That is the exact cleaning system I have. I have never used my counters for anything food related. I have cutting boards also. I love a spotless house and once you get into a habit of doing those things above, it really isn’t hard. I also agree with the cordless vacuum. I don’t know how I’ve ever vacuumed without it. loved this post. xo
Great post Kristy. I’m going to type this up and put it shower presents for new brides!
Sorry to be a pain. I have searched your website and that of Lamps Plus to no avail. What light bulbs / candle wattage / Kelvin scale is best for the kitchen? I just can’t get it right. I’m not very knowledgeable in this area and would really appreciate your help. Thanks so much,
Alexis from ??
This is exactly what I do, except I do it only on Saturdays with loads of laundry in between and if I have any life and energy left in me I continue on with hosing down the patio and backyard.
Love you to pieces!
Lily
Great post , now i feel the need to go clean!!! I better flip my cushions, i haven’t done that in awhile. Thanks for the great tips, love your beautiful home?❤️
I enjoyed reading about how you keep your house so clean! I love to use vinegar and dial soap. I clean everything from the shower to my windows with it. Inexpensive, and not as toxic…that’s if you can stand the smell of the vinegar!
Thanks for this info! I need that stain with 4 kids and a dog!! And dark hard wood floors! ? Have you heard of the Norwex cleaning supplies?? They changed my life with cleaning. They are microfiber cloths. They clean mirrors soooo well! No sprays and then you have a shine cloth! I use them on my faucets, counters, mirrors, stainless appliances! Look them up!! I love love love them!!!
Hi Kristy! Thanks so much for sharing your cleaning routine! I feel exactly the same way as you do about a squeaky clean house! I was raised by post war European (Italian) parents that did everything themselves (no cleaning lady needed!) So, to begin with, my favourite cleaning products are those that kill every type of bacteria or germs: bleach, Vim, Mr. Clean or Lysol by the jug, and just plain white vinegar. Oh, and I forgot the Borax for laundry (I add about 2/3 of a cup to my laundry load of whites, with bleach, and the liquid detergent. My whites come out more sparkly and dazzling white! Especially great for teenage boys’ white sweat socks! Stains are removed!)
I vacuum EVERYTHING! Pretty much everything you mentioned, and even the bathroom fan in the bathroom ceiling, and the heat exchange grills on the walls; I vacuum baseboards every time I vacuum 1 to 2 times a week, and the trim above doors, the tops of curtain rods, and lamp shades. When I remove/ change my sheets once a week, I vacuum all the mattresses in the house, as well as the sides, and the inside of the bed side rails. I use a central vac system, because I have 3 kids and a small MaltiPom dog, so it’s a high traffic home. It’s new, only a year that we’ve lived in it, but I’m still finicky, lol! Occasionally I’ll also remove the grill from furnace vents and vacuum a bit inside the aluminum furnace pipe as far down as the vacuum nozzle can reach. Then I’ll go over it with a damp cloth. Occasionally I’ll also run the vent grills under water as well, and give them a freshening rinse, then let them air dry before putting back on the floor vent, or just tap dry with a rag. My other cleaning routines are all very similar to yours. The only thing I do a little differently is my mopping technique: I use a terry cloth towel (medium sided, not large bath size). It’s not one I use for showering; it’s one that’s meant just for mopping. I NEVER mix the two together! This could also be an old towel that you DID use for showering, but one that you’re thinking of throwing away. Repurpose it for cleaning your floors! I throw it in the washing machine after each full-house cleaning use. And I re-use it crispy clean again the following week when I mop again. How I mop floors: I fill the laundry sink with warm water and Mr. Clean or Lysol, or half a cup of bleach (for ceramic/porcelain tiles only!). Make sure the water solution is more parts water, NOT 50/50. You don’t want to gradually fade your tile grout, which can happen after years of over bleaching your tile floors. On a weekly basis I just use the Mr. Clean, but a couple of times a year I’ve done a good disinfecting and used the bleach. Anyway, I soak the towel in the soapy water solution. Wring it just enough that water is no longer dripping from it, but not too much that it feels dry either. I fold it once, like a square, and then use a mopping device to push it around my floor in even strokes. If you find the towel slides off the mopping device, then wrap the towel around the mop head. The terry cloth scrubs the tiles much better than store brand mops, and it kind of mimicks the velvety rag that you see on steam mops, except the terry cloth on a towel is a little more fuzzy so it grabs dirt a little better. The nice thing is that, with a towel you can pause during your mopping, turn it inside out or flip it on the opposite side, making the process more efficient. (I find the rag on steam mops too small to be able to do that. Plus they’re stuck on with Velcro, so it’s always the same face of the cloth that’s wiping the floor) Every time the towel needs soaking, just soak it in the laundry tub water. That method also allows you to see how dirty the water gets at each re-soak. Yes, even though we thoroughly vacuum before we mop, you’d be surprised how much thin thin residue of dust is still on the floors. Mopping this way allows you to grab all of it, and see with your own eyes, how murky the water becomes at each re-soak. Now, the soapy water needs to be changed after every 1 or 2 rooms you mop. For hardwood floors, I use the same process. Thoroughly rinse the Mr. Clean out of the rag (or use a separate rag if that works better for you) before starting the hardwood floors. The cleaning solution I use for hardwood is half cup plain white vinegar + 3/4 water-filled laundry sink. You could also use a little squirt of Palmolive liquid dish soap in the water if you prefer, in place of the vinegar. These mopping techniques are what my mama and grandma used to use, and they made our floors squeaky clean and fresh-smelling all throughout the house!
