I’ve never been one to avoid hard work or shy away from a difficult project, but that doesn’t mean I won’t find ways to “work smarter, not harder” whenever I can! (Working smarter in certain areas frees up more of my time to devote to the projects I’m always finding for myself.) ;-)
More Ideas You'll Love
There are plenty of ways to adopt the mentality of working smarter, not harder when it comes to cleaning your home. With just a few seconds of extra effort, it’s fairly easy to keep your home clean longer than it would normally!
To show you what I mean, today I’ll be sharing 11 simple ways that a bit of “preventative cleaning” can help you keep your house clean longer. And if you know of any similar cleaning tips that aren’t listed here, please share them with us in a comment at the end of this post! :-)
Related: 11 Clever Cleaning Shortcuts That Will Save You So Much Time
11 Easy Ways To Keep Your House Clean Longer
1. Keep Cleaning Supplies Handy
Stock a couple of small caddies with microfiber cloths, then store them in high-traffic areas like your kitchen and bathroom. You’ll be more likely to take a moment to wipe up a mess if you have a clean cloth within arms reach!
2. Clean Glass Doors With Rain-X
Treat your glass shower enclosure with a water repelling spray like Rain-X to keep it clean longer. Any variety will work well, but Rain-X also makes a spray specifically for shower doors that can also prevent soap scum buildup and hard water stains.
3. No Shoes In The House
Instituting a simple “no shoes in the house” rule is one of the easiest ways to keep your house clean. Shoes track in dust, dirt, and debris, so keeping shoes at the doors can mean much less floor cleaning for you!
Keep shoe racks at the main doors in and out of your house as a helpful reminder.
More Ideas You'll Love
4. No Food In The Car
Alright, so technically your car isn’t part of your home… but if you’re anything like me, you spend a lot of time in the car too! And an easy way to keep your car cleaner is to have a “no food in the car” rule.
I’m not saying this rule is as easy to institute as the “no shoes in the house” rule, but the same principle applies here! If you don’t bring food into the car, you won’t have to deal with crumbs, spills, and other messes.
5. Use Tin Foil For Easy Cleanup
Post-meal cleanup is quick and easy when you line your baking sheets, casserole dishes, and other hard-to-wash items with tin foil before using them.
Just remove the tin foil, rinse the dish clean, and it’ll be ready to use again. That means no more 30-minute post-dinner pan scrubbing sessions!
6. Use Pillow & Mattress Protectors
Bulky items like pillows and mattresses take time and effort to clean. You can make it easier on yourself by getting some washable pillow protectors and a washable mattress protector!
That way, you can just remove the protectors and wash them whenever you wash your sheets. Your pillows and mattresses will stay clean and hygienic, and they’ll last a lot longer too!
More Ideas You'll Love
7. Rub Wax Paper On Stainless Steel
Many people with stainless steel fixtures in their kitchen swear by the power of wax paper! Rubbing wax paper over stainless steel leaves behind a thin, waxy barrier that helps repel water spots, fingerprints, and dust.
8. Prevent Dust With A Dryer Sheet
No matter how often you dust your baseboards, the dust always returns sooner than you’d like it to. But you can extend that dust-free period by wiping your clean baseboards down with a dryer sheet.
The dryer sheet will leave behind a thin layer of residue that repels dust and dirt, which will keep them clean longer! You can also use this method on furniture, decor, and more.
9. Clean As You Go
No one enjoys those marathon post-dinner cleanup sessions! One way to make dinner cleanup easier is to do more cleaning while you’re actually cooking.
Even doing simple things like rinsing out dishes as you use them and wiping up spills as they happen can make a big difference!
10. Always Check For Clutter
Every time you leave a room, do a quick check for clutter or anything that isn’t where it should go. If you see things you can replace on your way to the next room, take them along with you.
Clearing clutter a few items at a time will keep your house clean longer, and it only takes a few extra seconds to do it!
11. Close Your Shower Curtain
When you get out of the shower, make sure to pull the curtain closed to help the liner dry completely. Leaving the shower curtain open traps moisture in the folds of the liner, which could lead to mold and mildew growth (yuck!)
Do you do any “preventative cleaning” in your own home?
Categories
Cleaning Homekeeping
