My weekly cleaning routine

 

Following my post on my daily cleaning routine (you can read the post here), I’d like to share a little about my weekly routine.

I’m not one who likes to clean but I like a clean home.  There are so many benefits to a clean home.  When the environment is clean there is much less bacteria lurking around.  There is also less dust.  This means that chances of falling ill and allergic breakouts such as sinus and eczema are minimised.  This also translates to saving time and money from going to the doctor’s office.

There are days that I procrastinate and put off cleaning because there are better things to do like spending time with family or working on a hobby.  I know that with procrastination comes accumulation of more housework (and harmful bacteria) and so I came up with daily and weekly cleaning routines.  When routines and habits are formed, you will know when it is time to get to work.  It is said that it takes 21 days to form a habit.  I think this may be quite true though I didn’t record how long I took to make cleaning routines part of my lifestyle.  But I was pretty sure it didn’t take very long.  I just kept sticking to what were in my daily and weekly list and worked on them.  I have found that these few tips work for  me when I clean.  I am not an expert in cleaning and do not have the cleanest home but I find that some of these things work for me.

1. Get cleaning supplies organised and ready for use

   I get my cleaning supplies all organised in a cleaning caddy.  I grab the cleaning caddy instead of going around grabbing items individually.  Cleaning is so much easier when I have the items I need within reach.  It saves so much time in having to go in and out getting things I need in the midst of cleaning.  The items in my cleaning caddy are rags, mirco-fibre cloth, cleaning toothbrush, sponge, gloves, cleaning detergent and all-purpose cleaner.

2. Set a fixed amount of time for each cleaning task

   When I am cleaning, I like to set a time for myself to finish the task I am working on.  For example, I set the timer on my phone to 30 minutes to complete taking off and putting on my bed sheets.  Then I work fast and try to stick to the given time so that I don’t have to spend more time than necessary to complete it.  Setting a time limit to your tasks helps you to stay focused and efficient.

3. Play some music

   I find music a mood lifter and I like playing music when I am cleaning.  Cleaning is mundane work and playing music helps make the job a little more pleasant.  Play your favourite songs or tunes and work at the same time.  Maybe cleaning need not be so painful after all.

4. Reward yourself after that

   I give myself small rewards like watching my favourite TV show or going for a walk when I finish my tasks.  Similarly, you deserve a nice treat or reward after working so hard.

So back to my weekly cleaning!  Things that are on my weekly list are the ones that are bigger in size and more time intensive like:

• Changing the bed sheets
• Washing the toilet bowls
• Scrubbing the showers and tub
• Cleaning the windows
• Cleaning the fridge
• Cleaning the fans
• Deep cleaning the stove top

I take one or two tasks per day throughout the week to complete them.  But I try to stick to the same days, for example I wash the toilet bowls on Mondays, change the bed sheets on Tuesdays and so on.  Sticking to the days helps in spacing out the time things are clean to the time they get dirty again.  It also makes work easier and less tiring.

And so to summarise, here is a list of my daily and weekly cleaning routines.

What are your cleaning routines and tips?  We all have different items to clean and different frequencies as well.  I hope these tips work for you.  Happy cleaning!

 

DIY Hand Sanitizer

Most of us will remember our childhood days when Mom would ask us to do our homework, make our beds, pack our bags, have our lunch, wash our hands…the list goes on.  I’m so glad that Mom reminds and instills in us to do all these things.

Today, I want to zoom in on the habit of hand hygiene instilled by Mom from many years ago.  Keeping my hands clean has become a habit for me.  I wash my hands many times a day to keep germs away.  After my daughter was born, I was more conscious than ever about hand hygiene.  An infant’s immunity is low so I was really mindful to wash my hands before washing her bottles, cleaning and playing with her.   As she grew and up till today, I still remind her about hand hygiene and how it is related to our overall health.

While it’s best to wash hands with soap and water it’s not always possible when I’m outside.  When the restroom is out of the way, I’ll reach for a hand sanitizer as the next best alternative or as a temporary measure.  I always carry wet tissues and hand sanitizer in my bag.  Wet tissues are good for wiping seats, spills and hands but I prefer using hand sanitizer because it’s able to disinfect hands more effectively.

I started making hand sanitizers with essential oils last year.  Before that, I was using sanitizers from the pharmacy.  I didn’t really like the smells that some of them had and wondered if I could make my own.  I realised there were many hand sanitizer recipes all over the internet.

Most recipes call for tea tree oil (also known as melaleuca) because of its disinfecting, antiseptic, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties.  I use tea tree oil for healing acne and it works much better than any other remedies I’ve tried.  Now I also use it for my DIY hand sanitizer.  In addition to tea tree oil, it is good to add aloe vera and Vitamin E oil to calm, nourish and hydrate the skin.

DIY Hand Sanitizer

Ingredients:

2 drops tea tree oil

3 drops essential oil with antimicrobial properties (I use lavender because it has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties)

1 tablespoon witch hazel or rubbing alcohol

2 tablespoons distilled water

1 teaspoon aloe vera

1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil

1 small spray bottle

Directions:

Mix everything together in a bowl and pour into spray bottle.

