Work it, work it... housework it

Every now and then put on some knee pads and give floors a hands-and-knees, soap-and-water clean the old (fashioned) way. "My grandmother taught my mom, who then taught me, that the best only way to really clean a floor was to get on your hands and knees, and scrub it." - ThingsYour Grandmother Knew (... and you wish you did it, too!)

"My grandmother taught my mom, who then taught me, that the best only way to really clean a floor was to get on your hands and knees and scrub it.

When you get on your hands & knees and scrub, not only do you see every spot & hair on the floor, but working at that level you automatically see (and then clean) the baseboards, bottom edges of the cabinets etc. And when you stick your (gloved if you prefer) hands in the water, you are much more aware of when you need a fresh bucket of soapy water. Mops are for spills, and quick passes of where the muddy dogs ran in.

It may seem contrary to those who have grown up with the bucket & mop, but scrubbing floors on your hands & knees is more efficient and economical too. Not only do you clean better but you give yourself a great upper body work out as well. Every single girl who worked as a Merry Maid discovered their arms, chests and even their legs firmed up as a result of scrubbing floors the old fashioned way.

And so I submit to you, dear reader, just another reason why grandma never would have dreamed of paying for a gym membership.

Some prefer the modern strap-on kneepads, but I prefer the good old fashioned rectangle kneepads. They are easier to clean, so you can use them in the garden too. And, because they are truly one-size-fits all, your kids -- no matter what size -- can use it too. You should be teaching your kids how to properly clean; it's something they should be learning."

Fleur Cottage: On Cleaning... 

"I use my own solution of water and vinegar that I put in a spray bottle, spraying as I go, switching out with my new BFF...Meleluca. The floors feel CLEAN, CLEAN and I love the smell of Meleluca! Here is a link to Meleluca if you're interested. Here's to chemical free cleaning!"