Are you stuck mostly at home this summer? With the kids not being in school or at camp activities, you might need extra help maintaining some order and a modest level of cleanliness. Honestly, the best thing would be just hiring a regular cleaner, but if that’s not on the cards for you, don’t worry. We still got you. We have amazing cleantastic ideas for your home this summer that will make daily chores more bearable and minimise the mess.
Design a cleaning flowchart
This sounds a bit fancy, but actually it can help you so much with organising your way through chores and cleaning tasks. It helps you visualise the process and each step to logically complete it with maximum efficiency. Yeah, we know that’s something you are more likely to hear in a corporate meeting, but maybe now we are truly speaking your language. Every house cleaning process should start with decluttering. Free space, get rid of unwanted and unnecessary items. Start the tasks that don’t require you to be there until they are complete – the laundry, the dishwasher, defrosting, etc. Then move on to the kitchen or the bathroom. Those are the places that would take the most time to be cleaned.
Stack on antibacterial cleaning wipes
Cleaning wipes can be real lifesavers. They are easy to use and perfect for quick cleaning of spills and new stains. They also provide a layer of protection against bacterial contamination. Be aware, though, that they cannot replace proper cleaning and disinfection. You will need an appropriate cleaning agent, some scrubbing and a quality disinfectant on all your high-traffic areas once a week.
Cover the stoves with tin foil
Cooking a lot? That must mean you find yourself having to scrub the stoves almost all the time. Why don’t you save yourself the hassle and cover them with a tin foil. It won’t hurt anyone, but it will protect the aluminium surface from burnt-ons, food residue and stains. When you do your weekly clean, you can remove the foil, give the area a gentle wiping and replace again. Voila! Life can be simple if you make it so.
Put doormats at the garden door
If you have a garden and a carpet in the room leading to it, doormats on the entrance/exit are compulsory. It is likely that there will be a lot of traffic in and out, and that’s a tried and tested recipe for ruined carpets unless you take precautions. In addition to the doormat, it is worth having a small shoe cupboard or a box with one pair of flip-flops for each family member, which they can pick when going out and put back in when returning to the house. Saves you the trouble of washing carpets when you really could be doing something else.
Vacuum daily
Vacuuming daily will help you maintain a healthy environment for your family, especially if you have young children or a baby. This also protects your carpet to a certain extent. While a vacuum cleaner cannot get rid of 100% of the trapped germs, allergens and dust mites in your carpet, it could do so for about 95%. The remaining invisible dirt will have to be cleaned by a professional at least twice a year. When you make the effort to vacuum every day, this will also prompt you to tidy up the floor and your surroundings.
Keep a cleaning diary
It’s easy to get lost when it comes to house chores and you have other commitments to take care of. Or it could feel like you are in a constant rolling wheel and chasing your tail with cleaning. Bring more structure into tasks by keeping a cleaning diary. Write when you last descaled the shower head, when you cleaned the oven, when you organised the pantry, etc. This will give you a much clearer view on when you need to do it next. And it will help you plan your time as you can fit a specific task into your daily or weekly schedule.
Make your own air fresheners
Bad smells are the worst during hot weather. To avoid lingering odours at home you can create your own eco-friendly air freshener. You will need a couple of your favourite essential oils, some water, bamboo or wooden sticks and a jar. Add 10-20 drops of the oil (depending on the intensity you want to achieve) and fill up the rest of the jar with purified water. If you have a tumble dryer with a water condensing container, that’s even better. Condensed water retains more of the essential oil scent. Put the wooden sticks in the jar and your homemade, eco-friendly, super refreshing air freshener is ready.
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