Cleaning is important but can sometimes feel like a stressor in everyday life. Sometimes time is not enough, especially when other things crowd in. Here we share our best tips for cleaning the whole house quickly and efficiently without burning out.
Last edited May 20, 2024
Sure, it's satisfying to clear out cupboards and drawers, wipe with soap and cloth and feel that there is order and clean and nice, but life isn't like that all the time. We don't feel good with too much dirt and mess at home but we also don't feel good when cleaning becomes a stress, an obligation in everyday life.
You probably recognize situations such as when exams are too close together and the hours are not quite enough for "studying", or that the children are sick, or do not sleep at night or when the house is to be repainted... then it is easy for the cleaning not to happen and this is perfectly okay. Such is life! But then comes an opportunity when things have to be sorted out and cleaned up and then it is important not to take too much on so that you burn out. Here are my best tips on how to clean the whole house at lightning speed.
1. Explain the situation to the family. It takes one person a very long time to clean up everywhere BUT if you all help each other, it will be done in a shorter time and you can then do something else.
*Feel free to set a goal. For example: If we all help to clean up then we can buy ice cream later or watch a movie.
*Divide the home into areas so that everyone is responsible for their own room.
*Explain the work order.
2. Start by sorting:
* Dirty laundry to the laundry - Clean clothes are hung away. The hall is often a problem. Make sure the family doesn't have all their stuff in the hall. Slalom boots and hiking boots probably don't need to be visible. Put/hang away in the storage room and it will immediately be easier to clean.
* Sort paper, glass, household waste - throw away everything that should be thrown away. Advertising, old envelopes, cardboard boxes and other paper are collected and sorted. Throw away other rubbish and sort any deposit bottles.
Dishes are placed in the dishwasher and start the dishwasher. Now carry out ALL sorting, laundry and rubbish, including the waste basket in the bathroom and if there are waste paper baskets in other rooms.
When this is done in all rooms - FEEL THE DIFFERENCE. The worst is over and together it doesn't take long at all.
3. Now it's time to clean. And now it depends of course on how much time you have for cleaning at lightning speed but do what you/you can.
Start by mixing soap spray and picking up cloths. We at Västerbottenssåpa have developed soap spray for kitchen, living room and bathroom. It's a good idea to have one of each type ready.
Start at the top, wipe all table surfaces and counters clean. Wipe off any sticky children's chairs and you use soap spray and a soft cloth for the kitchen doors. You can spray the hob and leave it for a while and the soap will do its job ;)
If you have time, wipe down skirting boards, bookshelves and so on ... but you know what? If you are in a hurry, it is not the end of the world. You can do that another day.
4. Toilet - a very important area for the home to feel clean and nice. So start by cleaning the toilet. Feel free to use bathroom soap in the toilet bowl and "gnaw" with the toilet brush. Feel free to let a little soap sit in the toilet to dissolve anything that has stuck. If you have a toilet where the seat can be easily removed, my best tip is to remove it, put it on the shower floor and clean it with soap and water. Our bathroom soap as a spray is excellent for the porcelain. Never use the same cloth for other rooms, have a special cloth for cleaning the toilet. Professional cleaners use pink/red cloths only for toilets (a color code ;) ) this way you don't risk spreading bacteria in the house. Now you spray the sink and faucets with soap spray and wipe. Done!
5. The floors. Now your floors probably don't look that fun! When you wipe from above, everything ends up on the floors. If you are now in a "time crisis" you just run the vacuum cleaner through the house and voila, the whole house looks cleaned in lightning speed.
If you have a little more time, you mop the floors after you have vacuumed. A little of our pine-scented soap in the bucket and the house feels "super clean". If you have plastic or parquet floors, be sparing with the water and soap, not much is needed for that type of floor.
6. If there is a little time left, my "top notch tip" is to wipe the mirrors and faucets with window cleaner and soft cloth - it makes that little extra difference.
Well then! The house is cleaned and you can calmly lean back or welcome the guests if it was now so that the cleaning was needed for an invitation or party.
You can take care of the oven, floor drains and windows another time ;)
Regards Sara
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Questions and Answers
1. How can you streamline cleaning when you're short on time?
Explain the situation to the family and divide the work. Set a common goal, such as buying ice cream or watching a movie afterwards, to make cleaning more fun and faster.
2. Which areas in the home are most important to focus on when cleaning quickly?
Focus on sorting dirty laundry, throwing away rubbish, cleaning surfaces, and thoroughly cleaning the toilet. Vacuum or mop the floors for a quick and visible improvement.
3. What tips are there for keeping floors clean when you have little time?
Vacuum the floors for a quick cleaning. If you have more time, mop the floors with a little soap in the bucket. Be sparing with water and soap on plastic or parquet floors.
4. Which products do we recommend for quick and efficient cleaning?
We recommend our specially adapted soap sprays for kitchen, living room and bathroom. They are easy to use and tough on dirt. For floor cleaning, our pine-scented soap is perfect for giving the home a fresh feel. For glass, we definitely recommend this spray.
With the help of the Västerbotternssåpa range, you can ensure that the whole house is clean and that it smells lovely!