Tips For A Clean Home

We all know a clean home is important, not only when company is over, but every day for the health of our families. While cleaning the whole house on a daily basis can seem overwhelming to say the least, having a solid cleaning routine in place can help ensure messes don’t get out of control. With a few simple tips and tricks, you can knock out cleaning with ease and enjoy your home with loved ones. So grab your mop and gloves and let’s get to cleaning! 

Focus On One Cleaning Task at a Time

Focus on one task instead of one room at a time. While it may seem easier, in theory, to tackle one room at a time, it is actually more efficient to perform the same task throughout the house. Instead of cleaning the bathroom top to bottom then moving on to the kitchen, spray your household cleaner on kitchen counters, the kitchen sink, bathtub, bathroom sink, and toilets, then go back and wipe down where you started. This allows the cleaner ample time to activate and disinfect and you can use the same cloth to wipe down all of the areas. Just make sure to rinse and cleanse the cloth before moving onto the next area to avoid pushing around dust and dirt. Another pro tip, always dry clean surfaces with a cloth or dusters before using a wet cleaner to pick up the majority of dust and hair.

Tame the Clutter

One of the easiest ways to keep your home clean and tidy is to pick up clutter as you go. Carve out 10-15 minutes in the morning and at night to pick up shoes, toys, magazines, and any small items in the main living areas and put them in their proper place. In bedrooms, hang or fold clothing from the day and store it away inside a closet or dresser. Making your bed first thing is another way to make sure you start the day on a productive note and it has been proven to help you feel accomplished and ready for future tasks throughout the day. Store toiletries and makeup in bathroom vanities or storage bins in a linen closet to keep counters clutter-free. Making an effort to pick up as you go will help keep your home looking and feeling much cleaner and will keep you from feeling overwhelmed. 

Organize Your Cleaning Supplies

Keeping all of your cleaning supplies together makes cleaning feel much more manageable. Whether you have a cleaning caddy or store everything in the same cabinet, having all of your supplies in one location when you go to clean makes getting started much easier. That way when you go to clean, you aren’t wasting time searching the house for all of the different cleaning supplies; they are already in one spot together. Make sure to keep an inventory of your supplies and reorder when you are running low on a particular item. It is also important to remember to clean and disinfect cleaning supplies on a regular basis to avoid spreading dirt and germs. Replace toilet cleaning brushes and other cleaning supplies that frequently come into contact with germs and disinfect sponges and clothes by washing them with hot water or running them through the dishwasher on the sanitizing setting.

Keeping the Floors Clean

When it comes to flooring, it’s a good idea to sweep, vacuum, or dust mop as needed to remove loose dirt or grit on a regular basis. Doing so will help to prevent wear and scratches on the finish of your flooring. Aim to deep clean your floors once a week or every other week to remove stains and stuck-on messes. Choose a flooring cleaner that is specifically formulated for your unique flooring type to avoid damaging the flooring or voiding the warranty. Using a traditional mop and water on certain surfaces, like hardwood and laminate floors, can cause the flooring to warp and buckle. Some flooring cleaners also leave behind a film or residue that can attract dirt and dust, causing you to have to clean them more often. 

Wipe it Down

Wipe down countertops and other surfaces. Disinfecting countertops and other frequently touched surfaces prevents the spread of germs and viruses. This includes kitchen appliances, doorknobs and pulls, cabinets, cell phones, and remotes. Use a disinfecting spray and cloth to quickly wipe down these frequently touched areas. 

Clean the Air

Another frequently overlooked area to clean and disinfect is the air. Poor air quality can contribute to chronic illness and exasperate asthma and allergies symptoms. Investing in an air purifier is one of the best ways to destroy germs, mold, viruses, and more. Also, don’t forget to replace your air purifier filters. It is recommended to place them every 6 months to ensure proper use.

To help reduce stress, break your cleaning routine up into daily, weekly, and monthly or seasonal tasks. Aim to pick up clutter, sweep floors, and wipe down frequently used surfaces daily or every other day as your schedule allows. Weekly, clean floors, vacuum, change bedding, disinfect toilets, and clean bathtubs and showers. Monthly or seasonally it is a good idea to clean windows, deep clean rugs, sort through and donate clothing and household items, and clean upholstered furniture such as couches and chairs. Planning out your cleaning tasks by how often they need to be done makes the overall cleaning process much more manageable and will help you stay organized.

As much time as we spend in our homes, we all feel better knowing that they are a safe and clean place for our family and friends to gather to make lasting memories. Whether cleaning is a therapeutic release or something you dread, implementing these quick and easy tips and tricks will help keep your home tidy so you can stress less about cleaning and spend more time enjoying it.