Housework isn’t really anyone’s idea of a good time, so I would forgive you for believing that cleaning tasks always have to take forever and be super tedious. But in reality, most of us are doing things that ensure it takes forever and is super tedious by making cleaning harder than it has to be.
But don’t despair, because there are several simple ways to make housework quicker, easier, and all-around less awful. Here are a few common cleaning faux pas and some simple ways to correct them.
7 Ways You Make Cleaning Harder Than It Has To Be
1. You Try To Do It All At Once
If you are used to cleaning occasionally in multi-hour marathons, you’re probably spending more time cleaning than you have to. Rather than doing it all at once, try spreading it out a little bit of cleaning and tidying up every day. Your home will stay cleaner, and you’ll save yourself the drudgery of those all-day cleaning marathons.
2. You Don’t Make It Fun
Cleaning doesn’t have to be horribly boring—put on a funny or lighthearted TV show while you work (preferably one you’ve seen before, so you don’t get too distracted!) or pop in your headphones and listen to a favorite album or playlist to keep yourself motivated. I love almost always listen to audiobooks while I clean or do other housework. It’s easy multi-tasking and makes cleaning much less of a drag!
3. You Use Ineffective Tools
While feather dusters were once the dusting tool of choice, modern microfiber cloths and dusters are much more effective. Feather dusters often just push dust around, whereas microfiber grabs and holds onto dust and dirt. The same can be said about a lot of yesterday’s cleaning tools, so investing in some modern replacements may make cleaning suddenly seem much easier than it used to be!
4. You Spray Surfaces, Not Cloths
Particularly when it comes to dusting sprays, spraying surfaces directly can leave behind a film that actually ends up attracting more dust and dirt than before. Instead, spray your cleaner onto a cloth or paper towel, then wipe down your surface.
5. You Don’t Use Your Bathroom Fan
If you’re not making use of your bathroom fan regularly, you may be contributing to mildew growth that makes cleaning harder. You should always turn on your bathroom fan before you get in the shower, and leave it running for 15 minutes after you’re done showering to remove moisture from the room.
If your bathroom fan is looking grimy, it probably needs to be cleaned. It’s a simple project you can complete in about 15 minutes, and will help your fan operate more efficiently.
Read More: How To Clean Your Neglected Bathroom Ceiling Fans
6. You Make Multiple Trips
Whether you’re putting away clutter or deep cleaning a room, you’ll save time if you carry more at once rather than making several trips back and forth across the house. Use a basket to collect clutter and take it to the correct room, and use a cleaning tote to carry all your necessary cleaning supplies in order to cut down on trips.
7. You Don’t Keep Dirt Out
You’ll always save time on cleaning by implementing measures that help prevent dirt from entering your home in the first place. Two simple methods of prevention are instituting a “no shoes in the house” rule, and keeping your windows shut when it’s breezy out.
What’s your favorite way to make cleaning easier or more enjoyable?
For the better part of my adult life, I was a terrible housekeeper! I had taken my grandmother’s old saying, “a job worth doing is worth doing well” and decided if I didn’t have time to deep clean everything, then I wouldn’t clean at all. I don’t remember when it was, but had to quickly clean up before someone came over and sitting in my living room after they left, I realized how much nicer the room looked after running the vacuum through the main areas, without having gone around the edges with a hand tool and without even dusting the lampshades! I realized then that Gram may be right, but not completely right all of the time. Any amount of cleaning makes a difference all the time!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I had 5 men in the house and they all used the toilet sitting. you’ve no idea how grateful their partners are for that
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I raised 4 boys and 1 husband and I also struggle to keep the bathroom toilet area clean. What’s with their aim?!?!?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I found that pet urine cleaner is cheaper than most cleaners and eliminates the smell as well.
Now that the boys are out on their own I know who the real problem is.
