cleaning Archives - Everday Resources

Decide what you call ‘clean.’

Everybody has a different idea of what clean means to them. They have their own triggers and limits that decide whether a space is untidy or neat.

So, first, decide what a clean space looks like in your head. Figure out the things that annoy you and what needs no organization to make your house feel good to you. While you’re at it, don’t forget to keep a general idea of what a clean home may look like. This is especially true if you receive a lot of guests, as you may need to take better care of your space.

Estimate your efficiency and keep a chart

To have an estimate of what you can actually get done in 15 minutes is essential to master the trick. Set a timer for 15 minutes and start cleaning. You can do this for a few days to have an idea of how much you are capable of doing in the time span.

Once you know how much you can get done, make a chart. You can also mark your calendar with what area of your space you wish to cover on a particular day.

Or, if you are making a chart, write down the cleaning days and the areas under them. You can hang it somewhere that won’t be out of sight.

Light maintenance

You have finally decided to spend 15 minutes of your day cleaning, but what kind? You can choose to go either light or heavy with it. Maintenance cleaning can include decluttering, dusting, or vacuuming.

You certainly cannot get everything done at once, but you can totally make little go a long way. A light maintenance strategy is to spend five minutes cleaning a room. This way you can straighten three rooms a day. And if you are consistent, your house will begin to appear clean in a week’s time.

Deep cleaning

The deep cleaning strategy involves spending 15 minutes on a specific area or room. You may need to do chores like scrubbing, detailed dusting, and moving a little furniture to clean the hidden spaces.

If the room you have decided to do requires a lot of work, you can divide the room into zones. This way, you can do one part each day.

Do you wish a clean home wasn’t so much work? We do too, but unfortunately, we’re still a long way from self-cleaning homes. That doesn’t mean you have to spend all of your free time on house projects, though. With these 11 shortcuts, you can be on your way to a cleaner house in no time!

1. Clean from Top to Bottom

When you clean, you don’t want to repeat steps. Therefore, you should always work from the ceiling to the floor. If you start by vacuuming, you’ll be frustrated when crumbs and dust get knocked onto it from dusting the ceiling fans or kitchen counters. That’s why we always recommend finishing your cleaning with the vacuum and mop.

2. Keep Cleaning Supplies Organized

Organization is one of the keys to a clean home. For that reason, we suggest organizing your cleaning supplies. There are a million different products, but multipurpose cleaners are often just as effective. Best of all, they reduce clutter!

We also suggest that you keep cleaning items accessible. For example, bathroom cleaners should be kept in the bathroom, while kitchen cleaning supplies should be kept in the kitchen. It’s a simple and effective organization method.

3. Clean While Things Soak

We love efficiency when cleaning the home. Some tasks take longer than others, so you should strategize your cleaning schedule accordingly. Soaking time is a great opportunity to work on other smaller projects. Cleaning your toilet is something quick and easy you can do as you wait on your shower cleaner to penetrate any soap scum or mildew.

4. Space out Your Chores

This tip goes along with the last one. We suggest that you space out your cleaning schedule so that you aren’t doing everything all at once. If you plan accordingly in a logical order, you can keep yourself from repeating steps and enjoy a clean home for longer. When you procrastinate and let everything build up, you end up feeling more frustrated on cleaning day.

5. Repurpose Your Dryer Sheets

Did you know that dryer sheets can serve multiple purposes? They are perfect for dusting blinds, baseboards, and any other surface. We think they are also great for mopping up messes because of their absorbency. Next time you do your laundry, be sure to keep your dryer sheets instead of tossing them!

6. Use Containers in Your Pantry

Pantry organizing is a great, affordable home improvement project. You can easily buy containers in different shapes and sizes to organize the goods in your pantry. The best part is that you can pick up the containers to wipe down your shelves, and if anything spills, you can remove the container and wash it.

7. Maximize Your Dishwasher Use

If the container is dishwasher safe, you can make cleaning even easier! However, your dishwasher isn’t just for your everyday plates and glasses. You can also use it to clean soap dishes, toothbrush holders, pet dishes, children’s toys, oven hood filters, and so much more.

8. Line Refrigerator Shelves with Placements

Spills and leaks inevitably occur in your refrigerator. However, you don’t have to go through the hassle of removing shelves and glass to clean them. If you line your refrigerator with plastic placements or shelf liners, you can simply pull them out and wipe them down.

9. Let Your Blender Clean Itself

Okay, so blenders aren’t completely self-cleaning, but they can do most of the work for you. All you have to do is toss some warm water and dish soap in them. Press the button and watch it clean! When it’s finished, you can rinse it out and be done with it.

10. Line Your Oven with Aluminum Foil

If you hate cleaning burnt-on food spills from your oven, you’re not alone. We hate it too, but we found a little trick to make that step a lot easier. With a layer of aluminum foil protecting the bottom of your oven, you can simply pull it out and throw it away when something spills.

11. Put a Lemon in Your Garbage Disposal

Does your garbage disposal have a lingering odor? If so, put some lemon slices and ice in it, and switch it on! The ice helps to sharpen the blades, while the lemon cleans and freshens the disposal.

Cut Down Your Cleaning Time

Stop dreading cleaning day and start implementing some of these helpful tips and tricks. We hope that you find these shortcuts to be useful. We encourage you to do some research and see if any other house projects can make your life easier when you clean your home.