You may pick up some of the rooms in your house throughout the week, or even daily, but we all have to take a day or two a month, or more, and really focus on cleaning everything. For most people, that can take quite a while, depending on their plan and execution of the tasks. There are actually quite a few things you can do to reduce the time spent on cleaning.
When you know you need to clean the entire house, there are a few main things to do that will automatically cut your time down, such as:
- Make a plan for how you are going to clean.
- Clean the entire house, not a room at a time
- Figure out the best routine and flow for your house layout
- Buy tools and cleaners that work for you so you can spend less time scrubbing or getting something perfect.
(Source: Nationwide, Popular mechanics, The Spruce)
Everyone has their own system and rules that they know help them clean the house faster. However, it is always good to look for new methods and ways to make cleaning even quicker.
Rules For Individual Tasks
Before you start tackling your long to-do list, it is essential to know the best way to do things. You can clean your house in specific ways and manage to cause yourself extra work if you don’t do things the right way. No one wants to waste time waiting around!
The Laundry, Shower, And Dishwasher
It might be odd to group these things together when talking about cleaning; however, these are three things you can start, and they can be cleaning while you work on other things. Starting the dishwasher and your washer means you can fill that time with other things instead of waiting on the laundry to finish and wasting time.
You also want to keep your laundry going throughout the day. Even though you may not stop and fold everything the moment you take it out of the dryer, keeping the laundry moving between the washer and dryer will help get your laundry done while you are doing other things.
It’s also recommended that you do a load of laundry on a daily basis, even if it is a small load. One small load a day will help keep you from having a huge pile to fold and work through every week. The goal is for your laundry to take you no more than 15 minutes a day after washing and drying.
Now, the showers, you can spray them down with the cleaner in the beginning and come back to them when you clean the bathrooms. The cleaner will have had time to breakdown the dirt and soap scum off the walls so you won’t have to scrub so hard.
Clutter Clean Up
Before you start cleaning anything, go from room to room, pick up the clutter or any lost items lying around. Picking up things that are lying on the floor or tables first can help save you time by not forcing you to put something up as you go.
It’s best to carry a basket with you, starting with one room, pick up all stray items, and put them away in that room. Anything that doesn’t go in that room set in the basket and put away when you enter that room to pick up the clutter.
Having a basket with you allows you to keep your hand free from clutter and keeps you from dropping things. At the very end, you may have to go back to the first room to put some things away, but it will save more time than going back and forth between rooms the entire time.
You may want to carry a basket and a garbage bag with you at the same time. A lot of people choose to declutter their house by continuously getting rid of extra stuff they do not need. If you pick something up and you feel like it’s the only purpose is to get in the way, then throw it out.
Dusting
When dusting any room, you want to clean from top to bottom. You should dust a room as follows:
- Ceiling
- Cleaning fan or lights
- Highest shelves or furniture
- Lower desks or tables
- Anything close to the ground that needs to be dusted like baseboards
This way, any dust that falls from higher things will fall to surfaces that have yet to be cleaned. If you do this the opposite way, you risk getting things dirty that you have already cleaned.
You also need to turn off your cleaning fans before dusting; this will prevent dust from being thrown or carried through the air to land on other surfaces. The dust will be more likely to fall on the ground for you to vacuum it up.
Dusting the walls can be frustrating with a cloth and your arms. You won’t be able to reach things without a chair, most likely, so the best option is to use an extended duster or a Swiffer on your wall to reach high areas. Something made to capture dust and dirt will keep it from falling down, and you won’t have to climb on anything.
Disinfect Things as You Go
Something that is commonly forgotten is wiping off and disinfecting things. While it can not only just keep areas from looking dingy, it can stop or slow the spread of germs tremendously. You want to remember to disinfect places like:
- Door handles
- Light switches
- Cabinet and drawer handles
- Lamp switches
- Remotes
- Any surface that is touched often by several people
Merely carrying a disinfectant cleaner with you and allowing that to be one of the last things you do in the room can help it be the cleanest it will be.
Vacuum
You want to leave the vacuuming as one of the last things to do besides mopping. Things will fall onto the floor as you clean, and it will be easiest to vacuum it all up at once.
Depending on what type of vacuum or attachments you have, you could also use your vacuum to dust some surfaces to reduce the amount of falling dust. This could also speed up your cleaning process.
For example, you can use a vacuum to clean your ceiling fan blades instead of using a cloth. You won’t drop as much dust onto the ground or yourself, and it is more likely to have a streak-free finish.
Organize Your Cleaning Tools
Instead of needing to run back and forth to the cleaning cabinet every time you need a different cleaner, keep all of your tools and products in a caddy that you can easily carry with you as you move through the house.
Regularly cleaning and checking the amount of each cleaning product or tool will also help you to not run out when you need it the most. It is hard to dust without any wood-safe dusting products, so keep an eye on how much you have left.
Do All Of One Task Before Moving On
No Matter what task you choose to do, it’s best to do it all at once throughout the house instead of completing an entire room at a time. So, when you dust, start at one end of the house and go all the way through, not stopping at all.
