Cleaning is probably one of the most basic human chores yet not everyone is gravitated towards it and this could be because of the concept of cleaning involves the dirt or they're just never taught at a young age so they're not used to it. It's also a physically exhausting activity so it does take a bit of willpower to achieve.
If you just moved out to be on your own and you're lost as where to start and how to clean in the first place, I am hoping that this post (like the 101 on cooking) will help make the task easier for you. Just like anything new, this is only more difficult in the beginning. It does take some getting used to.
I divided four "cleaning" area topics that could be covered by the very basics:
Floors and Surfaces
These can be furniture, home decor, floors, kitchen counters. For furniture and other "upper" surfaces, only need two things for this: wiping cloth and surface cleaner or disinfectant. For the floor, you will need your broom-dust pan combo or a vacuum cleaner and a mopper.
Upper surfaces do not really require daily cleaning unless you are living in an environment where dust piles up faster. Floors do not necessarily need to be cleaned daily as well, but as a personal preference I like to clean my floor daily because I just think they're a lot more exposed to bacteria than other surfaces. I also make sure that I use disinfectant on the floor rather than just fragrant liquid cleansers.
If you have a vacuum cleaner, it is much faster to go over all areas of the floor but a broom would do the same thing but only takes a lot more effort and time. A broom is also less accurate but mopping after always fixes that.
Kitchen counters are a lot tougher to clean especially if you don't clean up after you cook. If you're cleaning up after cooking, a multi-use surface cleaner will be enough. Grease and grime can toughen up and this will require special kitchen or stovetop cleaners.
I suggest surface cleaning more frequently because you'll almost never see dirt pile up which can be gross to clean up.
Laundry
Laundry is also relatively easy with the help of machines nowadays. You just have to learn how to use the machine that you have access to, choose your appropriate laundry detergent for the machine and most importantly reading the washing instructions on your clothing. Some type of clothing are advised only for air drying (no machine dryers) so it will be helpful if you have somewhere to hang these type of clothing after throwing them in the wash. It is also smart to group laundry that have similar or the same wash requirements. You can have laundry hampers that have segregation or separate according to colour and wash instructions before you load them in the machine.
Hand washing your laundry is another kind of art but the name is self explanatory. It is important when handwashing to make sure the collar, the end of the sleeves are well "scrubbed" before moving to the larger parts of the clothing.
Fabric conditioner is not necessary if your detergent already smells okay as it is. I have read that vinegar is a great substitute when using a machine washer but I have not tried that myself so take this with a grain of salt.
When using a dryer machine, also consider the wash and dry instruction on your clothing label.
Dishwashing
If you have a dishwasher, there is not much to say but to pre-clean the leftover food and/or grease from whatever you want to load in the dishwasher and let it do its job. I know there will be others who prefer handwashing, but I personally would choose this over handwashing (unless there's really too little to load) because a dishwasher cleans more accurately and efficiently and it does disinfect. Don't believe those who try to make you feel bad for wanting to use a dishwasher. You're not lazy, you just choose to be more efficient.
However, if handwashing is your only way, to make the chore easier and faster have a good lathering dish soap that cuts through grease and also a good sponge or scrub. Do not skimp on your dishwashing soap because this is your best chance at really cleaning without exerting too much effort. Also, never use the hard stainless scrubs on your non-stick pans.
Make sure everything is rinsed out well before drying them out.
Bath and Toilet
Cleaning the bath and toilet is probably the most exhausting chore and it will be more exhausting if you don't do this often. This can also be the least pleasant chore if you let all the grime build up over time. One of the most common misconception is that the bathroom or toilet always stay clean because that's where (well) people clean up - but I think that's the exact reason why it also needs much regular cleaning.
There's too much to say about this but the best way to get started is to get yourself some good cleaning tools like a bath scrub/brush, gloves and cleaning solutions for the toilet and tiles. It is important that the cleaning solutions disinfect the area. Also make sure to take out your toiletries and other accessories before cleaning.
I hope this helps!
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