What non-obvious things make a house feel clean?

[Custardapples]

Obviously you can have a clean sink, loo, etc. but I think there are some non-obvious things that help make a house look and feel clean and I want to know what they are! My house never feels like this and some other people’s homes do. I feel like I’m missing crucial knowledge of how this works.

One thing I’ve just discovered is that the grout between our kitchen floor tiles hasn’t been sealed and that’s why it’s always so grubby. Things like that.

What else can I do to help my house feel clean, fresh and pleasant apart from the obvious?

Thank you!

But 100% less fun and love.
I do sometimes despair at the fur carpet I get this time of year. But being cuddled on the sofa with a couple of cold noses nuzzling me is the best part of a long day. Especially now the teens barely let me touch them for a hug!

Or more importantly go out having fun!

No clutter lying around
Open windows

I read years ago that the best way to have a space seem clear is to ensure the furniture with the largest surface area in the room is clean and tidy. So kitchen table clear, bed made etc. it’s my minimum standard. There might still be clutter around the place but once those big pieces are kept clear the place looks fine.

i also use small trays to corral items that look messy but need to be out. So our dining table has a tray either napkins, salt and pepper etc. they are also a useful spot to drop small things I don’t have time to put away properly.

Not having shoes piled up in the hallway or coats on show. Ours go in the cupboard as soon as you get in. It takes 30 seconds.

Ventilation on windows - smells fresher, prevents damp , prevents moisture marks on kitchen cupboards etc.
Really clean floors that feel nice to walk on.
The things you touch often kept clean, like worktops, cupboard & door handles, switches, appliances

I can't stand touching things that feel greasy!

Yes, you're right. Our house isn't exactly a new build but eight years old and the people who owned it before did no painting or decorating so still as it was. It definitely is easer to keep clean than our other older house. No gummed up paint or damage on skirting boards, light switches, doors, and window frames.

Thank you for telling me about the grout!!

Absolutely NO smells whatsoever! And I mean this in the kindest way but I always think that overpowering scents in a house mean that the occupants are trying to mask an offensive odour.
Open windows, let in fresh air, keep bins clean and you’re basically winning the battle on pongs.

It sounds ironic but the bigger the house in comparison to the people living there the easier it is to keep clean. A small amount of dirt, dust and clutter doesn't really affect the look and feel of the space much is the majority of it is clean and clear. Conversely, a smaller house looks dirty and cluttered very quickly with only a relatively small amount of disorganisation and dust.

No clutter
Dog beds washed weekly
Fresh bedding
Marks where everyone touches the doors and light switches cleaned
Minimal dust
Space
Tidiness

Helps if you have adequate storage

My house is normally fairly decent (I have a cleaner once a fortnight which makes it easier for me to keep it clean in between)
If its looking a bit grimy, it's usually fingerprints on doors - none of us (including me) seem to use the door handles, we grab the edge of the door = grimy paw prints

White hand towels only.

I do like a candle but don't use them, I'm concerned at how much chemical we breathe from them. I definitely wouldn't use them or anything wafting out with children in the house. Those awful ones like Febreze, smell like you're covering up other smells.

I'd be wondering why we all had dirty hands!

My kids are adults but I live in Blue Mountains in Australia and dust, cobwebs, insects and spiders are part of my everyday life. Like you, I like spiders too. I'll never kill a huntsman in a million years, no matter how big it is. I grab it with a tea towel and put it back to the garden :)

With small children, a cordless stick vacuum cleaner is a way to go. They are easy to mauver and get rid of food spills and crumbs they left in their wake.

There is nothing you can do about the kitchen until you renovate. But getting rid of clutter as much as possible makes it easy to look tidy (and clean).

One of the things I've learned in my old age is that having a house tidy looks "cleaner" than a clean house with too much stuff around.

I do feel this. We both work full time - DH often doing evenings and weekends on top. We have a toddler and an older child with additional needs. Plus we are supporting an unwell older relative who lives a couple of houses down.

I really, really struggle to find time for all of this. If cleaning everything every single day is the answer then I just can’t do it.

Declutter - the cheap way to make space look expensive.

Wipe and if necessary sand and repaint skirting boards.

Dust ceilings.

Clean window / door frames with sugar soap and polish window / door glass inside and out.

Get a deep cleaning company to quote for washing carpets, curtains and upholstery, you will be amazed by the results.

Ventilate your space daily.

The blinds in the kitchen window. (That don’t get cleaned very much). They’re huge and a pain in the arse but makes such a big difference when I can be bothered to do it.

Lighting! I’ve just reflected that our lighting is really inadequate in a lot of places and I think that’s making rooms look dingy rather than cosy and fresh.

@Anxioustealady
Not a steam mop, no. It's Bissell Spinwave Electric Mop
Ahhh, it was on sale a few days ago but the price has gone back up. Fwiw, I paid £124 on Amazon. Just seen it's Prime Day 8-11 July so maybe see if it's reduced again then.

I too love spiders.

You can work wonders with a kitchen if you replace the worktops. That’s the main thing you see and use, so can make a huge difference. Much cheaper if you go direct to local trade suppliers, who can cut to size for you. And/or replace the doors or even just the handles. The carcasses are often quite solid and standard size. You should be able to refix the baseboards. If you can’t afford new doors or baseboards, you can repaint, using a primer, even if they’re Formica. Lots of tips online. You could have it done in a couple of weekends if you get stuck in.

With kitchen and bathrooms, the trick is to buy basic large items (kitchen carcasses, sinks, bath) with high-end fittings (taps, handles). It’s the fittings that make it look clean/expensive. A sink is a sink.

The other tip for UK is capturing light. I once heard an architect say that’s one of the keys of good architecture. So, if your problematic rooms (e.g. kitchen) are North-facing and/or low-ceilinged choose light colours, shiny surfaces and mirrors to bounce the light around.

There’s a fashion for darker, Victorian walls and kitchen units, which is great if you have a room with lots of light or that you mainly use in the evening. But smaller kitchens and bathrooms, where you need the light, look cleaner, larger and lighter if the largest surfaces (floors, walls, cupboards) are light. Large tiles also make it look bigger. You can add colour via accessories, furniture, furnishings or a feature wall. And they’re easier to change.

Brilliant thread, saving it for motivation and inspiration 👍

White window frames end up really grubby if you burn candles especially cheap candles. You really don't notice how grubby there are until you have washed and polished them.

No clutter.
fresh flowers.
open windows.
no crap piled up on top of kitchen cupboards
clean skirtings.
shiny taps.

100% on lighting. You need strong lighting in kitchens and bathrooms. Replacing your normal switch with a dimmer is a game changer for times you want lower light (intimate dinners, relaxing baths).

Other rooms benefit from shiny shades (glass, metal or metallic on inside to bounce light) and the larger the shade the better.

And lots of lamps (bedside, floor standing, desk) are a must. I can’t relax in a room with only an overhead light. Rarely use it in bedroom and living room. Lamps with dimmers are ideal.