Scrubbing Bubbles is a great all-purpose product for bathroom cleaning. Allocate ten minutes to clean your bathroom. If you have time, wipe down the bathroom mirrors as well.
Allocate five minutes to clean your bedroom. Save time off your bed making by leaving the flat sheet untucked - hospital corners take a long time to construct and your comforter will cover them anyway,[4] X Research source Open windows as you go to eliminate odors and get a nice cross-breeze going.
Tuck a trash bag into your pants so you don’t have to keep running between the room you’re cleaning and the garbage. Allocate five minutes to clean the living room.
Allocate ten minutes to clean your kitchen. Empty the trash you’ve been carrying around from the living room into your kitchen trash can. If your pots and pans are scorched through, fill the pans with water and a cup of vinegar, then allow them to simmer on the stove. Remove the pan from the stove, add two tablespoons of baking soda, then scrub the pans till they’re clean. [6] X Research source If your backsplash is covered in oil from cooking, use a damp paper towel with some soap to cut through the grease.
Make sure you’ve completed each task to the best of your ability before moving onto the next one. If you have fewer chores, choose longer songs or set a timer for the amount of time it takes to do each chore. Use fun as motivation. If your favorite TV show comes on at a certain time, start your chores thirty minutes before that time. That way, you’ll be motivated to finish your chores within those thirty minutes in order to catch your show.
If you’re going to trade chores, make sure you both hold up your end of the bargain. The work still needs to get done. If you’re spending time cleaning their room, be respectful of their property. If you betray their trust, they may not want to trade chores again.
You can’t win the game if your work is done sloppily, so make sure to be thorough. Ask your parents to help you find a phone app that tracks and rewards chore performance. Check out Chore Wars, which gives you experience points for completing household tasks. [10] X Research source
To save time, throw laundry directly in the washing machine, instead of in the hamper. Leave the machine running as you do other things. [12] X Expert Source Guy PetersHouse Cleaning Professional Expert Interview. 27 September 2021. As you start to vacuum each week, the length of time it will take to complete this chore will decrease. Soon, you’ll be deep cleaning less and maintaining your clean more.
To save even more time, leave cleaning product and a rag in your shower and clean your shower as you use it. For bonus points, spray your shower down after every use. This will make your weekly bathroom cleaning sessions go by much faster. Cut a grapefruit in half, sprinkle salt on it, and use it to help get soap scum out of your bathtub. [14] X Research source
Always start with dusting; otherwise, you’ll get dust on your newly cleaned floors. [17] X Expert Source Guy PetersHouse Cleaning Professional Expert Interview. 27 September 2021. If you’re mopping, mix a floor cleaning product (like Pine Sol) in with your mop water for the ultimate shine on your floors. Use an already used dryer sheet to dust. The anti-static will help repel dust. [18] X Research source
Don’t be afraid to get rid of stuff you don’t use. Donate it to charity or throw it out, but if you’re not using it, it’s got to go. Strategically place bins or baskets in each room to corral random items. This will make each room look cleaner and more polished, and will also help you cut down on the time you spend cleaning up.
Never leave a room empty-handed. If you see something that doesn’t belong, take it with you. If your house has two floors, make a rule that you never go upstairs empty-handed; always bring something with you that needs to be put away upstairs. Institute the one-minute rule: if something takes less a minute to do, do it right now.
Allow the water to boil while you wipe down your counters and appliances for a five-minute kitchen clean. Keep an eye on the water in the bowl to make sure it doesn’t boil over. Otherwise, it will take you twice as long to clean up.
Reward yourself with a treat or fun activity for completing your work. Invite friends over to help (but keep in mind, you may end up having to help with their chores as well. )
