23 Best Cleaning Tips To Use Around Your House
We can all agree that there's nothing better than a squeaky clean home. The problem is doing the actual cleaning, which can feel difficult and overwhelming, if not downright impossible.
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This is especially true if you're the kind of person who lets mess and dirt pile up over a long period of time. Lots of us are, no judgment here.
Reddit user u/Ilikefrogs had similar concerns, asking "Professional housecleaners of Reddit: What tips/tricks can I use to clean up my place quickly and thoroughly?"
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Here are the best answers to help you out the next time you take on the daunting task of cleaning your house:
1."Rags are better than paper towels. They let you dig into the grime more."
2."If you're doing a bathroom, fill the sink with hot water and add your cleaning agent of choice. Dip rag in there, wring it out, then wipe everything down, with strokes going toward the sink. Pull all the dust/grime into the sink."
"Once you're done with wet wiping everything down, go over it all again with a dry rag."
3."Don't get grossed out. Your skin is made to keep the nasty out of your body. You're probably going to touch a little bit of poop or something at some point."
"Deal with it, you can wash your hands afterwards. If you can't deal with that, get rubber gloves. You can't go at something half-assed trying not to get yourself dirty."
4.Don't overdo your cleaning agent. Often times it'll take longer to remove the cleaning agent afterwards than it will to clean it in the first place. Softscrub bleach is one of the worst offenders - only use that in showers/the inside of a toilet, otherwise you're going to spend a lot of time picking up the chalk that's in it.
As far as cleaning agents go, for a general wipedown, vinegar is best, bleach is second best. Don't mix the two, it's a one or the other choice (unless chlorine gas is your thing).
5."Don't walk on your carpets with your shoes on. You won't notice a dirty pathway the first time you pass through but you will on the 50th."
6."Does your microwave look like hell? Fill a microwave-safe bowl halfway with water and lemon juice. Run on high for 5–10 minutes. Let the bowl cool a bit, then remove it. The steam should loosen any caked-on grit. Grab a sponge or cloth and wipe clean."
7."Use old newspapers to clean windows/mirrors. Spray the glass, crumble up a sheet of newspaper into a ball and wipe. No paper towel residue."
8."Wash your pots and pans as you cook. It prevents a sink full of dirty dishes during/after a meal."
9."Before bedtime put away shoes, jackets, and fold any blankets. Gather any tea cups or glasses, rinse them, and leave them in the sink for next day or arrange them in the dishwasher."
10."If you have ceiling fans you need to clean them every few weeks. They will attract dust to the point it will clump up thickly if left unattended too long."
11."Every time you go from room to room, take something that needs to go in the same direction and put it away when you get there."
12."Keep a broom and dustpan nearby in the kitchen. You'd be surprised how much food accumulates around the base of your cabinets, stove, and fridge. Better yet, get a nice handheld vacuum."
13."Use Comet cleaner and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for your tub."
"Comet is fan-freaking-tastic. With the combo of Magic Eraser? GLOOORIOUS. It cleans the grime sooo well."
14."Keep a scouring sponge and a brush in the shower."
"Know how the shower gets really comfortable and you never want to leave, or you stand around thinking too much? Use those moments to clean. Stand on the sponge and move it around to clean the bottom of the tub while you shower. You'll have to kneel to get the sides of the tub though. The next day, pick a wall and scrub with the brush while you shower."
15."Always do your vacuuming last."
"As you clean each room you'll probably be knocking dust and particles and whatnot onto the floor so one the room has been dusted and surfaces have been wiped down you can finish off with a good vacuum."
16."Have a laundry hamper in almost every room."
"I'm notorious for shedding socks and sweatshirts in my living room and never getting them to my bedroom, but they made great upholstery and carpet. Having the hamper forces me to put the clothes away and take them to be washed."
17."Put cleaning products in every room that needs to be cleaned."
"I have a little basket with a small bottle of bleach, Pine-Sol, and Windex along with rags and sponges. If I see it, I'll use it instead of being too lazy to get them from under the sink."
