The Secret To A Cleaner Home? Use Your Five Senses

From spring cleaning to five-minute cleaning hacks, I’ve covered a lot of cleaning-related ground over the years, but I’m still discovering brilliant new tips and ideas all the time! I recently came across a tip called the “five senses cleaning method” that I immediately knew I had to share with you because you can never have too many tricks for making housework easier!

This sensory cleaning method is super simple and can easily be spread across the five-day workweek. By allowing your senses to contribute to the way you clean, you can ensure your efforts make a noticeable difference!

Jillee’s Take:

This cleaning hack could be especially useful for those who find getting started to be the hardest part. It can give you a clear idea of where to focus your efforts and how to break up the work so you never feel overwhelemed.

What Is The Five Senses Cleaning Method?

This cleaning method asks you to rely on your senses to direct your attention while cleaning your home. One way to do this is to pick one of your senses per day and use that sense to identify things and areas that need cleaning.

Below, you’ll find a brief list of examples of cleaning tasks associated with each of the senses. (This isn’t an exhaustive list — just a few ideas to help you get started!)

1. Sight: What Can You See?

• Hazy or smudged windows? Wash the windows to brighten up the whole house.
• Mop the floors to eliminate grime and scuff marks.
• Clean light fixtures to get rid of dust that can dim your light sources.
• Address necessary fixes and minor repairs that catch your eye.
• Erase soap scum and hard water stains to make your shower walls and doors sparkle.

2. Sound: What Can You Hear?

• Use WD-40 to silence squeaky hinges, drawers, and sliding doors.
• Fix a dripping faucet by tightening the handle or replacing worn washers.
• Clean a gurgling drain so it drains more quietly.

3. Smell: What Can You Smell?

• Clean your garbage disposal to eliminate unpleasant odors.
• Clean smelly trash cans.
• Freshen up car seats and floor mats with an easy-to-make car upholstery cleaner.
• Musty-smelling linens? Strip your towels or sheets to eliminate odor-causing buildup.
• Deodorize shoes that are stinking up closets or storage areas.

4. Taste: What Can You Taste?

• Clean your fridge to prevent unintentional transfers of odors and flavors.
• Clean your coffee maker for a better-tasting morning cup.
• Purge the pantry of stale or expired foods.
• Clean the oven to prevent burnt food residues from affecting the flavor of your food.

5. Touch: What Can You Feel?

• If your towels feel stiff, starchy, or scratchy, restore their fluffiness with a simple laundry treatment.
• Wash your throw blankets to keep them soft.
• Wipe down greasy surfaces in the kitchen.
• Remove sticky residue from wood floors to make walking around barefoot more pleasant.

Conclusion

Getting in touch with your senses is a great way to identify tasks that are easily overlooked during your usual cleaning routine. Try this method to see, smell, hear, taste, and touch your way to a cleaner home!

What other tasks would you add to these lists?