12 Game-Changing Pieces of Cleaning Advice, According to the Pros

Cleaning experts share their secrets.

We asked 12 cleaning experts for their best advice for creating a cleaner, healthier, neater home in 2023. They recommended apps that will help your household get organized, tips for more eco-friendly cleaning methods, and the secret to a perpetually-clean air fryer (brilliant!). Vetted by the pros, you can rest assured these cleaning tricks really work. Now it's up to you to turn these tips into action!

Let an App Evaluate Your Cleaning Products

James Dudra, the co-founder of Therapy Clean, recommends using ThinkDirty, an app that educates consumers on the potential toxins in household products and assigns a rating score. "One of the easiest things consumers can do is to educate themselves on the ingredients used in their cleaning products...simply scan the barcode and have a better understanding of the material, function, and safety." The app can help you evaluate the formulas behind your cleaning products, so you know exactly what you're bringing into your home.

Make Sure Your Family Never "Forgets" Chore Time

"I have set items that I clean every day...to keep the house clean with just minutes a day", shares Becky Rapinchuk of CLEAN MAMA. "The free Clean Mama Routine is on the Cozi app." This app, designed to help families stay organized and connected, can also make sure everyone's on the same page about household chores—so no one can claim they "forgot" about the laundry.

Turn Cleaning into a Game

Similarly, Alicia Sokolowski, president and co-CEO of AspenClean suggests using a collaboration app like OurHome or Tody. "It will help you get more organized, especially if you live in a shared house or as a family, and can even make chores fun for your kids." For each tasks your kids complete, they'll earn virtual points, turning chore time into a game. Don't be surprised if they're suddenly much more motivated to clean their rooms.

:12 Cleaning Secrets Only the Pros Know

Mix Up Your Own Solutions

Make an all-purpose cleaner with this recipe from Leanne Stapf, COO of The Cleaning Authority. Mix one teaspoon of dish soap, two cups of water, and 10 drops of tea tree oil in a reusable glass spray bottle. This formula can be used to clean most non-porous surfaces around your home—no harsh chemicals required.

Choose Concentrated Cleaners

Morgan Eberhard, senior scientific communication manager at P&G, recommends using concentrated cleaning products, like Dawn Ultra and Dawn Platinum, as one of the best ways to make an impact on the carbon footprint within your own home. "Concentrated products not only contain less water, but because of the higher level of cleaning ingredients, they'll work better and faster, meaning less water and energy used to get the job done." Basically, a little goes a long way.

Skip the Colorful Cleansers

Lindsay Droz and Kristi Lord, founders of plant-based home care brand L'Avant Collective, shares this tip when shopping for safe cleaning products: carefully consider any cleaning products that are brightly colored. "Color and dyes serve only for aesthetic reasons and do not aid in the performance of cleaning products," they explain.

Swap in Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tools

"Swapping to products designed with simple, natural ingredients is a great cleaning resolution in 2023 for both your home and the planet. Eco-friendly products typically have lighter, more compact, and plastic-free packaging, which saves cabinet space and lessens carbon emissions from transportation when compared to traditional cleaners. The switch can be as easy as replacing your paper towels with reusable Swedish dishcloths, ditching the plastic toilet bowl cleaner for one made of bamboo and natural bristles, or trying an eco-strip laundry detergent instead of a traditional liquid," says Ryan McKenzie, co-founder of Tru Earth,

:The 15 Best Natural Cleaning Products for Every Part of Your Home in 2023

Don't Underestimate the Quick Clean

"If you want a clean home, treat it like any important, ongoing project and add it to your calendar," Katie Berry of Housewife How-Tos recommends. "The idea is to make it a routine part of your day, not something you'll get around to if nothing else comes up, because something else always comes up." Berry adds, "You know the saying, 'Perfect is the enemy of good.' That's true about cleaning, too. Many times we don't bother wiping up spills or vacuuming dirty floors because we think it's really cleaning only if we move things off the counter or we're vacuuming wall to wall. But little efforts count, too, and they make the difference between a house looking a little lived in and looking like a wreck."

Clean From Top to Bottom

Jennifer Rodriguez, chief hygiene officer for ProHousekeepers.com offers this advice: "Try to start in the room farthest from the front door and work out, and when you’re in a room, always clean from the ceiling to the floor. That way you’re not making more work for yourself by having to vacuum or sweep twice if your cleaning efforts generate more dust." 

Make Cleaning an Air Fryer Effortless

Katherine Picott, founder and CEO of Tidy Milso, takes the easy route when it comes to cleaning an air fryer. "I like my cleaning routines to be simple and undemanding. Like most families, we use our air fryer frequently, so purchasing an air fryer liner was a game changer. Our air fryer liner is heat-resistant and it’s made from silicone, which makes for easy cleanup. Simply run it through the dishwasher or wash it by hand and it is good for the next meal."

Invest in Filters and Air Purifiers

Less dust and dirt makes cleaning easier and your home healthier. Traci Fournier, VP of operations at One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, shares advice about adding HEPA filters and air purifiers to air-handling systems. "Heating and air conditioning systems cycle air throughout the home and if the system has a whole-house air purifier...an even more effective solution to dust than a filtration system...it should have a HEPA air filter that captures the pollutants and particles. Sticking to a strict cleaning schedule and replacing filters on time will ensure optimal performance."

Never Mix Chemical Cleaning Products

Anne Helmsenstine, Ph.D., founder of Science Notes, issues a warning about some of the online tips about combining different products for "easy cleaning." Helmsenstine cautions, "Some people intentionally add vinegar to bleach to make it more acidic so it’s a stronger disinfectant. The risk outweighs the benefit, though, because the increased potency isn’t significant enough to offset the danger. Bleach reacts with the acetic acid in vinegar to produce toxic chlorine gas that can be potentially fatal." Familiarize yourself with the list of cleaning products you should never mix to make your cleaning routine safer.

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