I clean as I go and as I see....generally....
I have a hubby and three cats...one currently shedding....
I always keep a microfibre cloth in the bathroom and clean the mirror etc hen cleaning my teeth....
Vacuuming is a daily job so I have a cleaner upstairs and one downstairs.....I have a bad back so carrying them around isn’t an option.
My dishcloths get regular washing and...like others....I’m sanitising more than before.
Yes some areas escape attention.....for a while but...on the whole it gets sorted....eventually.
Of course.....now...the garden needs attention too....
Gransnet forums
House and home
Are you doing less housework ?
(123 Posts)I dislike housework, and now that we are allowed no visitors, I'm getting a bit lazy about how my house is looking. I do tidy up, but dust is gathering and I'm thinking, let it stay there a bit longer. And although I do like ironing, it's just the collar and front of DH's shirts that get done, and a quick up and down on the front of the trouser legs. (But I am about to wash the kitchen floor as DH is doing more cooking, bless him, but he is a bit messy.)
Cleaning about the same but with a bit more wiping of door handles, light switches etc. Only me here so don't need to drench the house in chemicals.
I have caught up on the garden and now enjoying it while the good weather lasts.
After that I plan to tidy out the shed and go through a large box of photos and put the best into a bag full of albums bought for the purpose years ago ?
Unfortunately I'm doing a lot more for three reasons: firstly, I laid off my cleaner with full pay a month ago so I'm essentially doing her job with some assistance from hubby - and for nothing; secondly, I have deliveries in cardboard boxes which mean I'm super-vigilant and cleaning surfaces and floors continually to ensure there's no introduction of the virus into the house, and thirdly because my food is coming in a different way now (via deliveries) and the veg and fruit are not exactly what I would buy if I were out, I'm being more creative in cooking to ensure I use them up and that means more planning and more time in the kitchen. So in my case, I'm a lot busier domestically. Will be glad to get my cleaner back, and I shall be much more appreciative of her.
I'm actually doing a bit more as I have a lovely lady who comes twice a month to keep my flat clean but she can't come at the moment of course , so I am trying my best to keep it tidy. I can't do much as I'm disabled but I'm doing what needs to be done, and it's looking all right!
House is a tip. In the middle of decorating, and can't be bothered to hoover up the plaster dust.
Garden is pristine and spotless.
Go figure.....
At the start of lockdown I cleaned like there was no tomorrow - but now I’m all cleaned out. Perhaps I’ll start again in a week or two, maybe when the weather changes, but for now it’s clean enough for me and I’ll concentrate on the hygiene aspect of the bathroom and kitchen.
I have to do less housework as I have a tired heart. I like housework especially cleaning and tidying and sometimes verge on doing too much.
Because we feel so out of control of everhthing at present it does manifest itself in many with over-cleaning everything all of the time. I have always tried to use bleach as sparingly as possible, as have concerns about to much of this in the general water supplies.
When I receive a delivery parcel - I open it, dispose of that box, then just wash my hands, no wiping the box down, etc. Still do a Sainsbury's weekly shop - use zapper, so goes direct from shelves into my shopping bags. At home, I wash my hands, unpack shopping and put away - wash hands again.
Obviously wash hands prior to preparing or eating any food. So, not really much different to my usual hygiene routine.
With just me here and no visitors, flat does really get dirty or even very untidy. So, not doing anything more than usual housework. Seem to be savouring delaying some jobs - to give me something to do when I am totally bored. Do need to give fridge a good clean out - keep putting it off until tomorrow. Must get round to it.
All wardrobes and bedroom cupboards are pretty neat as I only moved here six months ago - so everything is in its place and a place for everything.
Only what I have to.
Spent an hour disinfecting delivery from Tesco then Dil sent surprise hamper from a local deli so shoved it all in the fridge and cupboard as was too exhausted to start that malarkey again.
My cleaner also been furloughed so I washed the kitchen floor once last week, and vacc'd a bit halfheartedly, but am saving energy for handwashing for the rest of the lockdown as my erstwhile dependable 12 year old washer is making funny groaning sounds, ?.
I had started cleaning prior to this.
