Dear FlyLady,

I wanted to talk about the swish and swipe.

20 or so years ago when I started FlyLady I didn't "get it." My son was little and we always seemed to have a few extra little boys around too. It was a big house in Texas with 4!!! bathrooms.I always seemed to be chasing my tail trying to keep them all clean. I didn't get swish and swipe, I was trying to detail clean all 4, everyday.

20 years later I get it. Toilet brush in soapy crock in each bathroom. A bottle of windex and a purple rag in each, paper towel roll in each. Grab the brush and swish, purple rag and windex swipe. Done! I have paper towel in case the toilet needs a swipe, too. Any deep cleaning needed will get done once a month when we are in that zone.

Sadly, my son is grown and I have no more little boys running around. I do wish I " got it" back then.

Thanks for all you and your team do.

Flybaby in South Dakota.

Feel free to use this and edit it all you want. I do ramble on...

Dear FlyLady,

I tuned in this morning for FlyLady live and I appreciated the small missions. My bed was already made but I got my swish and swipe done thanks to the encouragement.

Thank you for all your encouragement. I appreciate your "bossiness"!

FlyBaby J.

Jen in NJ

Dear FlyLady,

Our email today made me think back to when I first started doing swish and swipe. My bathrooms where disgusting. They looked like a men's room at a gas station.

My husband was very sick and passed about a year later. That was about 4 years ago. Even with caring for him around the clock, I managed to swish and swipe and shine my sink almost daily. It gave me hope that I could some day find an end to the mess we lived in. At least before my husband passed he got to enjoy a clean bathroom. And now my grown dd and my two wonderful grandchildren live with me. We still have clean bathrooms and a shiny kitchen sink.

Once my older daughter told me we aren't very messy at all; look how clean our bathroom is. Now she lives with 3 roommates and has taught them all how to swish and swipe and shine there sink. She also is a great declutter.

Thank you for your constant kind words and never giving up on us. I am just finally figuring out how to put this all together. Your sister's book "Hidden Treasures" has helped me immensely to figure this all out.

Heart Felt Thanks

Helen in Florida

Dear FlyLady,

Thank you for your website. I was a FlyBaby about 20 years ago when my children were young and I was a stay at home mom. After 5 years I went back work, and discontinued my Fly routines. Now, as a retired person with a husband who still works, I have found my way back to FlyLady.net and wow, am I glad! I was struggling with doing just the basics to keep the house looking nice. My husband (he's a relatively new husband) is a neat freak and I could tell he was getting frustrated. Honestly, my lack of getting it done was effecting my mood as well. One day I thought, I wonder if FlyLady is still around? I was thrilled to see that it was!

I jumped right in, trying to complete all the daily and weekly tasks. I feel so much better and my husband is thrilled with the way the house looks when he gets home from work. I kept reading testimonials about the Purple Rags, and wondered. So, I purchased the FlyLady BabyStep Cleaning System and the Swish and Swipe Package.

My kit came yesterday, and I put it to work today. I have to say, I am amazed by the Purple Rag!!!!! I decided to use if during my swish and swipe this morning. It was simple to use, and yes, I did the mirror (somewhat skeptically). Guess what? It came out clean and clear. Then I thought, I have tried and tried to clean the shower door. I wonder how the rag with work on that?

I could not be happier!!!! With just my hand, the Purple Rag, and some water, my shower door looks amazing. I wish I had taken before/after photos. I've tried all sorts of heavy duty cleaners, scrub brushes, etc. This rag, my hand, and water got that nasty film off my door in moments. I could not stop cleaning! I cleaned the shower, I cleaned the trim, I cleaned the door that gets dirty where the 3 large dogs rub against it. It was so quick and easy.

I don't know what's in those rags, and don't care. I am amazed by them. One question, though: How long should one rag work?

Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to Fly again. What a difference you make in my life.

Sincerely,

Cindy

FlyLady here: How long does one rag work? I don't really understand this question but we have even had a purple rag survive a garbage disposal.

