Cleaning your house is a marathon. And, like some of the greatest runners, you need a plan to shave a few minutes off your cleaning time. Try out these ten tips for getting your house gleaming with a few tips from cleaning experts.
1. Grab Your Cleaning Jams
When it comes to how to clean house, it takes time. So, one of the first things you want to do is, set your mood. Runners need an excellent jam to keep going, and you are going to need some motivating music to get you through your cleaning marathon. And, it makes cleaning a bit more fun. Therefore, pick some music that gets you pumped up and motivated and let it jam. If you're doing the cleaning as a family, pop your favorite cleaning playlist on Alexa. If you are doing a solo house clean, then you'll want to throw in some earbuds and get jamming. Think of it as the ultimate workout!
2. Gather Cleaning Supplies
Cleaning caddies are a must when it comes to cleaning your house from top to bottom. They just make your life easier. If you don't have one, use a basket or tub. Throw all the cleaning supplies you will need for everything room in your home in the caddy. It can move with you through the house. When you are trying to clean your house in minimal time, this is a lifesaver.
If you are a proponent of green cleaning like mom, entrepreneur, and author of The Accidental Housewife, Julie Edelman, you can use some items you already have around your house. Julie states, "I'm a big proponent of using everyday products that you already have, such as white vinegar - which can kill 90 percent of bacteria and more than 80 percent of mold and mildew. Therefore, I keep a spray bottle with a 3:1 water to vinegar mix in my shower and under my kitchen sink." If you choose to go greener with items like white vinegar, baking soda, and peroxide, you can lighten your cleaning cart since these can be used in multiple rooms.
3. Create an Importance List
When you are cleaning your whole house, some rooms are more important than others. So, you want to make sure you clean those rooms before your energy putters out. These might include your kitchen, bathroom, living room, and closets. Or maybe your master bedroom is on the list. Whatever the case, writing down or creating a mental list of the most essential rooms ensures they get done.
When it comes to cleaning the whole house at once, you don't want to do one room at a time. Instead, it's more time effective to do one chore at a time. Therefore, you're going to declutter everything in the home before moving on to the tub and toilet. While you need to follow a few house cleaning basics for each room, don't get too consumed with one room. Julie says it best, "What it means to my fellow or is it feline accidental housewives is they do just enough cleaning and not stress over doing a complete floor to ceiling cleaning, which will help them maintain their home, sanity, and manicure!"
4. Clear and Organize the Clutter
You've made your list, checked it twice, have your music blaring and your cleaning gear at the ready. It's time to start. First up! Declutter all the rooms in your house.
Go room to room and put everything away. For example, you might organize and put the toys away in the kid's room, remove all mail from the kitchen and organize it in its area, grab dishes and put them in the sink, get all things off the floor, clean off tables, etc. You just want to go around your house and get everything tidy. You'll be amazed at the difference a little organization makes.
5. Dust From the Top Down
You probably noticed as you were clearing away all that clutter that a lot of dust has accumulated. Well, it's a good thing that dusting comes next on the list. And if you think about it, dusting is the perfect beginning. When dusting, start from the top and move down from left to right in your home. Starting from the top-down makes sure all the dust accumulates on the floor to be swept up at the end of your house cleaning journey.
6. Clean and Disinfect Bathroom and Kitchen Surfaces
When it comes to scrubbing, it's best to get the bathroom and kitchen type work out of the way first. Why? Because they are typically your least favorite chore. And doing it first gets it out of the way, and you on to less disgusting waters.
Julie put it best when she said, "cleaning the family throne i.e. toilet cleaning-mine looks like a paint ball target, and if I could leave it, I would, but being the numero uno toxic zone in my home, that's not a reality. That's why I put on my fashionable and functional pink and polka dot gloves, drop two effervescent tablets into the bowl to fizz and remove poop and whiz at arm's length followed by a swipe and wipe with my fave disposable toilet bowl brush!" If you have kids, you definitely understand.
So, you will go through and clean all the tubs, toilets, and sinks in your home. Avoid the temptation to do more. That comes later.
7. Disinfect the Surfaces and Appliances
It's time to move on to disinfecting tables, end tables, stoves, refrigerators, and other surfaces in your home. You might choose to go green and use a bit of hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar to wipe everything down, or you can use some disinfecting wipes. Julie notes that when it comes to "store-bought wonders, I love disinfecting wipes and use them like tissues to clean my counters, switch plates, door handles and anything else in swiping range." And with all the steps you're moving, it's going to be a fantastic workout!
8. Get the Glass Gleaming
At this point, everything is starting to shine around your house. Don't let your windows and mirrors bring your whole cleaning vibe down. Instead, it's time to start cleaning them. With your window/mirror cleaner at the ready, spray and scrub them from bottom to top.
9. Freshen Up Your Furniture
You are in the home stretch now! Take a look at your furniture, particularly the smell. Freshen it up if it's smelling a bit funky from teens or damp from dogs. This can include pulling off the cushions and vacuuming them all. You can also use a fabric refresher to get them smelling fresh. If you don't like the scents, wiping them down with a cloth and throwing the covers in the wash is sure to get them smelling better.
10. Vacuum and Mop All the Floors
You've pushed all the dirt from your ceilings and counters onto the floors. It's time to clean them up. The final step in house cleaning 101 is to sweep, vacuum, and mop your floors. Use the best method for each floor, and you are done. Remember, according to Julie, cleaning is "about balance and not stressing-just like cleaning enough to maintain your home, family, sanity, and manicure!!"
Tips for Keeping Your House Clean
House cleaning can be challenging and time-consuming. There is no doubt about it. But Julie offers some expert tips to make things a bit easier.
Blend Housework and Routines
"For example, when I'm in the shower I keep that spray bottle with vinegar and water in arms reach so I can clean as I preen; I keep disinfecting wipes on my bathroom and kitchen counters so I can clean door handles, counters, switch plates and faucets while I'm yakking on the phone with my mom or BFF; and I put shaving cream on my mirrors as I'm shaving my legs to clean and keep them fog free."
Minimize Dirt and Moisture
"To minimize dirt and moisture, I have absorbent mats inside and outside all entranceways; wax my furniture to keep dust at bay, and I use decorative decoys such as fresh flowers, photos, and scented candles to keep the focus off those not so cute dust bunnies when I have guests over!"
Don't Overdo It
"We all need to realize that we don't have to do it all. We're not all Martha, nor our mothers, nor our best friend, and how we approach what I lovingly call these 'chores that bore' is very individual. Know and believe that if dishes are left in the sink or the bed's left unmade one day, it's okay. We're doing the best we can, given who we are. Our best is good enough so long as our families are healthy and we can find it in ourselves to smile."
How to Clean Your House
When it comes to cleaning your house, everyone has a routine. However, if you are trying to shave a bit of time on your cleaning routine, give these steps a try. You'll be amazed at how fast cleaning takes.
