rd spray bottle is for a weak bleach solution used for getting out stains. I use diluted lemon juice with baking soda as I'm terrified of bleach. Someone dribbled a few drops of it on my hallway carpet and ruined it forever. It's powerful stuff. The bleach bottle goes in a cleaning tray which we'll get to later.
In the apron pockets, you need the following things - a toothbrush, a plastic paint scraper (or credit card), a razor blade holder, a Magic Eraser - stored in an open ziplock bag held in place with a binder clip, a 2nd ziplock bag (also held with a binder clip) to hold small trash items, and a stack of good sized cleaning cloths - large cloth diapers are ideal. Each item goes in a specific pocket and is always returned to it's same location - that way you can reach for things and find them quickly without digging around.
When you have an apron stocked like this, just about everything you need for cleaning a room is right on your body enabling you to move efficiently without digging around under the sink for additional cleaning products or tools. However, you will also need a large plastic open carryall with a handle for more specialty items, such as Lime-a-way, cleanser, brushes, furniture polish, and floor cleaner and extra cleaning cloths. You'll also need a good heavy-duty vacuum with a 50 foot extension cord (you plug it in one place and leave it alone), a feather duster (in your back pocket), and a professional quality sponge mop.
Now for the methods - first of all, everything goes with you into every room, so you have all the tools you need right at hand. Then you enter a room and work in a clockwise path, always cleaning from highest to lowest. That way, you aren't knocking dirt and dust onto the lower surfaces you've just cleaned. You also have to make every move count as you clean each surface and move on to the next area. Use both hands - wipe with one as you move things with the other. Don't rinse until it's clean, and don't clean it unless it's dirty. Get things clean, but don't obsess over cleaning every switch plate and line of grout. That's what slows you down - give it a spritz and a good wipe and move on.
Using the right tools is important. If there is stuck-on gunk on the counter, don't even try to clean it with a cloth, start right in with the plastic scraper. If it doesn't come up easily with that, immediately move to the razor blade, being careful not to scratch the surfaces. Wipe crumbs and dust onto the floor - you will get them on the last step when you vacuum (not sweep!) the floor. Pay attention to what you're doing and track your time with a stopwatch or timer. That will encourage you to move faster the next time.
For an example, let's say I am cleaning my kitchen. I put my apron on and make sure all my tools are ready and in place. Grab my carryall and take my plugged in vacuum and leave it by the door. To the left of the door is my first stop, the fridge. Take my feather duster and give the top a quick swipe, then use my red juice and cleaning cloths to wipe off the finger prints - done! Move onto the first section of counter. Wipe down the cupboards and back splash with a little red juice and I'm ready to start the counter. Work from left to right and back to front - sweep the crumbs onto the floor, lift and replace each small appliance with my free hand and wipe, wipe, wipe. Trash into my trash apron pocket and anything (spices, dishes, mail) that doesn't belong is moved onto the next area or somewhere out of the way. Done! Stove is next - left to right, back to front, use my toothbrush or scrapers for anything caked on, and liberal use of red juice - or blue juice if it's a shiny surface.
Yank off the used kitchen towels and lob them over by the door - you'll get them on your way out of the room. Another section of counter and cupboards - treat same as the first and we're halfway done. Spritz a little bleach in the sink and let it work while I use my toothbrush to clean around the faucets and edging. Hopefully you don't have any dishes piled up. If you do, stack them on a section of counter and come back to deal with them later. Now you're halfway done!
Finish the rest of the counters the same way and move onto the dining room table. Hopefully, it is clear. If not, sweep everything off onto one of the chairs for later attention. Move the chairs back away from the table and whisk broom the seats. Wipe half the table as you're going, then circle around to the other side, wiping the crumbs onto the floor as you go. Use your red juice as needed and refold or swap your cleaning cloths to get a fresh surface. When they're completely used up - lob them over on top of the dish towels to be washed.
Then finish up with a quick dusting of the desk (we have a desk in our kitchen) and a swipe of the pantry doors. 15 minutes and your kitchen is already looking pretty. Time to vacuum. Grab the vacuum and start back in front of the pantry you just finished. Working carefully and quickly, whisk over each section of the floor in a forward, then diagonal motion to make the most of each pass - no need to go back and forth multiple times. Snake around the kitchen in a counter-clockwise rotation, getting under and around the table being careful not to tangle your cord. As you pass the sink, put the plug in and start filling it full of hot water and ammonia (or your preferred floor cleaner) for mopping. Finish your vacuuming and swap the vacuum for your mop. Soak the head well, squeeze off most of the liquid and start at the point in the furthest corner. Mop, mop, mop using your Magic Eraser or scraper for black marks or ground-in mess. Rinse the mop head often, especially after the dirtiest areas - by the door, and in front of the stove/fridge. Leave an exit strip down the center, so you can get out without slipping on the wet floor or getting dirty footprints on your clean floor. And you're DONE! Note the time so that you can improve your speed next time.
This is just a very basic overview of the Clean Team method. To really understand it, you need to read the book. Happily, it's quick and easy reading, with lots of pictures. I buzzed through it in about 30 minutes this last time. I think its time well spent since you will easily knock that 30 minutes off your first week's cleaning and many times thereafter.
Come back again soon for a fresh dose of Clutterbugs. To see past posts on the subject, click on the Clutterbugs label at the bottom of this post for a complete list.
By TwitterButtons.com 
8 comments:
Ooh! Such good tips- thank you!
Brilliant ideas! I think it would help me tremendously. Thank-you for this!
This sounds like it really works. I will never know because I've forced my children into cleaning. The smaller ones seem to like it. And, even their shoddy clean up jobs is better than my not at all cleaning job. I quit cleaning my house right around 2010 and only do it if I'm bribed, under duress, or in emergency situations (ie mother in law visits).
Might have to pin this!!! I clean my house, my Grandfather's house and my Mother's house. ANYTHING to save me time and get me in/out of there as quickly as possible is appreciated and utilized. :)
I need all the help I can get! And this seems like it'll help (and be a timesaver, although I'd still like it better if I had someone else to do it).
I need all the help I can get too! My boys love to help, as long as they can do their part in 20 minutes. Maybe this is our answer?
Great ideas! Anything that helps me speed up the process is great.
Lucky me! Both the SITS post and your posts are about cleaning tips. I will be printing your post as well. Great tips. Thanks.
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