Keeping garden and the house clean... how do you manage?

When I mop the floors in the kitchen and loos, I use a bit of vinegar in boiling hot water. That'll kill just about anything. Baking soda cleans the kitchen sink. And when I get gardener's toes, I soak them in a pail of soap and bleach. I don't use nail varnish so I must do this but hasn't happened yet this year. The ground is still mostly frozen to not much playing in the mud happening yet.

I try to clean the house once a week as though "company was expected".. well, I try..

 

One has staff to help one..

 

Lets clarify, keeping house clean, garden tended ( 3 acres ) and working outside the home 40 hours weekly, how do I manage. answer: none of it is perfect, its just that way. --- you learn to ignore. maybe when I retire. and adding, cooking all the meals, doing all the laundry. food shopping.

 

We are fortunate to have a fairly large lobby before actually entering the house with a floor to ceiling cupboard that houses the meters and shoes. Shoes are automatically removed before going into the house. All flooring is hard downstairs so is easy to keep clean . We have quite a few taps in the garden and each one has a large bucket placed under it to catch the flow. Nail brushes and soap are placed by the taps allowing an initial scrubbing of hands before coming into the house.
We have a large potting area next to the greenhouse where all seeds are sown and plants potted up.
We too wear gardening clogs that can be easily washed.

So really we don't have any real issues with keeping things tidy

 

Keeping things tidy, is an issue, I have a husband who does not know the meaning of that. I gave up chasing and arguing about it years ago. called ignored . He is one royal mess.

 

I am a council tenant and have been since 1964. So for major upkeep, that's down to them. I have always been a work-a-hollic until four years ago when I was diagnosed with cancer. Since then my psoriosis a 'companion' since the age of 21 has really become aggressive. My arms resemble some scaly anteater or the like, so I am constantly leaving a trail of dry skin deposits. Living on a bus route also means open windows are an invite for all sorts of dust and residue so daily cleaning is a must, plus I pefer to live clean.
Taking into account my medical problems, I have taken to using latex gloves and rose thorn protective gloves, something I have never adhered to in all my years of gardening.
My two bedroom flat is one floor up. Just inside my front door is where my garden boots reside.

 

I know the feeling well @redstar, my hubs often requires a gentle poke in the ribs reminder at times

 

I try to keep the house clean, but it is difficult!

First of all, the drive is tarmac, and old. There are lots of small bits of stone, that get washed down the slope, to end up just outside the front door. (I say front door, but it is the only externally openable door - there are two patio doors, but they only have internal locks.) it is all too easy for them to be carried indoors. We have hard floors throughout - granite slabs in the hall and “uphill” downstairs, wood in the living room. What happens if I’m not careful - the bits of stone get wedged under the vacuum, and then scratch the wooden floor.

I try to wipe my feet on the external mat, then internal mat, when coming in, but I haven’t trained the hubby or dogs to follow suit! So I just sweep 2-3 times per week, and try not to get too upset by the mess!

 

Hard floors and a dyson handheld hoover are a god send as i am always walking in the house in my dirty wellies. But have two dogs in and out all the time that the dirty wellies barely make a difference. With dog hairs too I whizz the dyson around twice a day-once first thing when I get up and then whilst dinner is cooking.

I do a quick mop over once a week unless wet muddy boots have been in.

Everynight before going up to bed the sides are all wiped down and cleared so when we get up all is nice and clean.

The best thing of all is the side boot-room/the workmans entrance. Keeps all the other muck away from the house.

 

does not work, its the planning of visitors that do. he has the messy gene.

 

My Daughter & Grandaughter live with me as she had no where else to go. Just them same here Redstar, let Dad clear up after you, wear the old ones out first

 

I wear Crocs for 95% of gardening jobs, so these are just kicked off before entering the house. For the plants I start indoors before going out to the GH, I just work tidy. And make sure any spillage is cleaned up before I incur the wrath of Mrs H.