Confession, household chores are the pain of my existence! I consider myself an organized person and I'm the type that cooks and cleans at the same time and then cleans the bathroom before taking a shower. I usually don't worry about those two rooms, but the rest of the house is another story. I'm always trying to find shortcuts to keep the house "clean" and postpone dusting, vacuuming and doing laundry for a couple more days.
Read more ¿Qué Más?: NEVER use cooking oil more than once unless you do this
When it comes to cleaning, there are some useful things you can do to keep dirt outside the door. Don't think that these tricks mean that your house will clean itself because it won't. Watch this gallery so you can find out what to do.
Image via Corbis
Windows and doors closed
You’ll be surprised at how much dust and dirt blows in when you leave the windows and doors open. Keep them closed unless you are the type that mops every other day. Place doormats to wipe dirty shoes on.
Shoes outside!
If you live in an apartment, this trick really works to minimize the amount of dirt that comes in. Put a basket with flip-flops for the whole family by the front door and make them change their shoes before they walk in. You’ll be surprised at how much cleaner you’ll apartment stays by doing this.
Dishwasher soap
I’m guilty of this one because I’m always rushing to run the dishwasher! You must close the soap chamber in the machine before you run it. If you don't, the soap will go to the bottom and drain before the cycle starts. It will leave your dishes wet, but not clean. So take the extra second to close the little door so you don’t have to run the dishes again.
Hang your bathrobe!
Everything that goes in the bathroom needs special attention because that moist environment is the perfect ground for bacteria. Hanging your bathrobe every day will keep it dry, but it's not enough to keep it clean and you should wash it at least once a week.
One room at the time
Cleaning the whole house is challenging but if you divide the task you’ll conquer. Clean bathrooms today, vacuum the bedrooms tomorrow; clean the kitchen the next day, etc… You’ll have a clean house in three days and you’ll love how easy it was.
One load a day
I despised doing laundry because it’s endless and it takes the entire day. A friend advised me to do a load a day, fold it and put it away to avoid piling up and it works. I don’t carry the dirty laundry "pressure" around anymore and I don’t have an overflowing hamper.
Disinfectant toilet wipes
I’m in love with them! They are perfect to keep the toilet clean without having to wash the whole thing. I use them every day to wipe the seat, handle and bottom of the toilet. I even wipe the floor around it just in case some of my kids missed when they urinated.
No dirty dishes
Nothing screams “dirty” louder than a loaded sink with greasy dishes. The kitchen sink is the filthiest thing in your home and you should clean it often. Use antibacterial wipes to clean the sink once a day to prevent that scum from building up.
