Tell me your top house cleaning tips

[ElizaDoolots]

Firstly, I know this is a complete first world problem, and there are bigger things going on today. I need a break from the news.

I’ve had to cancel our cleaning service (that we’ve had pretty much since we bought our first house!) The price went up 30% overnight and I’m due to go on maternity leave next month so can’t really justify the expense any more.

I’ll have a two year old at home most days as well as the baby so need to find efficient ways to keep the house clean and tidy.

Please share with me your top tips. Best products to go for? Eco friendly swaps? Ways to keep on top of everything?

I realise I might just need to drop my standards a bit, but I find it hard to relax when the house is a mess so do want to keep on top of it as much as I can. DH will do some things but works very long hours so realistically won’t be doing loads, I’d prefer his ‘free time’ to be spent pitching in with the childcare.

Thanks!

The Organised Mum Method is great if you can stick with it, I often fall off the bandwagon but when I keep going with it it really pays off

If it takes longer than ten minutes to tidy up, you have too much stuff and need to declutter.

Keep a donation box upstairs and downstairs and just pop things in as you come across them and drop them off when the box is full. If you get into the habit of decluttering every time you tidy up, it will save you a world of trouble!

I’ve found it better to have jobs that I take care of and jobs that dh takes care of, rather than taking turns at the same jobs. Because the mental load tends to fall on me when we share a task- to notice it needs doing, delegate, check supplies etc.

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The less stuff you own the quicker and easier it is to stay tidy and keep on top of cleaning. You have to go a bit beyond decluttering IME and make a conscious effort to really streamline your belongings and consciously think about what you buy but overall it has been a game changer for me.

I wash my kitchen with the sponge and Fairy I believe the kitchen surfaces should be clean same as the plates and cups we drink from, no funny chemicals. It makes it very easy to clean while I'm cooking/tidying

@thelegohooverer

I’ve found it better to have jobs that I take care of and jobs that dh takes care of, rather than taking turns at the same jobs. Because the mental load tends to fall on me when we share a task- to notice it needs doing, delegate, check supplies etc.

Agree with this. My DH hoovers/mops all the floors every weekend, and empties the bins so I never think about those. (That’s not all he does btw, but that’s the job that is exclusively his).

I’m on maternity leave too and I’ve got into a routine of putting the baby in the swing seat in the kitchen and spending half an hour in the morning washing up/ cleaning the kitchen etc.

I’ve found that having a minimum standard of keeping on top of the kitchen makes me feel more organised even if the rest of the house is a bit of a mess.

Lower your standards.

Our cleaner has retired, we’re gutted

Robot hoovers are great, we have one and it copes well with cat and dog hair.

We don’t have much stuff, so no pointless ornaments etc, that makes wet dusting quick and easy.

Agree that the organised mum method is good but I never stay on track with it (clearly not very organised). Having 2 young children my house is at times a nightmare. My best tip would be never to leave a room empty handed unless there is nothing to take with you.

Use a donation box
Hire a cleaning company or service, ask around

@languagelover96
She can't afford the cleaning service.

Get rid of a lot of your stuff. Honestly it works. Less time looking for stuff. Batch cook so that frees up time after work so you can get a bit done.

Products - I just use cif. Bleach in the toilets. I have a washing up brush with a handle that stores liquid and one in the bathroom that holds bathroom flash.

Wipe down the kitchen surfaces when you're waiting for the kettle to boil. Put bicarbonate of soda and vinegar in the sink, wipe it and rinse, it'll clean the u bend as well.
Get one of those squeegee things for bathroom tiles and shower screen.
Put lemon juice in a bowl and microwave to clean and deodorise.
Lastly, you're pregnant. Don't be your own cleaning service.

Honestly I would look for another cleaner that might be cheaper. I would cut back in other areas before I didn't have my cleaner. I'm on Mat leave with my first and the mental load of baby, washing and cooking is enough.

Work out what the jobs are and how often. Make a list include the less frequent jobs like window cleaning, washing machine cleaning etc. I diarise these in our shared calendar. We have designated jobs and an agreed minimum frequency rather than taking turns. Then we do a shared clean, with kids on Saturday morning which includes bed changing and usually one bigger job such as wiping out kitchen cupboards/fridge.

Also work out what is a priority for you. As an example, I'm not interested in eco options. I want minimum effort maximum results. I do things like bleach in the sink and toilets over night, same with the viakal, I'd rather leave it on and rinse off in the morning than spend ages scrubbing.

Set your home up for cleaning, less clutter but also things like a robot hoover that can get under your sofa and through your dining chairs. After wiping the table and kitchen down, I flip chairs/stools up. Robot hoover/mop goes off in the morning and has no obstacles so place is ready when I come down in the morning.

Wait a second! the robots vaccum AND MOP??!!!!! I want one for my birthday 😍 haaaaaate doing the floors for some reason much rather clean the kitchen

@Galassia 😂

I love using eco-friendly and DIY cleaning products. I get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest. Just search for cleaning tips or DIY cleaning products. I use vinegar, soda, lemons and olive oil for cleaning a lot. Also the cleaning company I regularly use post a lot of useful tips on their website - easycleaninglondon.co.uk

Would definitely recommend a robot hoover. Had ours for 5 years and would replace immediately if it ever broke.

Any robot hoover recommendations?

@Pinkflipflop85

Any robot hoover recommendations?

I've got an Eufy - fabulous thing - could not do without it now!

I've got a neato that I've had almost 4 years. Had another neato previously too that was also great (it only died because my ds filled it with water!)

@Galassia

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If you can get into it The Organised Mum Method can be helpful. I have a Kallax unit which is easy and quick for storing my toddlers toys so it looks less cluttered.

I tried the OMM and I hated it. I hated having parts of the house clean and others not, and I was stressed if I missed a day. Maybe I did it wrong but just wasn't for me.
We do cleaning on a Saturday. DP has some jobs, I have others, it's all done in an hour if we crack on. Then in the week I just keep it all tidy.