How to clean your home with body wash
Let’s put the viral hack of cleaning items with body wash to the test.
Problem Solved
Cleaning any home can be stressful, unpleasant and downright dirty. But to Patric Richardson, tidying up is a joy. And, with a little practice, he believes you, too, can embrace household chores with gusto.
The author and television host of Discovery Channel’s The Laundry Guy is out with a new book, House Love, that aims to infuse joy into the everyday tasks of maintaining a home. And if done correctly, Richardson has faith you’ll fall in love with your home (and the people inside it) all over again.
“When I became mindful about cleaning my own space, I realized just how happy it made me feel,” Richardson says. “It reminded me that I have this amazing house, with a partner that I adore in it.”
Developing fondness in any relationship is (usually) not an overnight process. Richardson maintains it’s the same with cleaning. To truly find the joy in tidying up, you’ll want to focus on making it manageable. He recommends daily cleaning bursts of just 10 minutes.
“If you’re buried under an avalanche of cleaning, you’ll probably just stick your head in the sand,” Richardson says. “But when you break it down into steps, it becomes manageable. And once it becomes manageable, it becomes pleasant. And from there, you’ve got a chance at discovering all the wonderful things that make your house a home.”
Spring is a great time to brighten up life’s most common chores. Here are Richardson’s hacks to welcome the season with a spring in your step:
Where should someone begin their spring cleaning journey?
“Set yourself up for success by starting in a single room. Your bedroom is a great place to start because that’s where you unwind and that’s where you reconnect. Once it looks great, you’re going to want to move on to the next room. But I wouldn’t tackle everything at once. Doing all the curtains in your house at once is overwhelming. You’ll lose steam. Break it down. Allow each room to propel you into the next.”
What laundry-related task is a must-do each spring?
“My favorite thing is to take everything out of the closet and give it a deep clean. Wipe down the walls of the closet and vacuum the floor — get into all those little corners. Use wax paper and rub it on the closet rod — it makes the clothes move so much more easily. This is also your chance to wash coats before they get put away for the year.”
You’re big on sustainable, chemical-free laundry products. What tools do you use to clean your home?
“That’s one of the most exciting things I love sharing with people. Over the years I’ve found that the same, sustainable tools I use in the laundry room work just as well in other rooms of your home. I keep finding myself cleaning with a vinegar and water solution. I’ve also found myself turning to oxygen bleach. And, of course, I also love cleaning with vodka.”
What are your top hacks to infuse joy into spring cleaning?
“Give yourself permission to enjoy the process. And above all, make it fun. Create a cleaning playlist. Get yourself a beverage. And buy a treat that you can enjoy once the cleaning is complete. Trust me, you’ll never clean the living room faster if your favorite candy in the world is staring you down from across the room. And if you’re having a really hard time getting started, make it social: Call a friend and tackle a room together (and be sure to return the favor).”
