Keeping our homes clean can be a huge hassle, especially with kids and pets constantly running around. There’s always laundry to be done, counters to be wiped down, drains to be unclogged and more tasks that take up valuable time during the day. By preparing ahead of deep cleans and keeping the home stocked with the right products, the cleaning process can be much easier and faster.
Here are some handy cleaning hacks to keep your home in tip top shape

1. Tidy up before you clean
Keeping the home tidy during the week can minimize how much time needs to be spent deep cleaning. Take out the garbage bags when they fill up, sweep up daily messes and load the dishwasher when dishes start to accumulate. Regular tidying up will minimize huge messes and build-up that can take additional hours to clean. Daily clean habits also encourage other household members to follow suit, maintaining a healthy, happy home

2. Map a cleaning route
Maximize cleaning time by mapping a route around the house. Bouncing between rooms or tasks can make it harder to keep track of what’s already done, resulting in tasks being repeated and losing cleaning momentum. Planning out where to start cleaning and how to move between chores will allow more time to be spent productively. A cleaning route minimizes how often tasks are forgotten and left to be completed another day

3. Invest in the right cleaning tools
Using the wrong products and equipment can result in streaks and residual build-up when the dirt isn’t actually cleared away. The bathroom should be cleaned with tile cleaner and the sinks washed out with drain cleaner. Reserve certain sponges, wipes and products for only specific areas in the house (i.e., toilets) to minimize germ spread and maximize effective time spent cleaning

4. Schedule cleaning weekly
Don’t let dirt accumulate around the home. By avoiding vacuuming and wiping down the house, dust and other contaminants can cause damage to the baseboards, furniture and walls. Family members may experience an increase in allergy sensitivities, and the air quality in the home will decrease. The longer cleaning is put off, the more impossible it feels to keep any room clean. Schedule regular weekly cleanings to stay on top of daily chores and keep the home looking and smelling fresh

5. Use multipurpose cleaners
Invest in a quality multi purpose cleaner that can be used in every room of the house if necessary. Certain areas of the home like the toilets, sinks and appliances often need a specific cleaner to minimize streaks and bacteria. However, major living areas including the kitchen, living room and bedrooms have dressers, tables and other surfaces that need to be regularly disinfected gently. Quality cleaners can minimize how many products you use to get an amazingly clean finish, minimizing costs and the time spent cleaning

6. Combine tasks
One of the best hacks to efficiently clean the home is to combine similar tasks. When sweeping and mopping the floors, take the extra time to dust and wipe down the baseboards. Clean the blinds and sills when wiping the windows. Similar tasks can be combined to provide a more thorough clean in the home without wasting time or doubling back. The home will be cleaner for longer and require less daily upkeep during the week