I had to stop when I saw this headline on iVillage: 10 things you can quit cleaning right now. After all, I love having a clean house, but I wouldn't mind being able to cut a few things out of my routine.
The list offers some great ideas, but I have mixed feelings about it. Many of the solutions are devoted to disposing of items — like shower-curtain liners — instead of cleaning them. I used to be a big fan of tossing versus washing, and I'm still very tempted by the idea. But then I feel guilty about creating more waste. Take a look at the list and tell me what you think when you read more
- Sneakers. Just buy dark-colored ones and wear them until they fall apart.
- Grill grate. When you're done grilling, leave the grill going. Close the cover over the grate and let any residue cook off for 15 minutes. Throw that wire brush away.
- Soccer balls. Everybody expects them to be marred and mud splotched. Think of it as a badge of honor.
- Shower curtain liner. They're cheap. Throw your mildewed liner out and buy a new one every six months.
- Pillow. A washed pillow takes hours to dry. Throw it out and buy a new one every six to eight months.
- Stove drip pans. Use your grungy ones for everyday cooking, and keep a shiny new set to use when guests come.
- Ventilation ducts. Despite the advertising, regular professional duct cleaning is unnecessary.
- Fireplace walls. Everybody expects a fireplace to have blackened walls. And you'll breathe even easier if you give up fires altogether.
- Waxing the car. The newer finishes are so tough that cars don't need it anymore.
- Making the bed. Give it up — doctor's orders.
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I disagree with #10. Making your bed makes the entire room look more put-together. Why wouldn't you want to do that? It's easy!
1they have shower curtain liners now!? what a waste of resources- i'd rather just clean mine, it's not that difficult!
2Well...dark sneaks don't always go with my outfit! A shower curtain liner can be sprayed with bleach and last at least a good year or so (just watch out that you don't bleach any bath mats/rugs in the way) and, I live in Michigan where the winters can be brutal, so I still plan on waxing my car every now and then, but, otherwise, I'd agree with a lot of the other suggestions!
3OK, I make my bed everyday...usualyl it's when I get home from work because my boyfriend is still sleeping when I leave.
4But I even find he will make in the morning after getting up, and I NEED to crawl into a made bed to go to sleep.
I feel gross if I don't...
I don't really agree with most of these. I'll continue to clean my white shoes because I love bright white shoes, and not making the bed? Oh, no. Not going to happen. Some of these just seem like such a waste.
5I'm questioning #7. I think I would feel better with an explanation as to why is unnecessary. All the professionals reccoment it??
6Why not just get the washable shower curtain liners instead?
I need to make my bed before I leave the house or I will go crazy all day. I do like the stove drip pan idea. I couldn't stop cleaning them altogether, but not scrubbing them like crazy sounds good to me.
If someone has allergies duct cleaning is a very good idea.
I know because I am one
of those people with bad inside allergies.
7Interesting list but I definitely do not agree with all of these suggestions! Some of them seem impractical and a waste.
8I don't do any of the things they suggest stuff for anyway...the apartment complex cleans the ducts, I already throw out old shower liners, I don't have a grill, i don't have a soccer ball, i don't wash pillows (i throw them out) I don't haev a stove drip pan (when i do, it is just a normal pan and i ust stick it in dishwasher) the apartment complex does the fireplace walls, although i have onyl used it 3 times so no need, andi only make the bed when i am leaving for the weekend, vacation, or company is coming over, but i do pull the covers up so that the sheets are getting dust on them all day. haha, i guess according to this i am lazy
9I believe I saw it in the news about not making your bed.. It apparently traps bedbugs in there and they multiply more.
10haha great because i rarely make my bed anyway
11I take my shower curtain liner and wash it in the washing machine on gentle and then hand it back in the shower to dry. This takes very little time and I haven't had to by a new shower curtain liner in 3 years.
12The shower curtain liner thing is simple buy a cloth one for like $15 and put it in the washer every so often with some bleach. I have had mine for about 4 years and it looks brand new.
13I can give up everything on that list. But making the bed, any room no matter how clean it is looks unclean with an unmade bed. PLUS my nicole miller set needs to be shown off.
14pillows?! i love all of my 6 pillows that i never clean
they're
too comfortable to throw away, and i usually can't sleep as well when i put something new on my bed (besides sheets and duvets)
15"Messy bed, messy head." It's a feng shui thing, I think.
However, it's nice to know I can cut back on all those hours I spend polishing my soccer ball. Phew.
16haha- Cortney so funny. I cant throw my precious pillow out (my bedbugs are settled in nicely)- and I HAVE to make the bed.
17
CortneyLynn! Me too!
18I have to make my bed as well. Drives me nuts if I don't. Can't stand mess! But my kids beds....no way. I'm not doing it anymore!
