After a stressful day, the last thing busy parents want to do is walk into a messy house. Coming home to a clean house, on the other hand, is like a much-needed breath of fresh air.  Why not keep your house cleaner, longer?  Doing so will give you a little more time to do the things you want to do, rather than doing the things you don’t.  The next time that you are cleaning your house, give some of these tricks a try. They’ll extend your homes’ clean life and save you some cleaning time.

1. Keep shower doors cleaner with Rain-X.  Start by thoroughly cleaning your shower doors with a glass cleaner.  If the glass is textured, use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to get into the glass grooves.  Using a razor blade, scrape off any soap that has caked onto your doors.  Dry the glass completely with a soft towel.  Spray on Rain-X or a product called Aquapel, then wipe the glass clean with a microfiber cloth.  The product leaves a thin coating on the glass which will repel soap and water. The end result is that your shower doors will stay cleaner for much longer. While these products, which can be found in the automotive department at discount stores, are typically used for windshields, they also work great on shower doors.
2. Squeegee off the walls after each shower.  By squeegeeing off the water and soap after each shower you will limit the amount of water and soap that dries onto your shower walls and doors.  Make sure to dry any water off of your faucet and the metal around the glass on the shower doors to avoid water spots.  This will keep your shower looking sparkling clean.
3. Brighten cabinets with heat. Over time kitchen cabinets get coated with grease. This happens so gradually that it’s usually not even noticeable.  Microwave a sponge for 30 seconds and then put on some rubber gloves before grabbing the sponge.  Spray the cabinets with a cleaner that contains orange oil.  Use the hot sponge to wipe away layers of grease and grime that have accumulated on your cabinets.  Not only will the kitchen smell like fresh oranges, but the oil will give the cabinets that just like new shine.  The oil will also help to prevent food from sticking in the future.
4. Remove pet hair with ease and slow down its return.  If you have pets that shed you probably have struggled with keeping pet hair off of your furniture.  Start by wrapping a paint roller with duct tape, sticky side out.  Now roll the furniture; the tape will pick up the hair much faster than a vacuum.  To keep the hair off longer, wipe a dryer sheet over the furniture and drapes.  There will be less static for the hair to hold onto. 
5. Remove soap scum with a putty knife.  Soap scum can be very difficult to remove.  Wait until the shower walls are completely dry and use a 4 inch plastic putty knife to scrape the soap scum off of the tile and walls.  After you have scraped off the soap scum, clean with your regular cleaner.  Dry the walls with a towel and apply some car wax, using a liquid car wax just like you would on your car.  Wipe it on and wait until it gets hazy, then buff it off with a soft cloth.  The wax will repel the water and soap in the future.
6. Apply grout sealer to tile back splashes.  Twice a year apply a couple of coats of grout sealer to your grout lines.  Once the sealer is dry it will prevent stains from getting onto your grout.  Any food splatters can be wiped away without worry of stains.
7. Apply stone sealer to your stone counter tops.  Follow the package directions and apply stone sealer to your stone counter tops to reduce the chances that a spill will stain your stone counters.  Stone is porous and can absorb stains, making it impossible to get clean.  Doing a little extra work a couple times a year will keep your counters looking like new for a longer period of time.
8. Leave the lid of your washer open for an hour after use.  To avoid the expense of buying a special cleaner for your washing machine you just need to leave the lid of your washer open for an hour after you’ve washed clothes.  This allows the moisture to evaporate so that you can eliminate mold and mildew that will make your washer smell.  Making this a habit will keep your washer looking and smelling cleaner for an extended period of time.
9. Have a big mat at all doors.  Most dirt that gets into the home is tracked in on shoes.  To help keep your house cleaner, you need to keep the dirt outside.  The ideal size for a mat is more than one stride long.  You want people to walk on the mat with both of their feet before stepping into your home.  The mat should be a deep texture like that of AstroTurf.  To further keep dirt out of the home, place a mat on the inside of the door as well.  Also, ask people to take their shoes off at the door.
10. Keep doors, drawers, and cabinets closed.  Make a habit of keeping drawers, cabinets, and doors closed, as dirt tends to blow around.  If the drawer or door is left open the dirt can get in there.  By making a habit of keep things closed, the insides of cabinets and drawers, along with what they hold, will stay clean a lot longer.

Thank you, Maria, for these great tips. It’s great to come home to a nice, clean house.  There are some other tips for making our homes safer, such as, keeping clutter picked up  and having loose rugs taped down with double-sided tape, to prevent falls.  Wearing gloves while doing some of the cleaning projects will protect your hands, as well.  pat