This is the Best Way to Get the House Clean
Simple. Easy. Quick. These are the words most people want to home in on when cleaning anything in their house. And let’s be real — we don’t all have smart vacuums. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.
We’ve gone ahead and compiled some tips and tricks to help you clean your house from room-to-room, and do it all with ease. Keep reading!
What Do I Do First?
Routine, Routine, Routine
- You can potentially cut cleaning time in half by setting up a cleaning system and schedule for yourself. This could look like cleaning the bathroom every Saturday and vacuuming the living room every Sunday, cleaning the entirety of the house once every month, etc.
- Consistency is key.
- Work one room at a time. Start and finish cleaning at the same spot in a room.
Supplies at The Ready
- Before you start cleaning the house one room at a time, have all your cleaning essentials ready to go at arm’s reach. This might look like placing the things you need in a caddy, bucket, or tool belt with multiple pockets.
- We recommend having laundry supplies ready to go, like essential oil-infused linen spray for fabrics between washes, some premium wool dryer balls for reducing the drying time of your laundry along with laundry detergent pacs and fabric softener.
- We also recommend having your cleaning solutions ready, too, like some ultra-absorbent towels and a kit with window & mirror cleaner, a bathroom & tile cleaner, and a multi-surface cleaner.
Top to Bottom, Left to Right
- Wipe the ceiling fan first before you wipe the coffee table underneath. Or, ever vacuum the carpet first and then wipe the blinds just to realize the ick and grime from the blinds have settled right on top of your freshly cleaned carpet? Yeah. That’s a royal pain. Don’t add even more to your cleaning routine. We want to simplify, remember?
- When you clean left to right (like reading a book), you can ensure that you’re getting to all the little bits and pieces of your space rather than going back and forth haphazardly. This tactic will also help cut down on the time you spend cleaning.
Speed Clean on the Regular
- So, you’ve got your routine locked and loaded. Want to simplify even more? If you want to cut down on your regularly scheduled house scrubbing, all you have to do is give it a once-over every couple of weeks. Don’t get caught up in catch-up cleaning to-dos when you could be relaxing in your squeaky clean house instead.
- Some other cleaning supplies that might come in handy include:
- Baking soda
- Broom
- Brush with stiff bristles (for that hard-core scrubbing)
- Dish soap
- Wiping cloths (cotton works best)
- Gloves to protect your hands
- Mop
- Vacuum
- Sponges
- Telescoping pole for high & hard-to-reach spaces
- Vacuum cleaner with extension accessories
- White vinegar
Ready to start cleaning?
The Bedroom
Declutter the closet. It’s time to sort through that hefty wardrobe and ask yourself the age-old question: Does this bring me joy? And then a few other questions like - 1) Does it fit? 2) Is it flattering on me? 3) Have I used it in the past year? If the answer is “I don’t think so” to any of these, consider donating your old fits to a local charity or clothing drive or try selling them.
Throw bedding in the wash (includes shams, duvet covers, bed skirts, etc). If you have old traditional cotton sheets, you probably didn’t know that there’s a much better option out there, especially in terms of cleanliness. Cotton is heavy and soaks up moisture, but bamboo viscose blended sheets are lightweight and thermal regulating, meaning they can wick away moisture for a cooler night’s sleep (no more night sweats!). Not to mention they are also hypoallergenic. That means they can ward off common non-living allergens while also keeping bedding cleaner for longer.
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Here’s a little pro-tip for all you cleanly folk out there: our Cosy Luxury Pillowcases, Duvet Covers, Comforters, and Fleece Blankets (plus other Cosy House bedding) are all machine washable and dryer-friendly.
Flip the mattress. You can freshen up your mattress by spreading around some baking soda on top, letting it sit for 45 minutes to an hour, and vacuuming it back up. Try a mattress protector, too. After flipping, put one on your mattress before any other bedding to ward off common household non-living allergens and expand the life of your mattress.
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Another pro-tip for you speed-demon cleaners: Foam shaving cream can potentially remove mattress stains. Let some sit on your mattress for 15 minutes, then wipe it off with a dampened rag dipped in a half water/half vinegar mixture.
Wipe surfaces (window treatments, headboards, ceiling fans, etc) that haven’t been wiped in a while. Those neglected surfaces are calling out to you - “Clean me!” Over time, a lot of dirt and loose particles can collect on your lonely headboards and ceiling fans. Don’t leave them hanging!
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Here’s yet another fun trick: You can use an old pillow sham to remove a lot of particles from your ceiling fans by sliding each blade in and out of the sham, then wiping them again with a damp rag or cloth. You’ll also prevent the dirty particles from falling onto your bed and/or floor this way.
Vacuum or mop under furniture (includes under beds and behind dressers). Your corners and baseboards need a little extra TLC. And for some more easy-peasy-ness during your cleaning endeavors, try putting a mop head on your vacuum cleaner attachment or telescoping pole to reach underneath furniture that is too heavy to move.
