How to clean

Living solo is a lovely thing. Peace and quiet, no one to bug you about leaving dirty dishes in the sink, leaving personal messes all over the place, vacuuming ala Melanie Griffith in Working Girl (can't do it in stilettos though, the pain!). Or not cleaning for weeks if one can stand it.
However, I can't stand it for more than one week. Usually, my allergies (dust) tell me that it's time to get the broom, the duster, and the vacuum ready. Cleaning day is here!
Over the few months, I've picked up a few personal favorites in the cleaning arena. I like using Domex for general kitchen and bathroom surfaces. I like the multi-purpose nature of it all, grime, soot, muddy foottracks, mold, all flora and some er fauna that shouldn't be found in a modern day kitchen and bathroom, all attended to by one trusty bottle. Even when the floor isn't that dirty, but I just need to feel like the house is germ free, I get a bucket of water and cleanser ready for a 30 minute death to germy attack.
I also found a cheaper version to Swiffer, same idea with the flat duster with attacheable dust clothes. The dust clothes only cost P70 a pack from the NBC tent bazaar, unlike the more expensive version in supermarkets and hardware stores. As I stocked up last year, I'm not sure if the supplier still sells them for P70 a pack, so I guess I'd better plan to pay more for my next supply. I LOVE dustwipes, they pick up anything and the dust doesn't go flying around, especially up my nose where I start sneezing and wheezing. I use them to wipe the screens, window sills, doorknobs, all surfaces where dust will settle. I just wish Manila wasn't so dusty. I don't remember dusting this much in some parts of China.
And for all the other particles that just won't be dusted or washed out, I turn to the vacuum. Rather, my housemate's vacuum. Lucky for me, my housemate is rarely at home so I can feel like I'm living alone, but paying half what I'd be spending if I were living alone. His vacuum has lots of attachments and bits, which I rarely use. Give me the basic option which picks up all the nonsense that gets into the crevices and nooks. Even on a non-carpet floor, it's good to have a vacuum to suck out all the dustbunnies that grow in the dark.
A recent article I found in Real Simple magazine spoke about cleaning strategies like setting a timer so you feel motivated. My motivation's up my nose, when I can't breathe without sneezing, then I know it's time to turn into Charlady Warrior Princess.