Watching the creative activity of weaving the web by spiders in the corners of your living room and telling yourself this weekend I will clean them. But unfortunately that weekend never shows up and the creative work by skilled spiders is still going on. Thanks to God that once in a year the festival of Diwali comes and reminds all the lazy heads to hold the brooms and clean the house thoroughly. I personally feel that the best part of Diwali is not firing the crackers but making your homes prepare to welcome goddess Laxmi. Like in west spring cleaning is done once in a year, in India Diwali cleaning done. Here I am listing out some tips to do a fast cleaning of the house as all of us are real busy and can’t think of cleaning but my friends it is not only important but also satisfying and full of excitement because now you are going to do something which is neither boring nor routine work. If you do not want to get tired by completing the task in two three days then steal two hours a day for a week before Diwali. It will help you to balance work and home.
- The first step for Diwali cleaning is to get rid of stuff that is chocking the space in your house. I mean to say all the unwanted stuff, used items, broken gadgets, faded clothes, unfit dresses, torn shoes, broken or cracked crockery, useless pillows, empty bottles, old newspapers, etc. believe me removing old stuff saves lots of your energy. Donate the items, clothing and other stuff that is of no use to the needy.
- When you have removed so much clutter from your house you will feel relieved. Now its time to rearrange the stuff remaining. Just try to make a place for everything and make it a habit of keeping the things at the right place always.
- Change the papers of the wardrobes. If possible let the sun see your stuff. All woolen clothes and other formal dresses can be kept in bright hot sun to get rid of the smell of monsoon moisture. Rearrange the wardrobes and shelves in such a way that everything can be found easily.
- Cleaning the kitchen is the hardest job. You can make it easy by cleaning it in parts. First remove utensils and wash the trolleys, then clean the shelves and lofts if you have one. Cleaning the mosquito net that usually gets oily stains and grease dust settled on it firmly, is a difficult one. Use a brush and some washing powder liquid to clean it.
- When the shelves are done its time to look at the walls. Take a broom and clear all the spider webs in the house at one go. Do not forget to cover your furniture pieces with an old bed sheet to prevent dust and web threads settling on them. If the walls need painting then it is the best time to do it. If you don’t want to colour the entire house then do up your living room or just one wall to jazz up the ambience.
- It is time to dust and wipe everything you can see in your house from vase, furniture, tube lights to fans, windows, wardrobes, mirrors, bed frames, music system, TV, etc
- Wash the drapes/curtains or if you do not have much time then take help of laundry man as curtains are good absorbent of dust and if you have not cleaned them for a year then it is time to do the job. If sofas also need to be clean then you have a choice to hire a professional or do it yourself by using a vacuum cleaner.
- After cleaning arrange the furniture or if you want you can change the sitting arrangement in the house by rearranging the furniture in a different way. Change the cushion covers, diwan covers with some bright, shiny and vibrant colored covers to give it a fresh look.
- It is advised to do the pest control treatment once in a year and so go ahead to prevent your house from unwanted pests.
- The most pristine area of your home is the pooja room. Make sure the ‘Mandir’ is free of oil stains which tend to spill when lighting the lamp. Also remove dried out flowers or remains of incense sticks from the Mandir.
- Decorate the interiors of the pooja room with fresh flowers and fragrant elements like incense sticks. For tough stains in the corners of the pooja room mix detergent with water and rinse off the warm water.
- Clean the balcony of your home and free it of dirt and clutter. Dispose off unnecessary items lying idle in the balcony. Clean the empty area and place fresh plants or lamps in that space.
- Clean the doors and windows of the house with a wet cloth and then wipe it dry. Coloring the walls of your home will also give it a fresh look.
- Give more time to clean the washbasins and other unattended areas of your home. It is advisable to replace broken tiles and stained old sinks instead of wasting time on cleaning it.
- When you are done with cleaning it is time to decorate the house to get it prepared to welcome Diwali festival.
RUCHI MAHAJAN