#1
I also used to treat every clean as a "deep" clean. It was a vicious cycle-- I wouldn't clean for months because it was too much work, but it was so much work because I hadn't cleaned for months. Half a*sed is better than nothing!
#2
#3
There are many threads on the internet, popular and not so popular, where people share their little tricks that make cleaning a little less tedious for them. Some of these hacks are really nothing more than a call to spend more money (for example, to buy more expensive detergents), but many really work. That's why Bored Panda has made a selection of the most interesting ones that aren't too hard on our wallets.
#4
#6
Okay, some tips are still a call to spend more money - for example, a robot vacuum. What's interesting is that these tips don't always work. Especially if you, like me, have an old dog at home who occasionally poops right on the floor.
Unfortunately, robots are not equipped with an odor analyzer, so there is a risk of coming home to find dog waste evenly smeared all over the floor. After two such incidents, my wife and I swore off using a robot - at least while the older of our two dogs is still alive...
#7
#8
#9
Various articles and collections of tips on all sorts of websites sometimes suggest treating cleaning as a military operation - with a detailed plan, assigning roles (if you are not doing it alone) and whatnot. Unfortunately, the authors of these tips didn't take into account one brilliant and always relevant phrase from Napoleon Bonaparte: "Every battle plan works only until the first encounter with the enemy."
And indeed, any plan, even the most well-thought-out one, is actually ruined as soon as you face the need to declutter a huge closet, scrape coffee stains off the countertop in the most unexpected places, or try to pick out plasticine from any, even the smallest holes in the nursery. All that remains is to console yourself with the thought that the plan was good, damn good...
#10
#11
I always really struggled with ‘perfect is the enemy of done’ because if I didn’t have time (or energy) to do it 100% I wouldn’t bother. But doing an 80% job, or even a 50% job, is better than a 0% job.
It doesn’t have to be perfect to be an improvement.
#12
Of course, you can always cut the Gordian knot and call professional cleaners, but firstly, this costs money, secondly - sometimes it is embarrassing that strangers will see this whole pigsty, and thirdly, it means giving in to life's difficulties. Therefore, we take a sponge in one hand, a smartphone in the other - and browse the internet in search of some kind of miracle trick that will definitely work.
#13
#14
#15
I used to think a thorough job, every time, was the only way but then I wouldn’t stay in the habit of doing the floors often enough. No one told me vacuuming isn’t just about keeping the floors clean, but also reducing the total volume of dust and debris that could potentially get kicked into the air and settle on surfaces much harder to clean.
Okay, we do not guarantee that the hacks given in this selection will really help you. In the end, in order for cleaning to be truly effective, you need to love it. Not scrub away dirt, constantly cursing and wondering "when will this all end?" but visualizing a beautiful and shining end result.
Is it working? Then please feel free to scroll and read this list - there are many really useful things here. If it doesn't work for you - then probably just call a cleaner. In the end, the simplest solutions are often the most effective ones.
#16
This means that I can fill up the dishwasher all day and keep surfaces clean.
#17
#18
#19
#20
Another tip is to always do your vacuuming last. As you clean each room you'll probably be knocking dust and particles and whatnot onto the floor so one the room has been dusted and surfaces have been wiped down you can finish off with a good vacuum.