Quiz: Are You Cleaning Effectively?

None of us really enjoy cleaning and most of us hate having to spend part of our weekend doing the household chores when we’d much rather be relaxing!

Nevertheless, cleaning has to be done – but by cleaning effectively, you can reduce the amount of time you spend on cleaning chores, thus giving you more time to do other fun things.

So are you cleaning as effectively as you can be? Take this quiz and find out.

Q1. You have to do a certain cleaning job, e.g.. cleaning windows. Do you:

• a. research the equipment needed and make sure you get hold of it before attempting the job
• b. just use whatever you have in the house and make do with that

Q2. You’ve decided to make the effort of going to the local hardware store and buying a new cleaning tool. Do you:

• a. buy it, take it home and immediately start using it
• b. ask the store staff about how to use the tool or read all user instructions before using it

Q3. What does your cleaning cupboard consists of?

• a. several different types of cleaning tools and equipment, designed for specific jobs e.g.. a long-handled ceiling brush
• b. a couple of old cloths, a sponge and maybe an old mop

Q4. Your cleaning tools and supplies are:

• a. organised in an easy-to-carry container and kept together in one cupboard
• b. scattered around the house in different cupboards

Q5. You’re ready to clean a room. What do you do?

• a. start with the dirtiest thing you see when you walk in, then go on from there, depending on what you feel like doing next
• b. start from the top and work your way down to the bottom, methodically tackling every item in the room

Q6. How do you clean your bathroom?

• a. at least once a week with a maintenance clean, followed by a more thorough clean once a month
• b. only when it get so dirty that it’s unbearable – might as well wait until everything is really dirty to do the job once together

Q7. Are your rooms in the house –

• a. always cluttered with things, waiting for the occasional big tidy-up
• b. relatively neat and tidy, with things put back in their place

Q8. When you clean, do you –

• a. work in silence, just trying to get through the chores as fast as possible
• b. put on some energising music to accompany you around the house

Q9. Is your vacuum cleaner:

• a. the cheapest model you could find
• b. a bagless model designed to suit your household conditions (e.g.. pet hair)

Q10. When you’re cleaning, are your hands:

• a. bare
• b. covered with strong rubber gloves

Answers

Q1. a – according to professional cleaning companies, one of biggest mistakes people make is not using the correct cleaning tools for the job. In fact, not having the right tools can slow you down by more than 2 times!

Q2. b – having the right tool but not knowing how to use it correctly also leads to slower, more ineffective cleaning. Make sure you always stop to ask staff how to use the tools correctly and efficiently or take the time to read instructions thoroughly.

Q3. a – again, having specific cleaning tools designed for specific jobs can significantly speed up your cleaning chores and make them much easier to do. For example, a long-handled ceiling brush can easily reach into corners and clean ceiling lights – and saves time and hassle climbing up on chairs or ladders.

Q4. a – having all your cleaning equipment in one place means that you don’t waste time stopping and looking for things and trying to remember where you kept certain pieces of equipment or cleaning solutions.

Q5. b – follow the professional cleaning companies: always clean a room in a circular fashion from top to bottom. Not only does this ensure that you don’t miss anything but you will always prevent dirt and dust falling down onto already clean items (as would happen if you cleaned the bottom first).

Q6. a – although the temptation is to leave things until they get really dirty, it is more effective and efficient to keep up regular cleans, so that dirt and grime does not become embedded – which then makes them much harder to remove. This means that each clean is easier and quicker to complete.

Q7. b – not only does clutter make a house look messier and dirtier, it also provides more surface areas for dirt to collect on or under. So make an effort to keep the house tidy and put things back in their correct places.

Q8. b – you may think that silence can help you concentrate better but for activities like cleaning, which are not particularly intellectually-challenging, it is actually beneficial to have some rousing music which will help prevent you from getting bored and help keep you motivated, so that the tasks seem slightly more enjoyable and the time passes quicker.

Q9. b – since your flooring is the largest surface in your home and one of the first to show up dust, dirt and grime, it is worth investing in a good floor cleaning tool. For carpets, a powerful, effective vacuum cleaner is essential. Bagless models tend to provide more consistent, powerful suction and investing in a model designed to deal with your household conditions, such as pet hair, is well worth the extra cost.

Q10. b – keeping you hands covered is quite important: not only does it protect your skin from the harsh cleaning chemicals but it also means that you’re less likely to skimp on scrubbing or other vigorous cleaning due to fear of damaging your hands and nails.

Like many other things in life, making sure that you’re cleaning effectively means that you can spend less time on doing it while enjoying a greater return for your efforts.

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