It’s the same thing for vacuuming, wait till the very end and vacuum the entire house, not stopping at all. This works much better than doing everything room by room individually.
(Source: Den Garden, DIY network, The Spruce)
Room-By-Room
While it may make more sense to do your rooms in a different order depending on your house layout, there are specific ways to clean individual rooms that can speed up the cleaning process. Starting with a plan in place helps to get everything done in a timely fashion.
Kitchen
In the kitchen, many places can be frustrating to clean or easily forgotten. However, doing things in a particular order can help achieve a clean kitchen without backtracking or doing something twice. You want to clean your kitchen in this order:
- Clean up all clutter or random objects, laundry, blankets..etc.
- If your oven needs cleaning, start that process first. Spray it down, or create your self-cleaning cycle. This way, while you’re cleaning everything, it can be working for you.
- If you have enough dishes to start the dishwasher, start it.
- Clean out your fridge, then start your dishwasher if you haven’t already done so. Otherwise, wash the dishes.
- While the dishes are drying, start wiping off your higher cabinet doors and any upper appliances, then move to your counters and lower cabinet doors and appliances.
- Wash out your sinks, then rinse out your dishcloths or sponges
- Put all dishes away that are ready to put away.
- Do the floors when you do all other hardwood floors in your house.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms are more straightforward areas; there are usually not a ton of hidden places that are easy to forget. However, still having a plan to clean can help make it quicker.
- Clean up all clutter or random objects, laundry, blankets..etc.
- Make your beds, or take off sheets to wash. Whichever one you need to do.
- Turn off the ceiling fan and begin dusting the ceiling, following with the fan, walls, shelves, and tables, and ending with baseboards.
- Vacuum your floors when you do the remainder of the same flooring.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are one of the least fun rooms to clean in the house. They are just usually filled with germs and sticky spots. The good news is, you can get through it quickly with this guide.
- You will spray down your shower before starting the cleaning process in any room to let it soak and breakdown hard dirt while you do other things,
- Clean up all clutter or random objects, laundry, blankets, etc.
- Start by wiping down walls, shelves, counters, sinks and finishing with baseboards,
- Wipe over the toilet with a separate rag as to not spread germs.
- Scrub and rinse out the shower.
- Do your floors with the other hardwood floors.
Other Large Rooms
Now, any other rooms, such as the living room, hallway, or basement area, are pretty similar. It may look slightly different for everyone, but the premise is still very much the same.
- Clean up all clutter or random objects, laundry, blankets..etc.
- Turn off the ceiling fan and begin dusting the ceiling, following with the fan, walls, shelves, and tables, and ending with baseboards.
- Vacuum or wipe down any furniture that needs attention.
- Do your floors when you do the others of the same type.
Playroom
If you have a playroom where your kids spend a decent amount of time alone, cleaning this room may look a bit different.
- Grab a small trash bag to take with you for any trash or hidden food.
- Clean up all clutter or random objects, laundry, blankets, toys..etc. As you do this, throw away any toys that are broken or no longer work.
- Turn off the ceiling fan and begin dusting the ceiling, following with the fan, walls, shelves, and tables, and ending with baseboards.
- Vacuum these floors when you do others of the same type.
- You may need to spend some time treating stained spots or working on getting unidentified substances out of your carpet.
(Source: Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day)
Quickly Preparing For Guest
One of the best things you can do in your house is to always keep the main entertaining areas 15-20 minutes away from being ready for guests. You can always close bedroom doors and only let one bathroom be used for those who come over.
So, if you have guests coming over and you only have 30 minutes to prepare your house, what do you do first? A large portion of that answer depends on what needs to be done, but you can always go through the list of things that should be done.
- Counters, tables, and any surfaces should be dusted and wiped over quickly.
- Clutter should be picked up and put away, or in another room that won’t be seen.
- Couches and seats should be wiped over or vacuumed.
- Floors should be vacuumed quickly.
- Bathrooms should be disinfected and wiped over quickly.
The focus should be on a good presentation, not perfection. Your kitchen may not be spotless, but your guests should feel comfortable eating or drink out of your dishes. They should also feel comfortable taking their shoes off on the carpet or floor if they so choose.
The biggest thing to consider when doing a quick clean is that your house should be comfortable and welcoming for your guests. If they can walk in and feel as if your home is a safe, clean space, then you have done well.
(Source: Woman’s Day, Nationwide, Popular mechanics)
Proactive Cleaning Tips
There are a few things that you can do daily or should do at least a few times a week to cut down your time on the deep cleaning days. These things will only help in the long-run and can make your deep-cleaning days much more manageable.
Vacuuming and Sweeping
Vacuuming or sweeping daily or multiple times a day can reduce your vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping time in half. If you are cleaning up small messes throughout the week, you won’t have such a big mess to clean up at the end.
When you vacuum or sweep, you may notice messes that can be cleaned up immediately that would’ve been huge issues if they had waited longer.
For example, you may not have noticed that your child spilled juice in the corner of the kitchen; however, when you swept, you noticed dirt sticking to it and were able to clean it up before it became a place for ants and other insects to find. It might take you 30 seconds to clean it now, whereas later it could’ve taken longer and been a much bigger mess if you waited.
