Housekeeping Essentials + Giveaway
Hello there, chica. As promised I am bringing you my top essentials for your "Housekeeping Basket". Completing a well done job of cleaning your home (or someone else's home if you're getting paid for this) is imperative so that the space looks fabulous and is truly clean. Using certain materials and tricks makes the whole thing a lot easier so that you can either finish faster and efficiently plus make the whole thing be something you don't dread doing.
I've been discussing this here at Endevourly because I am part of an AirBNB property here in NYC and I am responsible to thoroughly clean the rooms guests would be staying at. Cleaning is a serious deal, people. Working at this home made me realize there is more to detailed cleaning and housekeeping than meets the eye. A lot of the things I learned from my trainer (the lady teaching me how she wants the cleaning done) I brought home with me to utilize during my own cleaning/housekeeping routine.
Housekeeping Essentials
Clear Containers
You know me, I like everything to look crisp, clean and classic even cleaning products. I truly recommend pouring your cleaning products like glass cleaners, wood cleaners or all purpose cleaners inside clear bottles for easy spotting (I love the glass kind from Rail19). I've featured their products HERE, and HERE (I love this company). If all the bottles look the same even better because when it is time to store, they look nice and uniform. Label each bottle if necessary.
Specific Cleaning Products
You would be surprised at how many people use the wrong cleaning products on their things. Make or buy a product specifically for the different finishes in your home (natural alternatives are recommended). You need a glass cleaner, wood cleaner, or metal cleaner because all these materials have different compositions and they require special attention to maintain their life and their beauty. Polishing or restoring products may also be ideal to have in your housekeeping basket.
Microfiber Cloths
These are the best kind of rags to use when cleaning because they are great at picking up dust when dry and when wet they absorb loads, a lot more than cotton cloths. I like to use them to wipe everything. I used to use paper towels but with time all that paper used and then thrown away is a waste when I can simply wash and reuse a cloth. Find great ones HERE.
High Dusters + Surface Dusters
As you know dust loves to collect specially on those high to reach places you simply don't clean as often like your crown molding or the edges of your walls, up high. Regularly dusting those places with a dust trapping duster eliminates dust that eventually falls on your floors and furniture, causing them to be extra dirty. With these, spot treat different sections of your home daily such as appliances, gadgets etc. Find the pictured duster HERE <--- it is great according to the reviews.
Mops With Flat absorbent Pads
I prefer these better than string mops because those tend to move dirt and dust around rather than collecting them. If you can get your hands on microfiber mop pads even better. Not only are these more efficient but easier to wash. The Swiffer brand is great but over time very expensive. These fabric mops last longer as they can be used, washed and reused. The pictured mop pad can be found HERE and the mop holder HERE.
Brushes
Some things have to be scrubbed thoroughly but gently such as tiles. Brushes sort of polish them and really get those surfaces going, better than rags or cloths. Use toothbrushes to get those hard to reach corners and places and don't forget that brushes also help in eliminating tough stains or dirt.
While working at the Rental Manhattan, NYC Townhouse (with 7 bedrooms available) I learned the proper process of deep cleaning a room and all the materials needed to accomplish such a huge job. The "rooms" were truly studio apartments, all with their small but functional kitchen, bathroom, dining space or desk area plus the bed area and the sitting area. All this had to be cleaned. Seeing as I had to clean up to three apartments the days I worked, having the essential housekeeping tools made the job a lot easier. I finished fairly quickly and when I finally went in to double check my work (necessary to ensure every room is guest ready and stocked with the essentials such as soap, paper towels, dish soap etc), the space was actually sparkling clean, people. One time a guest left me a $20 tip because they were so pleased with the work I had done in the room they rented for the week. That says something.
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
You're gonna want to enter, yes. Rail19 was so kind to offer 3 lovely readers a chance to win one of their gorgeous glass spray bottles. Not only are they eviromentally friendly (plastic bottles are not very ideal) (check out what they have to say about glass vs. plastic HERE) but they look so classy, I'm all for that. *Wink, Wink* Ends September 24, 2015.
The Price