19I agreee with them all except #10 - an unmade bed makes the whole room look messy!
20Are there people out there washing, waxing soccer balls???? Hmmm...
In any case, I disagree w/ #4, 5, (both are incredibly wasteful!!!), and #10 as it's just makes the room and really doesn't take more than a couple of minutes.
21I think this list is terrible! It's really about being lazy in my opinion. Sure, I'm kind of a neat freak - I own up to that! But this list just seems like they really threw it together without any thought at all.
22I agree... this list is just silly and I can be a slob. Though I do agree with the shower liner since no one else in my appartment seems to know how to keep the shower clean.
23yeah! Finally I can stop being ridicule for leaving my sheets tossed about. It IS time for new pillow though...
24hmm some of these aren't really....
25This list is silly. A lot of the things on it are either wasteful or not a big deal. Not making my bed is not going to save me tons of time or money, so why is it even mentioned on the list?
26Funny list, but not making the bed! No way, I love making my bed and love having beautiful bedding in all of my bedrooms. Besides, hopping into a bed with freshly laundered sheets is a joy!
27I think most of these are some great ideals and i plan to put some them to the the test. I must make my bed though, i just can't lay in a rumpled bed , besides once i make it my room is clean.
28Wow, completely disagree with half of this list. Not making up your bed? Man, that just screams lazy to me. I just can't believe they are telling people not to make the bed.
29Never give up bed making, I sleep so much better in a neatly made up bed.
30wow... great time savers!
31Okay, making the bed is a MUST everyday..... at least I will have accomplished at least one thing... plus it really makes a difference in a small space.
OBTW, about the stove drip pans: if they are too grimy, they won't reflect the heat upward to the pan and cooking becomes less efficient.
32i disagree with 1,4,5 and 10!i don't like dark colored sneakers. and i think cleaning the shower curtain is not a big deal. and i hate it when my bed is not made!!!i feel like its untidy and gross.
33This is ridiculous. I especially think that because instead of encouraging users to try to reuse and ensure that their products will last, it's encouraging people to throw stuff out simply for convenience. It might be easier to toss it out, but you're just adding to your own ecological footprint, which, when coupled with the ecological footprint of everyone else in this world, will inevitably have a very adverse effect on our earth.
34Dont to the bed!!! everytime you do ti God kill a kitten. I have my bed made and... sleep on it and take another blanket for the night, when I wake up, I just put the blanket in a place nobody see it, and My bed is still made... done.
35Why would you not wash your pans? Does anybody else find this totally disgusting? Also, a good pillow is way expensive! This list is totally bogus.
36Nadjapotter...I did that in college haha.
I don't see the big deal about throwing away my 1.99 shower curtain as far as my ecological footprint. I don't throw it away because it is dirty...(i spray it so it doesn't mildew and wipe it down regularly) i throw it away when the little holes rip in the top. And what exactly are drip pans? I surely don't have any.
37This list seems a little ridiculous. I always make my bed, it just makes the room look neater and I seem to sleep better in a neat bed. And a decent pillow can get pretty pricey! If it's the time you're worried about, wash it just before you go out of a weekend or a night away!
38I really can't leave my house without making the bed, that is never going to change.
I do admit that I get the cheap dollar store shower cutrians to go behind my cute one. I know I should just clean it and not toss it, but I've found other uses for the old shower curtian. I use is for a tarp and as a painting drop cloth, so I don't feel super wasteful.
39My mom would never agree with #10. I for one like a tidy bed but I don't need it super-made every day.
On the other hand, I completely agree with tossing cheap shower curtain liners.
40Who the heck CLEANS their soccer balls?! Talk about obsessive compulsive.
41What is a shower curtain liner? I don't know if it's a Canada thing but I see mostly glass shower doors and hardly any shower curtains. By the way I have never heard of anybody washing a pillow, although of course I wash my pillow cases. If you wash a pillow do you put it in the dryer or let it air-dry? This list makes me feel very ignorant
42I can't agree with the wasteful suggestions of throwing away pillows and shower curtain liners every six months.
And cleaning duct work is really important to rid your place of allergens...
43I don't think this is a good list at all! Throwing away pillows and shower curtains after six months? Come on...clean 'em. It's really not that hard, and it is so worth it for the environment and your pocketbook!
44Oh, and not making your bed? Seriously, it takes two seconds and totally makes the room look better! Just do it!
45Maybe if we could find a list to give us a way to avoid cleaning toilets I'd be happier!!
46this list is useless...and i love getting into a tightly made bed at the end of a grueling day.
47i only make my bed when the computer guy's coming over
too
much hassle!
48i like to make my bed. i agree with the "messy bed, messy head" comment above. hmmm... this list isn't helpful.
49I think that getting a new shower curtains and pillows every few months is wasteful. I also love crawling into a neat bed at the end of the day!
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