Health hazards and risk of injury get lessened when you keep your house clean and organised. However, keeping your home tidy all the time can be a daunting task.
Here are the 15 proven house cleaning tips and hacks that will help you simplify the cleaning process. These tips will save you money, time and keep your sanity intact on the cleaning day!
1. Create a System
Your cleaning time can get cut down in half once you follow a proper cleaning system. It means you should clean the house in the same order every time. For instance, start and finish at the same spot in a room so that you do not have to waste any time running back and forth. So, the whole premise of cutting down on time is consistency.
When you do the same thing every time you clean, it becomes a routine. And your routine is the method. It is inherently a better way to clean because the speed comes from the method instead of hurrying.
2. Start Top to Bottom and then Left to Right.
One of the most important houses cleaning tips could be for you to start cleaning from top to bottom. And then go from left to right. For instance, don’t start a room by wiping the coffee table first and then cleaning the blinds. It will cause the dust from blinds to coat your newly cleaned coffee table. So, it is better to start from the top of the room and work your way down to the bottom. This approach helps eliminate any redundant work.
Similarly, you don’t have to dart from place to place if you start cleaning from left to right. This way also helps you to ensure you can cover the entire room.
3. Keep Cleaning Tools Ready
Another one of the crucial cleaning tips is to have all the tools and cleaning supplies you need at arm’s reach. And this means you won’t waste time walking back and forth to the cabinet under the sink. While cleaning, wear an apron or carpenter’s tool belt. That way, you can fill the pocket of your apron with essential tools while cleaning. Pour the cleaners into small reusable bottles that are easy to carry.
Also, you can place your supply in a caddy or a bucket to stay organised and save time
4. Be Proactive
Advising you to be proactive when you just want some house cleaning tips sounds irrelevant, right? However, we assure you it’s not. Being proactive, you can keep a lot of corners of your house clean and not give grimes and dirt to accumulate. Stopping problems in their track even before they begin is one of the best house cleaning tips. For instance, use a shower cleaner to prevent grime and scum buildup in the bath.
To use the shower cleaner, simply just spray it on and walk away. Spray it on after every shower to prevent dirt from forming. The easy part is, you don’t even have to wipe it off or do anything additional. Just spray it and walk away.
5. Vacuum Properly
You don’t need to stress about getting every nook and cranny while vacuuming. Instead, move through the house and run the vacuum in every carpeted room in one pass through. Also, try to do the entire length of the room in a straight row. Next, move over and start at the front of the room again.
One of the house cleaning tips for vacuuming carpeted areas is that you don’t have to do it every week. You should instead inspect and use your own judgement as to when the carpets might need a cleaning.
For in-depth knowledge of domestic and commercial cleaning standards, we recommend British Cleaning Training and Level 5 Certificate in Cleaning course.
6. Wash Your Throw Pillows and Blankets
Make sure to check out the manufacturer label and instructions properly for pillows and blankets before washing. It is one of the important house cleaning tips for washing blankets and pillows. The label contains instructions for the particular material’s cleaning method. Typically, your silk and velvets will require the use of dry cleaning fluid.
However, materials like cotton and polyester can handle gentle washing with water. Choose warm water on a delicate cycle if you wanna wash pillows and blankets in the machine. And you can hang them for drying after the wash. Also, make sure to wash pillow covers separately from the cushion. Scrub the pillows in a circle using a sponge and upholstery shampoo. Next, blot the excess moisture and shampoo with a clean white towel.
You can even use a sponge dipped into dry cleaning solution if it is indicated. Next, clean the fabric using the same circular motion and blow it dry.
7. Keep Your Stainless Steels Looking Spotless
With stainless steel, the house cleaning tips do not get any easier. These are some of the easiest surfaces to clean. Also, keeping your stainless steel appliances gleaming can make a big difference. For that, all you need is soap and water to keep the surfaces clean. First, wipe down the surface of your appliances. Then, use milden dish soap and dampen a soft sponge with water.
Next, use a dish towel to wipe off any soap residue. Finally, rinse the stainless steel and wipe off any remaining water with a dry towel. Soap and water should clean most of the smudges and residue from the steel. However, spray glass cleaners should take care of any stubborn prints.
Another one of the house cleaning tips for stainless steel is to never use abrasive cleaners or materials. Because these might scratch the metal surface.
8. Clean Your Refrigerator
Have you ever cleaned your refrigerator, but it didn’t feel refreshing enough? Stay tuned for our house cleaning tips on thorough cleaning of your refrigerator that leave it feeling fresh. Firstly, remove the removable refrigerator shelves, wire racks, and drawers. Next, handwash these in mildly warm soap water.
To soften stubborn food spills, cover them with a warm wet cloth for a few minutes. Next, you can scrub them off with a non-abrasive scrubber. Use a cleaning mixture of one part baking soda and seven-part water for drawers and shelves you can’t remove. When you have rinsed and dried all the surfaces, time to deodorise it. Fill an open container with dry baking soda and leave it on the bottom shelf. And that is enough to make your refrigerator smell fresh as new.