Anyway, hope you enjoyed my tips! I loved reading your blog too!! Always a pleasure! Feel free to email me back if you have any questions!
Diane
Great tips for maintaining a clean house! I always try to make sure the kitchen sink is cleared of dishes and beds are made daily before I leave the house in the morning.
Hi Kristy-I loved reading things and got some great tips! The other day you did a story where you were cleaning your stove top. I just caught a glimpse of it and when I went back to fully watch it, it was gone. Can you tell me what you were using—was it Windex and paper towels?
Thank you!
Kelli
I loved this! I have that cordless vac too and it’s great! I didn’t know they had Magic Erasers for the bathroom. Great tip! I added them to my grocery list. Thanks!
This was an amazing cleaning post! I never thought I could get just as much motivation to clean from reading a cleaning post as I do watching cleaning videos on YouTube! But I did…so thank you! Your home is beautiful and I can clearly see why. You’re truly showing gratitude for it by how you maintain it. :)
Question: Where did you find that beautiful towel/hand towel floating shelf in the bathroom? ?
Loved this post! I do many of the same things! I especially like the part about vacuuming the sofa 2 to 3 times a week. I wasn’t doing mine as often. I also was only dry cleaning it once a year but now you have me thinking I could do that 2 or 3 times a year. I totally agree about putting things away as soon as you are done with them. I make sure that whenever I leave a room, everything is clean and put away. I don’t like to get up to a messy house! The only thing I will add is that I make sure to file away any paperwork at the end of every day. Staying on top of paperwork is essential.
Until your post, I never thought of using the vacuum on the couch. Oh my goodness, what a time saver. I don’t have the Dyson but I have the Shark version. I, too, vacuum 3 – 5 times per week.
Kristy we have very similar cleaning styles. I have both the cordless Dyson and the Shark steam vacuum, love both! I always just stay on top of cleaning so it doesn’t become overwhelming. And my mom has us clean on Thursday nights but then we were rewarded with going out to eat on Friday night. I love a neat and clean home. Thanks for sharing your tips!
Hi Bonnie – thank you so much for reading my blog and commenting! I loved that you shared your tips.. it really does help when you keep to a schedule!! Our moms sound one and the same.. :) xo
Krist,
You have to try the Norwex cleaning products. They are environmentally friendly, no chemicals. The enviro cloths and polishing cloths are the best! No more windex! They changed my cleaning life! Love your home and blog.
This post was so helpful! Especially how you clean your wood! We recently installed the same Pravada floors that you have and their pamphlet that came with the wood says to “never wet mop the wood.” I wasn’t sure if that meant to never use even a mop dampened with water, and I didn’t want to have to buy the bottled wood cleaners. I think I would go through a bottle a week! So happy to see what you do! Thank you sooo much!
That is the exact cleaning system I have. I have never used my counters for anything food related. I have cutting boards also. I love a spotless house and once you get into a habit of doing those things above, it really isn’t hard. I also agree with the cordless vacuum. I don’t know how I’ve ever vacuumed without it. loved this post. xo
Thank you Cathy! Love it.. Cordless vacuums for the win! :) xx
Great post Kristy. I’m going to type this up and put it shower presents for new brides!
Sorry to be a pain. I have searched your website and that of Lamps Plus to no avail. What light bulbs / candle wattage / Kelvin scale is best for the kitchen? I just can’t get it right. I’m not very knowledgeable in this area and would really appreciate your help. Thanks so much,
Alexis from ??
