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How to Cheat at Cleaning: Time-Slashing Techniques to Cut Corners and Rest
Change the way you think about cleaning, and the amount of time you devote to this arduous task! In How to Cheat at Cleaning , down-and-dirty author Jeff Bredenberg shows how you can get away with just cleaning what you have to so you still have time to enjoy life.
You'll learn more than 200 tips that help you reduce clutter, keep a presentable house, prioritize chores, and find the shortcuts that work for you and your family. Best of all, you'll have a fun while reading How to Cheat at Cleaning .
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You'll learn more than 200 tips that help you reduce clutter, keep a presentable house, prioritize chores, and find the shortcuts that work for you and your family. Best of all, you'll have a fun while reading How to Cheat at Cleaning .
Features
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
3 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 11, 2013
This title caught my eye and even the librarian commented that "this is the kind of book I need."
Well. No cleaning book is great, but can I give this one a half star?
i should have stopped when the 10 things to stop cleaning included soccer balls. really?
But there's more odd advice, including spraying all the frequently touched surfaces in your home with antispectic every day ("it'll only take 8 seconds"), wash your underwear in a seperate, bleached load, then dry for 45 minutes, and what seems like an entire chapter on cleaning your car.
Also, if your husband doesn't want to hold up his end of the cleaning, get a maid.
Well. No cleaning book is great, but can I give this one a half star?
i should have stopped when the 10 things to stop cleaning included soccer balls. really?
But there's more odd advice, including spraying all the frequently touched surfaces in your home with antispectic every day ("it'll only take 8 seconds"), wash your underwear in a seperate, bleached load, then dry for 45 minutes, and what seems like an entire chapter on cleaning your car.
Also, if your husband doesn't want to hold up his end of the cleaning, get a maid.
September 5, 2008
Lame. It basically says to throw out everything I own (avoids clutter!), and use only disposable utensils/cleaning stuff. Plus, the amount if time this man spends cleaning, even with all his supposed shortcuts, is WAY more time than I currently spend cleaning (bleach out all your sinks everyday! wipe down all the bathroom counters every evening with wipes as you are brushing your teeth! HAH!). When I read that I had his permission to stop cleaning my walls every week (have never done this) or just use his "cheating" method, I finally jumped ship.
October 23, 2010
Ug. Some of the advice in here is really not so good. Telling me to use disposable dishes and use disposable wipes for cleaning just grates at my green side. His writing style put me off. Nothing too new here.
May 10, 2022
Review originally published April 2008
The first day of spring was March 20, 2008 this year. It sure didn’t seem like it when you looked outside or listened to the weatherman. In fact, this month didn’t seem much like spring until just lately. But finally it looks like we’re going to get some nice weather and we can think about things like going for walks, riding bikes, eating ice cream cones and--I’m sorry--spring cleaning.
Spring cleaning crossed my mind a couple of times a few weeks ago, but I quickly forgot about it because, doggone it, it didn’t feel like spring. But since its gotten nicer, a book caught my eye titled How to Cheat at Cleaning by Jeff Bredenberg.
Actually, page eight is titled, "Spring Cleaning: Don’t be an April Fool," where the author explains that spring cleaning is a throwback to olden days when people shuttered their houses all winter and burned wood or coal for heat, spreading soot to every nook and cranny of their home, so come spring those unfortunate souls had to start beating their rugs, fling open their windows, and sweep their floors.
But if you’re still one of those people who thinks you should do a once-or-twice-a-year, thorough, stem-to-stern-deep-clean, then this is the book for you!
At the beginning of the book, Jeff claims to be the kind of person who’s dying to dust his house with a leaf blower, but actually if you read a little further you realize he wants an orderly, presentable, and sanitary environment...but he’s willing to cut corners and let technology help to attain his goal. Martha Stewart might not approve, but some of his ideas are worth trying, especially for people who hate to clean.
The book is divided into eleven chapters, and you’ll find everything discussed from laundry to clutter to outdoor things like decks, siding, and gutters to sanitation in kitchens and bathrooms. In each chapter in the corners of the pages there are fast formulas for “homemade” cleaning products; "Sleight of Hand" which is quick ways of doing something; "Great Gear" which talks about products that can help you save some elbow grease; and a "Dirty Story" which tells about things that could go wrong in the cleaning world and how to avoid it.
Mr. Bredenberg quotes the late Erma Bombeck in his book when she said:
He says he had fun writing this book, and his sense of humor does show through his practical hints. Page 132 is one he gives you permission to photocopy and place prominently in the area of your washer and dryer. It’s called “A Note from Your Laundry Fairy."
