Keeping your home clean and tidy is a daily task, whether you live by yourself or with a large family. Oftentimes it feels like as soon as you finish one task, another two need your attention (especially if your home is filled with kids). Luckily, there are some smart cleaning tricks you can do that will help keep your home looking its best each and every day.
The biggest trick? Kicking your bad cleaning habits out the door and replacing them with better (cleaner) ones!
Ready to get started?
01. Allowing Paper Clutter to Accumulate
Even with online billing and banking, there is still a mountain of paper that ends up in our homes. Magazines, newspapers, school papers and projects; they have a tendency to pile up. Don’t let that happen.
Designate a place near the entryway for all mail, periodicals, and paper forms and keep a shredder or recycling bin close by. At least once a week, sort through and complete the needed action or toss.
File important papers like tax receipts. Take digital photos of children’s special artwork or frame them for display. Share magazines with retirement homes, schools, or simply read the articles online.
02. Using Too Much Cleaning Product
If a little bit of cleaner works, then a lot of cleaner will work better and faster? Right? That’s not how it works.
Using too much cleaner or laundry detergent can actually cause more harm than good. If an excess of cleaning product is not rinsed away completely, the residue becomes a dirt magnet, trapping soil. That’s why you should read directions and always use the recommended amount or even a little less. You’re wasting time and money on the extra product and the water to rinse it away.
03. Leaving Wet Towels and Shower Curtains Bunched Up
Want to spend less time in the laundry room and scrubbing mildew from bathroom surfaces? Don’t leave wet shower curtains bunched up and wet towels in a heap on the floor.
This is one of the simplest bad habits to break. By closing the shower curtain after each use, it will dry more quickly and discourage mildew growth. By hanging wet towels to dry, you’ll get a second or third use and lighten your laundry loads.
04. Cleaning With Dirty Tools
How can you expect clean results when you are using dirty cleaning tools? If your washer has an odor from built-up bacteria in detergent residue, your clothes are going to stink. If your vacuum bag or filter is filled with dust, it won’t do a good job sucking up any more. A dirty mop or sponge simply pushes around more soil and bacteria.
Take the time to thoroughly clean tools after every use by emptying completely or washing in hot water and adding a disinfectant. Periodically, replace it with new tools.
05. Using One Disinfectant Wipe to Clean Entire Bathroom
Disposable disinfectant wipes are great for a quick wipe down of a bathroom sink. But that little square hardly contains enough disinfectant to clean an entire bathroom. By the time you reach the toilet seat and handles, the disinfectant qualities are gone and you are simply spreading bacteria from one surface to another.
To be effective, the wipe should contain enough disinfectant moisture so the surface remains wet for at least four minutes. For a thorough cleaning, use multiple wipes or a clean cloth and sufficient disinfectant and water solution.
06. Wearing Outside Shoes in the House
Taking just a few seconds to remove your shoes each time you come in from the outside will save you hours of vacuuming. Not to mention the bacteria and germs that will stay out of living areas.
Whether entry is through a mudroom or the front door, make this habit simple for everyone by providing a bench or chair for easier shoe removal. Keep a shoe tray close by for wet or muddy shoes and a bin to collect each family member’s footwear.
07. Leaving Dirty Dishes in the Sink
How much longer would it take to put that dirty glass in the dishwasher instead of the sink? Leaving dirty dishes in the sink is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and a jackpot for hungry insects.
Train everyone in the household to either put the dishes in the dishwasher or wash them immediately.
08. Storing Cleaning Products Incorrectly
Do you spend half your designated cleaning time trying to find the proper cleaners and tools? This is a bad habit that’s easy to change.
Gather together the cleaning supplies you need for each area of the home and store them close to that area. Bathroom cleaners can be placed in a small plastic carryall and stashed on a shelf or under the sink. Create two baskets of supplies if you have upstairs and downstairs bathrooms.
Keep dusting and furniture cleaning products and tools together for quick touch-ups. And, of course, all laundry products should be stored safely in the laundry room.