Call it premonition , it worries me sometimes.
He's a reasonably young Ted, Maggiemaybe, I won him in a Dr Barnado's raffle. DGD wanted to take him home but he's mine, mine, mine.
I am a mean Granny.
I'm relieved and enjoying the fact that my time is not being taken up with many weekly hospital appointments or childminding, as I'm sheilding.
I usually don't have the time, stamina nor inclination to clean everything. Now I can catch up on the things that I have been putting off and do the tasks at my own pace. I have until the 23rd June to do that, so it's a long period of incarceration, perhaps even longer.
It is not a mark of my anxiety that I'm cleaning rigorously, it's called survival instinct. Compared to some posters on GN, I would say I'm relatively calm and resigned. No point in stressing, I can't change things, I know that from past experience.
I have been told in no uncertain terms that if I catch the virus, I will most likely not survive. DH is not the best at remembering to clean up properly after himself, or wash his hand for 20 seconds. I need to compensate for him too.
My old ted’s sitting in the window as well, Callistemon, plus some Easter egg bunting, just in case anyone’s doing the bear hunt or an egg hunt. I haven’t seen any children pass by since they went into position though.
Pristine...... well almost!
If I die tomorrow then all the bedroom drawers have been Marie Kondoed!!!
I've been doing more house work but the spring cleaning variety not the bleach everything in sight variety. I have paced myself though, doing one job thoroughly each day rather than trying to pack it all in a short time. It means I can avoid helping my husband in the garden which I dislike.
I agree Calendargirl some of the cleaning we are hearing about is way over the top. It is a mark of people's anxiety .
Grammaretto
No, we have not been told to bleach everything as far as I’m aware. I wash my hands thoroughly after touching shopping, post, anything like that, and always before handling any food, or cooking.
I think all this washing everything in soap and water or bleach is unnecessary, but if others want to do it, up to them.
No domestic help means either I do it or we fester. Much as I loathe housework I do like things clean and tidy so I am doing something each day - unless the garden calls, when obviously that takes precedence. Standard not as high as normal but of course there is nobody to criticise.
Those pirate ships are going nowhere under lockdown and the superheroes and Lego characters have all been furloughed.
Teddy's in the window looking out for small children on a Bear Hunt but only two appeared and they didn't notice him.
He is rather
and I can hear him singing:
When will I, will I be famous?
The surfaces, sink, table etc get cleaned at least once a day, and the bathroom but not the floors.
Guilty as charged
but the important areas (kitchen and bathroom) get done every day, (not the floors though
)
Because there is so much more time, it's so easy to put things off!
I have started writing a list each evening of a few jobs to be done next day.
Works for me!
Probably less housework, more gardening.
I keep saying 'Must steam clean the kitchen floor' but no-one has been in apart from us.
Grammaretto I don't spray everything with bleach but we do either leave post if it looks unimportant, or use gloves to open a parcel. The parcels have taken so long to arrive that whatever is inside should be just fine. I just take the gloves off before touching the contents.
We were careful with the food delivery and anything that came has been put on separate shelves in the fridge and freezer, or in a separate area in cupboards.
Unless someone who should not have done comes into the house of those who are self-isolating, I can't see how the virus can appear or why everything needs to be constantly wiped with disinfectant.
I’m doing more cleaning as I have had to furlough my cleaner on half pay but I don’t like it. But it does pass the time.
Everything cleaned into an inch of its life even the front door and outside window frames good job its a bungalow and there are no upstairs windows 
The ironing basket is empty just two silk blouses to steam but they can wait.
Tomorrow I am going to take a look in the shed I haven't really bothered since I have been on my own so goodness knows whats lurking in there.
I'm doing about the same as ever, but think because we are spending more time in it, and doing 'stuff' it's less tidy than normal.
less than nothing round here. We had someone knock on the back door today - not an entrance I'm proud of - she jumped back when I opened it. No comment was made about the state of the porch but she did ask if we were both all right. 
I am enjoying not having to tidy up every time someone calls.
A friend phoned to say she is spraying everything coming into her house with dilute bleach and then not opening parcels for 3 days. Is that correct? Should I be doing that? I haven't been
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