Cleaning Facts & Fun

I read an interesting article in HGTV Magazine the other day.  It was all about cleaning.  Did you know that after you’ve used a disinfecting wipe on your kitchen counter, it takes 3 minutes for all the germs to die?  Which means you don't move everything back to that counter too quickly!  Or that the number of bacteria on the average kitchen sponge is 10,000,000? Ew.  Don't get me started on other family members using sponges in places other than they should be used.

This article got me to thinking about house cleaning and the variety of ways we all go about accomplishing the same tasks.  And the germs we are all fighting!  What about your pillows?  How often do you toss those in the washer?  What about bed sheets?  (At least every two weeks according to the American Cleaning Institute) And our bath towels should be hung to dry between uses and washed after 3 or 4 normal uses.  And as far as clothing goes, you can always apply the sniff test if you aren’t sure!  

Being a real estate agent, I've been inside many more homes than the average person.  And it still amazes me that people don't clean their house even a little bit for a realtor consultation.  Here they are, asking me to list their home for top dollar, yet they won't even dust or mop a floor.  And I'm sure the percentage of sellers that are like this would astonish you as well - about 30% of sellers fit this bill!  When you are listing your home, you should want it to look its very best.  If you lack the time to give it a complete full cleaning from top to bottom - hire someone!  Make sure all the little loose ends are taken care of.  Replace any light bulb that is not functioning.  Does the doorbell work?  What about the cabinets and drawers; are all the pull knobs there?  Is any toilet running and running?  How does the carpet look?  Stains that you can take care of yourself?  Or would a carpet cleaning be in order?  Don't forget the patio, garage and yard either.  Make sure those areas have seen a broom or deck cleaner or a landscaper.  Don't let your house look unkempt.  Look at it with a "buyers' eye."