My life is surrounded by (somewhat) organized chaos and men. Being a spouse to a military member, mother to a teenage son, identical twin boys, infant baby and a small business owner, I understand (and sometimes live) with “mess”.
On any given day, I can be surrounded by dirty sneakers in the foyer, find myself maneuvering around muddy soccer balls in the hallway, trying to keep a watchful eye on the hot tomato sauce bubbling on the stove, chopping various foods into the blender for the baby food, helping to make a volcano for a science project– all while an open laptop sits precariously on a kitchen counter chiming with another new email. It’s all just part of my busy and multitasking life that most of today’s families can relate to. With my kind of on-the-go life, I need useful resources that can help me no matter where I’m at or what I’m trying to do. It’s the reason I appreciate the Clorox® MyStain app because it helps me clean up my life’s little messes.
With 6 people in a home and 5 of them being males, cleaning has to be a top priority for not only neat appearances but for healthy living. The germs that the boys bring home from school alone is bad enough and its only more intensified when trying to keep a baby germ-free as much as possible. Spills are inevitable so I rely on the MyStain app to help me determine the best way to clean laundry or surface stains.
I have the Clorox® MyStain app as one of my main homescreen apps so I can quickly reference it. From baby food to urine stains, the MyStain app has easy visual step-by-step instructions on how to clean whether it spilled on a shirt or the floor. In addition to the easy directions, it also features professional tips from experts on how to clean, what cleansing product works best and more. It’s really a helpful tool that will remain as an essential app (and won’t get downgraded into the trash folder later).
As anyone who has a busy schedule can attest, finding time to clean and do laundry can be very difficult. The following are some tips that I found to be helpful when trying to fit in cleaning and laundry into a jam packed itinerary:
CLEANING
- Store cleansers in a handy plastic carryall to bring your main supplies from room to room as you clean. Stock it with Clorox products, disinfecting wipes, cleaning cloths, and any other necessities. If your home has multiple levels, create one full caddy for each.
- Try to quick-clean one room every day or give the messiest area or item, like the coffee table, a good going-over.
- As you cook, rinse dirty utensils, pots and pans and put them in the dishwasher. You’ll have the kitchen in good order when you sit down to eat, and you’ll have less to clean up after dinner.
- Instead of breaking out the trigger spray and scrubber for every surface, use Clorox Disinfecting Wipes to quickly clean frequently touched or trafficked surfaces that are already relatively clean. You’ll save time, and you can give these areas a proper weekly cleaning with the wipes to maintain clean conditions.
- Wipe up spills in the refrigerator as soon as you notice them, and if you have time, do the rest of the shelf or any gloppy jar bottoms.
- After your family finishes brushing their teeth or shaving, use a dry terrycloth hand towel on the mirror and bathroom faucets to wipe away spots of lather so they won’t build up.
- Before getting out of the shower, clean the stall or tub and tiles with a squeegee.
- Before you go to bed, do a fast pickup: Put remote controls in a basket, tidy newspapers and loose papers or put them in the trash, clean off the coffee table, plump pillows and fold throws.
- Vacuum just the high-traffic sections of the floor or carpet and do the other areas later.
- Give yourself permission to ignore tedious, time-consuming tasks that don’t need to be performed daily. Extend tasks like dusting off knick-knacks, scouring spice racks, rearranging shelves, and wiping down window treatments to once a month.
LAUNDRY
- Cut laundry time by presorting items into baskets labeled towels, jeans, darks, lights, etc.
- To speed up the laundry process, ask the family to pitch in. Keep divided sorters for lights and darks, and have separate baskets or bins. When it’s time to toss in a load, keep the items that shed, like towels, away from garments that attract lint, like corduroy pants.
- Before you do a load of wash, wipe off the front and sides of the washer and dryer with a damp cloth. Clear the lint filter with a comb.
- It may sound obvious, but choose the shortest wash cycle because there’s no need to over-wash clothes. Similarly, raise up the water temperature because for best cleaning, use the hottest water safe for the fabric to avoid having to rewash.
- After your top-load washing machine is finished, run another spin cycle. This squeezes out excess water, so the dryer won’t have to work as hard, shaving minutes off the process. If you have a front-load machine, achieve the same effect by sending laundry through the drain and spin cycle, set to the highest setting.
- Overloading the dryer adds precious minutes to the clock, as the machine has to work longer. On the other hand, a too-small load means clothing may cling to the drum rather than tumble easily.
- Topical soil and stain removers, available in pen, wipe and spray forms, are applied exactly where you need them. Clorox 2 Stain Remover and Color Booster removes stains and brightens colors when added to your detergent.
- Keep lingerie and hosiery in a mesh bag — straps and stockings won’t tangle up in the washer.
- Wash garments with bright colors on white (for example: red-and-white-striped shirt) separately for the first wash. If the dye runs, it only ruins one garment.
- Wash and sanitize baby clothes and other items that come in contact with baby skin (like blankets, towels and sheets) in a mild detergent along with 1/2 cup of Clorox® Regular-Bleach for white loads. Use only the recommended amount of detergent (too much may leave an irritating residue) and the warmest water you can according to the label.
The reliability and ease of the Clorox® MyStain app makes it a must-have for moms, dads, and all busy people. Learn more and download the app at www.clorox.com/mystainapp/
Happy Cleaning!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as a Clorox MyStain App Influencer, however, opinions expressed here are clearly our own.
Joscelyn, Owner of Mami of Multiples & Mami Innovative Media
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