9. Clean Your Bathroom Mould
Keeping your shower tile and grout mould free can be very tough, but not with our house cleaning tips! Use a grout cleaner or mould remover to remove a small area of mould. Keep in mind; you can also use bleach and water solution to get the job done. Use Clorox tiles moulds and mildew remover. It can eliminate mould and mildew germs in only a few minutes, with no scrubbing needed. Also, it removes any unwanted bacteria on the surface of the tile.
Use mould and mildew remover spray for shower curtains and linens. You can simply just spray it on the mould area and see the stains disappear. Next, you just have to rinse it off. Another one of the great house cleaning tips for washing your shower liner is to wash it in the machine. Make sure to choose the delicate cycle option with warm water and use detergent bleach.
10. Keep Your Mirrors Gleaming
Mix half a cup of distilled water, white vinegar and one teaspoon of cornstarch and spray it onto your mirrors. This is one of the most effective cleaning tips to keep the mirrors gleaming like new! You can mix the ingredients in a spray bottle and spritz the mirror with your cleaning solution. Next, use a microfiber cloth or crumpled up newspaper. Make sure to wipe across the mirror in a broad “S” pattern, working from top to bottom.
Following this method, you can remove any stubborn debris. You can finish cleaning the window with rubbing alcohol and a clean cloth. To do that, soak a corner of the cloth in the alcohol and scrub off the debris. The final step is to clean the rest of the mirror glass, and you are done!
11. Keep Your Wood Floors Sparkling
One of the must-know house cleaning tips for keeping your wood floors sparkling is to use vinegar. According to experts, vinegar is the best cleaner for hardwood floors. Make a solution by mixing a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar with a gallon of warm water. You can even use white vinegar instead of apple cider. To clean the wood floors, start by sweeping the surface. It will remove the dust particles easily.
Next, fill a bucket with the homemade solution of vinegar and begin cleaning. Try to use a flat mop with a microfibre cover to clean the floors. Also, make sure you don’t get your wood floors too wet. Too much water could remove the lacquer finish. It could also cause warping or deterioration.
12. Clean Your Washing Machine
Dirt, mould and other grimy residues can build up in your washer. So, it is necessary to clean out your washing machine once every two weeks. One of the professional house cleaning tips to easily clean your washer is to run a hot cycle with vinegar. Firstly, run an empty, regular cycle on hot and mix in two cups of white vinegar. Next, make a mixture of a quarter cup of vinegar and warm water.
Take a sponge or brush and use this mixture to clean the insides of the washer. For the final step, run one more empty regular cycle on hot without detergent or vinegar. Also, remember that you can add a half cup of baking soda to the drum. It will help clear away the buildup loosened from the first cycle.
13. Sanitise Electronic Devices & Appliances
You need to know the right cleaning tips for keeping your devices and appliances germs free. For example, the screen of your phone and laptop are dirtier than you think. Try to keep your electronics clean with an antimicrobial spray and a microfiber cloth. You can simply dampen the microfiber cloth with the spray. However, be careful not to oversaturate the cloth.
Carefully wipe down the front and back end of your phone, tablet, and other handheld devices. But be careful not to get the solution near the openings of the device. Let the screen dry afterwards before powering them back on. You can clean the computer and laptop screen using a dry microfiber cloth. However, dip the cloth in diluted dish soap and clean if dust lingers.
14. Dust Your Blinds Regularly
Cleaning your blinds every day is important so that it doesn’t collect dust. A vacuum with a brush attachment is all you need to clean your dust-filled blinds. Not to mention, feather duster or a microfibre cloth are also good material choices. If it is a wooden slatted or mini blinds, simply shut the blinds and wipe the dust away. Also, you can try and take the help of a vacuum cleaner.
Correspondingly, vacuum the front and back of the shades to whisk away dust. Regardless, a deeper clean might be necessary sometimes. Make a mixture of warm water, white vinegar and a few drops of dish soap. Now, wet a sponge in the solution, wring it out well and wipe down each slat. You can use this mixture to clean both plastic and metal blinds.
15. Keep Your Upholstery Clean
Cleaning your upholstered furniture is not a task only for professionals. You can do it too if you got a vacuum. Also, you will need a few clean white clothes, dish soap, a horsehair upholstery brush and a small bucket. First, take the cushions off of your furniture. Now, use your vacuum’s upholstery attachment to suck up crumbs, dust and pet hair.
To wash off the dust, check the tag on your furniture for any specific care instructions. If the care tag says washable, then go ahead with the second step. Next, mix a half teaspoon of clear dish soap with warm water in a small bucket. Dip an upholstery brush suds into the solution and lightly sweep the fabric in small sections.
You can even use a steamer to kill bacteria and lift smells from the fabric. Finally, after you are done with the cleaning, let everything dry for at least an hour.