How To Successfully: Survive Cleaning Your House

Today, boys and girls, we are going to talk about the 'c'-word.

That's right.

C-L-E-A-N-I-N-G.

It's not your favourite activity, is it? I don't think anyone jumps up and down at the prospect of dusting or scrubbing the kitchen sink, actually. Still, not doing it can result in even less pleasant things, like food poisoning, asthma attacks and insect infestations. So clearly, it must be done. The question then, is how to make it less unpleasant?

I'm going to list a few tricks that help me.

1. Get good equipment. A good apron with pockets, gloves, a few spray bottles for various cleaning fluids, a duster, a good selections of rags... It makes all the difference in the world.

Who said cleaning gear had to be boring? Apron from IKEA; gloves, duster and brush from Swedish store Claes Ohlson; and cloth wipe from my local grocery store. I'm sure you can find similar stuff in a store near you!

2. Get multipurpose cleaning chemicals. I used to have a gazillion different bottles that took up a lot of space and cost me quite the sum, but now I'm down to 3 basic ingredients; mild and eco-friendly washing-up liquid, vinegar, and baking soda. OK, so I also use a little salt for clearing the drain, but that's it. It makes it easier to keep track of when I need to refill my supply, doesn't take up a lot of space and, last but not least, none of those things are very poisonous or harmful to the environment.

3. Have a plan. Again this sounds really trite, but making a list of what I have to do in each room actually makes me a lot more efficient. It also makes cleaning more manageable.

4. Work one room at a time. You don't actually have to clean your entire flat in one go; it's fine to do one room a day if you want to. And even if I do them all at once, working through my list one room at a time gives me the satisfaction of seeing results much quicker.

5. Play good music. I tend to go with the Puppini Sisters for cleaning, but you can do Meshuggah of Rhianna or whatever puts you in the mood. It's OK to sing along or wiggle your bum while you clean too.

6. Add a few finishing touches. Put in fresh flowers, spray a little lavender water (in the winter, you can smear a few drops on the radiator instead) or light a few scented candles when you're done. It makes all the difference.

7. Reward yourself. You know; chocolate, a glass of wine, a martini or a nice hot bath. Whatever you prefer. Because, after all that hard work, you know you deserve it!