Cleaning when I'm not strong enough to move

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
My house is atrocious and really need a good vacuuming and dusting, but so many things are heavy furniture I can't lift or move by myself. To hire a cleaning service is expensive and they want your home to be fairly clean to start. Any suggestions?
 

debodun said:
My house is atrocious and really need a good vacuuming and dusting, but so many things are heavy furniture I can't lift or move by myself. To hire a cleaning service is expensive and they want your home to be fairly clean to start. Any suggestions?
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I am still able to do most of it. The floors are difficult, but once I'm down, I can manage. The secret is to do a little bit at a time. I have to lie down for a few minutes many times between ten or fifteen minute sessions of cleaning. You have to let certain things go. Leave the heavy furniture in place, It isn't worth the effort or the risk of injury. Whatever dirt is under it isn't going to jump out and kill you. If you're not entertaining company, you are your own judge and set what ever limit works for you. In many places in the world the floor is made of dirt. Not advocating living in unhealthy conditions. At some point you will have to have someone in. If there is no help from family or friends there may be a social service available. Do what you can and don't beat yourself up for what you can't.
 

Sometimes there are cleaning people who advertise on the supermarket boards. But you do want to get lots of references. They often charge less than big services, but some of them can be dishonest...check all references. But like rocky said, don't sweat the small stuff so much. If the counters and sink are clean and the carpet you can see is vacuumed once in awhile you're good.
 
I agree with Radish Rose, bear the cost of the service, even if you have to have one room cleaned at a time. And they don't expect your house to be clean to begin with.

Luckily I'm still able to do all my housework, maintenance and yard chores myself or with the help of my husband.
 
Hire a teenager --- When I was 14 I vacumed, dusted, cleaned toilets & tubs, moved antiques and furniture in a three story Victorian for the owner who was a bit eccentric and a horrible house keeper. She paid me in cash $1.00 per hour and I worked on average about 10 to 15 hours a week for her. This lady kept a chicken that nested in one of the tubs.. That was a nice mess to clean.
 
Ha. Fairly clean? I wish somebody had told my clients that when I was still working! If you hire a service, they are there to clean...you don't have to clean before they get there.

If you're going to do it yourself, start at the top. Work down. A long-handled duster (or a broom with a rag tied around it) will do to dust down cobwebs and dust ceiling fan blades. Dust one entire side of the room, including picture frames, at a time, then move on to the next wall until all four have been done. Dust the furniture and doo-dads, then the baseboards.

Use a crevice tool on the wand for your vacuum to reach as far as you can under heavy furniture.

When you vacuum, start at the point farthest away from the door and vacuum your way out of the room.

Dust in the bathroom first. Then clean the mirror, vanity and sink, and obviously, clean the toilet last.

Dust in the kitchen. Wipe down the outside of the cabinets and the appliances. Clean the countertops and the sink.

Use a dust mop or a Swiffer on floors that aren't carpeted. Wash the floors. Et voila! Done.


And...if you have stainless steel appliances and/or a stainless steel sink, don't spend money on stainless steel polish. Spray some furniture polish on a clean cloth and wipe the appliances in the same direction as the "grain" of the finish.

If you have a two-story house, instead of trying to drag a vacuum down the stairs while vacuuming, use a whisk broom.

As far as I know, it's not carved in stone that you have to clean the whole house at once, just remember to start at the top.
 
Lot of good advice hear, Debodun.

The biggest thing, the most important thing that I think has been offered - do NOT try moving the heavy stuff. Vacuuming under / around is GOOD ENOUGH. If it is not, hire a service - let THEM pull their backs out.

A clean house is never worth pain and a hospital visit.
 
Lon said:
Hire a teenager --- When I was 14 I vacumed, dusted, cleaned toilets & tubs, moved antiques and furniture in a three story Victorian for the owner who was a bit eccentric and a horrible house keeper. She paid me in cash $1.00 per hour and I worked on average about 10 to 15 hours a week for her. This lady kept a chicken that nested in one of the tubs.. That was a nice mess to clean.
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:eek:k:
 
debodun said:
My house is atrocious and really need a good vacuuming and dusting, but so many things are heavy furniture I can't lift or move by myself. To hire a cleaning service is expensive and they want your home to be fairly clean to start. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

I bought some furniture slides and really like them. Everything slides so easy. My husband loves them because he doesn't have to help.
 
I don't bother to lift or try to move heavy furniture. Whatever's under there isn't going anywhere and if you can't see it, nobody else can, either, so why worry about it? It isn't worth winding up with an injury over dust bunnies under the piano.

I'd love to have a cleaning service, but I can't afford it, either.
 
Sometimes if my knee is acting up and I have dusty floor, I sit in my office chair which has wheels, and scoot around my living room wood floors with my swiffer. Works fine and I get a good little ride.
 
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