Tell me your best cleaning hacks / tips!

[FrenesiGates]

We're about to move house and are going from a small apartment that we've been in for 10+ years to a much larger house – and I'm slightly terrified of the housekeeping and keeping everything clean and tidy! We will have a cleaner once a week and I'm going to work out a 'schedule' so she will do some areas every week and then rotate through areas in less use. I've also just bought a robot vacuum and mop that I'm planning to run every day or two; and a new handheld for any quick clean ups.

What are your best tips / hacks for saving time on cleaning and keeping the house tidy day to day??

Love this idea of a cleaning basket with relevant products for each room.
Very handy especially for the bathrooms.thanks!

I think avoiding clutter helps but ultimately cleaning takes time…. I have a small house and garden but being the only adult in the house I do spend quite a lot of time cleaning and keeping the garden presentable. Or maybe it just feels like a lot of time because I work full time so most things have to get done on the weekend.

Totally agree

Im actually feeling guilty reading this thread. I need to dust. Then i remember the dust if you must poem and i dont feel so bad...

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.

Sit down and have a to do list for everyone. We have a main one- one for each child. We share them - youngest goes first. Eg clean the toilet, pick up dog poo, mow the back, mow the front, make the sofa, clean dog bowls - we share them out (kids are 16 and 10) - all jobs done before lunch on a Saturday or Friday evening or whatever - everything done.

don’t do it all - don’t even carry the load. I usually end up with clean out the inside compost bin, pick up dog pop and mow the lawn.

everyone’s time is equally important

Live with someone who does their equal share of cleaning.

Erm. Right from the get go do not take responsibility for it.

Have a few conversations on how are WE going to keep on top of house keeping at the new place as it's bigger. Make suggestions like perhaps a half hour focus every evening, or fair (doesn't have to be equal if you work different hours, or one person does other things eg gardening or admin) division of chores that play to everyone's likes and strengths, and suits their logistics.

But it's not your sole responsibility.

Start at the top and work down. Do one task at a time rather than each room. So dust all the surfaces, skirting and door frames. Spray bathroom and kitchen surfaces, then leave products to work whilst hoovering top to bottom. Back to wipe bathrooms and kitchen. Finally mop. I do this once a week. It's takes about 2 hours, adult children do their own rooms once a decade.

And have a tension rod in the cupboard under the sink for hanging cleaning sprays.

Every time I put the kettle on, I do something Clean sink, put something away, put a wash on
Every time I go in the bathroom I do the same
I also use ad breaks
It's good to get up and move anyway
Delaying until it becomes a bigger tasks would make me less likely to start

Keep a spray bottle of a strong concentrate of water and dish detergent handy for the kitchen. It's useful for quick cleanups of dishes, sinks, counters and appliances.

Use it to also to extend the life of your sponges and scrubbers. Rinse until clear, wring out, then spray concentrate into the sponge, work through and set aside.

If everywhere is tidy, cleaning is a doddle.

Haven't read the thread yet. Sometimes I set a timer for 10 minutes when I can't be bothered. Better than doing nothing.

Does the house have high ceilings? If so, look up now and again to check for cobwebs.