Page 22 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II & IV • October 30, 2013 Time-saving cleaning tricks to try at home House cleaning is a chore few people relish. House cleaning can be monotonous and time-consuming. But ignoring cleaning tasks may leave you with a much larger mess to tackle. Cleaning does not have to be such a difficult job. There are a number of time-saving strategies to keep the mess to a minimum and keep weekends free from all-day cleaning marathons. Do the dishes after every meal. A sink full of dishes can make the kitchen look like a mess, and letting dishes pile up increases the risk of insect infestation. Although it may seem like a chore, keeping on top of dishes actually reduces the workload. If you have an automatic dishwasher, load dishes directly into the dishwasher instead of putting dirty items into the sink. Protect the microwave. The inside of the microwave tends to get dirty quickly. Heating up snacks or quick meals may result in spills or splatter. To cut down on cleaning time, stack several paper towels on the turntable. Should a spill occur, discard the top paper towel for an easy cleanup. Switch your soap. Glycerin or liquid soaps do not have traditional binders that are in many bar soaps. Without the binders, which are the primary cause of soap scum, there will be much less soap scum in showers and sinks. To fur- ther cut down on soap scum, use a small, flexible squeegee to wipe down tile walls and glass doors after each shower. Work from the top down. Dust and dirt settle at the lowest levels. Avoid messing up what you have just cleaned by beginning any cleaning task high up and moving down- ward. For instance, dust shelves and cobwebs from ceiling corners first, then tackle tables and other surfaces before ultimately cleaning the floors. Concentrate on one room at a time. Some people suffer from cleaning attention deficit disorder. This means they will begin one task and then go into another room for some- thing and start a new task, and so on. Focus on one room at a time to save time. You will do a more thorough job with less frustration. Establish a drop zone. Foyers tend to accumulate a lot of clutter. Organize the space so you are less tempted to drop items as soon as you enter. Keep the recycling bin or shredder handy for dealing with junk mail. Have a coat rack for hats, coats, and umbrellas. Keep a basket available so you can transport items that belong in other rooms in the house. Do laundry every day. Invest in a hamper that enables you to sort clothing into different compartments, includ- ing lights, darks, and delicates. This way, the sorting will already be done when it comes time for washing. Aim to do a load a day so there won’t be 100 pounds of laundry come the weekend. Rely on baking soda and vinegar as cleaning products. These kitchen staples are the workhorses of many cleaning projects. A mix of baking soda and vinegar can dislodge a clogged drain and be added to a load of wash to freshen towels and linens. A paste of baking soda can often scour tough stains, like marker, while vinegar has been known to neutralize pet odors from accidents. Think outside the box. A can of Coca-Cola can be effec- tive at cleaning the ring in the toilet. An unsweetened pack- age of Kool-Aid brand lemonade can be used to freshen and clean an empty dishwasher. The citric acid will scour the inside and get rid of any scaling or hard water stains. Cleaning is a task that may not be enjoyable, but it is a necessary part of healthy living. Keeping on top of the mess can save time in the long run.