Awww… You are so sweet Alexis. What a wonderful idea!
I love 2700 kelvin for a warm soft glow everywhere. Hope that helps. ;) Hugs! xx
This is exactly what I do, except I do it only on Saturdays with loads of laundry in between and if I have any life and energy left in me I continue on with hosing down the patio and backyard.
Love you to pieces!
Lily
Me too Lily! I love hosing down the patio… What is it about washing everything down? It makes me so happy… ;)
Loooooved this post!!! I can’t wait to put some of your time saving cleaning tips to use this week! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Donna! Hugs xx
Great post , now i feel the need to go clean!!! I better flip my cushions, i haven’t done that in awhile. Thanks for the great tips, love your beautiful home?❤️
Haha Thanks Lee! I just flipped my cushions on both the inside sofas as well as the garden sofas tonight. ;) Hugs!
I enjoyed reading about how you keep your house so clean! I love to use vinegar and dial soap. I clean everything from the shower to my windows with it. Inexpensive, and not as toxic…that’s if you can stand the smell of the vinegar!
Sorry I mean dawn soap!
Thanks for the tip Emily… I’m always learning from all of you. :) Hugs!!
Thanks for this info! I need that stain with 4 kids and a dog!! And dark hard wood floors! ? Have you heard of the Norwex cleaning supplies?? They changed my life with cleaning. They are microfiber cloths. They clean mirrors soooo well! No sprays and then you have a shine cloth! I use them on my faucets, counters, mirrors, stainless appliances! Look them up!! I love love love them!!!
I’ll have to look at them Erin.. Thank you so much! xx
I’ll definitely look them up Erin.. Thanks for the tip! Hugs! xx
Hi Kristy! Thanks so much for sharing your cleaning routine! I feel exactly the same way as you do about a squeaky clean house! I was raised by post war European (Italian) parents that did everything themselves (no cleaning lady needed!) So, to begin with, my favourite cleaning products are those that kill every type of bacteria or germs: bleach, Vim, Mr. Clean or Lysol by the jug, and just plain white vinegar. Oh, and I forgot the Borax for laundry (I add about 2/3 of a cup to my laundry load of whites, with bleach, and the liquid detergent. My whites come out more sparkly and dazzling white! Especially great for teenage boys’ white sweat socks! Stains are removed!)
I vacuum EVERYTHING! Pretty much everything you mentioned, and even the bathroom fan in the bathroom ceiling, and the heat exchange grills on the walls; I vacuum baseboards every time I vacuum 1 to 2 times a week, and the trim above doors, the tops of curtain rods, and lamp shades. When I remove/ change my sheets once a week, I vacuum all the mattresses in the house, as well as the sides, and the inside of the bed side rails. I use a central vac system, because I have 3 kids and a small MaltiPom dog, so it’s a high traffic home. It’s new, only a year that we’ve lived in it, but I’m still finicky, lol! Occasionally I’ll also remove the grill from furnace vents and vacuum a bit inside the aluminum furnace pipe as far down as the vacuum nozzle can reach. Then I’ll go over it with a damp cloth. Occasionally I’ll also run the vent grills under water as well, and give them a freshening rinse, then let them air dry before putting back on the floor vent, or just tap dry with a rag. My other cleaning routines are all very similar to yours. The only thing I do a little differently is my mopping technique: I use a terry cloth towel (medium sided, not large bath size). It’s not one I use for showering; it’s one that’s meant just for mopping. I NEVER mix the two together! This could also be an old towel that you DID use for showering, but one that you’re thinking of throwing away. Repurpose it for cleaning your floors! I throw it in the washing machine after each full-house cleaning use. And I re-use it crispy clean again the following week when I mop again. How I mop floors: I fill the laundry sink with warm water and Mr. Clean or Lysol, or half a cup of bleach (for ceramic/porcelain tiles only!). Make sure the water solution is more parts water, NOT 50/50. You don’t want to gradually fade your tile grout, which can happen after years of over bleaching your tile floors. On a weekly basis I just use the Mr. Clean, but a couple of times a year I’ve done a good disinfecting and used the bleach. Anyway, I soak the towel in the soapy water solution. Wring it just enough that water is no longer dripping from it, but not too much that it feels dry either. I fold it once, like a square, and then use a mopping device to push it around my floor in even strokes. If you find the towel slides off the mopping device, then wrap the towel around the mop head. The terry cloth scrubs the tiles much better than store brand mops, and it kind of mimicks the velvety rag that you see on steam mops, except the terry cloth on a towel is a little more fuzzy so it grabs dirt a little better. The nice thing is that, with a towel you can pause during your mopping, turn it inside out or flip it on the opposite side, making the process more efficient. (I find the rag on steam mops too small to be able to do that. Plus they’re stuck on with Velcro, so it’s always the same face of the cloth that’s wiping the floor) Every time the towel needs soaking, just soak it in the laundry tub water. That method also allows you to see how dirty the water gets at each re-soak. Yes, even though we thoroughly vacuum before we mop, you’d be surprised how much thin thin residue of dust is still on the floors. Mopping this way allows you to grab all of it, and see with your own eyes, how murky the water becomes at each re-soak. Now, the soapy water needs to be changed after every 1 or 2 rooms you mop. For hardwood floors, I use the same process. Thoroughly rinse the Mr. Clean out of the rag (or use a separate rag if that works better for you) before starting the hardwood floors. The cleaning solution I use for hardwood is half cup plain white vinegar + 3/4 water-filled laundry sink. You could also use a little squirt of Palmolive liquid dish soap in the water if you prefer, in place of the vinegar. These mopping techniques are what my mama and grandma used to use, and they made our floors squeaky clean and fresh-smelling all throughout the house!
