7 House Cleaning Hacks

Efficient House Cleaning Tips to Save Time When You Clean Your Home

1. Don't clean one room at a time, clean the entire house.

If you clean your home by task rather than by room, this will save you time by not having to repeat the same task each time in each room. When moving from room the room, we can often trail dirt, dust etc. making it necessary to re-clean certain areas. If you choose to clean by task instead of by room, you avoid that repetitive cleaning process. And be sure to clean during the energy efficient times. Scheduling a specific day during the weekend can save you money, and become a regular part of your weekend routine (especially if you can do it all as a family and make it fun). Things like doing laundry, running water and a dishwasher if you have it have peak and low cost times so be sure to check out your energy bills to leverage those savings and schedule accordingly.

2. Clear the clutter, organize the mess.

The first thing to do is to make sure to tidy and organize the clutter that may have accumulated during the week. When we first moved into our home, because we had really minimized our "stuff", we were able to find a place for everything we owned (and some areas may include labels, I'm not going to lie lol). We commit to tidying up after ourselves, and that if we use something we put it back where we found it, in its proper place (I promise this doesn't always happen though haha). This reduces the amount of "stuff" that accumulates (other than laundry) throughout the week. The only thing you might have to clear are garbage cans, recycling bins, compost containers, etc. in the various rooms in your home. We only keep garbages in our kitchen and bathrooms in order to help reduce our garbage output, as well as a green bin in our kitchen and recycling bins in our offices. And empty them regularly into our outdoor bins so they are organized for disposal pickup days.

3. Gather your cleaning supplies in one transportable tote.

Once the clutter is clear, be sure to have all of your cleaning supplies in one caddy or tote that you can bring with you as you clean from room to room. This way you always know where it is, and have what you need on hand. We used to have a caddy full of toilet cleaner, glass cleaner, wipes, cloths, stainless steel cleaner, ceramic cooktop cleaner, wood cleaner, paper towel and more until swapping ALL of that out for Thieves Household Cleaner. We were blown away by how many chemicals were in all of the products we were using, and how much money we were spending to keep our house "clean" yet filled with toxic chemicals. Now we use Thieves Cleaner which is a plant based, non-toxic, eco-friendly, washable microfibre cloths and duster - that's IT (well other than our Dyson vacuum)! Now our once massive and heavy tote is a small metal light-weight caddy.

4. Start Up and Work Down - Dust/Vacuum Surfaces

Working your way from the ceiling down, uses a natural fibre duster, or Vacuum duster to clean corners and dust surfaces including furniture, trim, vents, hand rails, screens, blinds, shelves, etc. Leave floors until the end before mopping. But don't forget to wipe windows and mirrors.

5. Disinfect Surfaces Including Countertops, Sinks, Tubs, Showers and Toilets

Spray your cleaning solution on necessary surfaces starting with kitchen and bathroom countertops (as well as mirrors and windows if necessary), followed by tubs, showers and toilets (toilets should always be disinfected last). I also like to spray my cloth with my cleaning solution to disinfect areas that are used often, like handles, doorknobs, remotes, light switches, etc. After leaving the cleaning solution for a few minutes to break down stains and dirt, scrub surfaces with a clean cloth. And don't forget the mircowave if you have one.

6. Sweep or Vacuum, then Mop

Sweep or Vacuum all flooring surfaces, paying special attention to high traffic areas, and don't forget under the cushions on your furniture. While I don't do this every week, it's amazing how much debris can accumulate in a couch! I try to get under furniture, by moving the furniture that I can manage, but leave things like behind fridges etc. to only a few times a year. Then it's time to pull out the mop. Mopping should take place from the farthest corner of the room and move backwards. A standard mop should be cleaned every 4x4 foot area, unless you are using a steam mop or something else.

7. Clean your Cleaning Supplies

To ensure you are keeping your home truly clean, be sure to clean your cleaning supplies regularly, washing cloths, totes, even the outsides of the cleaners that you are using. Be sure to keep cleaning supplies (especially if toxic) away from pets and children, and in a well ventilated area. The same rings true when cleaning any space with chemical based cleaners. I recommend keeping windows open and fans going when cleaning with toxins to avoid irritation and illness. But again, this is why we have switched to Thieves Cleaner, as it provides a non-toxic safe to use cleaning product that is useful to clean and disinfect most surfaces. To find out more: https://www.theallielife.com/allie-young-living

Don't forget to turn on that diffuser! Diffusers offer deodorizing, air-cleaning, and air-purifying properties in our homes! (Looking to find out more about diffusers: CLICK HERE)

If you are looking to a really deep clean, spring clean or are getting your house ready to list for sale on the market, download this free cleaning checklist!