How to Clean When You Don’t Have Time to Clean

Thank you, Four Monks™ Cleaning Vinegar, for sponsoring our Monday power cleaning! A great way to begin the week.

I wish I could say that my house starts out looking like this every Monday. But it doesn’t. Does anyone’s?

It usually looks a bit more like this…

I feel like Monday is always my catch-up day. I woke up on Monday morning last week with all the motivation in the world to get the laundry folded and tackle the house from the weekend neglect. Then my husband called and asked if I might be able to run an errand for him in town. So Ruby and I went into town and while we were there we decided to do a little grocery shopping.

By the time we got home the house still looked like the photos above. Dishes in the sink (and a full load in the dishwasher that needed to be put away), unfolded laundry, groceries and clutter on the counter, and dusty floors.

We had 45 minutes before we needed to leave and get the kids from school since they get out early every Monday. I felt like plopping on the couch and relaxing until then, but I just couldn’t do it. The house was driving me insane. I find that I am the most productive when a fire is lit under me. You know, like when someone calls and says they are coming over in 10 minutes. So I looked at the clock and said to myself, “GO!” Just 45 minutes, let’s see how much we can get done.

I took the baskets of laundry upstairs…let’s be real here. That wouldn’t get finished in 45 minutes and could wait until Tuesday.

I put the groceries away, unloaded the dishwasher, filled it with the dishes from the sink, decluttered the counters, swept the floors, and picked up the living room.

Then all that was left to do was give everything a wipe down with my Four Monks™ Cleaning Vinegar. I like using cleaning vinegar because it is more powerful than vinegar and water, but the odor isn’t as strong. I can use it on most surfaces in my kitchen so it’s a great all-purpose cleaner.

I used it on my sliding glass door, my floors, and my counter tops. I also used it to wipe down the microwave and to scrub out my kitchen sink.

Not to toot my own horn, but we finished with 5 minutes to spare 😉 And I took this photo to document it since as soon as the kids got home the counters would be filled with papers, homework, and snacks, but I felt like I was still able to tackle my Monday!

Not sure how much you can accomplish in 10, 15, 20, or 30 minutes? You can accomplish more than you think! Here is my printable checklist to use to power clean your house when you are in a time crunch. You can find the printable here. 

Have you tried Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar before? The uses for it are ENDLESS.

It’s powerful enough to use as a stain remover and scrub down the shower, but gentle enough to use to clean your produce. How many products can say that? Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar has 6% acidity, which is 20% stronger than traditional vinegar, but gentle on surfaces.

I have both scents: Citrus Mint and Aroma Controlled. I find that I prefer the Aroma Controlled bottle. It has a very mild vinegar scent, much less apparent than the other one even with Citrus Mint scent, but both clean equally well. Four Monks™ Cleaning Vinegar is available in 24oz spray bottles and larger jugs for your everyday use in the home, in the garden, cars and more.

Here are 10 more uses for Cleaning Vinegar that you might not have thought of:

1. Rid your dishwasher of mineral buildup by pouring a half a cup of Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar into the reservoir and running an empty cycle.
2. Stained refrigerators will shine like new after soaking problem areas in Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar.
3. Renew sponges and dishrags by placing them in just enough water to cover them. Then add 1/4 cup of Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar. Let them soak overnight.
4. For cloudy glassware, soak paper towels or a cloth in Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar and wrap around the inside and outside of the glass. Let sit before rinsing clean.
5. Restore yellowed clothing by soaking garments overnight in a solution of 12 parts warm water to 1 part Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar. Wash them the following morning.
6. Wool sweater shrink in the dryer? Don’t worry. Boiling the clothing item in Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar for 25 minutes. Let the garment air dry after reshaping.
7. Give patent leather shoes and bags a better shine by wiping them down with Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar.
8. Wash fresh vegetables with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar in 1 1/2 quarts of water.
9. Preserve cut flowers and liven droopy ones by adding 2 tablespoons Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to a quart of water in a vase.
10. Sanitize outdoor furniture and picnic tables with a cloth soaked in Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar.
11. Get rid of the water line in a flower vase by filling it with Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar, or by soaking a paper towel in Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar and stuffing it into the vase so that it is in contact with the water line.
12. To remove lingering pet odors, cover the problem area with baking soda. Let it stand overnight. The next day vacuum up the baking soda and wash the area with Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar. Rinse and let dry.
13. Clean up pet accidents by adding Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar to the affected area after you’ve blotted up the mess. Blot the vinegar until it is almost dry. Then sprinkle baking soda over the area and let it dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day.
14. Get rid of the deposits and water lines that form in aquariums and fish bowls by wiping them down with Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar and following with a good rinse. For stubborn deposits, soak for several hours or overnight.
15. Give your dog a gleaming coat by spraying or rubbing with Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar. As a bonus, you save the cost of those expensive shine products used on show animals. (Works on horses, too!

And that’s not all, there are SO many more uses for Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar. Find the full list here!

You can save $1.00 on any Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar with this coupon!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Four Monks™ Cleaning Vinegar.