Anyway, hope you enjoyed my tips! I loved reading your blog too!! Always a pleasure! Feel free to email me back if you have any questions!
Diane
Great tips for maintaining a clean house! I always try to make sure the kitchen sink is cleared of dishes and beds are made daily before I leave the house in the morning.
Hi Kristy-I loved reading things and got some great tips! The other day you did a story where you were cleaning your stove top. I just caught a glimpse of it and when I went back to fully watch it, it was gone. Can you tell me what you were using—was it Windex and paper towels?
Thank you!
Kelli
Hi Kelli! Thanks and yes, I was just using windex and paper towels that night. ;) Hugs!
I loved this! I have that cordless vac too and it’s great! I didn’t know they had Magic Erasers for the bathroom. Great tip! I added them to my grocery list. Thanks!
This was an amazing cleaning post! I never thought I could get just as much motivation to clean from reading a cleaning post as I do watching cleaning videos on YouTube! But I did…so thank you! Your home is beautiful and I can clearly see why. You’re truly showing gratitude for it by how you maintain it. :)
Question: Where did you find that beautiful towel/hand towel floating shelf in the bathroom? ?
Loved this post! I do many of the same things! I especially like the part about vacuuming the sofa 2 to 3 times a week. I wasn’t doing mine as often. I also was only dry cleaning it once a year but now you have me thinking I could do that 2 or 3 times a year. I totally agree about putting things away as soon as you are done with them. I make sure that whenever I leave a room, everything is clean and put away. I don’t like to get up to a messy house! The only thing I will add is that I make sure to file away any paperwork at the end of every day. Staying on top of paperwork is essential.
Thanks so much Sue! I love hearing how others handle their cleaning routines. Thanks for the tip!! :) Hugs! xx
Until your post, I never thought of using the vacuum on the couch. Oh my goodness, what a time saver. I don’t have the Dyson but I have the Shark version. I, too, vacuum 3 – 5 times per week.
I vacuum everything I can Susan.. ;) Hugs!! xx
Hi, just wanted to know how you clean your bathroom floors? With tiles?
Kristy we have very similar cleaning styles. I have both the cordless Dyson and the Shark steam vacuum, love both! I always just stay on top of cleaning so it doesn’t become overwhelming. And my mom has us clean on Thursday nights but then we were rewarded with going out to eat on Friday night. I love a neat and clean home. Thanks for sharing your tips!
Hi Bonnie – thank you so much for reading my blog and commenting! I loved that you shared your tips.. it really does help when you keep to a schedule!! Our moms sound one and the same.. :) xo
Krist,
You have to try the Norwex cleaning products. They are environmentally friendly, no chemicals. The enviro cloths and polishing cloths are the best! No more windex! They changed my cleaning life! Love your home and blog.
Thanks Deena! I’ll have to look into it. :) Hugs!
This post was so helpful! Especially how you clean your wood! We recently installed the same Pravada floors that you have and their pamphlet that came with the wood says to “never wet mop the wood.” I wasn’t sure if that meant to never use even a mop dampened with water, and I didn’t want to have to buy the bottled wood cleaners. I think I would go through a bottle a week! So happy to see what you do! Thank you sooo much!