14 Secrets to Cleaning Your Home in Half the Time

1- Have a Strategy

Master Cleaners, a speed-cleaning expert (and maid service owner), argues that having a strategy in place will help you cut your cleaning time in half. That means cleaning the house in the same order each time: one room at a time, working and ending at the same point in each room to avoid wasting time going back and forth.

“The basic notion is that you have to be consistent to reduce the time down,” Master Cleaners. “It’s a habit because you clean the same way every time. The routine is the method, and it is essentially a superior approach to clean because the method generates speed rather than rushing. Cleaning your house in half the time is true. This isn’t a ruse.”

2- Clean from top to bottom and from left to right.

Start by wiping down the coffee table and then cleaning the blinds, only to have the dust from the blinds coat your freshly cleaned coffee table. To prevent repetitive work, Master Cleaners recommends starting at the top of the room, such as dusting a ceiling fan, and working your way down to the floor.

Cleaning from left to right, on the other hand, ensures that you cover the entire room rather than darting from place to place.

“Most people clean something, then look up and clean something else, and the dirt pours down on what you just cleaned,” Master Cleaners explains. “If you work from top to bottom and left to right, you’ll only have to clean the areas you’ve already cleaned once.”

3 – For a streak-free finish, squeegee the windows.

Windex and paper towels aren’t giving you the results you want? Laura Dellutri, author and speed-cleaning specialist, prefers to use a professional-grade window squeegee. Put a drop of dish soap in a gallon of water, wipe the window generously with a towel, and then squeegee it clean. “Wipe the blade each time at the bottom from top to bottom,” she advises. “You will have a streak-free window.”

Dellutri suggests using a glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth instead of a squeegee. Use horizontal strokes and proceed from top to bottom when wiping with the towel. Avoid touching a window in circles, which can cause streaks, and wiping it with newspaper or paper towels, which can leave a residue.

4 – Always have the right tools on hand.

You won’t waste time walking back and forth to the cabinet under the sink if you have all the tools and cleaning supplies you need within reach. Master Cleaners advises stuffing the pockets of an apron or even a carpenter’s tool belt. This may be difficult if you have multiple large bottles of cleaner, but you don’t need large bottles; simply pour the cleaners into small, reusable spray bottles that are easy to transport. To stay organized and save time, place your materials in a caddy or a bucket.

“You’d never tolerate it if you hired a carpenter and he walked up and down a ladder every time he needed a nail,” Master Cleaners says. “You want him to be able to carry all he needs. Cleaners can be used in the same way.”

5 – Get Involved

The greatest method to preserve a clean house is to prevent some problems from arising in the first place. For example, Dellutri suggests using a shower cleaner to keep the bath free of filth and scum. She adds, “You may spritz it on and walk away.” “Spray it on every time you take a shower to avoid a filthy shower. Spray it on, rinse it off, and go. There’s no need to wipe anything.”

6 – Dusting Without Using Spray

Feather dusters are excellent for cleaning blinds, portraits, niches, and other hard-to-reach places. Ostrich feather dusters, which start at around $10, are Master Cleaners favorite because the feathers trap dust and the huge quills don’t fall out of the handle. “You want a good feather duster that fits in your back pocket,” she advises. For ordinary cleaning, the duster works well, but for heavy buildup, vacuum or use a cloth first, then use the duster every two weeks or so after that.

7 – Cut Through Grease in the Kitchen

Grease inevitably accumulates on kitchen cupboards, particularly those located above or adjacent to the stove. To remove the grease, you can use an orange oil-based cleaner or a normal grease-cutting dishwashing detergent. The detergent will cut through the grease on the cabinets in the same way as it cuts through grease on dishes.

In a gallon of warm water, combine one tablespoon of liquid detergent. To be sure the solution won’t damage or discolor the surface, test it in an inconspicuous area with a clean sponge or cloth. Then, using a separate sponge and warm water, rinse it off.

Mix baking soda with water and lightly scrub the issue area with a cloth for difficult stains or buildup that won’t come out with soap.

8 – Lemon Juice Cleaner

Rust stains on patios, porches, garage floors, and driveways are unsightly, but they are easy to remove without the use of acid. Use a lemon instead. The rust will be dissolved by the acid in the lemon juice. Cut the lemon in halves and squeeze the juice onto the stain for about 10 minutes to soak in. Scrub with a stiff bristle brush any stains that have been on the concrete for weeks, months, or longer. Then, using clean water, rinse away the lemon juice and dirt.

9 – Defeat Mold in the Bathroom

Because water lingers on the walls after showering, mold thrives in poorly ventilated bathrooms. To combat mold and mildew, use hydrogen peroxide in a trigger-spray bottle, according to Dellutri: “Spray it on, let it sit 3 to 5 minutes, and it will destroy the fungus.”

When showering, use a fan to prevent mold from returning. When you’re finished, squeegee the water off the tile walls and shower door for a few minutes.

10 – Mineral Deposits Must Be Defeated

If hard water mineral deposits have discolored your plumbing fixtures, don’t use bristle brushes or pads to clean them. They have the ability to scratch the faucet. Use white vinegar instead. Wipe the faucets with some on a clean cloth. It takes very little effort to make them gleam.

11 – Maintain Stainless Steel’s Shine

Stainless steel sinks and surfaces are prone to fingerprints, smudges, and watermarks. Mineral oil, according to Dellutri, can assist you conquer them. “Once a week, squirt some mineral oil on a cloth and wipe it down. The water is repelled by this.” The mineral oil also makes it easier to clean the sink by preventing toothpaste and other objects from clinging to it.

12 – Like a Pro, Clean the Microwave

Your microwave probably looks like a battleground inside. Unfortunately, baked-on food can be difficult to remove, especially if it has been sitting for days or more.

The trick is to enlist the assistance of the microwave. According to Dellutri, heat a coffee cup full of water in the microwave until it’s boiling hot. “This causes moisture, which loosens up anything on the microwave’s top, sides, or bottom,” she explains. Then wipe the surfaces clean with a moist cloth.

13 – Rows of Vacuum

The secret to effective and efficient cleaning, according to Dellutri, is to vacuum the full length of the room in a straight line, then go over and begin vacuuming again at the front of the room. According to Dellutri, vacuum high-traffic areas once a week.

“Vacuum in long corn rows, then exit the room,” she advises. “You can do it quickly, and you can drape the cable over your shoulder to avoid fighting it. When you’re finished, it’ll look stunning.”

14 – Speed-Clean on a Regular Basis

Master Cleaners advises that if you really want to cut down on cleaning time, you should clean more frequently. Give your house a once-over every couple of weeks after you’ve deep-cleaned it. It will keep the area looking great and save you the time and effort of cleaning for several months at once. “Instead of doing catch-up cleaning, you produce maintenance cleaning,” she explains.