Let’s face it: we all love a clean home, but not all of us enjoy taking the time to get it that way. After all, who wants to spend their valuable free time scrubbing toilets and sweeping floors?
Fortunately, a few simple tricks can help clean your home in no time — and maybe even without breaking a sweat.
We will share 13 of our favourite house cleaning tips for busy homeowners and their families.
13 simple cleaning ideas for your home and family
Getting your house together has never been this easy.
Let’s walk through 13 ultra-simple tips for cleaning the house — starting with the basics.
- Make your bed first
This is the most fundamental rule of keeping a clean house. If your bed is made, the rest of the room will look neater — and you’re also more likely to be more productive throughout the day.
Just smooth out your sheets, fold any extra blankets and fluff up your pillows after every use. The lasting motivation is worth the effort!
- Keep a laundry basket in every room
A central laundry basket makes sense for singles and couples, but it won’t be enough to accommodate dirty clothes in a family setting.
Set a laundry basket in every bedroom to catch all clothes, towels and blankets. You may also want to save more vertical space with a door-hanging basket or rolling bin.
- Wipe down stainless steel every day
Anyone who owns metal appliances knows that ‘stainless’ steel can be an oxymoron. It’s easy to smudge and quite challenging to keep clean — with traditional methods.
Use a microfiber cloth with warm water and mild dish soap to prevent grime, smudges and other unwanted buildups. This will prevent big messes and make cleanup much easier at the end of every day.
- Always put things back in their place
This rule may sound impossible to follow, but it’s essential for maintaining a clean and tidy home.
Once you use something, put it back in its rightful place immediately — no ifs or buts!
While it may take some getting used to, this habit will save you big in the long run. Trust us.
- Do the dishes right after eating
Letting dishes pile up in the sink is a recipe for disaster. Not only is it unsightly, but it can also attract pests and cause plumbing problems.
To avoid this, try washing your dishes immediately after every meal. If you have a dishwasher, load it up as soon as you’re done eating and run it on a timer. You can empty it out before you go to bed or address it in the morning once dishes have a chance to dry.
- Sweep or vacuum daily
Contrary to popular belief, carpets and floors are some of the biggest dust collectors in our homes. Grit and grime can become embedded in the fibres and aggravate coughs, sneezes and allergic reactions.
To keep your carpets clean and your floors pristine, use a three-pronged plan of attack at least once weekly. This includes mopping, sweeping and occasionally steam cleaning, and frequent services from a professional team.
- Restore cloudy glasses to their former glory
There’s nothing worse than pulling glass out of the dishwasher only to find it’s still cloudy. Save yourself the headache (and the re-washing) by polishing your glasses with vinegar and water.
Fill a bowl with one part vinegar to ten parts water, then soak your glasses for a few minutes before rinsing them clean. For extra sparkle, dry with a lint-free cloth.
- Get rid of bad smells quickly
Ever realised your home smells less-than-fresh just hours before guests arrive? You’re certainly not alone. But a candle won’t fix that stink — it’ll just mask the stench with a hint of perfume.
Take out the trash and vacuum your entire home to get the most out of your deodorising process.
If you don’t have time for a full cleaning session, focus on areas that tend to hold onto odours. Vinegar sprays make for an excellent deodoriser, as do baking soda mixtures and essential oils. If you can, pop open the windows for a bit to let fresher air inside.
- Don’t forget about your blinds
Blinds are some of the most neglected items in our homes. Not only do they result in smudgy, unsightly windows, but they could dramatically affect your air quality.
Start by giving your blinds a good dusting with a microfiber cloth. If they are particularly dirty, you may need to give them a quick wipe-down with a damp towel or sponge. Dust the front and back to ensure all sides are clean.
- Take care of spills immediately
Carpet spills are downright inevitable. The key is to take care of them as soon as possible — before the colours start setting in.
Blot — don’t scrub the entire spill with a clean towel or rag. If there is still liquid, use a wet vacuum or paper towel to soak up the rest. If necessary, you can treat any residue with a stain remover or turn to professionals for seriously unfixable spills.
Remember: don’t use hot water under any circumstance to remove stains. It’ll just make things worse!
- Keep your sponge clean
Sponges are the most disgusting items in our home. We may not pay much attention to these kitchen cleaning tools, but these porous pads harbour billions of bacteria and an untold number of pathogens.
Switch from using a sponge to a towel or washcloth system, particularly where the fabrics are washed regularly. If you can’t bear to part with your sponge, try microwaving it on high or soaking it overnight in water and bleach.
- Keep an eye on your air filter
Your air filter is responsible for keeping indoor air in tip-top shape. Over time, though, it will become clogged with dust and particulates, dramatically reducing its efficiency.
To avoid this, check your air filter every few months and replace it as necessary. You’ll be breathing new life into your home (quite literally) and feel like a superstar with minimal effort.
- Decalcify your coffee maker
Did you know that your coffee maker is one of the dirtiest appliances in your home? If you don’t clean it regularly, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi — not to mention unappetising calcium buildup.
To clean your coffee maker, mix equal parts water and vinegar in the reservoir and run it through a brewing cycle. Once finished, rinse the machine with fresh water to remove calcified materials.
Ditch the home cleaning tips and get work done faster with Jim’s Cleaning
House cleaning tips have a lot to offer — but they’re not enough to reduce your time spent scrubbing to zero.
The fact is that no matter how many cleaning house tips you read, helpful videos you watch or life hacks you research, your toilet’s not going to clean itself. And frankly, you don’t have time for that amid your busy schedule.
If you want to clean your entire home without rearranging your weekend plans, why not let the folks at Jim’s Cleaning get the job done on your behalf? We have more than 20 years of experience managing household cleaning for clients, offering dozens of services that cater to just about every need.
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Take advantage of our home cleaning services today by getting in touch with our pros ASAP. You’re always welcome to send a contact form and request a free quote today.
