How to clean a room: a newbie's survival guide

I had lots of things to share with you guys, the past few weeks have been challenging for me. My baby had a viral infection again a day after her birthday and I lost a good old friend. So much for that one, the weather is gloomy and we all have too many dramas already, don't we?

When I was a kid, I did not know a single household chore even taking a good bath because my elder sisters did everything for me.

My grandma would proudly tell everyone about my cousin April that she's a role model: she cleans the house and washes their clothes at 9 years old. I can't help but roll my eyes whenever I hear her sermons.

My first cleaning experience was when I was 10. My aunt gave me a damp cloth and instructed me to wipe their dirty, artificial ornamentals. It took me forever to finish that single chore. I would spend the whole day playing outside with my friends so I won't do that horrendous task again.

My parents broke up in 1996 so I was gutted because I hated ironing, washing clothes, and cleaning but I had to adjust. I only loved washing the dishes because I love water. How I regrettably wished that I learned the chores earlier.

Through the years though I learned the art of cleaning by reading books especially the Japanese 5s principles. I then developed my own method.

If you are cleaning a room

1. Check how big the room is so you can divide your task into smaller ones. Also, make sure you are in a good mood and have a piece of good music.

2. See if there is a need to repair a cabinet or anything damaged. You wouldn't want to clean again after the repairs right?

3. Sort out and organize your things first. Throw the garbage away after sorting and before cleaning so you can save time.

What you need to clean a room

Personally, the stuff that I use when cleaning are:

1. Rugs- Prepare two or more

2. A pail of water with soap and/or Clorox and a pail for plain water

3. Mop- If you don't want to wipe the floor with your hands

4. Dustpan and broom for the floor

5. Broom for the ceiling and wall

How to clean the room

1. Start with the ceiling-I do not like seeing the dust darken when it's wet so I prefer to remove it with the cobwebs using a broom. Remember to cover your face so you won't inhale the dirt and to cover the bed with your used blanket so the dust won't settle on it.

2. You can sweep the wall and windows before you wipe them with a damp cloth or you can just wipe them directly with a soaped damp cloth. Fold the cloth into different parts and change its positions to avoid the spread of dirt.

Remember to rinse and change clothes from time to time. Also, soak them with soap and Clorox.

3. Wipe your furniture and appliances with a damp cloth. You can use extra cloth if you want.

4. Sweep the floor: you can either use the cloth or mop to clean it. I prefer to use my hands because I am meticulous and I don't like the mop. You can now also disinfect. But always remember to leave the room for 10-30 minutes before doing the next steps, to avoid too much inhalation of the disinfectant's strong odor.

5. Change your bedsheets and curtains. I suggest that you take a bath first to avoid the dirt and sweat from getting into the new sheets.

You now have a clean and crispy fresh room! I do general cleaning either every after 2 weeks or after a month. The frequency depends on you. Also, I don't have a vacuum cleaner so I didn't include it on my list. Just a reminder though, sweep your floor every day and wipe your furniture every 3-4 days.

Cleaning now becomes my favorite hobby. It makes me happy that my kids and partner have good sleep when the room is tidy. It also gives me a sense of fulfillment, and it's a great exercise.

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