I have to admit, house cleaning is probably my least favorite thing to do, but on the other hand I DO enjoy a clean house. That’s why I love finding ways to make my cleaning chores faster, more efficient and easier to handle.
It’s always nice to have a few short cuts in my arsenal so I can get the cleaning done quicker and get back to doing something fun, like working on my latest sewing project! I’ve found that the best way to keep myself from procrastinating about my chores is to have a few useful cleaning items stored together and handy for when the mood strikes. You can even make a few of these faves yourself!
Grab an old terrycloth towel and cut a strip that is 2 1/2″ wide by the length of the towel. Sew 1/4″ seams on the sides of the strip and turn it right side out. Slip the strip of towel over a yardstick and use it to clean your hard to reach spots like under the refrigerator and behind the washer and dryer. Throw it in the washing machine after you’ve cleaned and use it again next time.
Take the rest of that old towel and cut it in the shape of your dust mop, adding about 4 inches all around. Turn under a hem and run elastic through the casing. Instead of constantly buying replacement pads, slip your terrycloth “cover” over the dust mop and use it on your floors or for removing cobwebs from the corners of the garage. Again, just throw it in the wash when you’re done and it’ll be ready for next time.
For a “broom duster” you can sew two old hand towels together on three sides and add elastic or a drawstring at the top. Some of us lazy people might even resort to using a rubber band. Slip this cover over a broom for all your really hard to reach places, wash and reuse.
The easiest method I’ve found to clean ceiling fans doesn’t even require any sewing. Simply find an old cotton pillowcase, cover each fan blade in turn and capture the dust in the pillowcase to save yourself the trouble of sweeping up afterward. Of course you can wash and reuse the pillowcase too – keep it handy with all the other “dust busters” you’ve made so you’ll be ready at any time to make quick work of your cleaning chores.