These Cleaning Hacks Will Guarantee That Dust Bunnies Won't Stand A Chance
They say how you end one year is how you'll start the next one. So if you've designated cleanliness and organization as your annual theme, now's the perfect time to dive into some efficient and effective home cleaning hacks.
Even if you don't get into your decluttering, disinfecting, and rearranging plans until springtime rolls around, tips for making sure your home is clean are timeless. There's always something that needs to be polished at any given moment, but sometimes it's tough to know how to clean certain items. This lack of knowledge may or may not have something to do with the fact that 31 percent of people polled in a 2020 Clorox survey said they have rarely or never deep-cleaned their homes.
Whether you plan to clean your house in an entire day or just brush up on those neglected spaces (hello, ceiling fan blades), this comprehensive cleaning guide guarantees that the dust bunnies and stubborn stains won't stand a chance.
Schedule your cleaning chores.
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We'd love it if we never had to lay eyes on a sink filled with dirty dishes or catch a whiff of a laundry basket overflowing with dirty clothes. To cut down on this type of clutter, create a house cleaning schedule that's daily, weekly, or monthly; whatever the frequency, make sure you can stick to it. Knowing when and which area you're going to clean will keep you on top of your tasks and ensure that messes don't get out of control. A schedule also eliminates the stress of worrying over when you'll have time to clean.
Keep cleaning products handy.
The fastest way to ruin cleaning momentum is to stop mid-task to locate your supplies. This untimely search can permanently stall your attempts to get everything all spick-and-span. A simple way to prevent this is to store all your products in designated spots, preferably in a cool, dry area that's out of reach of children and pets. For brooms, mops, and dustpans, a wall-mounted holder makes a nice storage option. For disinfectants, dish detergent, and spot cleaners, an expandable under sink organizer will keep everything in one place, easily reachable, and out of sight.
Clean the most difficult room first.
We realize this goes against the very nature of procrastinators everywhere, but starting with a tough room like the bathroom ensures that you'll actually get the grimiest jobs done instead of saving them for later when you're less energized and more likely to skip the tasks altogether. So scrub those toilet bowl stains first! This tough-room-first approach will make the remaining chores seem like a breeze.
Break down your cleaning to-do list into small tasks.
This is good advice in general, so it definitely applies to cleaning hacks. Before you start to clean a room, remove all loose items (shelf knickknacks, clothing, piles of paper, and rugs) from the space beforehand. But don't get sidetracked by trying to organize them. This will make the process straightforward, and the dirty areas will be completely accessible. Then go about your other major tasks, like sweeping, mopping, wiping walls, and dusting furniture. After that, place all the items back in their designated zones.
Use homemade cleaning products.
For many of us, getting motivated to clean requires just as much energy as the task itself, so don't let a shortage of store-bought products throw you off your cleaning game. Use what you already have on hand in your pantry to come up with DIY cleaning solutions. For example, distilled vinegar can be great for laundry, and a combination of baking soda and vinegar will get your oven racks sparkling.