Only 54 percent of Americans clean at least once every week, according to Visual.ly. The aversion to cleaning can be due to many factors. Some of us are tired from work, while others may have inherited an older property that is just too much trouble to clean at this point.
But all of those can be alleviated if we just know how to go about cleaning our homes more efficiently. So, here are three cleaning hacks to make home maintenance hassle-free.
Organize Smart, Not Hard
Sometimes, when people get it in their heads to reorganize their homes, they immediately jump to buying new containers as their first step. But if you do this without planning first, all of those extra boxes and bins are just going to add to the pile of clutter.
Your first step should identify which of your things you don’t need, and what habits generate more clutter.
Once you have figured those out, then it is time to get organizing tools that fit your needs. You should buy organizers that combine compact storage with ease of access. Vertical storage units are great for this.
Look for containers that double as other fixtures, such as a bookcase that can be used as a room divider. This is also an opportunity for you to find creative organizational uses for common household items.
For example, CD crates or spice racks can also serve as cosmetic racks in your bathroom. Applying some magnetic tape to makeup or other items lets you put them up on a magnetic board for easy access.
Clean More Frequently
This may seem slightly obvious, but cleaning messes as soon as you spot them lets you avoid long cleaning sessions later on. The key to this is to have the right cleaning solution for every situation on hand.
For some tasks, the solutions are fairly simple. Take laundry, for example. For many people, the main issue with laundry is that they often get stuck with a large pile and left with nothing to wear. The best way to fix this is to incorporate an “express” laundry bin.
This way you can immediately wash the clothes you need the most and be able to subtract a sizable chunk from your laundry pile.
Other cleaning tasks require a bit more know-how. Vinegar and baking soda can get almost every common stain off, but it is best to give it some fragrance such as lavender or rose oil. Baking soda is also a fantastic odor remover.
As for burners and other cooking appliances, soaking them in ammonia for a few hours helps get the burn stains off of the metal. Carpets and rugs are notoriously hard to clean without having to break out a cumbersome vacuum.
Fortunately, you can get a handheld carpet cleaner to remove dust and lint as soon as you detect them. Cleaning is less a matter of diligence and more of letting your tools do the work. So, find out what messes are prevalent in your home and the best ways to clean them up.
Take The Do’s And Don’ts Of Household Maintenance To Heart
We all know what they say about what an ounce of prevention outweighs. But how does that apply in practice to home maintenance? First, two doormats in the entryway are mandatory. One outdoors, and one indoors.
This creates a double-layered filter for dust and dirt. The entrance is one of the primary ways outdoor dirt gets in the house, so minimizing the chances of this happening is a good course of action.
Always use window cleaner, and never clean on hot days as a cleaner that dries too fast leaves stains. Put exhaust fans in the kitchen and laundry room to ensure indoor air quality. And regularly check your dryer hoses for lint, as these can become fire hazards with sufficient buildup.
Keeping a household clean and well-maintained is more of a test of skill rather than endurance. Not to mention, a clean home always makes for a healthy home.