Save Money And Time: Housekeeping Tricks

• Start With Your Sink - If you only have 15 minutes to clean, pick the one chore with the most impact, and, that's your sink. It's inspiring to see quick progress, and it's also one of the top places in your home that attracts bacteria.
• Stay Up Top - While you're there, here's another time saving trick: clean surfaces before floors. This way you're not wiping crumbs or dust onto your clean tile or rug.
• Take Your Shoes Off - Next, believe it or not, 85% of the dirt on your shoes comes off in your home, especially in those first few steps. A no-shoes policy in your household can save you hours cleaning the rest of your home.
• Consider Steam Mops - The latest in housecleaning technology is the steam mop, which can save you time, effort and money on cleaning products, as it only uses heated water. The Good Housekeeping Institute tested 16 steam mops to find the best performing. Bargain pick: the Bissell Steam Mop Deluxe, which retails for around $70. It's great on ceramic tile, and tough on greasy stains.
• Time Your Chores - When it comes to cleaning, sometimes saving time means finding the time. Get to know how long your chores actually take, by timing yourself. If you know it's only seven minutes to mop your kitchen or just three minutes to clear your desk, you'll be far more likely to just do it.
• Double-Duty Dish Soap - Did you know dish soap can double duty as a carpet cleaner, and especially a stain remover? Dish soap contains all the ingredients necessary to get rid of stubborn food stains, especially grease.
• Go All-Natural - All-natural household ingredients are the most safe & economical way to clean. Use baking soda as a substitute for soft-abrasive cleaners. You can also use 100% uncut vinegar to clean tough odors, hard water stains & bacteria, such as on cutting boards. Or, use diluted vinegar with 50% water for general cleaning like windows and countertops.
• Compare Dishwashing Detergents - There are so many choices out there in dishwashing detergents from gels to powders and packs. Good Housekeeping tested over 35 kinds and found that for cleaning ability, convenience and bang for the buck, the Cascade  Complete Pacs is the top pick, especially for normal and heavy loads.(Adopted From shine.yahoo.com)