I don't know how to clean my house

[1940s]

For multiple reasons I don't need to go into, Ive never cleaned my own house. I'm now I'm a position to and I feel completely overwhelmed. I've tried to recently follow popular cleaning Instagram accounts but they have confused me even more.

I have started to clean my house and whilst I can get it clean it takes me so so long and I know I'm not doing things efficiently. Eg I use lots of kitchen paper, I use up so many sponges and then throw them, I can't get my glass shower shiny, I don't have an 'order' to do things in so I realise I need to dust after I've mopped or hoovered.

What is the best way for me to learn how to clean my house.

Please don't come at me with sarky comments, as I said there are numerous legitimate reasons I've not personally cleaned my house before (others have had to do it for me)

If you're just starting out with getting your cleaning products, can I suggest going eco-friendly with what you use? E.g. no disposable wipes (once you get into these habits, it can be hard to break), no microfibre cloths (which shed microplastics when you wash them), no or fewer plastic bottles of cleaning products, natural ingredients.

Some suggestions:
I use Swedish dishcloths like these for washing dishes and cleaning (you can have different colours for different jobs and they can go on a hot wash up to 50 times each:
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/buyagain?ats=eyJjdXN0b21lcklkIjoiQTNTNDZEVDUxOE5NWVYiLCJleHBsaWNpdENhbmRpZGF0ZXMiOiJCMDgyNDVLV1lZIn0%3D&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_bia_item&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Ocean Saver is a brand that sells small capsules that dissolve in water so you can either buy their branded bottles once and use it for life, or just clean out and refill one you already have. They're sold in Sainsbury's as well as from their own website (possibly other supermarkets but I only remember seeing them in Sainsbury's). They're also quite cheap!

Splosh is another website for refills - much the same principle as above but it comes in a concentrated form in a pouch with multiple bottles' worth.

There are also many ways you can use white vinegar (in the washing machine, for cleaning glass and mirrors, descaling, general surface cleaning), bicarbonate of soda (mildly abrasive so good for scrubbing things like a sink, bath, tiles/grout), essential oils, castille soap, etc. for which there are various tips and recipes online.

Good luck!

I’ve been looking up Swedish cloths and they look great; I especially like the idea of sticking it in the dishwasher at the end of the day!

How us it going, @1940s?

There was a thread about things that work and everyone was raving about using a 2p coin to get limescale off apparently it was a miracle! I can't vouch for it as I can not find a 2 p coin anywhere.

@elephantskiss can I just check are those the kind of thing you mean? I can see quite a few but I like the pattern on these!
www.amazon.co.uk/Swedish-Dishcloths-Reusable-Cellulose-Cleaning/dp/B089YBM1CY/ref=mp_s_a_1_21?dchild=1&keywords=swedish+dishcloth&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1597951080&sr=8-21

There's also these but I think I'd want a different colour
www.amazon.co.uk/SUPERSCANDI-Dishcloths-Sustainable-Biodegradable-Replacement/dp/B086DVTY9D/ref=mp_s_a_1_7_sspa?dchild=1&psc=1&keywords=swedish+dishcloth&sprefix=swedish+&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFTRDdKTFJFRk4zSUomZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA2MjU5NzhWUTBDNEFBMUFMVDEmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDE5NDIzMjEwVUU5RjVSWTVUSFQmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfbXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1597951205&sr=8-7-spons

[quote Vodkacranberryplease]@elephantskiss can I just check are those the kind of thing you mean? I can see quite a few but I like the pattern on these!
]]

There's also these but I think I'd want a different colour
]][/quote]
@Vodkacranberryplease Yes, they look the same!

If you look at the colour options, the Superscandi ones come in "assorted" as well. That's what I have.

This is a great thread, very supportive with lots of good tips. I'm not going to say anything anyone hasn't already (except maybe not to get a cleaner...) but what has helped me is to clean a bit every day rather than in one go for hours. I used to think my house would not look and feel clean if I didn't do it in one go but it's the opposite. This stops you feeling overwhelmed too if life means you can't do it all in one go - it's not such a massive task. Especially bathrooms - we have three currently, and doing a bit every day makes a huge difference. They never look dirty.

Decluttering is the basis of a good house cleaning routine. Have less stuff and you will do less cleaning. Lots of other benefits too.

I used to have a cleaner and loved coming home to a clean home - once a week. Then I decided to use that money to buy a car and developed my own daily method of cleaning. I actually found that I really like being able to clean my own home - sense of achievement but also it enables me to spot any minor maintenance issues before they become major ones. I have the money to pay for a cleaner now but I just wouldn't do it. Of course, having a cleaner may be entirely right for you and your circumstances, but it isn't for me, for these reasons.

Good luck op - I have a feeling you'll be absolutely fine

Everything is going really well thank you!! I started by doing quite a bit declutter so my precious time isn't spent mainly on tidying up. Now o can use spare time to clean! Thanks so much for all of your support