The Kitchen
Wipe down every surface. Dampen your cloth or rag and wipe all the surfaces in your kitchen. Check the inside and outside of cabinet doors, the tops, sides, and bottoms, the top of the fridge, the inside of the sink, the handles, the knobs on the stove, etc. Scrub the stovetop and the vent or range hood. Go over these surfaces with your favorite cleaner or disinfectant. Wipe, wipe, wipe!
Clean out the fridge and defrost the freezer. Check your fridge for any expired foods and toss those first. Then, go through and remove all the items inside your refrigerator (including the freezer) so you can wipe down all the surfaces and remove any spills, stains, or food debris. Start at the top and work your way down. Don’t forget to disinfect!
Throw out old sponges. It’s a no-brainer that old sponges can get pretty, well, gross. Replace your sponges regularly, and you can also try disinfecting them every couple of days by letting them soak in a bleach-water solution (¾ cup bleach to 1 gallon of water) for five minutes. Silicone scrubbers are reusable options that might be a bit more mindful and less icky, too.
Reorganize the pantry. If you’re into details and ease of access, you’ll appreciate this next cleaning tip. Remove the items from your pantry, wipe down the inside surfaces (including the sides, doors, and handles), and then put some bins or organizing baskets in there. You can place all your baking items into one bin or basket, all your spices in another, and so on. You’ll have everything you need ready to grab off the shelf whether you’re baking a pie or spicing up that morning avocado toast.
Check the microwave and the oven. Your microwave and oven can get pretty nasty. For the microwave, mix a tablespoon of vinegar with a cup of water, and microwave it on high for five minutes, then wipe it away. For the oven, you can create your very own DIY Oven Cleaner. Mix 5 tablespoons of baking soda, 5 drops of dish soap, and 4 tablespoons of vinegar until it forms a paste. Rub it into the spots that need the most help, then let your mixture sit for a few minutes before scrubbing the messy areas with a sponge or brush that won’t scratch the oven surfaces.
The Living Room
Wash cushion covers & vacuum the spaces between your couch. Toss those shams and covers into the washing machine, and then grab your handy-dandy vacuum cleaner to get into the tiny crevices of the couch and love chairs. Crumbs and other particles love to make snuggly little homes in these nooks and crannies, so make sure you’re tackling those sneaky messes with a vacuum or other cleaning device that can reach.
Squeegee the windows and wipe them down. Grab a window squeegee and go to town on those streaky windows. All you need is a drop of dish soap in a gallon of water, a cloth, and your squeegee. From top to bottom, wipe your cleaning mixture on the windows, and then squeegee it off for a streak-free finish. Spray some of your Cosy Cleaning Essentials Window & Mirror Solution next for even more shine and then wipe with a cloth. Paper towels can leave a residue, plus, it’s better to go paperless with a cotton cloth that’s reusable and machine washable.
Wipe down the cabinets and decorum with a rag or cloth. A telescoping pole or vacuum cleaner extension attachment will come in handy here. If you have high ceilings or hard-to-reach surfaces or décor (maybe Grandma’s painting is at the tippy-top of the staircase - oh dear), you’ll need to clean these items with something that can reach. Don’t forget to launder your drapes, wipe down all the knickknacks, and clean any electronics you might have.
More laundry! If you have dirty decorative rugs, curtains, cushions, fabrics, or maybe even an accidental mishap on your carpet from Fido, we recommend using our mindfully crafted Oxi Boost Laundry Pacs. These pacs not only are approved by the EPA Safer Choice Program, but are also able to lift tough stains, eliminate odors, and bring life back to colors and whites. Here are just a few of the other super-duper key features and benefits:
The Bathroom
Spray down your tub, shower, sink, toilet, and floor. Use your favorite bathroom cleaner to spray each surface of the bathroom, letting it sit and soak for a bit before scrubbing with a brush and then wiping clean with an absorbent cloth.
Check corners, crevices, and gaps. The base of your toilet can be a haven for dirt and dribbles and grime. You can use some white vinegar on a clean rag to wipe down this buildup super easily and super quickly, too.
Disinfect! We all know it’s true - your bathroom can be a pretty messy place. Handles and doorknobs, especially, can be particularly “messy.” Give them a thorough cleaning with a multipurpose cleaner or wipe.
Check your cabinets and drawers. A lot of things can collect over time in those tiny spaces. Clear out the clutter, wipe down the surfaces, and reorganize. Check for any expired items and place any items you use the most near the front of the cabinets and drawers. Organization in these small ways can make for easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy daily routines and not to mention simplified cleaning.
Throw cloth curtains and rugs in the washing machine. Check care tags to make sure you wash your fabrics correctly. To stay away from wrinkling, use wool dryer balls with the dryer heat setting on low. If your shower curtain liner is made of plastic, you can still clean it in the washing machine on a cold setting and then hang it to dry.
What tips and tricks do you use to clean your house? Were any of our suggestions helpful? Let us know in the comments below. The Cosy community would love to hear from you!
Wondering where to get started with cleaning supplies or better bedding that stays fresher for longer? Click here to explore our Home and Bath essentials or click here to discover some new sheet sets that are sure to make cleaning your bedroom a breeze.
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