Clean faster...5 foolproof ways save time

Yesterday, I cleaned my house.  It took only a smidgen of time.  Over the years, I have talked about residue, chemicals, damaging products, healthy homes, clutter...on and on I went,

but I was missing an essential ingredient- time.  

This past week I swear every conversation had common subject:  time.  No space to breathe. Our schedules are jam packed.  Hmmm....  Time Clutter

This is a subject we could talk about for days but today I'm going to give you a gift.  The gift of speed cleaning.  I can't remove all your tasks but I most certainly can help you make one of your weekly tasks faster, easier and more effective.  This post is the start of a series in Speed Cleaning 

Start with the basics

 5 foolproof ways to clean your house

faster and easier 

1.  Clear your clutter!  Simplify, Downsize, Less is easier.  Part of cleaning is picking up and putting things away.  You can't clean your floors until you can see your floors.  Dusting is worlds faster if you only move 1-5 things verses 100s of things.  Biggest time savor - less stuff to move, less stuff to put away and less stuff to dust!  Tip:  Less is faster

2.  Minimize distractions!  Time and Space to Work.  Clear and focused time makes your work clear and focused.  If you want to spend the whole day cleaning and accomplish nothing then turn on your cell phone- especially texts and social media updates, keep your TV on and wander from room to room.   Distracted energy is wasted energy.  Tip: vibrant rhythmical music creates energy

3.  Pre-Clean!  Habits of prevention and daily light cleaning.  Rinsing and wiping down your shower after each use, wiping down countertops, picking up as you go, putting the kitchen to bed each night, taking off shoes and or having a great entrance matts- all these little daily habits make cleaning day a fast and effortless!  Tip: Hang a microfiber close to your sinks.  After each use do a quick dry and wipe out- they will always be clean!!

4.  Invest in smart tools!  For heavens sake... cleaning your whole floors with a 6" tool is wasted energy.  Recirculating your dust as you dust is crazy.  Cleaning with residue leaving and harsh chemicals is going to create more work for you.  Cleaning is something we do every week for our entire lives... invest in smart, effective and durable tools and products!  Tip: Invests in yourself

5.  Improve your skills!  Have you ever heard the saying... insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  Hello cleaning habits.  There are systems, tips, skills you can learn to make your home easier to care for, your cleaning faster, easier and more effective and your clutter busted!  Cleaning is a life long activity- improve your skills as soon as you possible for a happier and healthier home and life.  Tip:  You are never too old to improve your habits

I teach hands on cleaning demo-classes.  Showing you how to make your cleaning fast, effective and easy.  What tools to use and how to best use them.  Prevention tips and time saving habits. How to clean for health and happiness.

If you would like to schedule a cleaning demo or join me in one of my demo classes

call 253-815-0446 or email me at info@dfbluesky.com.
Let's get you some breathing space because you deserve to time to play too.

I can't give you more than 24 hours in a day,

but I can save you time and energy in your cleaning!

As always wishing you happy travels in your life,

Denise Frakes

Personal and Home Coach

A few of my favorite things.....Norwex Microfiber Mop ...

Time saving tip...

   I love having a small soft microfiber hanging by my sinks.  No more, scrubbing, hard water deposit removal, germs or schmutz.  A quick dry means less work on cleaning day.  Also, you can do a quick clean of faucets and light switches- lightly removing germs as you go. My favorites are the following. I like a soft, small cloth

Click on the following to go to the links  Travel pack -4 pack of the famous enviro clothes size:  6.3"-6.3" and the 3 pack of the recycled counter clothes microfibers.  All three have the bac lock and will also help keep your microfibers from smelling like mold.

Never have to clean soap scum again!

The moment I realized I would never have to clean soap scum out in my own shower was a moment I'll never forget!  I remember running my index finger up and down on my shower walls and it squeaked clean.  Not from cleaning but from prevention.  This was truly an aha moment!  I thought .... "really soap scum is preventable????  Seriously????!!!"  No more harsh chemicals, Saturday's spent scrubbing or moments of procrastination and guilt for having mucky showers??  Ha!  

When Dallas and I were in the midst of our stone and tile cleaning business we were called to remove soap scum and mold from showers a lot.  By far this was our most frequent request.  I wasn't the only one struggling with the built on, indestructible man made coating called soap scum, it was most of us!

As it turns out, soap scum is completely and easily preventable.  In the course of preventing soap scum, you also are preventing mold and hard water deposits!  I know, this just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?  You might be wondering why this little life ease tid bit has evaded your life.  Another of life's unexplained questions...

Dallas and I learned it from a little fiesty and wise lady in her late 80s.  She had a dark brown polished marble shower.  She had called us out to inspect her shower, thinking it might need sealed.  At the time, the shower was about 5 years old.  Her tough to care for shower - looked brand new- no etching - no watermarks and no soap scum!  If you are familiar with marble you will know this surface would be one of the toughest to keep looking great in a shower.  Anyway, we asked her how she kept her shower looking so beautiful. She looked at us blankly, like really dont you know?  Apparently we didn't...  "Well, I rinse and dry it after each use".  hmmm

Common sense isn't always so common......  Of course she was spot on, or maybe I should say no spots on.  Rinse and dry (wax on wax off).  As people, we rinse and dry ourselves otherwise we would all be walking around with soap scum too.  It makes sense- not quite sure why and how I had missed this nugget of wisdom...

So what is the magic recipe for no soap scum showers in your life every again:
      After each use rinse and dry your shower.  Don't put your shower to bed wet and soapy.  It is bad etiquette. 

A couple other helpful hints....

    Use your exhaust fan.  As soon as you turn on the shower water, turn on your exhaust fans and run them for a solid hour after showering.  Mold and dust mights love moisture- remove the moisture and help prevent high humidity and molds.

    Use good tools.  A product I love for drying my showers is the Norwex Microfiber shower mit.  It has two sides- one with the world's best microfiber and the other with a scrub texture.  When I wipe down my shower I'm actually cleaning and detailing it too.  This microfiber also has baclock technology- which is a silver filament keeping your microfiber from building up bacteria- as it self purifiers. 
   I recommend cleaning your microfiber once per week.  Click here to see this tool and order one if you would like.  Click here to learn how to care for your microfibers

So there you have it.  Live a life with no soap scum!  If you already have soap scum build up, feel free to email me.  If you live locally- the Seattle/Tacoma area, I can refer you to a company to help you get cleaned up so you too can live a life of no soap scum!  If you live out of the area, I'll be writing more about showers.  Comment below with any questions and thoughts- thanks;-)

As always, wishing you sweet travels and happy living
              Denise Frakes
Certified Home and Personal Coach at your Service

Quick microfiber care tips....  I'll write more about the care of microfibers but here is the reader's digest version...

Please do not use bleach, fabric softeners and dryer sheets to care for your microfibers.  The bleach breaks down the fibers and the fabric softeners and dryer sheets coat your microfibers, leaving them less effective.  Use a mild and clean laundry detergent.