Clean the house in half the time
The weekly clean can be an arduous chore. Here’s how to spend less time scrubbing and more time doing the things you enjoy.
Make a plan
Having a system and moving quickly is essential for a speedy clean.
The layout of your home will dictate whether it’s quicker to clean room by room or task by task, but usually larger or multi storey homes suit a room-by-room approach to cut down on time spent going back and forth.
Always clean high to low to avoid dirt dropping down on to areas you’ve already cleaned. Mop and vacuum the floor backing away towards the exit to avoid having to walk over the clean surface at the end.
Dry dusting is much quicker than using products, and is sufficient for areas that don’t need extra sanitising.
Vacuuming is also much more efficient than sweeping with a broom, which swirls dust around, making it resettle later.
Bathrooms should be pre-sprayed to let the cleaning products work their magic. Leave them for 10 minutes or so while you complete a different task, then a simple wipe down should be sufficient.
Put on your favourite music and avoid other distractions (like your mobile phone) so you can really get into a rhythm and get the job done quicker.
Do little and often
Cleaning takes a lot longer when there’s food crusted on the stove and soap scum on the shower door. A quick wipe of the stove after each time you cook or a swipe of a squeegie over the glass after a shower will slash the time required to get it clean at the end of the week.
Clutter also makes cleaning take longer as piles of stuff have to be put away as you go. Small bursts of tidying throughout the week is much more efficient.
Have a rule that everyone in the family must put away their personal items before leaving the living area at the end of the day. It might not always work but every little bit helps.
Have the right tools
The right cleaning products and tools are essential for an efficient clean. Store them all together in a plastic tub or bucket that you can take with you from room-to-room, cutting down time spent running back and forth to the cupboard.
Professional cleaners swear by microfibre cloths, which work by attracting more dirt particles than a regular cloth thanks to their masses of tiny fabric loops. This cuts down the number of times you have to wipe a surface.
Used dry for dusting and slightly damp for general cleaning, they only need cleaning products when surfaces are particularly dirty or greasy, or have to be sanitised thoroughly such as the toilet or food preparation areas. Have different colours for different areas and throw them in a hot wash cycle after each clean.
A quality feather duster, wellfitting rubber gloves and a vacuum cleaner with good suction are other time-savers.