Hallways and staircases tend to be high-traffic areas, so they can get pretty dirty. However, since they’re only used to get from point A to point B inside your home, they’re often forgotten when cleaning.
577 Mop wood stairs with floor cleaner. Add 11/2 teaspoons of Sal Suds to 1 gallon of water, and use a mop or microfiber cloth to wipe stairs clean.
578 Don’t forget doorframes. Doorframes collect tons of dust, but they’re so high up that you may not notice how dirty they can get. Use a feather duster or dry cloth to clean lightly soiled doorframes, or a damp microfiber cloth for tougher messes.
579 Disinfect handrails with hydrogen peroxide. Give railings a spritz of hydrogen peroxide or vodka before wiping clean to kill germs that can make you and your family sick.
580 Vacuum the upstairs hallway last. Clean the floor in the upstairs hallway after you clean all the bedrooms. Work backward toward the staircase, then down the stairs.
581 Wipe down the walls, along with dust moldings and baseboards. Wipe down the walls with a cloth dipped in soapy water, or use a microfiber mop to avoid bending and reaching. Don’t neglect the dust that collects on baseboards and moldings. Wipe them down with a damp cloth.
582 Use a damp cloth to clean bannisters and other woodwork. After cleaning these areas with a damp cloth, follow up with a dry cloth to avoid streaks.
With the stress of our busy lifestyles, jobs, and family responsibilities, even simple daily household chores can get overwhelming. Learn how to motivate yourself to clean even when the mess feels overpowering.
583 Start small. If you have a whole house to clean, you might shut down thinking of how much you have to do: clean the kitchen, tidy clutter in the living room, change the bedding, start the laundry. Just focus on one thing at a time. Pick one thing to do, get it done, then move on to something else. You’ll see how great it looks when you’re done and have renewed motivation to keep going.
584 Rock out. Listen to your favorite music while you work. Make sure it’s upbeat to give you energy to get things done.
585 Picture it clean. Think of how great your house will look and how accomplished you’ll feel when your chores are all done. If you need more visual motivation, take pictures of your house when it’s clean to remind you of how awesome your house can look.
586 Clean in the morning. Wake up, start the coffee, and get going! The sun is shining, and you’re all ready to seize the day. If you can’t bear the thought of a full day of cleaning, really give it your all until lunchtime, then go do something fun.
587 Set a schedule—and stick to it. Make your cleaning schedule nonnegotiable. Pretty soon, it will be routine and won’t feel like such a huge chore.
588 Avoid distractions. You can easily waste an hour or two scrolling through your phone. Skip the distractions, focus on cleaning, and you’ll be done before you know it.
589 Clean through the week. Spread out your chores though the week. Do a little every night, then take the weekend off from your to-do list. You’ll always have something to look forward to and designated free time.
590 Reward yourself. Be sure to reward yourself for a job well done! Set a goal like sticking to your cleaning schedule for a month or washing the dishes every night for a week. Once you reach your goal, give yourself incentive to keep going. Get that new yoga mat or outfit you’ve been wanting, or go out to dinner with friends. You deserve it!
591 Don’t beat yourself up. Even if you don’t get as much done as you’d like, don’t be too hard on yourself. You’ll only make yourself more stressed out about cleaning.
592 Ask for help. If you live with other people, you shouldn’t have to do all the work—don’t be afraid to ask your family or roommates to help out. Giving kids chores can help prepare them for adulthood, and you can get the job done much quicker and go do something fun if you all pitch in!