There are all sorts of cleaning strategies that people use when deciding what needs to be cleaned and when. You might prefer to do all your cleaning in one long session, while someone else may choose to do a little bit every day instead.
And for the most part, these cleaning strategies are just a matter of preference and convenience. There aren’t very many right and wrong answers when it comes to cleaning, but there are certain strategies that can save you a considerable amount of time and effort!
We’ll be talking about one of those strategies in today’s post. Because I think we can all agree that when it comes to cleaning, we’d all like to be done with it as soon as possible! :-)
The Biggest Mistake People Make While Cleaning
The biggest mistake you can make with regards to cleaning is failing to work efficiently. If you aren’t working efficiently, you’re likely wasting time and effort, especially because it often results in repeating steps you’ve already done.
For the most part, one of the most efficient ways to clean a room is to work from top to bottom. The top-to-bottom approach is a favorite of professional cleaners because it’s an easy way to make sure you never have to clean something twice.
When you clean a room from top to bottom, you work with gravity instead of against it. You start with the tallest surfaces first and allow dust and dirt to collect on the floor, and you don’t clean the floors until you’re done with absolutely everything else.
Let’s go over the process step-by-step!
How To Clean Any Room From Top To Bottom
Step 1 – Dust
Start by dusting the tallest surfaces in the room, like the tops of cupboards and bookcases. Continue dusting, moving to lower and lower surfaces until you’re done.
Step 2 – Clean
Next, wipe things down as necessary, again working around the room from top to bottom. If surfaces have dust or dirt on them, feel free to sweep it off onto the floor.
More Ideas You'll Love
Step 3 – Floors
Once everything has been dusted or wiped down and the room is as clean as you’d like it to be, then you can tackle the floors. Use your vacuum or broom to pick up all the loose dust, dirt, and hair you swept onto the floor earlier.
And just like that, you’re done! :-) No more accidentally pushing dust around the room or knocking crumbs onto your clean floor.
3 Bonus Tips For Cleaning Even More Efficiently
Tip #1 – Stick To Your Plan
When a cleaning session takes longer than I anticipated it would, I can usually chalk it up to my own distractibility. I often get distracted by side projects while I clean, and it can take me a while to get myself back on track.
But if I start my cleaning session with a plan to stick to the top-to-bottom strategy, it’s easier to stay on track. So set your plan beforehand and then stick to it!
Tip #2 – Clean Your Vacuum Filter(s)
Some people worry that by vacuuming the floors last, the vacuum will just end up kicking up dust onto the clean surfaces. This may have been an issue back when vacuums weren’t very good at holding onto dust and dirt, but modern models have a variety of filters that help keep that dirt trapped inside.
However, your vacuum may start to struggle to keep dirt contained if those filters get too dirty. Many vacuums these days have washable filters, so all you need to do is clean them regularly! (Check your owner’s manual for specifics on how and when to clean your filters.)
Tip #3 – Combine Strategies
Ready to take your cleaning game to the next level? Try combining the top-to-bottom strategy with the follow-the-wall cleaning strategy.
More Ideas You'll Love
Before you know it, your cleaning routine will be so efficient that you won’t even know what to do with all the time you’ve saved! ;-)
Do you have a favorite cleaning tip that saves you time or energy?
