Get a clean home, faster

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Let’s face it, there are better things to do with our time than clean our homes, but it is a necessary evil unless you want to live in a mess, or have the cash to pay someone to do it for you.

One of the biggest mistake people make when they are cleaning is to do it room by room (aka ‘zone cleaning’) which is slow and you can do it much faster, and better, if you take a different approach.

Focussing on just one area, may mean doing a great job on your counters which will sparkle and shine, but the cooker will still be dirty and as for the bathroom, well you won’t get time to go there if you are too busy folding the ironing for the next morning.

The reality is, if you put a system in place that is quick and efficient, you will have more time to do the things you really love.

Pick a Day
It can be any day, but pick a day when you can really get on top of your cleaning and this will automatically take some of the pressure off. We know this sounds daft, but doing this will make the rest of your week so much easier and you can get your partner, flatmate or kids doing jobs too! Maybe go for Sunday morning and then you can reward yourself with a roast dinner (wiping up gravy of course), or a Friday afternoon before you go out and then you can really let your hair down knowing it is done.

Start by Dusting
Dust each room, including the tops of all your furniture, the undersides of shelves and the books, as well as picture frames, TV screens and the bits and pieces we all collect that don’t really have a home. The best way to do this is to dust dry, when things are wet is so much harder. If you want to get rid of smudges and finger prints then use a clean microfibre cloth and good quality polish.

Clean Fabrics
Putting on the washing as you clean will make the most of your time and it will feel like everything is clean in your home, for a little while at least. Strip and remake the bed beds, tidy cushions and put throws back onto sofas neatly, vacuum your curtains and clean animal beds out too.

Clean Mirrors and Glass
Wipe down all the mirrors and windows in your home as they pick up a lot of dust and when the sun shines, it will show up and look like you haven’t cleaned for ages. One handy tip is to use one wet and one dry microfiber cloth as this will clean away dust and dirt but won’t leave behind lines and streaks.

Clean your Surfaces
Wipe down all the surfaces and counters in your home in one go. Move from room to room, disinfecting if necessary, and make sure you clean door handles, light switches, TV remotes, mobile devices and phones as these are full of nasty germs. If you have any illness or bugs in the home, make sure you do this at least once a day to stop anything spreading! Also leave cleaning items in bathrooms so you can wash during the week and prevent a massive build up of dirt to tackle on cleaning day. If you can, use environmentally sound protects, wear gloves to protect your hands, and always apply cream when you are done.

Get to Grips with the Bathroom and Kitchen
Walk through your bathroom and kitchen, spraying cleaner on your baths, sinks and toilets as you go – not on the carpets or floors of course. Then return and clean the bathroom and wash shower curtains and towels once the bedding is done. When it comes to the kitchen, wipe down the inside of the microwave, as well as cabinet and appliance doors before getting to work on the sink and table tops. Empty and bleach the bins so they are really clean and make sure everything sparkles, including the draining board.

Next to the Floors
Sweep, then mop or scrub the bathroom and kitchen floors, making sure you really get to those hard to clean areas as this is where nasties can hide and bacteria can hide.

Get the Vacuum Out
Last of all, vacuum the carpers in your bedrooms, down the stairs, through the living room and into the hallway, moving furniture so you get rid of the dust that can make you cough.

Now, put the kettle on and admire your hard work as you enjoy a cup of tea.

Team Pure-Beauty

Add value to your house before you sell it

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a thing, armchair, autumn, bathroom, bean bags, best price, bigger and brighter, brass letterbox, brightens, buyers, carpets cleaned, clutter, coat of paint, cramped and small, curtains, cushions, Decluttering, designer makeovers, doorknob, dust free doors, estate agents, expense, expensive extensions, finances, fix the windows, front door, gardener, gutters tidied, home, house, house numbers, investment, kitchen, lights, luxury, minimal, Off whites, old newspapers, outside, pale greys, piles of plastic toys, power clean the drive, pretty baskets, properties, recycle, room, rugs, ruthless, selling your home, shampoo bottles, skirting boards, sofa, soft shade, stacks of books, summer, tidy, utility room, walls, warmth, Wash the walls, windows cleaned

With the summer coming to and end and autumn on the horizon, what better time to consider selling your home.

As well as speaking to estate agents, searching online for new properties and looking at your finances, you may also want to make some adjustments to your house to make it as marketable as possible and to help secure the best price.

We aren’t talking about designer makeovers or expensive extensions, but small changes that can have a big impact.

Make it clean
While potential buyers need to be able to visual your home as theirs, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to do so, which means offering a clean slate. Wash the walls, have the windows cleaned, gutters tidied, carpets cleaned and if needed, get a gardener to tidy up outside. Yes, it is an investment but one you will reap back.

Take the clutter away
Decluttering has become quite ‘a thing’ and that’s because it works. Go through your house room by room and well as ensuring you have dust free doors, lights and skirting boards, clear the house of old newspapers, stacks of books, piles of plastic toys and half empty shampoo bottles. Be ruthless and throw away, give away and recycle anything you just don’t want or need. For anything left and remaining in the house, either box up and put in the loft or tidy away neatly in cupboards or pretty baskets.

A coat of paint
If you have lived in a property for many years, the walls can take a battering and buyers will notice this. A fresh coat of paint instantly brightens any room and if you go for a soft shade you will add a sense of warmth and luxury to your house. Off whites and pale greys are not only on trend but also work well with most furnishings, making it appealing to people looking round.

Make space
Once you have a clean, clear canvas you can look at how you are using space. Yes, right now you love having a massive sofa, armchair and bean bags in the living room – but this will make the room look cramped and small – not what you are trying to convey. We aren’t saying go minimal, but clearing away large pieces of furniture, opening the curtains and having the right lighting can make a massive difference.

Look at the front door
If you have taken the time to fix the windows, power clean the drive and trim the hedges, you don’t want to fall down with a dodgy front door. If it’s really bad consider fitting a new one, otherwise clean it down, paint it and add a new doorknob, brass letterbox or smart house number and the difference can be well worth the effort.

Small touches
When you have viewings, first of all make sure the house is spotlessly clean and if possible, go out and let the agent show buyers around – this is especially true for a first viewing. Having flowers, or house plants, can have a real impact on the look and the feel of your property, and rod diffusers placed strategically in rooms like the kitchen, bathroom and utility room can be a good idea. Mirrors will reflect light and make the place look bigger and brighter, rugs and cushions offer a homely feel and those stories of freshly baked bread….they are true!

If you do sell, we wish you lots of luck!

Team Pure-Beauty