I’m honored to have Emma Macmillan, a professional writer, present a how to clean a dust pan and brush segment.

Though I rarely use a dust pan and we don’t have a brush, I’m not sure I’ve ever cleaned the dust pan.

To clean my floors, I sweep with a broom and dump the contents onto our carpet. I pick up any large pieces or strands of dust, and then vacuum.

When I use my dust pan, I am usually cutting hair. After having placed all the strands into the trash, I just wipe out the dust pan.

Realizing that picked up does not mean it is cleaned, I will clean the dust pan on its next use.

Without putting you on a guilt trip but alerting you to the why and how, Emma shares three methods to clean a dust pan and brush. Thank you, Emma, and happy cleaning! ~ Tracy

Domestic Cleaning: How to Clean a Dust Pan and Brush

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Believe it or not, you need to clean your dust pan and brush with every domestic cleaning session.

Because the two are so small and contained, we tend to ignore the fact that bacteria gets trapped in the bristles of the brush, serving to infect every new surface it apparently brushes clean.

House cleaning will invariably involve a dust pan and brush at some point. You most likely rely on the device in attending to the line of muck you’ve just swept to one side with your broom.

There’s nothing wrong in doing this, only you will be left with a pretty dirty brush and dust pan afterwards.

Especially when it comes to kitchen cleaning, all sorts of debris are ultimately removed via the dust pan and brush.

Homes with pets are obviously going to have twice as much bacteria floating around, in which case, there’s even more of a pressing need to clean your small-scale cleaning equipment more often.

So how do we do this? There are a few different ways, so choose your preference from the following:

1. Bucket of Lemon Juice and Vinegar

Simply slice a lemon in two. Then take one half and place it in a small bucket, resting it diagonally and having the inside face outwards – as if greeting the sun. Put a full kettle on to boil.

Once boiling, pour the water directly onto lemon slowly and carefully, gradually filling the bucket. The aim here is to release small doses of pure lemon juice into your solution without de-juicing manually – without getting strands of messy pulp in your mix. Then, add two cap-fulls of white wine vinegar to the mix and stir with a wooden spoon.

Slowly proceed to place the brush and dust pan into the mix, ensuring all the brush’s bristles are submerged. Now grab an old rain coat and place it over the bucket in order to trap air. The steam circulating beneath will thus become so strong that, with the assistance of the lemon juice and vinegar, will serve to penetrate the bristles and remove debris.

Let it sit for 5 hours before removing the brush and dust pan and rinsing them in the bath with hot water. Pour your solution out, mindful not to clog your drain with debris that came off the brush.

2. Use the Washing Machine

This one is simple but is a waste of laundry detergent since you will need to wash the brush and dust pan alone while applying the standard amount of detergent.

If you prefer to use your wash machine however, simply proceed to connect the brush and dust pan together before wrapping a bath towel around the cleaning apparatus. This bundle will prevent a noisy washing machine as it throws the tools around.

Protect your kit this way as the plastic could chip off otherwise. Apply your regular dose of detergent and put on a half hour wash. Dry outside in the sun for 4-5 hours.

3. Vacuum and Air Dry

If you don’t want your brush and dust pan to get wet at all, then you can always vacuum the set and place it outside afterwards. While this is okay in the short term, you’re advised to clean with hot liquid before too long.

To vacuum, use the end of the hose. Hold it closely to the brush. The cylindrical hose end of the vacuum is good on the brush since it lets you really get into the bristles. Push the hose end right into the brush and comb over thoroughly before combing the dust pan as well.

Proceed to connect the brush and dust pan together again before placing them outside in the sun for 4-5 hours.

Emma is part of a team of professional writers, who, with enthusiasm and flair to detail, create content on home, renovating, cleaning etc. related topics. For further information check: Pimlico cleaning home.

Finding an approach to cleaning that works for you takes time. What worked when your children were young may not work the same way as your children grow.

I know my cleaning routine has change multiple times, and I’m still trying out new ideas.

Today, I’m honored to have Emma Macmillan back with us.

After sharing in May how to clean our dust pans and brushes, Emma returns to Using Time Wisely focusing on helping us think through our cleaning process.

Like Emma, I like to engage my brain. Usually, I put on a favorite movie, but I like these other options she shares, especially the language as we will be studying Latin and Greek with our upcoming education changes.

As you read this post, I hope you will find encouragement as we successfully clean our homes while using time wisely. ~ Tracy 

Keeping a Hold on an Efficient Domestic Cleaning Process

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

If cleaning is something that strikes fear and loathing into your heart, then you may want to think about it in a different way.

In fact, the way in which you approach things can often be the key to making them less of an issue in your domestic life, which essentially means that you can trick yourself into being less bothered by the cleaning!

There are many ways in which to do this. Combining them will be the best way to keep your head above water when the cleaning feels like it is getting a bit much for you.

