While some love it, some dislike cleaning. While it’s almost like a therapeutic seance for some because it helps relieve your thoughts, some consider it a chore. We’ve all felt the benefits of doing something repetitive like cleaning when we needed an activity that will calm our racing thoughts. Nonetheless, we can all agree on one thing – cleaning has to be done. We have to keep our home clean to make it a healthy place for us and our family.
Plan it all out
It’s always best to regularly maintain your home than to have to clean it in one day because you have guests you weren’t expecting to come this week. Cleaning is a routine and just like every routine, you have to build it. The best way to build a cleaning routine is to have a plan and to keep a consistent cleaning schedule. Set up a weekly cleaning plan and divide it into parts and schedule each one. Some things can be cleaned once a week while others have to be done every two or three days. Also, make a monthly plan and schedule cleaning activities that can be done once a month.
Keep the space clutter-free
One of the main reasons people feel overwhelmed by the notion of cleaning is the fact that they have to put everything in order first. Vacuuming is a 20-minute job if you don’t have too many obstacles in your way. The solution to cutting down cleaning time in half is to keep your home clutter-free. This means that you will put your clothes, shoes, and books away regularly. Get into the habit of finding a designate4d space for each one of your belongings. Once you finish with something you’ve been using, just put it away and you won’t build up your clutter.
Dust before you vacuum
Dust first, vacuum second. The primary reason to clean your house in this order is efficiency. While you wipe every surface to remove dust, you will collect half of it with a cloth, and the other half will be spread in the air. In other words, it’s better if you allow the dust to settle on the floor before you vacuum it all. When you finish dusting, continue with vacuuming. You should also vacuum your furniture and every other surface that can collect dust over time.
Disinfect high touch areas
If you want to keep your home healthy by cleaning, you need to disinfect it. First of all, define high-touch areas of your home and give them a proper wipe. Use a disinfecting solution to wipe surfaces like doorknobs, kitchen worktops, appliances you touch daily, your bathroom, other parts of the kitchen, and the floors. You should disinfect your floors and everything else as the last step in your cleaning routine.
Preserve the cleanliness of your home longer
There’s nothing worse than having to wipe the floors twice in a row just because a family member brought mud and dirt inside a home. That’s why you need to have a proper door mat that can trap all the dirt and keep it outside. There’s a variety of door mats available and each one of them serves a particular purpose. For example, scraper mats are ideal if you live in a rainy climate when shoes are often wet and muddy.
The kitchen
The key to a healthy and clean kitchen is regular maintenance and cleaning. First, get into the habit of washing the dishes every day. If you have a dishwasher, take out the dishes before you go to sleep. Wipe every surface especially if you’ve been cooking and don’t forget to wipe your sink, as well. You can do these steps every day to avoid creating a bigger mess later on. When it comes to your weekly kitchen cleaning routine, start from the fridge. Take out everything that is way past its expiration date. Wipe the fridge if anything was spilled. Next, disinfect high-touch areas, wipe all the appliances, and don’t forget about the microwave. Wipe the floors and wipe the faucet and the sink. Everything else, from cleaning out the cupboards and cleaning the oven can be done once in a few months.
The bathroom
The size of your family will determine how often you should clean the bathroom. The larger the family, the frequency of use will increase. Thus, you’ll have to clean your bathroom more often to stop the germs from spreading and to keep it nice and clean. You should scrub your sink every two to three days. This area can easily create a buildup because it’s used a lot. Toothpaste, soap, and traces of makeup can all build up over time. Next, you should clean your toilet at least two times a week because the toilet is where all germs are. Make sure to use a solution that removes all germs and limescale effectively. When it comes to your shower or a bathtub, you should clean it once a week. Also, don’t forget to wash your shower curtain monthly and your bath mats weekly. Lastly, get into the habit of swapping your towels every other day.
Living room and bedroom
The living room and bedroom are high-traffic areas even though they are used at different times of the day. This means that you should keep the areas clutter-free so you’ll be able to clean them with more ease once a week. When it comes to your living room, wipe high-touch surfaces daily and maintain cleanliness weekly. Air out decorative pillows once a week and invest in air-purifying plants to improve the air quality. If you have a sofa cover, wash it every two weeks.
When it comes to your bedroom, make sure to replace bedding regularly. Also, don’t forget to expose your pillows and mattress to UV light to eliminate dust mites and air them out. Everything else should be done in the order we’ve mentioned before – declutter, dust, vacuum, wipe and disinfect.
Lastly, keep your cleaning tools in one place like a box or a portable cleaning carryall, so you won’ waste time trying to find a mop, cloth, or any other cleaning necessity. Also, clean your cleaning tools regularly because that’s the best way to ensure you’re home is clean.
