How to clean your house in under 2 hours
You’ve had a long, tiring day at work. You come home to dirty dishes piling up in the sink, shoes carelessly thrown by the door, and the living room looks like it was hit by an explosion of small toys.
This happens to me most days of the week.
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Juggling work, kids, and blogging means I have little time to clean.
Knowing how to clean the house at lightning speed means I have more time to do what I want (blog for money), the house stays clean with kids (for the most part lol), and no need to waste money hiring someone to do it for me.
READY, SET, CLEAN
So what’s the secret to speed cleaning the house?
Growing up my mom worked several jobs and one of her side hustles was a cleaner (commercial and residential).
Whenever she comes over, she can clean my house in no time flat. No she isn’t running a marathon (she has lupus), but it is her strategy that gets things cleaned so quickly.
In this post I will reveal my mom’s house cleaning secrets along with extra cleaning tips so that you can clean your house quickly.
#1 GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES
Having the right cleaning tools can make a world of a difference in how fast you clean.
Put your supplies together and make sure they’re easily accessible.
Nothing is worse than when you’re in the middle of cleaning upstairs and you realize you have to run downstairs because you forgot something.
If you have a cleaning caddy now would be a good time to use it.
Speed Cleaning Supplies
I use a traditional mop for daily cleanings and light spill cleanup. When I want to do a deep clean I use our steam mop, which has lasted us over 5 years and counting. The intense heat kills the majority of germs and with 2 kids and 2 dogs we need it.
When I’m in a rush I vacuum instead of sweeping.
I wear gloves when I’m cleaning the bathroom or doing dishes for two reasons. I want my manicures to last longer and I can use extra hot water to cut through grease more easily.
Reusable Paper Towels/Lysol Wipes/Paper Towels/Rags
Everyone has a preference. Use the one you like best.
I personally prefer the wipes when cleaning greasy/super gross areas and then using reusable paper towels/rags because they are cheaper.
Don’t laugh, people do still use these and they work wonders on horizontal blinds.
Limit walking back and forth using a basket.
I use sponges to wash extra large pots/items that take up too much space in the dishwasher. I also have a separate sponge to clean the bathroom/shower.
I have been transitioning towards natural cleaning sprays because I hate using harsh chemicals around our kids and pets. This spray smells really good, but again use what you’re comfortable with.
#2 CREATE A GAME PLAN
I don’t mean writing down what you’re going to clean step-by-step. I mean the order of which you want to target your house.
If you’re in a rush to clean because people are coming over, target the rooms they will be spending the most time in first (your entranceway, kitchen, dining room).
#3 DISTRACT YOURSELF
When I’m cleaning I like having my favorite dance music blasting. It’s fun and I clean faster with it on.
If music isn’t your thing maybe you want to call one of your friends and have them on speaker phone while you get busy scrubbing.
This is good as long as you don’t get so distracted you’re moving at a snail’s pace.
#4 SET YOUR TIMER
If you’re on a strict time constraint give yourself a set amount of time in each room. Work swiftly and clean what you can then move onto the next room.
It’s easy to spend more time on one task that you can afford so having a timer helps keep you on schedule.
Return to the rooms that aren’t finished if you have time at the end.
If you don’t have a specific time constraint, but just want to clean your house fast, I prefer cleaning the house as a whole instead of room by room.
My mom goes from one room to the next like a cleaning tornado. Every movement is intentional.
Related posts:
* Should you make guests take their shoes off?
* Keeping the house clean with toddlers
#5 DECLUTTER
Before you can do any dusting, sweeping or mopping you should first pick up all the clutter (toys, misplaced items).
I keep a laundry basket and a garbage bag on hand.
If you’re downstairs, put everything that needs to go upstairs in the basket. There’s no point walking back and forth or up and down. You’d just be wasting time and energy.
Don’t forget to pin for later!
#6 WORK FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
Dust before you mop.
A lot of times when you move clutter off the counter, more dust and crumbs appear. What’s worse than having to vacuum? Having to do it twice.
#7 MULTI-TASK
Before you start scrubbing down:
Put all your dishes in the dishwasher. If you don’t have a dishwasher, clear the counters and soak the dirty dishes in the sink in hot water.
Sort your dirty laundry and get the washer going.
Quickly make the beds.
Your house will instantly start to look cleaner.
If your kitchen or bathrooms need extra TLC, spray them down then work on something else before putting in the elbow grease.
#8 ENLIST EXTRA HELP
My kids are currently more of a hindrance than a help so I get them distracted with food, a movie, or activity while I move like lightning.
If my husband is home we tag team and get the job done quicker.
Need extra help, Hilary Erikson of Pulling Curls offers a course called The Organized Home. The course gives you tips on how to organize your home, save time and feel more peace at home. Learn how to reduce clutter so you can spend less time cleaning.
This course is perfect for someone who wants the stress of a messy home permanently gone, but needs extra help getting there.
I hope you enjoyed my fast cleaning hacks and are on your way to a cleaner home.
Having a clean home means more fun time, so get your supplies together, come up with a game plan and knock out multiple cleaning tasks at a time.
I clean at a hospital all day. It’s hard for me to do it when I get home. I have health issues myself. I have a daughter who is disabled,so dmshes limited on what she can do. But any tips are welcomed.