A Not-So-Desperate Housewife's Crash Course in Speed-Cleaning

5/25/2006

(NewsUSA) - Who wants to stay home and clean for hours when it's beautiful outside? Let's face it, cleaning is a chore many of us would like to avoid.

For eternal procrastinators, guilt about not thoroughly cleaning the house increases considerably when the ghosts of spring-cleaning come knocking on their doors.

The good news is that there are some new cleaning devices that can move your cleaning speed into high gear.

But what about results? Cutting cleaning time doesn't necessarily mean cutting corners. Laura Deluttri, author of "SpeedCleaning 101," offers this advice on how to make your home sparkle in half the time.

* Put on great music and clean to the beat. The faster the beat, the quicker you'll move. You will have more fun and clean faster.

* Start at the top and work your way down. Use extension dusters for the high surfaces.

* Use vacuums that reach behind and underneath your furniture. This will help prevent wear and tear on your body. The cordless sweepers have one of the lowest profiles available.

* Embrace natural cleaning methods and use nontoxic products for a healthier home. Stop drowning your house in toxic cleaning materials. Instead, use lemon oil on porous wood surfaces. Lemon oil will treat the wood and restore the moisture and shine. It also will cover scratches.