Among other things, it tells the reader that the Laundry Fairy does not pick up or deliver. The Laundry Fairy does not iron, but will give lessons. And my personal favorite is number five, stating that the Laundry Fairy assumes you intend for her/him to wash any items left in pockets, including wallets, candy, homework, frogs, video games, and love notes. You are responsible for the results.
You might not agree with everything Jeff Bredenberg advocates, but some of his stories about people who used their robotic vacuum cleaners to serve beer to guests, or the junk removal company who had to dispose of thirteen enormous Buddha statues, or the guy who washed his socks in the dishwasher, are bound to make you laugh.
And who knows, you might just come away with a few helpful hints from How to Cheat at Cleaning.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
The first day of spring was March 20, 2008 this year. It sure didn’t seem like it when you looked outside or listened to the weatherman. In fact, this month didn’t seem much like spring until just lately. But finally it looks like we’re going to get some nice weather and we can think about things like going for walks, riding bikes, eating ice cream cones and--I’m sorry--spring cleaning.
Spring cleaning crossed my mind a couple of times a few weeks ago, but I quickly forgot about it because, doggone it, it didn’t feel like spring. But since its gotten nicer, a book caught my eye titled How to Cheat at Cleaning by Jeff Bredenberg.
Actually, page eight is titled, "Spring Cleaning: Don’t be an April Fool," where the author explains that spring cleaning is a throwback to olden days when people shuttered their houses all winter and burned wood or coal for heat, spreading soot to every nook and cranny of their home, so come spring those unfortunate souls had to start beating their rugs, fling open their windows, and sweep their floors.
But if you’re still one of those people who thinks you should do a once-or-twice-a-year, thorough, stem-to-stern-deep-clean, then this is the book for you!
At the beginning of the book, Jeff claims to be the kind of person who’s dying to dust his house with a leaf blower, but actually if you read a little further you realize he wants an orderly, presentable, and sanitary environment...but he’s willing to cut corners and let technology help to attain his goal. Martha Stewart might not approve, but some of his ideas are worth trying, especially for people who hate to clean.
The book is divided into eleven chapters, and you’ll find everything discussed from laundry to clutter to outdoor things like decks, siding, and gutters to sanitation in kitchens and bathrooms. In each chapter in the corners of the pages there are fast formulas for “homemade” cleaning products; "Sleight of Hand" which is quick ways of doing something; "Great Gear" which talks about products that can help you save some elbow grease; and a "Dirty Story" which tells about things that could go wrong in the cleaning world and how to avoid it.
Mr. Bredenberg quotes the late Erma Bombeck in his book when she said:
"Housework, if you do it right, it will kill you."
He says he had fun writing this book, and his sense of humor does show through his practical hints. Page 132 is one he gives you permission to photocopy and place prominently in the area of your washer and dryer. It’s called “A Note from Your Laundry Fairy."
Among other things, it tells the reader that the Laundry Fairy does not pick up or deliver. The Laundry Fairy does not iron, but will give lessons. And my personal favorite is number five, stating that the Laundry Fairy assumes you intend for her/him to wash any items left in pockets, including wallets, candy, homework, frogs, video games, and love notes. You are responsible for the results.
You might not agree with everything Jeff Bredenberg advocates, but some of his stories about people who used their robotic vacuum cleaners to serve beer to guests, or the junk removal company who had to dispose of thirteen enormous Buddha statues, or the guy who washed his socks in the dishwasher, are bound to make you laugh.
And who knows, you might just come away with a few helpful hints from How to Cheat at Cleaning.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
May 8, 2020
This book has a lot of useful ideas. They are easy to find so that you can keep this book as a reference and easily return to a section anytime when you are in the midst of a cleaning chore and want advice.
The author clearly states in chapter 1 that you don’t have to do everything he recommends. Pick the ones that you feel happy with and skip the others. The key is that YOU are happy with your home & cleanliness & the amount of time & effort you’re spending on the cleaning. This book will help you find that happy balance...for yourself...not for your nit-picking mother.
I wrote other comments here on GoodReads status updates while reading this. In those posts, I summarized the most useful tips I’d read and will implement. I’ll add these: I’ll wash my car more often. I’ll pay more attention to sidewalks & gutters. I’ll use my power washer & leaf blower to make more cleaning jobs easier. I’ll make the homemade Glass Cleaner (pg. 205).
The author clearly states in chapter 1 that you don’t have to do everything he recommends. Pick the ones that you feel happy with and skip the others. The key is that YOU are happy with your home & cleanliness & the amount of time & effort you’re spending on the cleaning. This book will help you find that happy balance...for yourself...not for your nit-picking mother.