Use a stack of newspapers for everything. If you don’t get the paper, ask a neighbor for theirs. I use the humble newspaper in bottom of trash cans. I use to throw on top of spills, wipe up everything, collect food waste for the compost or trash, under any messy jobs (e.g., cleaning the fridge), and countless other ways.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Kind of funny things here. Unfortunately I make 8 out of 10. It is funny but sometimes very dramatic
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There is a wicker basket at my feet next to my chair which gets ‘stuff’ dumped into it while I sit in my chair writing, doing research on the internet, etc. When I get up to move around or go to another room, the basket goes with me. Same for when I’m in the office. The basket goes along and gets filled in there. Saves me steps and keeps the ‘stuff’ in one pile so it doesn’t get misplaced before going where it needs to go.
I’m learning to do spot cleaning in the kitchen while using the microwave to heat up food. I wipe down places in the bathroom while I”m brushing my teeth. I guess I learned to be ‘one-handed’ while carrying a baby around on my hip and it never left me. ; >)
Thanks for all your tips, Jillee. I learn a lot coming here. Can’t wait to try the borax/vinegar combo in my toilet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A few things: I keep a container of cleaning wipes under the sink in the bathrooms, so when I’m brushing my teeth or waiting for the water for a tub, or even just have 3-4 minutes, I whip ’em out, wipe the toilet including under the rim and all around (I live with 3 males who don’t aim well), take another and wipe down the sink and countertop, and take a third to wipe down the hardwood floor, edges of cabinets, top of cabinets, and other spots where dust collects. Three wipes, about 3 minutes, and then I get to have my bath in a relatively gloriously clean bathroom.
I keep small packs of baby wipes in my car even though my sons are 10 & 12 – one in the front, and one in the middle back where they sit. I also keep a small container of q-tips. When I’m stopped at a light, or waiting in the pickup line, or waiting for the drive-thru, I wipe my dash, radio area, center console, and passenger seat, and then use the q-tips to get into the little bits and pieces. I also keep floss in the car – very handy :-)
Last thing – my kids and husband rarely use their napkins, or they’ll leave a paper towel in the kitchen that was used to cover something in the microwave, whatever. I hate throwing out mostly clean paper products, so I use those to hand wipe with Method the edges of the floor/cabinetry, the dishwasher handle, the top of the trashcan, etc.
Unfortunately I can’t seem to tackle the constant piles of clean and dirty laundry, the mess of my kids’ rooms, the clutter that everyone dumps everywhere, and the throw pillows tossed on the floor. So my bathrooms look good, but the rest of the house is a mess.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Dear Jillee,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am so glad I found your site. I would always do deep cleaning once a week. Un fortunately 2 years ago I had a knee replacement. It went horribly wrong,I have had 7 infections, and 8 surgeries. When I wasn’t in a nursing home,(horrible) . I came home ,and my WONDERFUL husband has had to do everything. Even being my nurse, and giving me intraveous antibiotics.
So many of your wonderful solutions have helped me do some things myself.
Thank you so much !!!
That’s wonderful! Congratulations and swift recovery. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’M OLD AND JUST PLAIN TIRED OF CLEANING PERIOD!!! SO MANY OF THOSE THINGS I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR 43 YEARS OF MARRIED LIFE. I NEED A BREAK. CAN I JUST QUIT CLEANING??? LOVE YOU JILLEE
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am with you Kathy! I am just not able to get down and clean like I use to. So I have hired cleaners to come in once every two weeks. i keep the clutter picked up; occasionally run a dust mop over my floors; Keep my kitchen clean by doing it each night after our evening meal; The girls that clean for me do all the scrubbing, mopping and hard work. Even though I have not found any cleaners that do as good a job as I used to do, I have learned to stop being so picky and the $55.00 I pay every two weeks is well worth skipping a couple of “eating out” nights to have a contented retirement!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I always tidy the bathroom while waiting for the bath water to run. I even try to get to the nitty gritty parts then when I isolate in that room.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Surprisingly you’ve nailed quite a few from the stand point of a professional home cleaner there! I can 100% confirm at least half of these! Before I started doing domestic cleaning prioritizing and building schedules was something I was absolutely unaware of, but once I had to manage my time from a professional point of view I realized via practice that having a plan, no matter if a regular domestic cleaning or end of tenancy, is simply Mandatory! Second of all – FUN. At a certain point me and my partner started to do these cleaners contests, simply to add the element of fun to our job and let me tell you – we really did manage to improve results and have a bit time left for rest! So yeah! If prioritizing, scheduling and gamification help us professional cleaners they will definitely help out average home owners clean.