I still have some of our original purple rags in our cleaning rotation. The older they get; they just keep on cleaning!

Dear FlyLady,

Why not post FlyLady's directions for Swishing and Swiping in that bathroom? Others may take notice and help or even apply the method to other bathrooms in their lives?

FlyLady here: This is a good idea. I wish we had a cute little poem to post on the wall for all to see. If you get creative just whip one up for us about Swish and Swipe send it to me FlyLady@flylady.net with SWISH AND SWIPE in the subject line.

FlyMary from Michigan

I have a really quick question about swishing and swiping. I am trying really hard to work this into my morning schedule because I am a payroll SHE, and it really helps, but I don't think that I have time for it for the same exact reason. To make it quicker, I used your advice and just left the cleanser in a crock beside my toilet. (Top Job)

My question is about just leaving the cleaner there. Is it safe to do that? My bathroom smells clean because of the cleanser, but is it okay to breathe it in as it evaporates? I promise that I am not a hypochondriac or anything... but I'm just curious I guess... I don't want to become one!!!

Thanks lots and lots for all you do!!!!

It takes all of 30 seconds to swish and swipe your bathroom. In fact you don't even need cleaner in your crock to swish the toilet. Just the scrubbing action will keep things from growing in there. I don't use any harsh cleaning products. Any kind of soap will work. I have been using shampoo that I don't like very much in my crock. I put one part shampoo and one part water. It smells good too. You can even use your soap slivers by just putting them in the crock and putting some water over them. The soap will not allow germs to grow in the liquid. I also love anything with a lavender smell. I just use what I have.

Here is the full explanation of Swish and Swipe from our FAQ section on our website.

What does Swish and Swipe mean?

As part of my morning routine I clean my bathroom. Now this is not the crisis cleaning because company is coming and you have not touched the bathroom in months. This is a daily maintenance that keeps it company ready all the time! I know many of you don't think that this needs to be done but I assure you that you deserve to clean and fresh smelling bathroom all the time too.

It doesn't take much time to do this either. This is why I called it a swish and a swipe. Doesn't that sound like a lick and a promise! Quick and easy! Here is how it works and once you establish this habit, your bathroom will never look and smell dirty again.

To accomplish this you need a couple of things to keep in your bathroom. I have my favorite window cleaner in each bathroom just for this purpose along with a Purple Rag. You can use what ever you like just so you don't have to leave the room to swish and swipe. You will have no excuse to get sidetracked if you will do this.

Here is the swipe part. I take the window cleaner and a purple rag and wipe off the mirror and then the counter, faucets and sink. Bam it is just that fast. Now I do this as I am getting dressed and I put my things away. Do you hear me! put your stuff away as you use them this keeps your counter clear and easy to wipe down.

Then I take wad of toilet paper and head toward the toilet. I keep a toilet bowl brush(Rubba Swisha) beside each toilet in our home. They are kept in a crock (one like you put kitchen utensils in) or a vase. I keep an old shampoo or body wash(not bathroom caustic cleaner) in my holder. Soap is soap as far as I am concerned. You could use old bubble bath that you hate or what ever you have.

Now don't do this if you have little children or pets that will get into this.

Each morning take the brush and let the excess cleaner drip off; if it is thick you may have to water down the solution a bit so it will drain well. Then take the Rubba Swisha and swish it around in the toilet. Even if you don't use any soap; you will keep stuff from growing in there. Then wipe off the back of the toilet with the rag, then the seat with toilet paper, the rim and lastly the sides and floor. If you have little boys you know how they miss. When you do this once a day you will find that your toilet is always fresh as a daisy.

There you have it Swish and Swipe! This takes all of about 1 minute from start to finish but you have to have everything in the bathroom so you have no excuses to not do this.

Now go gather up an old vase for the bathroom and look in the bathroom closet for some shampoo or bubble bath that will work for swishing the toilet. Put your purple rag and Rubba Swisha in your bathroom so you can Swish and Swipe with ease!

Nothing says I LOVE YOU like a Clean toilet when you are sick! -

FlyLady