Housekeeping is like Accounting

Housekeeping is like accounting. If you do your accounts daily, doing the summary at the end of the month won’t be a nightmare. Housekeeping is the same. If you do a little everyday, housework isn’t a big chore, it’s many little ones.

Recently, I heard of someone in another country who spent an hour cleaning his own bathroom. It was something he had never done before. The lockdown meant that housekeeping services which were outsourced had to stop. I was wondering how anyone could spend an hour cleaning a bathroom. It only takes me five minutes on a regular day to clean my own bathroom. It might take a little longer if I do some extra cleaning, but the reality is that there isn’t so much to clean.

My mother used to say that the bathroom is the cleanest room in the house, because it is cleaned everyday. I suppose the bathroom only becomes a nightmare if it isn’t cleaned everyday.

Just some quick tips for those who still think that cleaning the bathroom is a major battle (the battle of Waterloo):

1. Make sure you have the basic cleaning items
2. Follow a few simple steps
3. Repeat the simple steps everyday

Basic cleaning items

1. Cleaning basket for cleaning items
2. Toilet cleaning liquid
3. Toilet brush (and brush holder)
4. Bathroom cleaning spray bottle
5. Bathroom cleaning liquid
6. Gloves
7. Sponge
8. Wet wipes with alcohol/disinfectant
9. Scrubbing brush
10. Broom and dustpan
11. Cloths for drying the wash basin and the shower floor
12. Micro fiber mop
13. Squeegee (scraper)

Basic steps

1. Empty the bin
2. Pour some toilet cleaner into the toilet bowl, brush the toilet bowl, leave to soak
3. Wipe the toilet with a piece of wet wipe (with alcohol or disinfectant), starting from the cistern, to the toilet seat on (both sides), then the toilet bowl (last). Dispose of the wet wipe.
4. Spray cleaning liquid onto the surface of the wash basin and the tiles of the shower area
5. Sweep the floor
6. Wipe the wash basin with a sponge and rinse, then dry the faucet and the wash basin with a dry cloth.
7. Wipe the mirror and shelves with the same dry cloth
8. Rinse the shower tiles then dry with the same dry cloth
9. Spray cleaning liquid on the shower floor and scrub with a brush, rinse, scrape the water into the drainage hole with a squeegee, then dry the floor
10. Flush the toilet
11. Check that there is toilet paper and soap
12. Lastly, wet the floor with water and a bit of cleaning liquid, then mop with the micro fiber mop

If you clean the bathroom everyday, there shouldn’t be a need to use air freshener. Make sure that there is good ventilation by leaving the windows and door open for a while.

If you don’t have time, you can skip a few steps, but make sure you clean the wash basin and the toilet, sweep the floor, remove hair from the cover of drainage hole in the shower (if any), and dry the shower floor.

For me a clean bathroom is the acid test of how clean a home is.

By Chayo, Homskil Editor 1, 14 January 2021