Recipe source: http://dontwastethecrumbs.com

Simple recipe and I love it.  I’d like to thank the author for sharing.

Have a nice day ♥

DIY Linen Spray

Fresh and clean scents are mood lifters for me.  I love floral and citrus smells.  They give me positive energy and boosts my mood.   I like my home to smell nice and was looking for natural ways to create fresh and clean scents.   I picked up the idea of making linen spray from some Pinterest boards.

As I already had some of the ingredients on hand, I decided to give it a try.  I just had to get witch hazel from the pharmacy and I was ready to give this a hands-on.

Ingredients for DIY linen spray:

10 drops lavender essential oil

10 drops lemon essential oil

1 tablespoon witch hazel

1 cup distilled water

1 glass bottle fitted with a spray nozzle

Directions:

1. In a measuring cup, add witch hazel followed by 10 drops lavender essential oil and 10 drops lemon essential oil.  Stir to mix ingredients.
2. Add distilled water till it reaches 1 cup.  Stir to mix well.
3. Pour into glass bottle.
4. Shake well before spraying on bedding, linen, or clothing.

I upcycled a root beer bottle and used it as a spray bottle for my linen spray.  I removed the label from the bottle and wrapped it with decorative paper.  I like using dark coloured glass bottles for essential oil products as they keep the oils protected from strong sunlight and other sources of UV light.  The spray nozzle was taken from an old spray bottle.  Thankfully it fitted perfectly with the bottle.

I use the linen spray on throw pillows and bed covers.  The smell of lemon and lavender together is so pleasant and soothing.  It makes the room smell so refreshing.  Lavender essentials oils are known for its soothing, normalizing and balancing effects.  Lemon essential oils give a refreshing and uplifting effect.  And so it is a perfect combination for me.  Witch hazel is a cleansing agent and astringent.  It has other uses such as soothing sunburns and skin irritations and treating minor cuts, abrasions and insect bites.

If you are new to essential oils,  please take note that they are highly concentrated and so please use them with care.   Take precautions such as keeping them out of reach of children.  Avoid contact with eyes. If you are pregnant or lactating, please consult your healthcare practitioner before using. Do not use on skin.   Do not use without diluting in a carrier oil or base.

There are many wonderful uses for essential oils but I am not an expert in this area and thus far I have only used them for making linen spray and hand sanitizers.  Many use them for aromatherapy and healthcare purposes.  Please consult a qualified essential oils professional or healthcare professional to learn more if you are interested in incorporating essential oils in your lifestyle.

 

My daily housekeeping must-dos

I am my home’s Chief Cleaning Officer.  Cleaning is a big part of my portfolio as a SAHM.  I think it’s the same for most families.  Mom is the main housekeeper.  I embrace my role with gladness because I am blessed with a house to keep and a family to care for.

Cleaning is tiring and overwhelming when I have other tasks and priorities.  Cleaning is a never-ending job but it needs to get done.   I found that it helps when I have a routine and habits that make it almost second nature to get things going.

Here are my daily must-dos or habits I have for cleaning my home.

 

1. Make the Bed

This is the first thing I do each morning after I wake up.  Having a made bed makes the room clean and fresh and it sets me moving to other tasks.  At the end of the day, I can climb in and relax on a clean bed.

2. Do the laundry

I do a load of laundry everyday.  There’s always a lot of clothes in the laundry basket so if I skip a day it would be disastrous the next day.  I hang and fold the clean laundry and put them away so that there will not be a back log and my family always have clean clothes ready to wear.

3. Clean the bathroom counters

My bathroom counters always seem to have water and water marks on them everyday.  I wipe the counters and mirrors down with a micro-fibre cloth and vinegar and water.  I also clean the toilet seats daily.

 

4. Mop the floors

My floors are dusty everyday.  And with a dog running around and playing ball in the house, mopping the floors is a must-do.  I spray on floor cleaning detergent and give myself 20 to 30 minutes to get this done.

 

5. Clean the kitchen

My kitchen is always busy.  I cook everyday so cleaning the stove, counters, appliances, utensils, dishes and sink are daily tasks.  It helps to multi-task when working in the kitchen.  I always clean up utensils or spills as I cook.  For example while waiting for the soup to come to a boil I will wash the bowls and utensils I used or clean up any splashes or spills.  Each night, I will clean up the sink with baking soda and dish soap before going to bed.

6. Empty the trash

Trash bins harbour odours and bacteria.  I bag up the trash each night and bring them out.  Once a week, I give the trash bins a wipe down with vinegar and water.

7. Quick scan and pick-up

At the end of the day, I do a quick scan around the living room and bedrooms to put things back to where they belong.  My daughter would sometimes go to bed forgetting to put her things back.  I will place them neatly on the dining table and get her to keep them the next day.  I will do a quick 10 minute tidy up to put things like remote controls and pillows back to their designated places.

 

After all these are done, it’s time to hop into bed to get some needed rest.

These are my daily must-dos.  What are your daily must-dos?  I hope to hear yours.

Blessed day!