Are You Cleaning Your Home Efficiently?

Cleaning can be a chore, consuming time and energy with endless wiping and scrubbing. Implementing effective strategies and tools can streamline the process. Discover how to efficiently clean your home and recognize the signs indicating the need for a cleanup sooner than anticipated.

How to Identify If Your House Needs More Cleaning

Before anything else, remember that having a messy house is normal. There’s no need to pressure yourself into cleaning daily, trying to make everything completely organized and germ-free. However, if it’s starting to affect you and your family’s physical and mental health, it might be time for a big sweep. Here are signs your home needs more cleaning.

Constant unpleasant odors: A lingering pungent odor — no matter how many scented candles you light up — is a glaring sign your house needs deep cleaning.
Allergies: You or a family member might experience more severe allergies due to the dust and dirt at home.
Growing mold: Check your kitchen countertops, windows or bathroom walls for mold growth. While generally harmless, it can lead to asthma and allergies.
Pests: Rodents and small insects are attracted to food, waste and clutter. Their presence can pose various health risks for the whole family. For instance, their droppings and urine can contaminate food.

How to Clean Your Home Efficiently

Here are optimal strategies to help you reduce the time it takes to clean your home.

Declutter Before Dusting

Decluttering before cleaning can immediately make your home tidier. It gives you a sense of accomplishment, motivating you to clean better. Check rooms where you usually put clutter — the entryway table, coffee table and the cabinet under the bathroom sink. Removing unnecessary items prevents you from getting distracted while dusting or vacuuming.

After decluttering, either donate, organize or dispose of your clutter. If you have potentially toxic items like propane and paint, secure them in your garage. Take advantage of your spacious garage for your things — maximize your available space by using containers and organizing your shelves.

Clean from Top to Bottom, Left to Right

Clean with a plan in mind. Implement your strategies in the same order every time so you don’t waste time running back and forth. One of the most effective ways to start cleaning is to go from top to bottom, then left to right. Dust your ceiling, fan and fixtures before wiping the windows and table.

Similarly, going from left to right helps you save time going back and forth. Following this strategy also prevents you from re-cleaning areas you’ve just tidied.

Gather the Right Cleaners

Get your supplies within reach to avoid going back and forth to the cabinet under the sink. Here are some of the bare essentials:

Vacuum: Essential for eliminating dirt, dust, crumbs and pet fur from the floor.
Sponges: Purchase a pack of quality sponges for the sink, countertops and walls. Get a sponge with an abrasive side to quickly remove grime.
Scrubbrushes: A good scrubbing action may be needed to remove stubborn dirt from walls and floors. Remember to assign a separate brush for your bathroom.
Spray bottles: Fill your bottles with water, cleaning solutions and air fresheners.
Cleaners: Get different cleaners for varying needs. For instance, acidic water-based cleaners with a pH scale up to seven are suitable for removing rust, soap scum and hard water, making them ideal for cleaning toilet bowls. Consequently, a cleaner on the alkaline side of the pH scale is better for removing oils, greases and waxes.
Disinfectant: Helps eliminate bacteria from germ-prone, high-touch areas.
Duster: Use this item to swiper blinds, tabletops and mantles.

Start Cleaning the Most Daunting Room

Tackle the messiest part of your home and get it out of the way early. If you have a disorganized kitchen, wipe down the cabinets, stove and kitchen table. Microwave a damp microfiber cloth briefly before wiping stainless steel appliances to remove grease without leaving streaks.

After cleaning the kitchen, move on to the bathrooms. If you have multiple bathrooms at home, start with the largest one — scrub the toilet, sink, tub and countertops with an all-purpose bathroom cleaner to remove molds and dirt. Let the solution sit for a few minutes and empty the trash while waiting.

Disinfect High-Touch Surfaces

As you near the end of the cleaning process, remember to disinfect high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches and toilet flushes — wipe hard surfaces like counters with soap and water or surface disinfectant. For electronic devices such as remote controls, tablets and keyboards, consider using a wipeable cover to make tidying up easier.

Tackle the Floors

Finish your cleaning routine by vacuuming and mopping the floors. If you have tiled flooring, use a string mop to wipe harder-to-reach grout lines. For wooden floorboards, use a flat-head mop. You should also avoid using bleach or vinegar to clean wood floors — opt for a product formulated for wood instead.

Enjoy a Clean, Peaceful Home

Clean more often to cut down on your cleaning time in the long run. Doing simple organizing chores every now and then maintains an organized home, resulting in a healthier and more relaxing environment for all.

Author Bio

Jack Shaw is a freelance writer who has spent the last five years writing about how to improve your home and health. He serves as senior writer for Modded, and since then has contributed to Better Triathlete, Log Cabin Hub and Hella Life among many other publications. When not writing, he can often be found working on his own home or simply playing with his dog.