Here at Belle Casa, we ❤️️?❤️️? Speedy Cleaning Tips – here are a few of our favourites!

Speedy Cleaning Tips to clean every room of the house!

Don’t worry, we understand. When you’ve had a long week at work the last thing you want to do with your weekend is spending it cleaning up after everyone else. Chores like emptying wash baskets, cleaning toilets and hoovering the carpet are all easy enough but they take up time which could be better spent doing the things you enjoy.

In this guide, we’re going to provide you with some well-kept secrets for cleaning each room of your home. We’ll provide you with five hidden cleaning hacks for each room that you might not know about but could save you heaps of time.

A word of Caution before we start!

Before we get started – it’s important to give yourself strict guidelines to work to. Most importantly you should try not to get sidetracked. Yes, that means no checking Facebook or uploading sneaky selfies in your marigolds – you need to stay focused! Prepare yourself for the job. Have a walk around the house before you begin and make notes as to what jobs need doing. This will help you know which cleaning products you’ll need.

And remember, Belle Casa Berks and Bucks are here for you if you need a little extra help! Check us out on Facebook or Instagram for more information!

Speedy Cleaning Tips – The Kitchen

• Begin by gathering up all your cutlery and tools that might need cleaning. You need to clear the decks before you can wipe surfaces and sweep the floor.
• Don’t waste time battling with heavily soiled dishes. Run some piping hot water into your sink and let them soak for a few minutes. When you come back they’ll be much easier to clean.
• Dishwashers are a time saver but you aren’t limited to only washing cutlery. You can give brushes, drain catchers and sponges a good rinse too.
• Don’t underestimate the power of clean towels. They are a classic way of making your kitchen appear fresh.
• The best way to keep your kitchen cleaning simple is good housekeeping. Have a set of tasks that you complete every time you cook, such as washing up cutlery. Next, set tasks that you will complete every week such as mopping the floor or wiping the cabinets and then less regular ones such as cleaning the fridge or the oven.

Speedy Cleaning Tips – The Bathroom

• Start by getting rid of rubbish. Empty bins and laundry baskets and get rid of any odds and ends like empty toothpaste tubes, cotton buds or old soap bars
• Use a window cleaner to banish greasy fingerprints and de-fog your mirror. If you don’t have any window cleaner then you could also use shaving cream. Rub the cream in with a paper towel and then wipe away with a fresh dampened paper towel
• Squirt, scrub, soak– the three essential steps to cleaning your toilet. A routine clean of this kind with Domestos or a similar product should help keep germs at bay
• To clean your shower faucet leave it to soak in a bag of vinegar overnight. Use a sponge or squeegee to clean the shower door before rinsing clean
• Sinks can harbour lots of grime from toothpaste to hair and general dirt. Use an all-purpose cleaner and rinse in the usual way. See our previous bathroom cleaning tips here.

Speedy Cleaning Tips – The Living Room

• Do an initial sweep, clearing out anything that doesn’t belong in the living room like cutlery. Decluttering is very important!
• Light background music or radio can help you stay motivated but don’t lose focus
• If you have a ceiling fan then try using a pillowcase to clear dust – slip it over the blade and then pull it away. By using a pillowcase you avoid any dust falling to the floor. We HATE dust!
• Lint rollers are a handy cleaning tool to de-fluff any fabric items such as lampshades
• Our TVs are often the centrepiece of our living rooms. Make sure your TV is off at the mains, then take a microfiber cloth and some screen cleaner. Spray and then wipe away – simple as that. If you don’t have any screen cleaner then try a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water. See our other Microfibre Cloth tips here!

Speedy Cleaning Tips – The Bedroom

• A well-organised wardrobe is the key to a tidy bedroom. Arrange your clothes by type and colour so that you can quickly pick out what you need to wear. Consider having a separate place for clothes which are off-season and which you only wear a few months of the year – this can save you space in the long run
• Utilize any out of sight storage space. Under the bed is often a good place to store bed-linen, sportswear and other non-essential items
• Make the most of wall space by using bookshelves and wall cubes for storage
• Avoid washing your sheets in the same load as towels. Towels leave behind a lot of lint and the roughness of the material can wear down your sheets over time
• Another tip for keeping your bedroom organised is to banish work. No books, notepads or laptops allowed!

Other Tips

Baking soda is your best friend when it comes to cleaning. Here are some of its unexpected uses:

• Store a box inside kitchen cupboards to keep away foul odours
• Lightly sprinkle the bottom of your kitchen bin before you place a bag inside to keep it smelling fresh
• Use it as a makeshift surface cleaner on your kitchen tops and appliances
• Clean grease from your hairbrushes and combs with a mix of soda and water
• Sprinkle some soda on your dog and then brush it away to remove any ‘wet dog’ smell. See our blog on pet hair, etc for more information.
• Sprinkle baking soda on your sponge with some warm water to remove food stains from plastic Tupperware
• You can also use baking soda for a cleaning boost – mix it in with your regular detergent for brighter washes – more Baking Powder Tips here.

So, what to do with the time you save cleaning?

A house with two tales, Hughenden Manor has a rich history. On the one hand, it was the country home to Benjamin Disraeli, Queen Victoria‘s favourite Prime Minister. On the other, it was the base for a secret map-making operation during the Second World War. Explore both stories in the atmospheric house and grounds. The gardens at Hughenden were redesigned in 1862 at the same time as the Manor. Disraeli’s wife Mary Anne took on the task and under her enthusiastic direction their vision of a country house estate, a restful retreat from the pressures of London political life, was realised.

Hughenden’s historical parkland was first created in the early 1700s around a manor and farm. Today’s formal parkland was originally set out in the 1820s and featured limes, horse chestnuts, walnuts and sycamore. Whilst Hughenden Manor has stories to tell about its Victorian past, the tales in the surrounding countryside go back much further, some 65 million years ago in fact when the chalk rock emerged from the sea and the rolling landscape began to be formed. Today’s hills, walks and woodlands are still evolving and every type of weather gives a different chapter to discover.

Today, the grounds are open to the public to come and look around to have fun. It’s a great place to bring the kids!