A clean house takes time and effort – two things often in hot demand. And when it comes to cleaning versus doing, well, any other activity, anything else almost always wins. So how do you keep your home tidy without spending all your time doing it?
Small changes to your cleaning routine can create time-saving habits and leave you with a clean house and happy home. The best way to keep a home clean is to clean it every day. While that might seem like a lot of work and not a novel idea, it decreases the large lumps of time you’ll have to spend soaking and scrubbing if you don’t do it every day. Ten minutes daily spent picking up or putting away and you may be surprised with how much cleaner your house looks and, consequently, how much easier it is to give it a good scrub.
By cleaning your mess as you go, you won’t need to devote additional time to cleaning later. Wipe up any cooking spills as they occur so that you’re not stuck with hard-to-clean buildup. Give your bathroom sink a quick swipe after every use to eliminate toothpaste or soap scum that easily accumulate. Adding in these quick and easy steps to your daily routine can
save time in areas all around your home.
Save yourself time by being deliberate with your time. By setting a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and using it every day to de-clutter will have your home tidy when it comes time to wash, wipe and vacuum. Cleaning at the same time every day can easily become a habit and subsequently seem like less of a chore. Similarly, scheduling when you clean will make it more likely to happen. Break your chores up into manageable parts and pick a day to do them. Have time to dust on Tuesdays after work? Put it in your calendar. Sundays are open for floors? Mark it down and make it happen.
Decide how often items around your home need to be cleaned and add it to your schedule. Consider what chores need to be done weekly, monthly or seasonally to save yourself from neglecting certain chores or cleaning before you need to. When it comes time to deep clean, choose a room or a floor to focus on each week; this way, it all gets done but it’s broken up into a manageable time frame.
Give everything a place. And more importantly, put things back in their place when you’re done with them. Freshen up your kitchen and bathroom by placing a dryer sheet in the bottom of your trash bins. This will ease spill cleanup and help minimize any odours. Dryer sheets can also come in handy for cleaning baseboards. Beyond their fresh smell, the fabric softener repels dust – meaning you won’t need to clean as often.
Use an old sock over your hand to dust as you de-clutter. It’s quick, easy, and cuts down on dedicated dusting later on. Make the most of your time by cleaning while you’re waiting. Dust your TV screen when commercials come on. Wipe down the stove while you’re microwaving your meal.
As the cleaning experts at Sparkling Clean BC suggest, door mats are a necessity for the inside and outside of every entrance to your home. This will help lessen the amount of dirt and germs making their way inside your house. If vinegar isn’t already in your arsenal of household cleaners, it might be time to invest in a big bottle of the versatile liquid. It’s ability to clean just about anything makes it a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to closets full of costly cleansers.
As a cleaning agent, vinegar can remove stains and smells from many hard-to-clean items around the house. Don’t want to waste time scrubbing the soap scum off your shower head? Tie a plastic bag filled with vinegar around the shower head and leave overnight before rinsing clean. Are your towels coming out of your laundry machine smelly musty? Run a hot rinse cycle with one cup of vinegar followed by a second cycle with a half-cup of baking soda to bring your fresh, fluffy towels back to life.
If you’re lucky enough to have a dishwasher, use it to your advantage and let it wash more than just the dishes. A dishwasher can be used to clean a variety of items, many that are hard to clean otherwise, which will save you time and eliminate unwanted germs. The long list of items that can be tossed in include refrigerator shelves, range fan grills, light switch plates and small window screens.
It may not sound like the most fun activity but by making the most out of the time you spend cleaning, it won’t seem like you’re wasting your day. Pick an upbeat playlist, create goals with exciting rewards and get your whole family involved. Spend less time cleaning your house and more time enjoying a tidy home.