Angel Burns - The Unique Rubbing Alcohol in Home Cleaning: The Ultimate Guide with Recipes to Make Your House Sparkle

Housekeeping is an art. It involves aesthetic considerations as well as decorative and applied arts but can most typically involve getting down and dirty and simply cleaning those bathroom floors.

Not everyone is a good housekeeper. Some let refrigerated food, chores, and clutter pile up to the point where they can be considered a 'hoarder.' Others can't stand the sight of a crumb on the floor and make themselves and others miserable by constantly cleaning to the point of obsession.

There is a fine line between slovenliness and obsessive-compulsiveness when it comes to cleaning, and it can be summed up by a sign many people have in their kitchen: "this home is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy."

Many factors are involved when it comes to dictating how to keep a home clean and presentable. Different lifestyles, the physical layout of the home, and members of the household are just to name a few. The best way to start is to create self-imposed rules and guidelines and begin by making the bed every morning. Once you make the bed, the bedroom will look more organized, and it will be easier to put away clothes and shoes and other items that should be in their respective place.

When it comes to housecleaning, begin with the basics -- a clean floor. Start at the bottom and move up from there. Cleaning a floor is going to stir up some dust that will have to be removed later, so it's best to just let the dust settle. The first step is to grab a broom and start sweeping. You should do this after the clutter has been removed. Picking up and stacking magazines, plumping couch cushions, and getting stuff, like socks off of the floor. Removing dirty cups and glasses from the coffee table and side tables is not an act of cleaning. We consider that as straightening up, or what used to be called 'retting up,' and there is a world of difference between the two.

However, a room does need to be cleared of non-essential items before it can get a good cleaning. This is a good time to look at decorative items and bric-a-brac to see what can go. If you can't bear to part with anything, just collect and wrap some of the items and shelve them somewhere until needed. They will find their way back if they are essential to you. Old flower arrangements-- both artificial and live -- may have seen the end of their usefulness.

When you end up with a sparkling, clean, inviting home, it's always nice to treat yourself to a fresh bouquet of your favorite flowers. It's as easy nowadays as picking up blooms at the supermarket or, if you are lucky and have space and a green thumb, walking out into your garden with a pair of snips.

But before you get sidetracked with decorating and flower arranging, get the cleaning out of the way first.