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Amy Bates
Here's What Happened When I Let My Family Clean ...

When GoodHousekeeping.com asked me to stop doing housework for two weeks, I was terrified. For starters, we're your typical, busy Midwestern family with two teenage sons and two dogs. My husband Alan is a tidy and fastidious civil engineer, and I am the proud owner of a Merry Maids office and the founder of the Don't Look Under the Rug blog. The two of us divide the chores (Alan washes dishes, cooks, and vacuums; while I handle laundry, grocery shopping, and monitoring general clutter) and the boys are expected to pick up after themselves. That said, I do feel I handle more than my fair share of housework after a day at the office.

I don't think my standards are unrealistic. I love things to be clean, but I also enjoy living in my home. We do have a mail pile and a "take it up the stairs" collection. So, eventually, I felt cautiously optimistic about taking a two-week hiatus from housework. My boys are well-behaved, helpful, and only slightly sloth-like when it comes to picking up after themselves — how bad could it be? 

Here's What Happened When I Let My Family Clean the House for Two Weeks

flu

Cleaning Tips For Fighting The Flu At Home

Oh my gosh! The flu season is here and after the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it is time for some cleaning tips to use after all the guests have left!

So just a little reminder about how the flu is spread (Thank you WebMD):

Basically anytime you are in large groups and someone has the flu virus, you are at major risk to get the flu yourself. Think daycare facilities, workplace, college dorms and your own home! When you inhale droplets in the air that contain the flu virus or handle something a person contaminated with the flu has touched, you could be on your way to suffering the effects. No fun. 

What to do?

WASH YOUR HANDS - like your mother or grandmother always told you - and in the event you do get sick - STAY HOME (obvious)! But while you (or a loved one) is on the mend at home, make sure to use these cleaning tips to keep the icky flu virus from spreading or accidentally recontaminating yourself:

Areas to remember to clean when you have the flu:

  • Pillows, sheets and other bedding
  • Toothbrushes
  • Fridge handles, door knobs (pretty much all door knobs)
  • Light switches
  • Cell phone screens
  • Remote control
  • Counters (especially where you cook or are performing personal hygiene)
  • The cabinets where you keep the drink ware
  • Stove top (any area where you are putting food in mouth)