For a start, you need to be aware of the issues that are making you feel quite so loathsome of the cleaning in the first place.

Overcoming Boredom

The main factor is usually boredom, and this can be divided up into the aspects of cleaning that create boredom, like the time it takes, how repetitive it is, as well as how dull the tasks are. If you can tackle these issues, then you are well on your way to having a successful cleaning head space.

Working within Time Constraints

To prevent the cleaning taking too long, you can start by doing it more often. Cleaning more often will ensure that the tasks that make up the cleaning process take less time, as there will be less dirt and dust to get rid of. If you divide these tasks up, then each one should take about five to ten minutes.

Vacuuming or dusting a room should take no longer than ten minutes, unless it is absolutely massive. If you do these things regularly, then you will find that the amount of time will fall sharply. It is simply a case of running a cloth over things, as they are already pretty clean from having done so a few days beforehand.

Cleaning itself is a process combining series of short tasks. But who is to say that they need to be done at the same time? You can get these things done at any time that you find yourself with a couple of minutes to do so. In effect, you will end up with a series of little jobs that can be fitted in around your working day rather than a five-hour clean that you do every two weeks on a Saturday.

Focusing your Mind

If you do have to spend a little time cleaning, then one of the best ways to ensure that the repetition and dull actions don’t get you bored and distracted from the task is to take your mind off things with something audible. The brain is perfectly capable of enjoying music, the radio or an audio book whilst also getting on with cleaning the bathroom.

Why not try to lift the spirits of the job by putting on a favorite album or getting lost in an audio book that you have always wanted to read? You could even get some language tapes and learn a language that you’ve wanted to get to grips with whenever you clean!

This could result in you bettering your life and becoming more knowledgeable and well read, simply through the time that you spend cleaning. It may sound a little over the top, but there is no reason as to why you cannot make this time that used to be boring and restless into a positive time for bettering yourself.

Emma is part of a team of professional writers, who, with enthusiasm and flair to detail, create content on home, renovating, cleaning, etc. related topics. For further information check: moving vans Fulham.

Our vertical blinds are almost 10 years old. The gears are wearing out, and Paul recently repaired the blinds in our living room.

With our newly repaired blinds, I appreciate this timely post from Silvia Marks sharing how to properly clean them.

You might remember Silvia from her May post on Mastering the Art of Speed Cleaning. She returns today with more cleaning advice for our curtains and blinds.

Keeping our homes clean is an on-going process. Hopefully, these tips will help you in using time wisely. ~ Tracy

How to Clean and Treat Blinds and Curtains

Photograph Credit: Flickr (Kelly Cookson)

You can choose to clean blinds and curtains using professional cleaning services or do the cleaning on your own. To do it on your own, you can choose between chemicals, sold in stores, or do-it-yourself recipes.

Whatever cleaning method you decide to use, it’s good to know some tricks to extend the life of your blinds and curtains and improve their condition.

One fact that not many people know is that regular vacuum cleaning of the curtains and blinds prolongs the time between washing them.

The professional cleaners at DeluxeCleaners Ltd W12 use a delicate tool on the vacuum cleaner to avoid damaging the textile. Without that tool, use soapy water to clean the upholstery nozzle on your vacuum cleaner. Then gently vacuum your blinds and curtains.

Clean and Treat Blinds

To clean blinds, follow these steps. First, get rid of the dirt and dust on both sides. Use a towel or your vacuum cleaner with a tiny nozzle. Then, remove the blinds from the windows, unless they are wooden. Take them in your bathroom or in a larger place outdoors. Wash every part with a sponge or a gentle brush. After that, rinse them well and lay them out to dry. Finally, wipe them clean to prevent future gathering of dust.

You can clean your mini blinds with a small towel sprayed with a universal detergent. Mop each side. To clean wooden blinds, make a solution of one liter water and a quarter cup of white vinegar. With this solution spray a cloth and wipe the dust and dirt from the wooden blinds.

Vertical blinds can be cleaned while they are hanging on the windows. Use the vacuum cleaner with an appropriate nozzle and then a scrubber. If you have any tough stains, use a universal stain remover.

Clean and Treat Curtains

Curtains should be vacuum-cleaned at least once a month. It is not a good idea to send the curtains to the dry cleaners. The chemicals they use can cause diseases, including cancer.

Each curtain has to be washed per the written recommendations. Most are made of a couple of fabrics, and you have to consider each one. Before putting the curtains in the washing machine, take off all metal objects attached to them. The same thing applies if hand washing is recommended.

If you put them in the washing machine choose a light program which won’t harm the fabric. Use the proper detergent that is well-dissolved in water.

If you have stains that are difficult to remove, resort to the usage of aggressive chemicals – if nothing else will work. If the curtains have any holes or torn sections in the fabric, then it’s time to replace them.

Silvia is a successful blogger and writer. During the years as a professional cleaner, she learned that the most important thing for a clean home is perfection and grace.