Cleaning

The use of cleaning liquids is a nuanced thing and isn’t as simple as splattering some of the liquid over the spot you want to clean and wiping it off. One of the finer details associated with the use of cleaning liquids is dilution. This is necessary for a number of reasons and we will look at each one of them today.

Using cleaning chemicals without diluting is wasteful

Modern science and technology have made great strides in many fields and one of them happens to be the field of chemistry. The properties of some chemicals are nothing short of miraculous. This is especially true for cleaning chemicals. They are extremely effective at cleaning and are so good at what they do that using them at their default concentrations is overkill most of the time.

This means that you will end up using way more cleaning liquid than you need to. This is an incredibly wasteful manner of going about cleaning both from the point of view of money as well as cleaning resources. Keep in mind that cleaning fluids are meant for a wide variety of stains and spots and their default concentration is meant for the most stubborn cleaning requirements. You won’t encounter these all the time. Most cleaning requirements don’t require such potency.

Different surfaces need different concentrations

Cleaning is a much more delicate operation than it might appear to be at first. You will encounter a wide variety of surfaces on your cleaning journey and they all react differently to different concentrations. It is absolutely critical to ensure that the cleaning liquid is properly diluted or else, you could end up permanently damaging the surface. Even if permanent damage does not occur, the possibility of leaving streaks is very high.

This will only make the cleaning operation more tedious, exactly counterproductive to the purpose of the cleaning liquid in the first place. Figuring out the right concentration for a particular surface isn’t very difficult. Most cleaning liquids will come with the ideal dilution ratio for different surfaces. Sometimes, when the need for a stronger concentration arises due to a stubborn spot, always use the concentrated solution on an inconspicuous spot first to see if it adversely affects the surface.

Dilution allows you to be very versatile

Like in any other avenue of life, it is very helpful if you can be versatile when it comes to cleaning. One of the best ways to achieve this is by making your cleaning kit have a minimal number of components. If you can put the same cleaning liquid to multiple uses all with the help of some dilution then that will make your work so much simpler and your cleaning kit more frugal and hassle-free.

Some tips on dilution

The best help is the label on the cleaning liquid. It will usually have the recommended concentrations for different surfaces. If that is not the case then you can go for the trial and error method. Make small samples of different ratios and choose the highest dilution that works. Eventually, it will become second nature. One glance and you will know how much dilution is needed.

In a world afflicted with the ill-effects of global warming and environmental harm, the use of something biodegradable and natural to disinfect our homes can be the ideal option. However, there is a lot of confusion surrounding this and people generally aren’t sure what has the ability to disinfect and what doesn’t. We will help you get a clear and well-defined answer to the question – does vinegar disinfect?

What is a disinfectant?

This is where a lot of the confusion seems to originate from. Many people tend to confuse a disinfectant with a cleaning agent. Even though both are used for cleaning, they play different roles in the cleaning process. While a regular cleaning agent is used to remove visual blemishes and spots a disinfectant cleans at a microbial level. There are millions of microbes inhabiting the very places we come in regular contact with and many of them have the potential to be harmful. It is these microbes that a disinfectant can get rid of which is not always assured when using just a regular cleaning agent.

Is vinegar a disinfectant?

From the above definition, it is quite clear that anything that can combat and kill harmful microbes is a disinfectant. As vinegar does possess this ability, it is very much a disinfectant. What can vary is its efficacy. You see, the vinegar that can be bought off the shelf is only 5% acetic acid. This is potent enough to still be able to kill 80% of microbes and this number can be increased by a number of different methods. We will discuss those in the next section.

Methods of making vinegar even more potent for germs

Store-bought vinegar while being quite useful can always be improved upon as a disinfectant by employing a few simple methods. The first is to heat it up slightly so that the concentration is increased slightly. Keep in mind not to overdo it. Another more straightforward method is to use multiple passes of vinegar over the surface you are trying to disinfect or if possible, letting the vinegar sit on it for a little while. Another novel way to make vinegar lethal for most germs is by adding a bit of salt to it. Finally, if you want to get to that magic figure of 99.9% then you could consider using vinegar followed by a thyme oil spray. This has been proven by verified research to be as good as an industrial disinfectant.

Can you replace your disinfectant with vinegar?

It depends on how you use it. If you simply buy it off the shelf and apply it then you might need to use a regular chemical disinfectant once in a while. However, if you employ one of the methods mentioned above to boost the disinfecting power of vinegar then you can most definitely use it as your primary disinfectant. While large manufacturers will drum up their products as the most ‘green’ and bio-friendly option out there, the surest way of going eco-friendly is by making the disinfectant by yourself from natural ingredients and vinegar helps you do just that.

The fitness industry in the USA alone has an annual revenue of $32 billion. That is a massive amount of money and all of this is generated through people looking to lead healthier and fitter lives through exercise. What if you could achieve your fitness goals while having a clean house? That would be a true win-win situation. So, does cleaning house count as exercise? Let us find out.

Let us talk numbers

The number of calories burnt during a workout session depends on a wide variety of factors such as the person’s weight, type of exercise, location, etc. However, for the purposes of simple analysis, let us take a ballpark value. A 30-minute session of the workout will burn anywhere between 90 calories and 130 calories. These are, again, moderate estimates that will vary from person to person. Let us now come to the activity in question – cleaning. This again can have a lot of variabilities.

