A buildup of dust can harbor allergens and contribute to sinus infections.
(CNN) -- The quickest, smartest strategies for battling eight universally despised tasks.
Dirty job No. 1: Changing or emptying the vacuum bag or bin
Time it takes: 5 to 10 minutes.
Why it matters:
When the bag is more than half full, the vacuum loses suction. The
fuller it gets, the harder the machine works. Eventually it could work
so hard, the motor will burn out.
Step 1: Run the vacuum for 30 seconds to push any residual dirt in the machine into the bag. Unplug.
Step 2:
• If you have a
disposable bag: Before pulling out the bag, stick a piece of duct tape
over the hole where the bag connects to the vacuum, says Louanna
Henning, director of housekeeping at the luxury hotel Rosewood Mansion
on Turtle Creek, in Dallas. This will prevent a dust cloud from erupting
in your face.
• If you have a reusable
cloth bag or a plastic bin (as on a bagless vacuum): Work outdoors. Put
the bag or bin inside a garbage bag and shake out the dust, says Debra
Johnson, training manager for the Memphis- based Merry Maids cleaning
service. Rinse the bag or bin in hot water before reattaching (or toss
the bag in the washing machine, then let it air-dry).
Try to do this: Every month or two if you have kids and/or pets; twice a year otherwise.
Dirty job No. 2: Clearing dead bugs from an overhead fixture
Time it takes: 15 minutes.
Why it matters: The corpses pile up, especially in summer. They're not dangerous to your health, but who wants to look at them?
Step 1: Turn
off the light and tape down the switch for safety. Wear an apron with
pockets to stash supplies. With a screwdriver and a cotton cloth in your
pocket, climb an extra-tall stepladder (try the six-foot Werner 356;
$71, amazon.com), which will get you eye to eye with the fixture. Unscrew the dome. Dust the bulb with the cloth.
Step 2: Climb
back down and head to the kitchen. Dump any dead bugs into the trash.
Line the sink with a large dish towel (to prevent breakage) and place
the dome on top, open-side up. Fill with warm water and a squirt of dish
soap and let soak.
Step 3: Wipe
with a sponge, rinse, and dry. (You can also pop most domes into the
dishwasher, says Henning, who does this with all but painted and very
delicate covers.)
Step 4: When
it's dry, reattach the dome. (Consider switching to frosted-glass
domes, which camouflage the body count better than clear ones.)
Try to do this: Whenever you're sick of looking at the bugs.
Dirty job No. 3: Decrumbing the toaster
Time it takes: 5 to 10 minutes.
Why it matters: Besides being a mess, the crumbs can smoke, stinking up your kitchen and possibly setting off your smoke alarm.
For a toaster
Step 1:
Unplug and remove the crumb tray. Dump out the crumbs, then wash the
tray with dish soap and wipe dry with a cotton cloth. Hold the toaster
upside down over the trash can and gently tap out any remaining crumbs.
For a toaster oven
Step 1:
Place a small oven-safe container filled with water inside the oven and
heat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes to soften everything up,
says Findley. Unplug the oven and remove the crumb tray and the rack;
dump out the crumbs.
Use a plastic spatula to
scrape off stuck-on morsels. Wash the tray and the rack with dish soap
and wipe dry with a cotton cloth. Wipe the inside and the burners with a
damp cloth and a drop of dish soap, then let dry
Dirty job No. 4: Cleaning ceiling-fan blades
Time it takes:
15 minutes. Why it matters: When dust sits around, dust mites move in.
They contribute to allergies and sinus infections. A dusty fan can send
mites scattering to bedding and furniture, so it's actually a health
risk.
Step 1: Tape down the fan's switch for safety.
Step 2:
Spread drop cloths or old sheets on the floor and over any furniture
under the fan. Try to cover a radius about twice as wide as the blades.
Step 3:
Fill a spray bottle with water and 2 tablespoons of distilled white
vinegar and use it to spritz the inside of a cloth shoe bag or
pillowcase. Put on a baseball cap.
Step 4: Standing
on an extra-tall stepladder that puts you about a head above the
blades, slip the bag or the pillowcase over each blade, pulling it back
to trap dust (you can use the same one for all the blades -- just keep
maneuvering it to find a clean spot).
Use a cotton cloth for
residual grime and to dust the base and the light fixture. If, however,
you have a very high ceiling that's out of range -- say, 12 feet -- use
a ceiling-fan duster, like the Unger microfiber duster ($12, acehardware.com).
It is shaped to fit around the blades and screws onto an extension pole ($22 to $48, acehardware.com).
Try to do this: At the beginning and the end of fan season, or every other month if you use the fan year-round.
Dirty job No. 5: Scouring the kitchen trash can
Time it takes: 15 minutes.
Why it matters: When
traces of food and liquid that escape the trash bag are left to fester,
mold, mildew, and bacteria can grow, causing a nasty stench. Mold and
mildew can also get into the air and exacerbate allergies.
Step 1: Take the can outside and hose it down. Pat dry. (No outdoor space? Work in your bathtub.)
