Cleaning the house is one of the most time consuming things in a mother’s life. It doesn’t help that while we clean, we also usually have kids running after us making messes or trying to steal our cleaning tools. That’s why I’ve compiled these house cleaning hacks to help all of us have an easier time tidying up and keeping things neat as well!
The secret to a clean house
The first we all need to do, is get rid of clutter. It is impossible to properly clean your home if you have too much stuff. Finding a spot for everything is crucial, which might mean getting rid of some things first.
When I clean my kid’s rooms I attack first with a garbage bag. I’m amazed at how much trash ends up in their rooms each week. Be it “treasures”(trash) that they loved for a day and will never touch again, broken pieces of toys or even paper towels that they’ve smuggled into their rooms, getting the trash out first makes for easier cleaning later.
The same technique can be used on the rest of the house as well. Empty all the trash cans and then run through the home with a large plastic trash bag. Throw in everything that doesn’t belong and take it outside immediately. Then, you can do the same type of run-through, this time grabbing things that can go to charity. It’s amazing the nick nacks, and ill-fitting clothes that stack up in corners, simply because we truly have no use for them. Purging these things before deep cleaning will make your job a lot easier in the long run.
Once you’ve rid the house of all the things you don’t need, you can implement a room by room cleaning schedule. I am totally not a rules/schedule type of person, but I have to say that this method helps a lot. Your house will never get to that “out of control” messy state again, if you keep to the schedule she made for us (Above) and just do a little bit every day.
Realistically clean
I’m not a neat freak, but I don’t want my home to be gross or uncomfortable either. I go for a realistic amount of clean. Where my kids feel comfortable playing, being themselves and having fun, but I wouldn’t be super stressed if I had only an hour’s notice before guests came over.
Some cleaning tricks you may not know about:
Is your stainless steel fridge constantly covered with finger prints? Spray it down with WD-40 and wipe it dry with paper towels. I have never seen a fridge sparkle like a stainless one that has recently been cleaned this way. It is truly amazing!
A few months ago I stumbled across this two ingredient carpet cleaner. First off, I love that it’s not an army of chemicals going onto the floors that my babies crawl on. Also, it’s cheaper and works amazingly well. You definitely need to try it next time your kids spill something crazy on the carpet!
Pssst – here are 5 more super easy carpet cleaner recipes too!
For moms of littles, another crazy cleaning tip is to vacuum your table after meals. Instead of wiping down the mountain of crumbs and trying to catch it all in your hand, use the attachments on your vacuum to get rid of the mess. Then you can wipe everything down with a soapy sponge to kill the germs. Saves so much time and things get much more clean!
Lastly, have the cleaning talk with your family. Mom can’t be the only one cleaning up around the house, but your family might need some specific ideas of how they can help and how they are expected to pitch in. Being open and honest about what needs done and who needs to do it can take a lot of the stress off of you.
What are the house cleaning hacks you can’t live without? Share in the comments!
Donella Crigger says
If you’re blonde (or have blonde highlights), a little cornstarch can also make your unwashed hair look better. LOL Sounds weird, I know, but if I don’t wash my hair every single day, it gets oily. But when the kiddo was a baby, I barely had time to shower at all, much less wash my hair every day. I normally use dry shampoo, but the cornstarch works in a pinch.
And I love vinegar for cleaning EVERYTHING…I just have to wait until my husband is gone because he doesn’t like the smell. :)
Ana says
Love these ideas!! I’m always looking for easy ways to keep the house clean, but realize that their is just so much clutter that I need to tackle before ANY cleaning can get done. Great tips!
Kim says
My favorite cleaning solution is a 50/50 mix of vinegar and Dawn dish detergent. Is awesome on hard water stains and just about anything else. My welder-Dad taught me the trick about WD-40 for shining stainless steel sinks 30+ years ago.
Barbara says
Thank you for sharing! Here is a tip from me! Simply dip a cotton ball in an essential oil of your choice and add it to your vacuum bag. Instead of smelling that vacuum odor when you clean, the cotton ball will infuse the air with a light scent. (This technique won’t work in all vacuum cleaners; it depends on the kind you have.)
Best regards! Park Royal Carpet Cleaners Ltd.
Andrea says
I could use this vacuum hack too. Thanks Barbara. I also have to agree with you Paula re having a family talk re cleaning. Everyone in the family must be involved.
Willie S. Resnick says
I love this idea I’m very tired when i clean house. Thank you!
amy perlman says
I can confidently say that this is real hacks of house cleaning. I’ve got so many idea from this. as a professional house cleaner I love this so much. keep it up
Sammy Dolan says
I have the ‘cleaning talk’ with my children on a daily basis and I still end up doing all the cleaning!
Pressure washerify says
My favorite cleaning solution is a 50/50 mix of vinegar and Dawn dish detergent. Is awesome on hard water stains and just about anything else. My welder-Dad taught me the trick about WD-40 for shining stainless steel sinks 30+ years ago.
Richard Learner says
Thank you for putting together such a useful list! Thanks for helping me realize I can also clean up my house and feel happier about myself.
Cleaning service
Joy says
Hydrogen peroxide and water is a very effective way to clean your carpet. If your carpet is dark, test this solution on the corner of the carpet that isn’t in plain view in case it lightens the carpet. Also, be sure to blot and not scrub, because a hard scrubbing motion may actually work the stain into the carpet.
Another cleaning hack I love is to sprinkle cinnamon on the carpet, let it sit 20 minutes, then vacuum it up. Your home will smell beautiful.
miniwick says
great house cleaning hacks.
Josh Benington says
I use vinegar and warm lemon water mixture for cleaning refrigerator or any other places except wood. Surely, i won’t pressure wash inside the house and damage it.
Atimy says
I love this so much. keep it up. Thanks!
Easy Home Vacuum says
Great advice !!! I like and always look for ways to clean the house. This will be the new skills that I will use in the present.Thank you for the interesting things that you bring to everyone
Cindy says
Great cleaning hacks. Thanks!
Floormost says
. This was awesome! Many thanks!
Hayley Banks says
I got to say, I think the best tip I read from your list, is to use the vacuum cleaner to clean off the crumbs after a meal, it will definitely save so much time. Thank you for this!
AAbono says
Nice
Cross Carpets says
The content and tips are really great that every home owner can follow through on their next cleaning plans.
Clair Wayman says
Sure, Me can’t be the only one cleaning up around my house!
Emma says
When doing seasonal cleaning, we very often forget about cleaning electronic equipment. This issue needs to be approached with particular attention. I advise you to learn more about air duster here