How do you keep your house clean??

[morag1234]

I have 2 Daughters (aged 3&6). I work Tues-Fridays. We are always out and about on the weekends and my youngest is still with me for half a day on a Monday (Will start school full time next year).

I try and tidy a bit on that Monday and really I could try and tidy on the weekend. I just find it so hard with the kids here because they follow me around or want me to get them food, drinks, change tv channel, argue every 2 seconds.

My house is disgusting and it's driving me mad. How do you manage to keep your house clean??

I used to 'do a bit when I saw it' when mine were young. Keep cloths / spray to hand (ie, one in the bathroom, one in kitchen, a separate one in downstairs toilet) and just do stuff when you are in there / when you notice something needs doing.
Then involve them in the bigger jobs - eg vacuuming.
But do most stuff 'as you go along' - so, take stuff out of the tumble dryer and put it away in one move, rather than taking it out and leaving it in a basket for the next few days. Wipe kitchen surfaces as you go along. Empty dishwasher whilst waiting for the kettle to boil. Empty bins when they look full. Do a bit after they have gone to bed, or whilst the other parent is putting them to bed.

I never had a "cleaning day".

But, if you are the type who wants to have a run at it and focus, then one of you entertains the dc - takes them out if possible - whilst the other spends an hour blasting through what needs to be done.

Employ a cleaner three days a week.

The secret is to do it as you see it, I don't ever clean all in one go. After every meal the kitchen gets wiped down , dishwasher/ washing up done,quick sweep up.

Don't leave a room without taking something with you.

Declutter if it needs it. Wicker baskets for toys so you can scoop them away at the end of the day and it looks neat again.

Agree with above. Little and often.

And actually clean. With hot water and something soapy. Rather than shoving dust around.

I have to do my floors almost every day because they're all hard floors so the dust etc just sits on the surface. Kitchen worktop and sink after every meal/cooking session. Hobs likewise. Then it takes literally 30 seconds, not half an hour of scrubbing.

Bathroom every day- after every shower spritz with anti-limescale otherwise it's disgusting within a few days.

I think the best tip is not to think "today I'm doing the cleaning". Do a 5 minute fling. (I just dusted down 5 shelves of my bookshelf- took about 10 minutes but every time I walked past they were doing my head in with the dust I could see)

Could it work to do one room each day? I have a system where my husband and I each take a room each day. And definitely have a rule about no shoes in the house.

It’s not really possible to be the cook, nanny, laundry maid, chauffeur, scullery maid, housekeeper, mother, wife, gardener, archivist and curator of all the things and work outside the home as well unless you have a two room cottage or some decent amount of help.

We’ve counterbalanced the effects of modern labour saving devices, with bigger homes, more possessions, higher standards and bloody Instagram.

Simplify everything you can and streamline what’s left. Choose between running yourself ragged or expending masses of energy getting grumpy teens and slob-goggled husbands to do their share.

It’s all just bloody relentless.

I have a cordless hoover which makes things a lot easier, no faffing with plugging it in, likewise a cordless floor cleaner that has a built in water tank in which i use water and zoflora, it has rotating pads to clean which then get chucked in the washing machine. No emptying buckets/wringing mops etc.
For kitchen sides/doors/bathrooms/windowsills i have spray bottles with water and zoflora in, spray and wipe with kitchen roll.
My sister in law swears by her robot hoover/mop

Hob if not greasy i wipe with a damp cloth after use, if greasy a bit of hobrite and kitchen roll, no scrubbing, takes a few minutes.
After bath/shower I wipe down with microfibre cloths, makes thing's lovely and shiny

The Organised Mum Method, I like the rock the housework sessions as it keeps me focused.

What's the name of your cordless mop that has water tank?

Clean as you go although if it’s really bad you would need a big clean first.

Maybe a big clear out or more storage if it’s a case of too much stuff.

Agree with the organised mum method/rock the housework.

The mop is the AirCraft PowerGlide, i LOVE it! Use it every few days, doesn't take long to do the floors and also dries quickly.