A Generation Without Housekeeping

I spend a lot of time in front of a computer, but not all my time. Whenever I can, I get to housing authorities or ride along with pest management professionals. I’ve spent full days with PMPs, PHA maintenance staff members, executive directors, property managers, public housing residents, and in DC with policy makers. After five years in this job, I think I can say I’ve seen all sides of the story. I truly believe there is no villain in this tale. At a conference of housing authority commissioners early this year, I couldn’t get a line out of my head: the money’s tight, but our hearts are right.

I often hear complaints: residents about how PHA maintains the property; staff members about the residents doing damage to the site. While it may be true that the physical sites look rough, when I think of public housing, the first thing that comes to mind is children. Lots of energetic, joyful kids are growing up in public housing across the country. They bring a smile to my face, even though I know most of them are giving food and water to pests every day. Pests like German Cockroaches that are in-turn causing these kids to have asthma. 

Good sanitation makes pest control work. Older generations knew this fact and were raised to take appropriate measures—namely, good housekeeping. But kids these days seem to have missed the memo.
StopPests.org has a whole page dedicated to the frequently asked question, “Why do residents not cooperate or maintain a clean and clutter-free home?” 

As I did my spring cleaning this past weekend, I reflected on how I learned to clean and keep a neat house. My grandmother had a 6^th sense for loose laundry—I always had to pick up before starting the next activity. My mom had a fly-fishing vest that she outfitted with cleaning products and tools before going to town on our house. And my dad used organizing as a way of procrastinating, something I certainly picked up—you can be sure to find my Tupperware drawer organized around tax time.

I learned by example and grew up with standards for housekeeping that were enforced by family members. In public housing, there may not be family members to teach the next generation. It’s up to property managers and housing inspectors to teach by example and enforce housekeeping standards. I encourage you to focus on the teaching at least as much as the enforcement.

One of the main lessons I learned while getting my teaching degree was to determine what my student knows about a topic before trying to teach him or her my take on it. The teacher must address misunderstandings, acknowledge correct thinking, and find gaps in understanding. In teaching residents to comply with housekeeping standards, I’ve found a lot of gaps. Three of the most common I run into are residents not knowing that:

• They could use a vacuum cleaner in a home without carpet;
• The stove top lifts up for easy cleaning; and
• The stove and fridge should be pulled out and cleaned under at least once a year.

Simple things that can have a major impact on housekeeping.

This month’s sample newsletter article is a bit lengthy, but it’s an important topic: spring cleaning!
For more resident resources on the topic, see:

• Boston’s Healthy Pest-Free Housing Initiative: http://www.bphc.org/hpfhi/Residents/Pages/home.aspx
• StopPests.org: http://www.stoppests.org/working-with-residents/
• Cleaning product recipes:
  http://annearundel.umd.edu/files/HealthyHomesTips%20Cleaners2.pdf
  http://sfenvironment.org/article/safer-practices/home-cleaning

Shameless Plug: To hear how one housing authority focused on residents with housekeeping problems, tune into our webinar next Thursday, April 26^th: “Managing Pests in Multifamily Housing.” Register here.

-------------------Sample Newsletter Article-----------------------

Housekeeping standards are part of your lease for a reason. A clean home is a healthy home. Roaches (the ones that cause kids to have asthma) thrive in homes with poor sanitation.

Use the tips below to keep your home tidy—good for people, but not for pests.

Want to know what cleaners to use or how to clean? Schedule a time to meet with ______________________________. Hint: pick natural cleaners or ones that say “CAUTION” on the label. Avoid ones that say “WARNING” or “DANGER.” Never mix ammonia and bleach.

PHA encourages you to call in a work order to have maintenance staff fix holes and drips, seal cracks in the kitchen or bathroom, replace window screens, get a pest management professional to visit, trim bushes, etc. We’re here to help!

Daily: Keep things tidy

• Have people take off their shoes at the door.
• Soak dishes during the day, but get them clean and dry before bed.
• Tidy up—put away toys, laundry, and straighten pillows and rugs.
• Wipe up any spills or messes.

Every other week (at least): Clean thoroughly room-by-room

• One week, clean the kitchen and bathroom. The next, clean every other room.
• In each room, start near the ceiling and work your way down to the floor.
• Use a vacuum, ideally one with a HEPA filter.

Kitchen and bathroom:

• Throw out old food (check your cupboards).
• Wipe grease, smudges and hand prints from the fridge and walls.
• Wipe down the counter tops and refrigerator seal.
• Lift up the stove top and clean under the drip pans.
• Put old fry oil in a can in the freezer. Throw away the frozen oil on trash day.
• Scrub the shower and tub.
• Clean the toilet.
• Sweep or vacuum the floor, then mop it.
• Take out the trash/recycling.

Other rooms:

• Wash laundry and bedding.
• Dust electronics and wipe off other surfaces.
• Vacuum the floor (and under the beds). Change the vacuum bag if it’s full.
• If you have pets, clean up after them indoors and outside.

Spring and fall: Deep cleaning
Give yourself a few days and focus one room at a time. Clean every surface.

Kitchen: 

• Put in a work order to have maintenance come pull out your fridge and stove so you can clean under and behind them.
• Empty the cabinets and drawers and wipe down the shelves.
• Clean on top of the fridge.
• Replace insect monitors with fresh sticky ones.
• Clean out the garbage can.
• Clean chairs and tables.

Bathroom:

• Clean the drains.
• Wipe off mold and mildew. Use a dehumidifier if the mold persists.

Living room and bedrooms:

• Bring out the clothes for the next season and pack away the ones you won’t need for a few months.
• Wash the kids’ toys in the bathtub. Stuffed animals can go in the wash.
• Wash furniture.
• Wash windows and check screens. If you are putting in an AC, make sure it’s installed properly with no gaps—bugs will get in if there’s a hole.
• Wash drapes/curtains or wipe off blinds with a damp rag.
• Clean carpets and wash floors.
• Wipe off smoke detectors (cobwebs and dust can make them go off).
• Check the outside of your building—report holes or plants that are overgrown and touching the side of the building.
• If you have a dog, bathe it at least every other month. 

Comments

[Sharon Evans]

Indeed, everything starts with being so clean. If everybody practices this, many unwanted pests would not be around the house flying and crawling. Thus, making our lifestyle clean and healthy.

[Emma Whitney]

CHAOTIC! That is how we will imagine ourselves when there is no housekeeping available. Life is in mess. It is impossible not to have this when you know you cannot be clean with yourself.

[Sarah Evans]

Hello, Sharon! I cannot agree for more on what you have said. There were times when we become lazy and and make our environment the dirtiest. This is not good.

[Nicholas Raney]

So true! You really need a clean place to live. otherwise, pest starts living with you.