Shower and Toilet
Spraying down your shower with a daily cleaner can help soap scum and dirt not settle on the walls every time someone takes a shower. The last person who uses the shower each day simply sprays down the walls after they get out, and your weekly deep clean will be so much easier.
Buying something for your toilet that prevents hard water deposits or germs from the drawing will make sure you don’t have to scrub water or mold rings off the inside of your toilet bowl every week. While you will have to clean it like normal, you won’t have to scrub a ton.
Not necessary, But Useful
There are some things that technology has not helped, but there are far more things that technology has definitely gotten right. There are a few things that, thanks to technology, you can do that will help reduce your cleaning time.
Vacuuming And Mopping
We’ve all been there before, you are vacuuming a room, and the cord can’t reach the last corner. You have to walk back, unplug it, find a new plug, and then finish the room. While that isn’t the end of the world, it is annoying.
Purchasing a cordless vacuum eliminates this problem and simply allows you to go room-to-room without stopping at all. Talk about a time saver! The other option is to get a robot vacuum; you wouldn’t even have to vacuum at all!
Now, mopping is a frustrating task for some, especially if you have all hardwood floors. However, getting a wet-dry vacuum will allow you to vacuum and mop all at once. They can often be on the pricey side, but it would cut your cleaning time in half.
If that is not an option for you, you go also go for a steam mop. This would eliminate you having to use your hands and knees, and the steam’s high temps disinfect the floor while it mops. It also manages to get sticky things off the floor better than a rag and water due to the steam.
Window and Mirrors
We have all gotten done cleaning glass and found streaks or watermarks later in the day. This problem can be eliminated by purchasing a squeegee to go over the windows or mirrors after wiping them down. It will get off the last bit of water, and you will just wipe that off the bottom.
The other option is to get a window vacuum. While it is called a window vacuum, it can be used for any glass surface. It is a vacuum attached to a place to put a cloth; you simply spray your cleaner, use it to wipe, turn it on, and vacuum up the water and dirt.
Both options can create a streak or spot-free finish, which we know is a huge thing when cleaning the glass of any sort.
Declutter As You Go
As you are cleaning up items around your house, if you notice something is broken or haven’t used it in months, get rid of it. Next time you clean, you will have less clutter to dust around or pick up. Doing this regularly makes sure you aren’t collecting things that you don’t need.
(Source: Den Garden, DIY network, The Spruce)
Mistakes That Waste Time
People make some common mistakes that can add 30 minutes, and in some cases, hours to your cleaning time each week. Making sure you are not making these common but simple mistakes can help make your cleaning time efficient and worth it.,
Getting Distracted By Other Tasks
When you clean, you need to make a plan and stick to it. While it may be easy to get distracted by the drawers or dresser that needs to be cleaned out, your only goal right now is to get your house clean from dirt.
Setting aside a different date and time to clean out specific places allows you to focus on only that and not feel like you have been cleaning all day.
Letting Your Laundry Pile Up
If you wait until you are out of underwear or have no room left in the laundry hamper, laundry will take you quite a while. The best thing you can do to keep this from happening is to do a load of laundry a day, even if it is small.
It would be better to do 15 minutes of laundry every day than 2-3 hours of laundry every week or two.
Not Running Your Dishwasher Every Evening
After you clean the kitchen for the last time in the evening, you may not have enough dishes to completely fill the dishwasher up. However, it is better to run it anyway.
Starting off your morning with clean dishes and the ability to use the full dishwasher for the day’s dishes should cut down on the time you spend washing dishes by hand. Furthermore, leaving dishes with food on them overnight can attract ants or cause dishes to not be entirely clean after being washed.
Not Being Proactive
While there are some things you can do that may seem like they won’t matter much, they can end up saving you so much time. Being proactive with some chores can save you time and work by cutting down on your cleaning.
For example, spraying the shower down every day with a cleaner that breaks down soap scum can make your weekly shower cleaning so much easier. It won’t allow things to settle and build upon your shower walls.
Putting something in your toilet to help keep water rings from happening can keep you from having to scrub it so hard on a weekly basis.
Not Setting A Timer
When you begin a chore, or any activity, setting a timer for yourself can keep you from becoming distracted or discouraged.
If you need to go through your clothes or declutter, set a timer for 30 minutes and only work that long. If you feel like you can do more, then go for another 30 minutes, but don’t commit yourself to 2 hours of work if you don’t normally do that.
Setting a timer for things like dusting or vacuuming works as well, but the main purpose is to set an expectation for yourself about how long it should take to complete that task. When you have a better idea in your head of how long something will take, it can be easier to get done.
(Source: Good Housekeeping, Nationwide)
Final Thoughts
Cleaning an entire house can be a long process; however, going into the task with a plan and the right tools can help cut your time in half, as well as making the job easier. If you try it one way and it doesn’t work, try something different next time.
Making sure that you are happy and comfortable with your cleaning process is a huge key to making sure you are efficient and not dreading the process. You won’t love your home as much as you could if you hate keeping it clean.
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