Step 2: Spray
the can inside and out with a cleaner designed for pet messes; these
products contain enzymes that kill bacteria and neutralize odors, says
Mary Findley, a veteran house cleaner and the founder of Mary Moppins, a
manufacturer of green cleaning products in Eugene, Oregon.
Step 3:
Wearing rubber gloves, scrub the can with a toilet brush or a
nylon-bristle broom. Rinse with the hose and towel-dry. Or, even better,
let the can dry in the sun. The heat helps eradicate mold.
Try to do this: Every other month or whenever the can smells funky.
Dirty job No. 6: Cleaning heat and air-conditioning vents and radiators
Time it takes: 15 minutes per unit.
Why it matters:
A buildup of dust anywhere harbors allergens. And when you're dealing
with vents and radiators, this dust is propelled into the room. Also,
excessive dust makes your cooling and heating system work harder and
therefore costs you money.
For vents
Step 1:
Turn off the heat or the air-conditioning. Run the crevice tool of a
vacuum over floor and baseboard vents. For ceiling vents, spread a sheet
below and wear a baseball cap to shield your hair and eyes; if the
crevice tool doesn't reach, use a tool like the Unger duster ($7, amazon.com), with an extension pole ($22 to $48, acehardware.com).
Step 2: Remove
the vent covers (all you need is a screwdriver); you'll have to use a
stepladder for ceiling vents. Wash covers with dish soap, using a small
sponge paintbrush to get into slats (plastic and unpainted aluminum or
steel can go in the dishwasher).
If you want to soak the covers to get them extra clean, use only hot water -- prolonged exposure to soap may take the paint off.
Clean inside ducts, as far as you can reach, with the crevice tool or a cobweb duster (Quickie Manufacturing, $9, acehardwareoutlet.com), which has stiff bristles and a rounded head that fits inside ducts. When they're dry, replace the covers.
For radiators
Step 1: Dust between the radiator fins with a bottle brush (Sigg cleaning brush, $13, target.com). Don't use water, which can cause rust.
Dirty job No. 7: Cleaning behind and under the refrigerator
Time it takes: 20 to 30 minutes.
Why it matters: Lots
of dust on the coils can cause a refrigerator to run inefficiently. And
dust under the refrigerator can mix with moisture from the air to gum
up the finish on your floor.
Step 1:
Pull out the refrigerator by grasping both sides and gently wiggling it
toward you; some are on wheels, so this may be easier than you think.
When you can, reach behind and pull the plug (your food will survive for
the short time it takes to clean).
If you have an ice maker, shut off the water supply first, just in case the hose comes loose.
Step 2: To
dislodge dust around the condenser coils (the wriggly apparatus in
back), use a long, thin tool known as a refrigerator-coil brush
(Rubbermaid, $9, acehardware.com), then gently vacuum with a brush attachment.
Some refrigerators have
their condenser coils behind a removable grille in the front. If yours
does, snap off or unscrew the grille and clean the coils, as above.
Step 3:
Wipe down the wall, the back of the refrigerator, and the sides with a
damp cotton cloth and a little dish soap. Then vacuum and clean the
floor.
A solution of 1⁄3 cup
white vinegar and ½ gallon warm water is a safe bet for most surfaces,
except tile and stone. For those, use plain hot water or a tile or stone
cleaner like StoneTech Professional Stone & Tile Cleaner ($10 a
quart, stonetechdirect.com).
Step 4:
After the floor is completely dry, plug in the refrigerator and slide
it into place. If you've turned off the water, switch it back on.
Try to do this: Twice a year.
Dirty job No. 8: Scrubbing shower doors and tiles
Time it takes: 10 to 15 minutes.
Why it matters:
If they're ignored for too long, mold and mildew can seep into the
grout, and there may be no way to remove them. A buildup of soap scum
can discolor ceramic and stone tile.
Step 1: Spray the walls with an all-purpose cleaner, then go at them with a stiff-bristle scrub brush (Bar Brush, $9, oxo.com). For heavy soap scum, mold, and mildew, use a stronger cleaner, like Marblelife Maxout Tile and Grout (from $10, marblelife.com).
When it comes to grout
lines, Leigh Gansberg, director of housekeeping at the Carlyle hotel, in
New York City, swears by the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponge ($3, walgreens.com).
Just dampen it and rub it over the grout -- the cleaner is inside the
sponge. If you prefer an eco-friendly version, try the Stain Eraser
($17, goclean.com).
Step 2: (for
those with shower doors): Use glass cleaner or, if you're dealing with
serious soap scum or hard-water spots, undiluted white vinegar that has
been heated to boiling (just be careful). A scrub brush can scratch
glass, so use a microfiber cloth or, for gentle abrasion, a nonscratch
scrubbing sponge.
A trick for shower-door
tracks: Pour a little vinegar into the track, let sit for a few
minutes, then rub with the scrub brush and towel-dry. No need to rinse.
After a shower or two, the vinegar smell will be gone.
Try to do this: Every other week for light cleaning (using the all-purpose cleaner); once a month for the shower-door tracks.
Original post taken from: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/29/living/worst-cleaning-made-easy/index.html?hpt=li_bn5