How to get a man to clean without asking/nagging (includes giveaway)

As previously mentioned, I have created a #1Hubby-proof plan for getting said #1Hubby to carry out his fair share of the household cleaning.  And then some.

It is genius.  I am a genius.

And no, it does not involve offering up explicit favours.

Or promising not to speak during the cricket.

In my wifely experience, all 12.5 years of it (because when you've done that much time, even the 0.5 matters), I've found that the best form of persuasion is passive coercion.

Where did I learn this?  Not from my mother as you may expect.  She left me hanging high and dry on the husband wrangling tips.  Perhaps because she's still trying to conquer #1 Pop.

It was actually #1Hubby himself who taught me how to convince him to do stuff he'd otherwise hate, without a single suggestive hint, whine, loaded comment, or withdrawal of any services on my part.

You see, we'd been together for around 6 years when I found out, via overhearing him offering marital advice to a couple of newlywed friends, that way back in ye olde worlde times when we first shacked up together, he deliberately mixed colours and whites in the wash to create a couples uniform of pink and/or grey clothing.  He also deliberately - to this freaking day - hangs the clothes as if they've been spat out by a tornado and tossed on the line.

This makes me stabby

The result of his supposedly innocent actions is that I now insist on doing all the washing and hanging all the clothes on the line myself.  It has nothing to do with my extreme need for symmetry, even on the clothes line.

He is an evil genius, and while I was the one on the receiving end, I don't think I've ever loved him more than when I found out about this scheme.

It was a pure coincidence that I singed water stains into his work shirt while ironing it the very next day.

I have not been allowed to touch the iron ever since, 10 years later.

And so, I give you my #1 tip on how to get the menfolk to do their share of the cleaning and other household chores : passive coercion via human error..

Floor needs vacuuming 

Only do it while sport is on TV.  Make sure you have valid excuses not to do it any other time.  If possible, let the vacuum butt up against the TV cabinet a little and jiggles it, so he panics that it will all come toppling over and break his beloved TV.

Kids have lessons to be ferried to and from

Take them the first time, let him stay home.  Go shopping after the lessons, and buy something for yourself that you don't need.  Shoes, clothes, make up.  Anything he can't use and will see as a luxury item.  If he isn't scared into action the following week, repeat.  Trust me, after a few weeks he'll insist on you staying home while he takes the kids to their lessons.

Windows need to be cleaned 

Use his best Tshirt, claiming it leaves the windows streak-free.  And if that isn't enough, bust out his jocks too.  After cleaning them, lightly spray with window cleaner so that the next time he pulls them out to wear, he can smell the cleaning product on them.

Sick of ironing his uniform / work clothes / business attire? 

A few singe marks and water stains will see him insisting on doing it himself.

Sick of ironing your own stuff? 

A few singe marks and water stains requiring you to go out and purchase new clothes will see him offering to iron your clothes too, rather than fork out for a new wardrobe.

You're welcome...and on to the point of this post, besides sharing my domestic wisdom:

It's no secret that Chux are a Sponsor of Awesome and, coincidentally, creator of awesome products.  Just ask #1Hubby who does the bulk of the cleaning me.

#1Hubby and I have put together a list of our top 5 Chux cleaning products, the must have items:

Chux Kitchen Wonder Cloth
For those who have a severely unco-ordinated wife, prone to spilling stuff. This will soak it up before the wine coffee reaches your mobile phone, laptop, or other vital equipment that she insists on drinking/spilling near.

It's true. It really is the every-man cloth of the cleaning market.

Chux Non-Scratch Scourer Sponges
Removing baked on food, the result of hours of blogger neglect. I know I've mentioned this one before, but it's still happening, it's still an issue in our household.

It's true. I can't seem to commit to cooking without a sneaky Tweet or 20 in the middle and suddenly I'm totally lost amongst Ebay auctions ending soon, blog posts and Facebook (oh my).

Chux Magic Eraser Hard Surface Cleaner
The kids like to go all Pro Hart on the walls and tiles.  You wouldn't know it, thanks to this.  Now if only they'd make one that filled the cracks and holes and reapplied the paint.  That would be impressive.


Ladies, he likes to flex his biceps while scrubbing the walls. It's a mix of alluring, fetching, hilarious and desperate.  Mostly alluring and fetching, on account of the fact that he's cleaning and I'm not.

Chux Magic Eraser Bathroom
Brace yourselves peeps - this one is my recommendation, not his.  I do the bathroom cleaning, for the most part.  This thing is awesome.  Considering I hate cleaning, this thing manages to cut through the months weeks of soap scum and crap built up around my shower recess with ease.


He has no Peanut Gallery style remark.  He was too busy laughing at me claiming to clean the bathrooms every few weeks.

Chux Kitchen Super Scrub
Again...this is my recommendation, not his.  Occasionally, I get a bit over hearing #1Hubby whine about my burning the bottoms of pots.  While he swears by the Non-Scratch Scourer Sponge, I swear by this little baby.  And despite what he says, I do my share of dishes.


He made some totally false and derogatory comments pertaining to my claims of regular dish cleaning.  Comments I simply could not publish *ahem*.


But don't just take #1Hubby's my word for it.  For your chance at winning this plentiful Chux bounty:

Excuse me while I hold #1Hubby up as he goes weak at the knees over the sight of all this cleaning awesomeness

1.  Follow this blog, here there and everywhere (AKA subscribe, Facebook and Twitter)

2.  Follow the Chux Facebook page

3.  Comment below with your one single must-have cleaning item.
     Can you guess what mine is? *cough* #1Hubby *cough*

Entries close Tuesday 3rd April


Winner announced here Wednesday 4th April




The fine print :

• Entry open to Australian residents only (unless Chux want to pay me to escort the prize to another country, to personally deliver it to the winner...they may be awesome but I don't like my chances)
• One entry per person
• Entries close midnight (WST) Tuesday 3rd April
• Winner announced on the blog Wednesday 4th April
• Winner has one week to respond before I plunge into the depths of despair and carry out a re-draw

Goodluck!