If you feel like the process of cleaning your home always takes forever, you’re not alone. Depending on where they live, the majority of Americans believe they spend around 100 days of their lives cleaning, though the reality may be far more.
When it’s time to clean, you may be wondering how to clean a house faster, avoiding the tedium and drudgery of constant mopping, brushing, and scrubbing.
While there’s no way to escape cleaning entirely, it’s possible to reframe your strategy for a faster (and easier) time of it.
Here are five simple tips to help you cut down on the time you spend cleaning your house.
1. Gather All Your Cleaning Supplies
If you’re planning to clean like a speed demon, you can’t afford to waste time running back and forth to your cleaning closet every five minutes to grab what you need.
A rolling cleaning caddy is a great start, though it may be overkill in most smaller homes.
And while smaller options like a plastic bucket or a canvas tote are useful, we encourage you to try an apron or even a proper carpenter’s tool belt instead.
These options allow you to keep everything within reach without carrying anything in your hands, though you may be limited by the amount of weight you feel comfortable with.
Inside, you’ll want to include all of the essential cleaning products you favor, as well as any sponges or towels you need to get the job done.
2. Invest in the Right Cleaning Tools
Almost as important as the fact of having a supply kit are the cleaning products you put into it.
You don’t necessarily need to have the latest and most expensive gadgets, but working with cleaning products that shave off a few extra seconds here and there can make all the difference.
A quality squeegee, for example, can keep you from going back over unsightly streaks after cleaning a window.
You may need to take time to find the low-tech solutions you feel comfortable with, but a good cleaning tool can help you put a little speed into the process.
3. Clean From One Side to Another
When a room is cluttered or disorganized, it’s easy to follow the chaos and attack your cleaning project at random.
However, organizing your movement from one side of the room to another ensures that you cover the entire room instead of darting back and forth.
In addition, when you clean a room in one fell swoop, it allows you to clean everything just once instead of having to move items back and forth or reclean areas you’ve already taken care of.
4. Be Proactive
This tip may not help you in the moment when you’re trying to shave down minutes off your total cleaning time, but being proactive with your cleaning can help you minimize the amount of time this project takes in the future.
Homeowners who spend the least time cleaning are the ones who stop problems before they even begin.
For example, spraying and wiping down your sink once you finish with it at night can help you avoid dealing with overbearing odors or garbage disposal grime further down the line.
Misting a little air freshener every morning can help you enjoy the pleasant odor throughout the rest of the day.
You should also work to master the art of the thirty-second cleanup.
Whenever you have thirty seconds to spare—when you’ve popped something into the microwave, for example—taking the opportunity to de-clutter your immediate area can cut back on the chores you’ll need to do later.
5. Fake It Till You Make It
This may be cheating as far as cleaning tips go, but the truth is that sometimes you don’t have time to learn how to clean your house fast: you need it clean now!
Whether you’re clearing up space for an online video call or you have to make way for unexpected guests, you may simply need to “fake” a clean house.
To be clear, this really involves a rapid cleaning of the essential areas of your home, especially those guests might see.
Toss up some air freshener to get rid of stale odors and clear up lingering clutter in your living areas.
Pay special attention to your bathroom, one of the areas homeowners often forget when freshening up, and don’t forget to check for common spots ignored when cleaning.
This may not give you the deep cleaning you’re reaching for, but it’s a quick way to make space for last-minute guests as needed.
A rapid cleaning like this can also be a helpful exercise between deep cleanings, as it removes the amount of time you have to spend on smaller chores.
Take Time to Clean Your House Well
Here’s the bottom line: investing a little more time in your household cleaning each day can help you avoid the dreaded deep cleaning that comes from a dirty house.
When it’s time to clean, reach for the right products in your toolkit every time, and plan your strategy around organization for a faster process.
With a little forethought and plenty of elbow grease, you’ll find that cleaning takes less and less time as you learn the methods that work best for you!
Want more of the tips you need to make the most of your home, both inside and out? Check out our other posts for more insights!
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