The effort you need to put in will depend on the tools you have available to you, the present state of the area you are cleaning and the methods you are using. Again, for the sake of convenience, let us assume that you have standard cleaning agents and tools and the area you are cleaning is moderately dirty (the kind, a regular household can become in a couple of days without cleaning). In the same half an hour period, you would burn between 70 and 90 calories. If the cleaning involves stubborn spots then this number will go up. The point is, even moderate cleaning will expend about two-thirds the energy you would if you worked out at a gym for the same amount of time. That is quite a significant number and definitely makes cleaning houses an exercise.

Glamour and peer pressure

There are a couple of big driving forces behind people joining gyms. One of them happens to be the perception that working out at a fitness center is the ‘it’ thing to do. Another big reason is peer pressure. Many join a gym just because someone close to them does. These aren’t great motivators when it comes to sustaining your drive to keep working on your fitness. Cleaning house, on the other hand, is something that will always be required. If you can stay fit while keeping your home clean, what more is needed?

Functional training

One of the buzz words of the fitness industry is functional training. These are workout routines meant to mimic real-life activities. Why mimic something when you can do it for real. Cleaning is the ultimate real-life functional training method accessible to everyone.

Should you stop working out completely?

If you are already following a fitness regime then it does not mean that you should forsake it if you start cleaning your house. As we saw, numbers are close but not the same as an actual workout. It also does not require your entire body which means that all your muscle groups won’t get the same level of workout. The best way to look at it is as a supplement to your regular fitness routine that will help you reach your goals a little quicker.

Gone are the days of cleaning half your day away feeling exhausted and hating your day off. We’re going to give you a game plan to cheat at cleaning and your guest will wonder how you keep it all together so well. This is your ultimate guide on how to speed clean a messy house in 2 hours.

Area 1 Spend 45 minutes here

Let’s get right to it and list the main things that need some attention. Your first order of business is to clean the first area that a guest will see when they walk through the front door. vacuum, mop, dust, and do a light declutter.

Wipe the TV to get rid of fingerprints, clean or dust the ceiling fan if applicable, put some furniture polish on the furniture to give it that extra sparkle.

Area 2 Spend 25 minutes here

Are you expecting a guest? Clean the guest area next. Make the bed, dust, mop, vacuum, clean the bathroom and be sure there is toilet paper, towels, and hand soap.

Area 3 Spend 25 minutes here

Next, get the kitchen cleaned. Wash the dishes or stick them in the dishwasher. put away the clean dishes if you haven’t done so already.

Area 4 Spend 30 minutes here

If you’re the owner of the home you want to give your area some attention. Clean the bathroom, dust, mop or vacuum. Do a light decluttering and go through those stack of mail that you promised yourself to go through a week ago.

Area 5 Spend 30 minutes here

If you have a child or children clean their room. Make the bed, mop, sweep or vacuum. Stick to the plan or else you’ll find yourself doing more than you wanted.

If your children are of age and can handle cleaning and organizing, then they should definitely do it on their own.

Area 6 Spend 45 minutes here

Get the laundry sorted and begin the wash while you complete the other areas of your home. We truly hope this was helpful. if you need more time cleaning the other areas, just subtract time from one task and add it to the other.

Stay on track with the time so you don’t get overwhelmed. Whatever isn’t done, if it’s not an eyesore just leave it alone for the next cleaning session.

Wanna find out how much it will cost to clean your home? Please go here to use our house cleaning calculator.

1 Bedroom 1 bathroom

1 1/2 Hours a living space this size warrants this amount of time to be clean by one cleaner if only its been kept up with on a weekly basis. If this was a space that wasn’t maintained, based on our experience will take 2 1\2 hours or more.

2 Bedroom 1 bathroom

2 1\2 Hours Most cleaners use a systematic approach which allows them to not waste much time. Wasteful productivity is a top priority for many cleaners who usually have to stay on schedule for many of their other appointments.

3 Bedroom 2 bathroom

3 Hours It’s not uncommon for one person to clean a house of this size on their own while the industry standard is mostly 2 cleaners per home based on the size of the home.

4 Bedroom 3.5 bathroom

4 Hours a home of this size can be exhaustive for one person to clean and really isn’t recommended if a cleaner have multiple appointments in one day

5 Bedroom 4.5 bathroom

5 Hours a home of this size could easily extend to the 8 hour mark if it’s in complete disarray.

Cleaned and decluttered regularly

Any home that is 2000 square feet is probably going to be a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom. If this is the case, it will take 2.5-3 hours to clean a home of this size. This estimated time is for a home that is maintained on a regular basis. What we mean by a regular basis is the home is cleaned 1-2 times per week and not neglected.

Example: these list of things have already been cleaned, baseboards, doors, AC vents, cobwebs removed, couch moved and clean, the refrigerator inside and behind it cleaned, the oven cleaned, and the home has already had some light decluttering.

Cleaned and decluttered irregularly

If the home is neglected and has a lot of stains, clutter, dust, cobwebs, etc, it’s safe to say that home could take 4-5 hours to get it cleaned. Quick story: We have many stories of clients contacting us to get their home clean but before we head to their home we ask a few prerequisite questions so we can have a good idea of what we might encounter.

We’ve come to realize that most clients hold the truth back if their home is really really messy. when do we ask when was the home last cleaned? they tell us a more recent date and say 4 days ago but when we arrive it is a total lie because 1 they’re embarrassed how dirty the home is and 2 they don’t want to pay for the extra time that it takes to do a proper cleaning.

We had a cleaner tell us a customers shower was so dirty it took 1 1/2 hours just to clean the tub. It was so bad the cleaning took 3 days to get the home back in order. The customer wasn’t happy about the price but was very happy that they got it done.