I wrote other comments here on GoodReads status updates while reading this. In those posts, I summarized the most useful tips I’d read and will implement. I’ll add these: I’ll wash my car more often. I’ll pay more attention to sidewalks & gutters. I’ll use my power washer & leaf blower to make more cleaning jobs easier. I’ll make the homemade Glass Cleaner (pg. 205).
May 29, 2022
As expected, since published in 2007. some areas are dated - most notably the section on electronics. But for a commonsense, simple but effective approach to maintaining living and working spaces, this book is still the best. There are several areas where I can imagine a reader thinking - I wish I'd known this before I bought ____ . For that reason, I'd recommend reading it before you're facing years of care and maintenance for some beast where you could have easily made a bettter choice if you'd only known.
Only other criticism is the reliance on disposables but nowadays if people want to avoid disposaables, they can readily find out how to find or make planet-friendly substitutes.
Only other criticism is the reliance on disposables but nowadays if people want to avoid disposaables, they can readily find out how to find or make planet-friendly substitutes.
May 12, 2017
This book covers almost everything inside and outside your home - and for someone as messy as me, this is a lifesaver! I am still not a clean person, but now I can cheat at being a bit 'cleaner'.
May 31, 2018
There are some interesting ideas, but for the larger part this is just a collection of cleaning tips that can be found in other books as well
April 22, 2023
Just okay, some helpful things some not. Very opinionated.
May 3, 2013
I think a lot of these tips and tine saving cheats are really great. Some of them I knew, but there were some new ones as well. Having four kids and a partner that I would much rather spend time with than spending time cleaning, I can always use a few new tricks.
That being said, I'm a bit disappointed about the talk about disposable everything. Yes, disposable is a huge time saver, but it does have more impact than reusing, especially if you're not using heavy chemical cleaners. Waste water does get recycled back into the water system eventually and can be used again. The stuff dumped in landfills is just dumped and forgotten. As a result, washing really is lower impact, generally on the wallet and the environment, even if it is a drain on time. Well, generally speaking it's a drain on time. It would be much more of a hassle to deal with the extra trash output and a stop in the baby section with four kids in tow than it takes to toss in a load of diapers to be washed.
Overall the tips are good, and if you don't mind using disposable things, you could easily keep your house looking pretty fantastic with minimal work. I may have to see about modifying some of these strategies to work for us.
That being said, I'm a bit disappointed about the talk about disposable everything. Yes, disposable is a huge time saver, but it does have more impact than reusing, especially if you're not using heavy chemical cleaners. Waste water does get recycled back into the water system eventually and can be used again. The stuff dumped in landfills is just dumped and forgotten. As a result, washing really is lower impact, generally on the wallet and the environment, even if it is a drain on time. Well, generally speaking it's a drain on time. It would be much more of a hassle to deal with the extra trash output and a stop in the baby section with four kids in tow than it takes to toss in a load of diapers to be washed.
Overall the tips are good, and if you don't mind using disposable things, you could easily keep your house looking pretty fantastic with minimal work. I may have to see about modifying some of these strategies to work for us.
February 1, 2017
Some gems hidden within this book, but frankly, I felt like I wasted my time. I really was appalled to read that the author seriously told readers to buy disposable cutlery, and dishware for the kitchen in order to save time. He even tried to make it sound like it was a wash both environmentally and financially. Same went for diapers.[return]I felt this was rather irresponsible.[return]if you read this book, be warned. this is for the seriously non-eco friendly reader and seemingly for the financially well-to-do, as he recommends pretty much every disposable product out there.
June 10, 2012
It was ok. It gives some good scientific evidence for why you should or should not clean in a specific way...then it seems to devolve into "spend more money...pay someone to do it!" which is not at all helpful.
April 15, 2015
A great little book of techniques for cleaning almost everything in your house. There are many books in this genre but this one has things in it that I haven't read elsewhere. A fast, easy and informative read.
Currently reading
January 29, 2008I was told about this book by a friend, someone who has seen my home and rooms of disaray,hinting that I may benefit from it. I'm going to give it a shot.
February 22, 2008
HORRIBLE!!! His idea of cutting corners is not to make your bed?!! Not exactly helpful!
November 6, 2008
Nice ways to make housework easier ... not necessarily less expensive. But very decent.
October 26, 2008
Many practical tips and an approach that I could use: easing up a bit on those crazy standards based on weird Norweigan guilty?
July 11, 2015
Contains basic information but didn't read any new ways to cleaning (without really cleaning)...or cheating. The main points are be organized and clean regularly while scaling down what you keep.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews