Wondering how to clean your house? First off, having effective products that actually work are essential to clean your house properly. Second, to be efficient with your time and energy, the order you do things also matters.
My cleaning arsenal consists of a few DIY solutions and a couple of staples that I have come to trust with my asthmatic lungs.
Why Is A Clean Home Important?
Not only does a clean home look nice, and make you feel happy, but it is also healthier for you.
After a severe asthma attack years ago, my doctor ordered me to remove all harsh chemicals from my home, and vacuum daily.
My allergist explained that when I used products such as bleach, the fumes would remain in my home.
Once I removed the culprit irritants from my environment, my asthma improved.
Where Do I Start When Cleaning My House?
I believe that everyone should work smarter, not harder. When you create a process you are able to edit the steps to reach the best-desired results.
An example of this can be found in my post, Cleaning Bathroom Hacks To Save You Time, where I explain why I use RainX as the final step when cleaning my shower glass.
My plan was to create a process in which my bathroom would be cleaner for longer.
Another benefit is when my bathroom does need a deep clean, the effort it takes to get things back to normal is minimal.
The routine below helps ensure that my entire home is cleaned and no areas are left untouched!
Step 1 - Organize Your Supplies
Place all your supplies in one cleaning caddy cleaning and choose one of the cleaning methods below - whichever works best for you.
Task cleaning is my preferred choice and my Fitbit favors it as well. This refers to completing one chore, such as dusting, throughout the entire house, before starting the next.
This method is a lot more physical and I personally feel it’s faster.
Zone cleaning is completing all tasks in each room before moving to the next.
Step 2 - Use Cleaners Properly
Before you roll your eyes at this one, please hear me out…
Years ago, while consulting at a medical practice I had to undergo OSHA training classes.
The instructor started her lecture by telling us that most medical facilities would likely fail a basic inspection.
WHY?
In order for bacteria to be destroyed the cleaning solution used needs TIME to do its job.
The instructor used a bottle of Lysol disinfectant as an example while teaching the class.
As per the directions of that particular bottle, the solution needed to sit for a minimum of ten minutes.
She added that the solution must remain wet for it to be able to be effective, and a second application may be needed during the ten-minute waiting period.
The same rules apply to products you use to clean your home.
They need TIME to work and rushing them means more work for you!
What Is The Fastest Way To Deep Clean A House?
How To Clean Your House Step by Step
To make the best use of the time I begin my cleaning routine by stripping off the bed sheets and collecting all the dirty bath towels.
Pro Tip: Your sheets and towels will not need to be folded since you will most likely be placing them back on your bed.
After tossing my linens into the washer machine, I sprinkle cleaners on surfaces in my bathrooms and kitchen to allow them the time needed to be effective.
If you have never done this before, you will likely do a happy dance since you will find it will take you less than half the time to scrub those tubs.
One of my favorite all-purpose cleaners is from JAWS. Not only does it have a wonderful lavender scent, but it's eco-friendly, as you just add water to refill pods!
And if you're sensitive to scents or need allergy or kid-friendly cleaning products, I highly recommend using Blueland products. They're also eco-friendly and help you reduce plastic waste, as the refills come in tablets.
You might also like: These Are The Best-Smelling Laundry Detergent Brands
Clean All Surfaces
Proceed to the kitchen, and wipe down surfaces, cabinets, appliances, and the inside of the microwave.
Revisit surfaces containing cleaners and scrub like your in-laws are visiting for the first time.
For areas you need to sanitize, use a natural but effective cleaner like Force of Nature:
Trust me, you will not have to work too hard since your solutions have been busy working, breaking down grease and grime.
To speed up your tasks even more, just sprinkle some baking soda and use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponges on tubs and sinks.
Dust Your House
Start, at the highest point, and move from left to right across a room.
This will prevent you from missing anything and having dust fall in areas that you have already cleaned.
I like to dampen my microfiber cloths with one or two sprays of my favorite smelling cleaner:
Dust your ceiling fans at least every 2-4 weeks and don’t forget to spot-check the corners of your ceiling for cobwebs.
For some suggestions to keep dust at bay you’ll enjoy the tips share on this post, Where Does Dust Come From? How To Reduce It?
Clean Mirrors And Glass
Wipe down mirrors and windows. For streak-free glass use two microfiber cloths. Use one to clean and a second to dry cloth to buff out any residue.
Streaky glass is one of my MANY pet peeves and after trying almost everything on the market this is my recommendation.
If you use this solution, you will only need one piece of cloth since the alcohol will prevent any residue from being left behind.
“If” you still have steaks, you need to use less soap or essential oil.
DIY glass cleaner solution:
- 1/4 Cup Of Rubbing Alcohol
- 1-2 Drops Of Dish Soap
- Fill The Remainder With Water
- Add 1-2 Drops Of Essential Oil For Fragrance
Don't Forget To Clean Your Stove
After trying a number of cleaning solutions for my glass stove top what has worked best for me are baking soda and little water.
Just rub the paste in a circular motion to remove any debris.
To clean your oven, set it to warm and then turn it off. Place ½ cup of ammoniain an oven-safe bowl on the top shelf and a pan of boiling water on the shelf beneath it.
Allow it to sit overnight with the door close. Wipe it down in the morning with a damp cloth.
The dishwasher and I have a great relationship, especially during cleaning day.
Be careful but not shy to toss in items you would have hand-washed.
When I used to have a gas stove, I would remove my stove grates and place them on the bottom rack of my dishwasher.
A few other things I’ve utilized my dishwasher for are cleaning my microwave turntable plate, refrigerator bins, and HVAC vent grates to name a few.
Pro Tip: To clean your oven glass door sprinkle baking soda, add a few tablespoons of boiling water and use a ball of aluminum foil as your scrubber.
IT WORKS!!!!
You can see just how well this really works, in this post: Mind-Blowing Oven Cleaning Hacks You Have To Try.
Vacuum
Did you know there was a correct way to Vacuum?
First, vacuum a room horizontally and then vertically to get all trapped dirt.
Also, remember not to rush since vacuuming slowly will allow for a deeper clean.
If you’re pressed for time just keep moving. You’ll probably get the spots you missed next time.
For deep cleaning, I prefer a canister-style vacuum. This Dyson model is still going strong after ten years.
I've recently upgraded to this Miele Vacuum. The Miele has won me over due to price (under $1000!) and performance.
I also have a Narwal robot vacuum, which does the job of both cleaning and mopping for me.
Since the floor is the most used surface of the house, it’s normal for the floor to quickly become dusty and dirty.
Having a cordless vacuum will assist you to clean the floors more often.
I tried a few less expensive corded options that had impressive suction power but the cord proved to be an annoying hassle.
So, I also picked up the Dyson cordless stick.
Here’s my trick to make my house smell amazing every time I vacuum:
I place a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and put it in my vacuum. Pretty sophisticated, right?
I picked my Essential Oil from Amazon for under $12 and I'm very happy with it.
To quickly vacuum around small items, place nylon stockings over the suction tool of your vacuum to prevent picking up small objects.
Now don’t forget to remove the cushions on your sofa every now and then. Dirt can cause damage to the fibers and ruin your beautiful upholstery over time.
To keep my upholstery looking like new, I use this fabric defuser. This little tool will do wonders for your fabrics and sweaters too.
The Final Step In How To Clean Your House Is Mopping
In my mind, mopping has always been associated with a heavy bucket splashing around with dirty water.
No, thank you!
Here’s the bucket-less mopping technique that works for me.
I use this spray mop.
How To Clean a House – Conclusion
Remember, a clean home is a happy home. Lastly, it doesn’t take much time for house cleaning to creep up on you, so having a routine will be helpful.
Do you follow a schedule to clean your house or tackle tasks when they’re overdue?
What to read next: The 5 Best Air Purifiers For Allergies (Pet Hair, Odors, And Dander)
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