Get started. Decide how clean you want your house to be and how much time you have to do so. This will help you decide how to set up your cleaning schedule. Be honest with yourself about what you can do.

• Attempt to delegate tasks. If you live with other people, cleaning the house should not be exclusively your responsibility! You may have to take on leadership by setting up a rotational cleaning schedule, but it's better than having to do this backbreaking work alone.
  
   
• Some people prefer to put off cleaning as long as possible, then have a big cleaning campaign now and then.
  
   
• For the "average" busy person (not a neat freak) it works better to do a little bit every day so that the work doesn't pile up, and also have major-cleaning day a few times a month. What style you prefer is up to you (unless you have roommates of course).
  
   

Cleaning glass/mirrors. It is commonly thought that glass cleaner does the cleaning. It's no substitute for soapy water!

• First, wash your glass (including windows and mirrors) with a solution of warm or hot water, dish soap and a rag, sponge, or squeegee. Powdered no-scratch cleaner works fantastic for cleaning mirrors, glass, ceramics, and metals because it scrubs off hard water residue without scratching the surface.
  
   
• Wipe down surface with a dry lint-free cloth or lint-free paper towels.
  
   
• If you want to clean glass and be environmentally friendly, clean the glass with vinegar and water, dry with a lint-free cloth, and rub the glass with newspaper. No streaks! Make sure you use some elbow grease -- it requires pressure to properly clean glass.
  
   
• Alternatively, spray glass cleaner on a paper towel and clean the glass surface. The glass cleaner acts as a shield to help keep spots and dust easy to remove. When misused, glass "cleaner" will leave streaks.
  
   

Polish furniture. Like glass cleaner, furniture polish isn't meant to be a cleaner. However, it can be used for cleaning. If you'd like to use furniture polish, make sure to carefully read the labels and find one made specifically for what you need.

• Some furniture can handle water, and those that can should be used with the soapy solution from step two. Be sure to quickly dry off these surfaces.
  
   
• Next, apply the suggested amount of furniture polish and wipe away according to directions. This will keep dust from magnetizing to your furniture.
  
   

Using all-purpose cleaners. Be cautious with all-purpose cleaners. They aren't always safe for every purpose you'll have in mind. Make sure to thoroughly read labels before purchasing to ensure it fits your needs.

• Do not mix cleaners! Use them one at a time and follow the directions on the label.
  
   

Working outside. Outdoor tasks can help create a better living environment. Raking leaves helps to prevent mold growth that happens in wet climates after raining. Raking regularly will also assist in dropping the bug count in your yard. Raking will also leave your yard looking neat and cared for and offer more room for grass to grow and sunlight to reach.

• Trimming/pruning Trimming back plants (hedges, rose bushes, etc.) can help prevent water lines and dirt from getting on the walls of your home.
  
   

Do the laundry with a washing machine or by by hand. The following are generic instructions for a washing machine:

• First, begin the water at the needed temperature and level.
  
   
• Next, pour in the needed amount of laundry detergent where the water is pouring.
  
   
• If you use fabric softener, a great thing to use is the fabric softener balls that you pour your softener into and just throw in at the beginning. (This saves you from having to wait for the rinse cycle.) If you use one, do this with the detergent. If you put your clothes in first, you risk staining your clothes with the coloring in these liquids.
  
   

Drying your laundry. The way you transfer your clothes into your dryer can affect the way they come out. Once the entire washing cycle is complete, shake to remove the twisting of fabric and the heavy wrinkles then toss into your dryer. This process can help prevent wrinkling and helps your clothes to dry more efficiently. It also helps to empty the dryer while your clothes are still warm.

Clean the floor.

• Vacuuming is the most effective way to clean up all the dust and other loose junk that accumulates on your floor (and it's practically a daily necessity when you have shedding pets). If you're always putting off vacuuming, try using a dry dust mop (the microfiber kind works well) if you have tile/wood floors.
  
   
• You can use a carpet sweeper (non-electric machine you push that has brushes underneath) if you have carpet. Both involve less fuss than getting out the vacuum and will let you go longer between vacuuming.
  
   

Mop your floor. Some the new and innovative substitutes for mopping can be helpful but they are still no substitute for a good rag mop for getting rid of glued-on grime.

• If you have tile or textured floors, nothing else will get the dirt out of the cracks and depressions.
  
   
• There are a vast number of options for rag mops. Rag mops with real fabric scrub better and last longer than mops with a sponge. With a good rag mop, one thing is guaranteed; when you use a little elbow grease, your floors will look fantastic. Use hot water and the appropriate cleaner for your floor (again, read the labels).
  
   

Washing the dishes. These save a lot of work when you use them right. Your dishwasher works best when you load it completely and run it right after you use your dishes.

• Big things like pots and pans are usually best hand-washed because they don't fit well in the dishwasher.
  
   
• Dishes wear out more quickly when washed by machine than by hand because the dishwasher's soap is abrasive, so heirloom china, delicate wine glasses, and other really fragile things should be carefully hand-washed instead.
  
   

Hand-washing dishes: It's much easier to wash your dishes if you do it right after you use them; you will rarely need to soak anything or scrub hard because the food juices won't have a chance to dry and harden.

• Just wet your sponge or scrubber brush with hot water, squirt on some dish soap, wipe each dish (both sides!), and rinse thoroughly with hot water.
  
   
• If you use the soaking method, picture this: a bucket of brown water with dirt, grease, food particles, millions of germs, and a lot of other things that come off your dirty dishes. Now you know how disgusting (and unsanitary) that soaking water can be. If you need to soak a casserole that has baked-on gunk for ten or fifteen minutes, that's okay, but when you can, it's usually better to just wash the dishes promptly and avoid soaking.
  
   
• Either way you do it, place the thoroughly rinsed dishes in a clean drying rack and allow to air dry.
  
   
• Be sure to let your brush, sponge, and dish towel dry between uses to keep them from accumulating germs too (see tips below).
  
   

Fighting fleas. Your best defense against fleas is your vacuum cleaner! Besides not having carpet, that is. Carpet is a breeding ground for fleas (not to mention all the other things it's good for holding). If you have pets, vacuum daily. This will keep them out of the place they are successful in breeding; where there is pet and human dander.

• To kill fleas without using poisons, after each vacuuming, sprinkle borax on your carpets and let it work its way into the carpet backing. You'll never have fleas in the house if you do this. You can find the Borax in the laundry detergent area of grocery stores, usually on the top shelf.