A Complete Clean - part 3

• Dust anything that needs to be dusted. Assume that everything needs to be dusted. Use dusting cloths.
• Vacuum the entire house. Not just carpets, but tiled floors and furniture too. This includes the beds.
• Sprinkle shake-n-vac on the carpets. Leave.
• Bleach the toilets.
• Mop any hard floors (excluding bathroom). Use dishwashing liquid and detol. Change the mop water whenever it looks a bit gross. Tip this water on the back garden.
• Spray the beds with this mix: in a spray bottle put cold water and a tea-bag (black tea). Leave for 10 minutes, then remove tea-bag. Add 10 drops of lavender oil. Shake. Spray the beds (both sides) the couches and any other soft furniture.
• Clean the bathrooms with all purpose spray. Then clean the showers, and put bleach on the floor around the toilet. Put normal toilet liquid down the toilet and scrub. Remember to check that all of the toilet is clean – not just the inside but the outside of the bowl, under the seat and the lid (top and bottom). Use bleach and pieces of toilet paper to wipe down – and throw them straight in the toilet when done. Clean mirror using ¾ water ¼ white vinegar mix and using coffee filter paper
• Mop all floors a second time. (Again excluding bathroom).
• Vacuum a second time.
• Mop bathroom.
• Wash the windows. Use newspapers or coffee filter paper or paper towels with a ¾ water ¼ white vinegar mix. If possible, wipe with a squeegie to get an even finish. Clean both inside and outside – inside using horizontal (side to side) strokes, outside using vertical (up-down) strokes. Then if there are any marks you know which side the marks are on. Clean the sink and the bath using ajax powder. Wet bath/sinka nd sprinkle powder liberally. Get a cloth and rub. Clean the drains – pour plenty of baking soda (bicarb soda) down the drain and then pour vinegar. You will get a bubbling reaction. Wait until reaction has calmed, then put more vinegar down. This clears drains.
• Clean lights. Dust them, and if necessary CAREFULLY wash the lightbulbs. Replace any broken ones. Wipe the lights with a pleasant scented oil. Lavender is good in bedrooms, tea-tree or eucalyptus in bathrooms, lemon/bergamot in the kitchen and rose in living rooms.
• Empty the bins again, and wash them with dishwashing liquid. Dry them. Take a tissue (one or two per bin) and soak in tea-tree oil. Rub the oil around the inside of the bin. Then line as normal. Throw the soaked tissue straight in the bin.
• Make beds.
• Bring stuff that is outside inside, and arrange in a new way. You may switch back later, but try a different way for a night or two. Often you don’t have furniture arranged in the most visually pleasing or the most space-efficient way. Try it another way, give it a little time, and see if it makes a difference.
• Have a pot-plant of herbs in your kitchen and/or on your kitchen table. It will keep the air cleaner, look nice, and can be used in cooking.

Now that your house is clean I strongly advise that you go through all of your stuff and get rid of things you don’t need – clothes that don’t fit, cook ware that you’ve never used, knic-knacks you hate. Donate them to friends and/or charity. Keeping things clean is much easier when you have less stuff. You’ll be surprised at how much of your stuff is junk that is just taking up space. Get rid of it.