5 Quick House Cleaning Tips

Who among us couldn’t use some quick housecleaning tips to make cleaning easier and save a little time each week?

Housecleaning, while not always a lot of fun is a necessary evil for homeowners and renters a like and it doesn’t have to take a lot of time or effort to be effective.

If you’re like me and often dread having to spend the better part of the day cleaning the house on a beautiful Saturday, I don’t blame you, that’s why I’ve put together these 5 quick and easy house cleaning tips that can help speed up your routine cleanings.

Cleaning the Microwave with Vinegar and Water

How many times have you told your family to cover food before turning on the microwave? I feel I’m like a broken record – cover your food, cover your food, cover your food – and still more often than not, they forget to cover their food and the splatter isn’t cleaned up.

It can be hard to clean food splatter from the inside of a microwave; it’s awkward and can be time consuming.

Why not save some time by following this handy tip:

1. Fill a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup with equal amounts of white vinegar and hot water (one half cup or one cup of each is usually enough)
2. Set the microwave on high for 3-5 minutes. I start with the least amount of time first which usually does the trick for me. The vinegar and water mixture combined with the heat will break up any stuck on food and grease. In a sense you are kind of steam cleaning your microwave.
3. When time is up, put your oven mitts on and carefully remove the vinegar and water mix (but don’t get rid of it just yet).  Wiping down the inside of the microwave should now be a piece of cake.
4. If there seems to be some stubborn stuck on food, dip your sponge into the bowl and apply directly.

Now, in less than 5 minutes, you have a clean microwave.

Cleaning the Kitchen Sink

Dinner prep can leave your sink a mess; starchy film from pasta water, grit from spinach leaves, and bacteria from rinsing raw chicken are just a few of the things done on a daily basis.

One of the best housecleaning tips for cleaning the kitchen sink from dinner prep is to clean while you’re enjoying the tasty dinner you just prepared.

1. Start by rinsing the sink with warm water.
2. Liberally drizzle dish washing liquid on the sides and bottom of the sink, rub it around with the sponge and let it sit while you eat.
3. Another thing you can do with one of the prep bowls is to rinse it out, add some dish washing soap, fill it with warm water and put utensils in to soak while you eat.
4. You can also sprinkle baking soda down the drain to help reduce odors (be careful if you have a colored sink as baking soda is slightly abrasive and you don’t want to leave behind scratch marks).

Cleaning Mold and Mildew from the Shower

If your shower and tub area does not have good ventilation, there is a good chance of mold and mildew growing. This housecleaning tip can save you from a lot of work and it’s so easy.

• Within 10 minutes of getting out of the shower, wipe down the walls, floor and glass door. Before I get out of the shower, I use a squeegee to wipe down the walls, ledge and glass door then when I get out I wipe down the floor of the shower with a towel.

If you live in a warm, humid state then you know how far wiping down a shower and tub can go to reduce the amount of mold and mildew build up.

Not only does this help with mold and mildew but will help remove soap scum before it has time to harden and set in.  Now on Saturday, you can get the shower clean with much less elbow grease!

Keeping the Toilet Clean

If you have a large household and are a busy Mother, you don’t always have the time to laboriously give the bathrooms a good deep cleaning.

The following tip can be done daily to help keep the toilet clean and germ free. Just keep a spray bottle with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water under the sink, a toilet brush and have a wash cloth handy.

• Liberally spray the inside of the toilet bowl with the mix and use the toilet brush to clean the inside of the bowl.
• Spray the tank, seat and sides with the vinegar/water mix and wipe down with the sponge.

That’s it. It takes a minute of your time or a minute of the kid’s time (because this is another good chore option).

Vinegar is a mild acid and should not be used on items such natural stone surfaces or marble as it can cause permanent damage.

Tidy-Up as you Go

If you, like me, share your home with someone, a significant other, maybe a couple of kids, a dog or cat, you know how tough it can be to keep the house looking like the picture on a magazine cover.

So I tidy up as I’m on the phone chatting with a friend. I’m good at multitasking so I can give the caller the attention they deserve and clean at the same time. In 15 minutes I can tidy the kitchen. When I’m talking to a long winded friend, I can clean my office or tidy up the basement.

Before I know it, I’ve had a wonderful conversation with a good friend and I’ve managed to make a room or two more presentable.

These housecleaning tips can save you time on your regular cleanings and you’ll find your Saturday looking brighter and you can enjoy something fun instead of being stuck inside cleaning all day.