Regards,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.JJ
Thanks for all of the NEGATIVES !!!!!’m
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I agree! A quarter?? My son would laugh at me! I’d say at least $8/hour. Our minimum wage in Ontario for students is over $10!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love you! #ireallydo
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a list of chores by day of the week. I will tell myself I can watch an episode of Criminal Minds (for example) after I do the daily chores.
Before I had a dishwasher I would tackle the dishes in 5 minute increments. I’d set the timer and see how fast I could do 5 mins. of dishes; it’s actually a surprising amount. I’d do something I’d enjoy and after a bit I would do another 5 minutes. ‘Cause how do you eat an elephant?…one bite at at time.
When my kids were little I would do a 5 minute run-around-like-crazy cleaning with them. I would set the timer and yell, “Banzai!” and we would pick up and put away at top speed.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ha ha! I love “Banzai Cleaning!” :-D
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Before my husband and I settle in for the night, we do the ‘ 10 minute tidy’, we put things away, get the dishwasher ready to run, recycle that last section of newspaper, etc. We can then both sit down and relax knowing there is no mess to see in the morning! We started doing this when the kids were little and it works for us now that they are grown!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas! But my teens want $10 an hr.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.To control crumbs, I constantly remind family members (read: teenagers) to eat over a plate and Hubby doesn’t allow eating in the family room at all.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use a straw broom to sweep the outside entryways of the house at the onset of every season. This removes cobwebs and dirt buildup. It’s amazing at what a little sweeping will do!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hiring teen help is a good idea, only pay them fairly. Then you have time for things only you can do ( like paperwork).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If I really don’t want to do a specific job (clearing cupboards/drawers) I give myself a time limit say 30 mins. Get bin bags, boxes (labelled donate/keep) ready. Set up an audiobook and put timer on for 30 mins. It’s amazing what I achieve when I Know there’s a limit to how long it will last. Often if I’m not done when the timer goes off I’ll finish anyway for the satisfaction of a job done.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When finished I get a reward, a chapter of a book I want to read, a craft project.
I recently invested in a rechargeable carpet sweeper as my vacuum was to heavy (I’m disabled) I leave it by my bedroom door at night. In the morning on my way to the bathroom I clean as I go. On the way back I did any bits I missed and do my bedroom.
Empty it, back on charge and I start the day with a clean home.
When going out I leave it near the front door. Come in, shoes off/away run carpet sweeper over entrance.
When radiators are on as I go out I put a few drops of Zoflora on a damp cloth and run over radiator. Come home to a lovely fresh, clean smell.
Great ideas! Thanks Lucy!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I enjoyed reading your tips
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I make my own organic cleaning supplies and try carrying a microfiber cloth in your pocket then just wipe the dust off when you see it. That way it never builds up.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A quarter is slave labor wages
I used a sprayer filled with 1/2 Dawn 1/2 white vinegar, a recipe from your recent blog. I sprayed on the tub and waited 1/2 hour. I never thought this tub would be clean again, but it worked beautifully. Here’s to letting a wait period do some of the work for me.
Another tip: Get a teen to help. I did. She had so much fun! I give her a quarter for each major job, plus a quarter for changing the cat’s four bowls of water, sweeping up cat food, and putting the dirty cat dishes to soak.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My granddaughter will do anything I ask but if I offered her a quarter to do a job I think she’d laugh at me …. I am pretty sure the going rate would be in dollars or 5’s of dollars
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I once asked my young daughter and her friend to pick every dandelion flower in our 30- by 40-foot back lawn and I’d give them a penny for each one. I ended up owing them more cash than I had on hand!
I was thinking the same thing. Teens here old not work for a quarter.