How to Clean like a Man – 5 Fast Steps to a Woman Approved Place
Originally published 9/15/2010 as a guest post written for ArtofManliness.com
Somewhere between the regressive embracing of sloppiness and the following hyper-reaction that was the metro-sexual movement, guys forgot how to be men. The Art of Manliness is on a mission to resurrect that endangered middle ground of manners, grit, and smoothed out toughness. AoM is way more than just style. Learn the basics of boxing, how to escape a riptide, and absorb money and career advice from the likes of… Ben Franklin (no really). Plus, they’ve got a massive archive of classic clothing and accessory pieces that you, your grandpa, and his grandpa would have been proud to own.
AoM is one of the big-dogs on the web for guys who are always looking to get a little better. At everything. So it was a real pleasure compiling a new guy’s guide to cleaning for them. Part of being a grown-up is picking up after yourself. Dressing well could land you a few dates, but what happens when she comes over to watch a movie and your place looks like a prime candidate for the A&E show Hoarders?
Click on over to Art of Manliness and check it out. Don’t forget to add any other tips or suggestions you might have for making and keeping your place relatively clean.
Nicely done Joe. Seems like solid advice.
It’s amazing, the kind of filth that some people can live in. Women AND men. Conversely, it’s amazing how simple it is to keep your place clean with just a small bit of effort. I think it’s a real sign of maturity and adulthood when people figure out how to take care of their living space so that it is comfortable and tidy.
Advice for everyone: It’s much, MUCH easier to clean regularly and prevent the filth from accumulating in the first place than it is to wait for everything to build up and become disgusting. Bathrooms should be cleaned once a week. If you cook regularly, you should wipe down your kitchen countertops, stoves, etc. every day, right after you finish cooking. Wash your dishes, or stick them in the washer, immediately after use. Put them away again when they’re clean and dry. If you drip something on the floor, wipe it up. If you notice the trash is full, take it out. If you see something moldering in the fridge, throw it away.
It doesn’t take a lot of effort to keep your living space clean if you’re deliberate about it and mindful of how messes build up in the first place.
P.S.: There are few things that cannot be cleaned with some combination of baking soda, vinegar, ammonia, and water. Cheaper and friendlier to the environment (and the one doing the cleaning) than toxic chemical cleaners, too.
Additionally, keeping a few pairs of rubber gloves handy will significantly decrease the gag factor for really nasty jobs in the bathroom and kitchen.