Disinfecting doesn't mean you have to don surgical scrubs and autoclave everything in sight
Monica Buck
2 of 8
The Basic Tools
Mr. Clean or Formula 409. An all-purpose cleanser can disinfect
most surfaces in both the bathroom and the kitchen.
Hydrogen peroxide. It's a great germ-killing alternative to
chlorine bleach, the fumes of which are particularly harmful when
inhaled in tight spaces.
Spray bottle. A spray bottle filled with clean water will rinse
off the cleansers you use on shower and tub walls, toilets, and
bathroom and kitchen counters. This helps prevent a soapy film from
forming and attracting more dust and dirt.
The Basic Rule
Save the dirtiest surfaces for last. "Work from areas of low
contamination to areas of high contamination," says Jeff
Bredenberg, author of 2,001 Amazing Cleaning Secrets (Reader's
Digest, $11, www.amazon.com) That means when you clean the bathroom, do the toilet
at the end, so you're not introducing dirt to surfaces that were
relatively clean to begin with.
