Guest Blogger: Saving Time – Top 5 House Cleaning Shortcuts

Entry #2461, May 26, 2013

Even though you’ve grown up and accepted that the only way your house is going to stay clean is if you stay on the ball, there’s no denying that it’s still a pretty big chore (or several). And while you may even learn to find some therapeutic value in cleaning, still you have to squeeze it in when you’d rather be relaxing or doing something more fun. Luckily, it doesn’t have to take you all day to clean the house. So pump up the jams, grab your cleaning cloth, and follow these shortcuts to truncate your time spent keeping up your house.

Helpful tips to save time on cleaning

Image via: Charles Luck Stone Center

1. Wax on, wax off.

One rag soaked in cleaning solution, one clean and dry. Grab one with each hand and get to work, Miyagi-style. Or you can follow the lead of a hotel maid and opt for the spray-and-wipe method of cleaning, by which you simply spray with one hand and wipe with the other. The only real problem with these methods is that they don’t allow for a rinsing phases, so over time your surfaces could suffer from some buildup. But if you do a deep clean, say, every third or fourth cleaning, this is a great way to shave some time off your regular routine.

2. All-in-one solvents.

If you have to switch solvents and rags for every surface in your home it’s going to take you a lot longer to get the job done. Instead, opt for a multi-purpose cleaner that works on windows, countertops, tubs, tile, appliances, and everything in between. You might still have to switch to something else for the wood in your home (so as not to dry it out with harsh chemicals), but that’s better than having five or six solvents for each room in your house.

Save time with cleaning this season

Image via: Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

3. Vacuum attachments.

After you dust and sweep you’ll still have to pick up the extra, so why not get the whole job done the first time around with a vacuum setup that comes complete with multiple attachments? This way all you have to do is pop them on and off as needed and you can work your way from one end of the room to the other, sucking up every speck of dust and dander and every cobweb along your route.

4. Swiffer.

This handy tool is a godsend for homes with hard flooring. Instead of pushing an unwieldy broom that leaves particles behind, using a vacuum that can’t get into tight spaces, or crawling around on your hands and knees with a rag, pick up a lightweight, versatile Swiffer Sweeper and some dry and wet cloths to make cleaning every floor a cinch.

White kitchen interiors cleaning ideas

Image via: DEKORA Staging Inc

5. Robots.

While it’s still a little too soon to hire your own Rosie the Robot, you can at least benefit from the current robotics revolution by using a product like the Roomba to help you clean. Simply turn it on and set it loose in your home and it will travel around the room, picking up dust bunnies from under your couch and coffee table, and anywhere else it can reach. Of course, if you’re this desperate to avoid cleaning you could simply hire a maid or engage a specialty service like EP cleaners. But you might just want to spare yourself the expense and see how the robot works out.

For more cleaning & maintenance tips on Stagetecture, click here.