Let’s be honest: cleaning is definitely a hassle. However, with the right supplies on hand and a little bit of planning, you can efficiently minimize the amount of time you would normally spend scrubbing the tile and chipping away at scale and mold.
We spoke to the experts to figure out just how professional cleaners can effectively, but thoroughly, tidy your home from one corner to another. If you want to be effective, try these tips and tricks, and you will be well on your way to a clean home in no time. Ready? Trust me, you’ll love them so much that you’ll change your perspective on cleaning right away!
Have your own system.
Speed-cleaning expert (and maid service owner) Debbie Sardone explained how cutting your cleaning time in half starts with the right system. This also means cleaning the house in the same order every single time.
Start by working in one room at a time, and finish at the same spot in any room, so you won’t waste precious time looking back and forth. To effectively get the time down, you need to be consistent.
That’s the whole idea. You do the same thing every time you clean, so it’s like a routine. The routine is the method. If you ask me, it’s inherently better and more efficient to clean because you gain more speed, but you don’t hurry. You can really clean your home in half the time; it’s not that much of a gimmick.
Clean top to bottom, left to right.
Don’t start the room by wiping the coffee table and then moving to the blinds. Why? Well, you’ll end up watching the dust from the blinds coat your newly cleaned coffee table. Sardone even explains that you start at the top of the room, dust the ceiling fan, and then work your way down to the floor to eliminate redundant work efficiently.
Likewise, cleaning from left to right will ensure that you efficiently cover the entire room instead of just darting from place to place. The vast majority of people see something and just clean it, then look up and see something else and clean it. That’s when the dirt falls down on what you just cleaned. If you work from top to bottom and from left to right, you will work once instead of cleaning areas you’ve just covered.
Keep the right tools on hand.
Having all the tools and cleaning products you need close by also means you won’t have to waste time walking back and forth to the cabinet under the sink. We highly recommend wearing an apron and filling all those pockets.
I know it might be a bit difficult to have several large bottles of cleaner, but you don’t really need the big ones. You can pour the cleaners into much smaller, reusable spray bottles that are easier to carry.
You can also place the supplies in a caddy or even a bucket to make sure you’re organized and save enough time. If you hired a carpenter and noticed how he went up and down a ladder every single time he needed something, you would never tolerate it. You would want him to have everything he needs. You can do the same with cleaners.
Squeegee windows for a streak-free finish.
If you can’t get the shine you wish for with Windex and paper towels, then we’d advise you to change your weapon of choice to a professional-grade window squeegee. Just place a drop of dish soap in a gallon of water, wipe it with generosity on the window with a cloth, and then squeeze it off.
Make sure you go from top to bottom and carefully wipe the blade each time at the bottom. You will instantly get a window that’s streak-free. If you don’t want to use a squeegee, we’d highly recommend using a glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth.
When you’re wiping the cloth, use horizontal strokes and move from top to bottom. Also, don’t clean a window by rubbing in circles, because it might leave streaks. Instead, wipe the glass with a newspaper or even paper towels, which might leave a residue.
Get proactive
The best way to keep a home clean is to stop some of the problems while still in the tracks. For instance, you might want to make a habit of using a shower cleaner more often to prevent grime and scum buildup in the bath.
You can spray it on and carry on with other endeavors. But every time you take a shower, make sure you spray it on to prevent having a dirty shower. Spray it on, rinse, and walk away. You don’t even have to wipe or anything.
Dust without spraying
Feather dusters work just fine with cleaning blinds, pictures, nooks, and various other areas. We personally prefer ostrich feather dusters, which start at $10, since the feathers tackle the dust and the large quills don’t fall out of the handle.
What you want is a high-quality feather duster that will efficiently fit in your back pocket. The duster works really well for routine dusting, but for heavy buildup, you might need to vacuum or even use a cloth, then use the duster every two weeks or so right after that.
Cut through kitchen grease.
Well, grease will inevitably end up on your kitchen cabinets, and that’s a fact. It’s true, hard to accept, but still a fact. However, you can buy a cleaner with orange oil to wipe off the grease. Or, as an alternative, you could use a standard grease-cutting dishwashing detergent.
This way, the detergent will take care of the job and cut through the grease on the cabinets as it does with dishes. Make sure you mix one tablespoon of liquid detergent with a gallon of warm water.
Then, test the solution in an inconspicuous area, wiping it on with a clean sponge or even a cloth, and make sure it won’t damage or discolor the finish. Then rinse it off with a completely different sponge and some warm water.
Whip out the lemons.
The good old rust stains on patios, porches, garage floors, and driveways are eyesores. Luckily, you won’t need acid to remove them. Instead, just use a lemon. The acid in the lemon juice will efficiently dissolve the rust.
Cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice onto the stain, and just let it soak in for 10 minutes. For stains that have been on the concrete for plenty of time, whether it’s weeks, months, or even longer, just scrub with a hard bristle brush. Then, carefully rinse off the lemon juice and gunk with some clean water.
Battle bathroom mold
Mold haunts bathrooms that aren’t too well-ventilated, and that’s because water remains on the walls after bathing. You can use some hydrogen peroxide in a trigger spray bottle to fight the mold and mildew.
Spray it on and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes, and it will automatically destroy the fungus. If you want to keep the mold from coming back, you need to use a fan when showering. When you’re finished, make sure you take a couple of minutes to squeeze the water off the tile walls and shower door.
If you found this article insightful, we have many more in store for you: 11 Items You Should Never Store on Top of Your Fridge
