Tips To Cut Your Cleaning Time

According to a recent survey by home cleaning experts, over half of Americans admit that they feel a sense of accomplishment after cleaning their homes-even though they don't necessarily like having to houseclean. The good news is cleaning doesn't have to be laborious or take loads of time.

"My advice to people is 'clean smarter, not harder,'" says Laura Dellutri, author of "Speed Cleaning 101." "By following a few simple tips, you can properly clean your home in less time, thereby freeing you up to do the things you'd rather be doing."

Here are a few speed-cleaning tips from Dellutri:

Keep dirt and grime from accumulating. Did you know that 85 percent of all dirt that comes into the home is on the bottom of shoes? By placing mats at the entrance of your home so people can wipe their shoes, you'll reduce the amount of dirt coming in-and the amount you'll have to clean later.

Have all of your cleaning supplies nearby while cleaning. This will shave time off your cleaning routine, because you won't have to stop to retrieve missing tools or products. A cleaning caddy, five-gallon pail, cleaning apron or laundry basket can all be used to transport cleaning supplies from room to room (and they make great storage containers). Carry a few damp cloths (which can be used to clean 90 percent of the surfaces in your home) over your shoulder to save time running back and forth to the sink. Hang smaller cleaning supplies from your belt or the vacuum, or put them in your pockets.

Look for products with "two-in-one" benefits. For example, glass cleaner with disinfectant can be used on a variety of surfaces, thereby eliminating the need for multiple spray cans (and the time to fumble for them). The O-Cedar Power Corner Plus with Scuff Eraser is a great two-in-one cleaning tool, because its 25,000 bristle tips pick up dust and debris quickly, while the built-in scuff eraser eliminates the need to bend down and remove unsightly marks.

Clean from top to bottom. Dust and dirt fall to the floor while you clean, so start at the top to avoid having to reclean lower areas twice. For the same reason, always dust first and vacuum last.

Don't clean what's already clean. You can shave hours off your routine by cleaning only the dirty areas of furniture, fixtures or appliances, and shining the rest of it with a slightly damp cloth.

Get the whole family involved. Assign everyone in the family a particular cleaning chore (for example, vacuuming, dusting, trash removal, sweeping) and have each person complete his or her task in each room of the home. When everyone helps in an orga-nized fashion, the house can be cleaned in practically no time.

Two-in-one cleaning products save you time when cleaning.