Great ideas to clean up room from top to bottom. Daily cleanups are necessary for health and the environment. So, some have no time to clean properly. There are many housekeeping services providers to clean up homes properly. Firstly try to ourself to clean up homes and If you have no time or you haven’t clean up properly then contact housekeeping services.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do you know of ANY way to use a carpet kicker (other than the way they tell you). I am not strong enough to use my knees to stretch the carpet right at the front door. The contractor put the new carpet right up to the front door. I need to cut a 4’x4′ of carpet and replace it with water prof slated flooring. I have everything I need, but I know I can’t use the carpet kicker. I was thinking of just hitting it with a large hammer. My husband died on 8/6/19 and I just can’t do the things that need to be done. Any suggestions?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you have some extra money try to find a handyman/woman who does not mind doing small jobs. It will not be easy as they like large undertakings to make more money. As winter has arrived, perhaps those who usually do large outside maintenance might take on your entryway. We did the same thing when we took up all our carpeting and had our floors sanded and polyurethaned. We had the fake tile installed in our front entryway. I pour some “Restore a Floor,” polish on that tile once every few months.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Here’s a tip of you don’t like cleaning – clean often. It sounds co unterintuitive, but even if all you do is a quick clean of the floors, This will reduce the dirt and dust in your house and you won’t have to dust as often. My husband is a stay-home so takes care of the daily upkeep of the house. He is good about doing the light cleaning and taking care of visible dirt. I’m the deep-cleaner but dnt have time to keep my house spotless. His daily light cleaning and spot cleaning keeps the house in decent condition until I can give things a good scrubbing.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Several years ago I worked as a booking agent for a Maid Service and I would ask our clients to go through and do a ‘tidy up’ the day before their Maid arrived (it would save them money as they were paying by time). I use this strategy for myself today as I feel my time is valuable too. If I do a ‘tidy up’ BEFORE I clean, it makes my chores so much easier and I’m less likely to get distracted. I also use the strategy of hug-the-wall, or working-in-a-circle. I start either left or right of the door leading into the room, dust (top to bottom) working my way around the room. I also use a SLIGHTLY damp cloth for dusting (no chemicals) and this picks up the dust and keeps it in the cloth. When I vacuum, I start at the area furthest from the door and vacuum my way out. DONE!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The question to vacuum first or last seems to be an ongoing discussed issue over the decade. I guess it would depend. I have a fairly new house which doesn’t appear to get much dust. Also, I guess it would depend on how often you vacuum and if the floors are carpet or another material. Personally, I do the floors last simply because that makes sense to me. I do clean from the top down and one wall at a time. The ceiling fan and or lights comes first. I use the Swiffer 6′ extender wand to wipe the walls and then clean everything on that wall before moving around the room to the next wall. Items in the center of the room are dusted or polished last and then the floors are tackled. I also only have carpet in the bedrooms and that may help to keep the dust down. I have recently finished my Fall cleaning and found that handy horizontal blind wiper to be a blessing. The one where you can clean 2 blinds top and bottom at a time. I just got tired and bored of cleaning each blind one at a time and found this to be a big help. For those who get distracted easily when cleaning, I put the radio on and am entertained by a talk show. Before I know it, my project is accomplished. Happy Fall!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I agree with top to bottom except when you need to use a vacuum. Using a vacuum raises dust so I do tat first then go top to bottom. If you are moping the floor, no problem.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.YES! I always vacuum the room first in carpeted rooms, then start dusting/cleaning from top to bottom afterwards. I also use old white socks spritzed with cleaner on a broom to dust the woodwork along the floor and doorways.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A vacuum with a clean filter shouldn’t kick up any dust!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve developed a new system when cleaning. A HONEY DO LIST AND A HONEY DID LIST. I live alone with my dog. I tend to stray from my list and then by the end of the day got really disappointed that I didn’t get all my jobs done. So now when cleaning, I keep track of the things I did and feel better that I truly did get things accomplished. It doesn’t solve all the chores but I feel better in knowing that I didn’t totally waste my day or time.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.“Once everything has been dusted or wiped down and the room is as clean as you’d like it to be, then you can tackle the floors. Use your vacuum or broom to pick up all the loose dust, dirt, and hair you swept onto the floor earlier.”
So, if you’re using a broom, aren’t you stirring the dust up and put it back on shelves and so on?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.As long as you’re not whipping the broom around, you shouldn’t be stirring up much dust. I’m more concerned about the dust from the shelves falling onto the floors, but do what makes sense to you! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.