Sigh. Over the weekend, I continued on my quest for a clean house. Last weekend, I pledged to finish the second floor. The whole thing didn't happen. I started out with the best of intentions. First, I needed to touch up the first floor bathroom. (Is it a powder room if it has a shower? What am I to call that bathroom?)
I whipped up some bottles of green cleaners based on Robin's recipes. Just in case you are tracking what my cleaners smell like, I used unscented Magic Soap and tea tree oil. At one point, I spilled tea tree oil and the kitchen smelled really … strong. I made a bottle for each of the three bathrooms and the kitchen. One bottle of glass cleaner for upstairs and downstairs (vinegar, water, tea tree oil).
Then, I went upstairs to clean. Used the newly mixed cleaners in our bathroom. Pretty and smelled nice. Did everything but the shower stall. That needs to be bombed and reinstalled. In other words, it needs baking soda to sit all day. Then vinegar. But I keep forgetting, so it will happen eventually.
Instead, I concentrated on our bedroom. Whenever my husband lays down, he starts sneezing. I guessed that there are dust issues. However, I've been dusting the furniture regularly. I figured that meant there was more to discover. Brian took my precious fan apart and I dusted it. What a disgusting and vile task. To think of the dust that it just spins into the air every night. Gah. The Dyson Air Multiplier is slowly moving from want to need. (Thanks again to Dave T. for introducing me to that amazing object of beauty.)
Then, when I stripped the bed to change the sheets, it struck me that people Dyson mattresses. Perhaps you do this regularly. Well, I don't. In fact, I don't know if I ever have. Don't give me your damn judgy stares. I am NOT good at cleaning. My mother is gifted. My Auntie is gifted. It must skip a generation. I suck at this stuff.
Upon closer examination, I realized that there was dust trapped in the stupid little diamond designs on the pillow top part of the mattress. I am very short and very weak. It took a very long time to Dyson the mattress. I Dysoned and Dysoned until those little diamonds were beige instead of gray. Between that and the fan, I wanted to die. I was a ball of dust. Like that character on Peanuts. Awful.
I dusted everything in that damn room and the attached sitting room. I Dysoned both areas. It's clean. The sheets are clean and on the new not dusty bed. Brian hasn't sneezed since I cleaned, so I feel that my exhaustion was worth it.
Next weekend, finish upstairs (kid rooms, guest room/junk room, cat nook, hallway that never ends, stairs) and try to clean garage. I've been doing well sticking with my 15 minutes per day. I've kept up with the dishes and other annoying little things. Rinsing out bottles for recycling. Folding stuff that I would normally throw. Going through mail. Taking shoes upstairs. That is the best method on earth.
The thing I hate about cleaning is that this horrific task is never done. I am constantly going to be caught in this cycle of dust and hell.
More importantly, I need to know how disgusting I am – do you Dyson your mattress? Am I super disgusting because I've never done this?
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I too hate cleaning and totally suck at it. I blame my mother for my inability to clean and clean well, because she never allowed or taught me (or my bro) to clean. She was a stay at home mom, did it all during the day while we were gone and never gave us a chore to do. At some point I took control of my own bedroom and vowed to keep it cleaner than she! I was successful at that until I was 23 and living with my future husband in like a grown-up apartment. I do not Dyson because I do not own one; however, I will admit back in the day of being new to the whole living like an adult thing I would vacuum our mattress every single week…I did the whole nine yards! It would take me days/hours to clean our little 3 bedroom, 2 bath home! Some where I feel off that wagon and I cannot remember the last time I vacuumed the mattress….maybe 2004?!?
Okay…I give. What is this 15 minute trick you’ve got going on?
I wrote about the 15 minutes a while back here http://kittenagogo.com/2009/03/15-minutes-per-day.html, but I think that may need its own blog post again since I’ve been referring to it more. It’s a time management technique I learned in a CLE. Thing is -if you use it well, it really does work well. I’m just so bad at teaching myself new habits…
When you asked what I cannot live without yesterday it is the same answer I have today. I love our house keeper Lupe. $60 every two weeks. We had to compromise to afford her. To keep the price low we skip one of the bedrooms each clean (we only use one), she does not do windows and she rotates what rooms are mopped (our entire home has hardwood). For us it is worth every penny. I have not cleaned a toilet in more than 5 years. I enjoy deep cleaning every few months when the house needs it. Having Lupe clean also allows me to focus on organization and keeping everything neat and tidy. A bonus is ghat we taught her how to make alternative cleaners and since they are cheaper than the earth killers that is what she uses on everyone.
Have I ever Dyson’d my bed? Well, don’t own a Dyson but I know of what you speak, and HECK NO!!! Not a day in my life, and I’m asthmatic! Don’t feel bad at all. It sounds like you busted your butt this weekend, and good for you. I hate cleaning too so I would be b*tchin and moanin the whole time.
Honestly, I had no idea we were supposed to vacuum our mattresses for the LONGEST time!! Then I was just appalled at how long I’d gone without doing it, but I didn’t know!
Also, I have had the worst luck ever with vacuums, they always break on me! (Well, ok, my mom in a fit of one of her black periods broke it, but still. Broken vacuum.)
So now I try to vacuum the mattress regularly but it’s not going to happen once a week or even twice a month. It’ll happen when I’m up to it.
Here’s the funny thing, though: all the people I know who use a cleaning service seem to be more stressed than the people I know who don’t. They always have to get ready for the cleaning people to get there, then help out while they’re there, and stick around until they’re gone. I’m not saying I’d turn one down but that is a lot more work than my *cleaning when I want to* routine.
Never even thought about vacumning my mattress. Gee thanks now I have something else to feel guilty about.:)
I remember the first time my grandma came to visit when I was a young wife. She noticed I had crumbs falling out of the bottom of the toaster and asked me when was the last time I cleaned the toaster tray. I was amazed; never knew the bottom of the toaster opened up.
I wouldn’t know if our bed gets vacuumed because our cleaning lady takes care of all that. Like Mandy G I haven’t cleaned a toilet in about 10 years.
The filth that quickly accumulated when we first moved in here was starting to cause some marital strife. Plus I can’t afford to spend my time cleaning this place when I need to focus on my work. Simple math really.
Hmmm…when I click on the link it gives me a blank screen. So I am hopeful that you will blog about it again very soon as it sounds like it is quite beneficial!
I too am bad at teaching myself new habits and even worse at breaking the bad ones! LOL
Thanks Danielle! :_