Speed Cleaning Your Home

Cleaning supplies inside blue portable caddy.Stock speed cleaning supplies in a portable caddy.

Speed cleaning is the perfect solution for those times when you just don't have a lot of time to spend house cleaning. Quick house cleaning can actually lift your spirits almost as much as if you had chosen to do a deep house cleaning instead.

Why? Because when you have a clean house - everything in life seems fresher. These speed cleaning tips will help you get the dirty jobs done right - and fast!

Shift Into High-Gear by Stocking Up On Supplies

Shift into high gear by stocking up on cleaning products and supplies for the quick-and-dirty jobs that lie ahead. Gather cleaners, rags, paper towels, sponge, and scrub brush in the kitchen and bath so you won't have to backtrack between rooms to get what you need. 

By keeping a permanent stash of supplies in each of these rooms, you'll always be prepared to tackle those last-minute cleanups quickly and efficiently.

Break Weekly Cleaning Into Smaller Daily Tasks

For a clean house each week, break down the big jobs into small, manageable tasks, and tackle them day by day. Clean the microwave Monday, the toilet Tuesday. Mop the floors Wednesday, tackle the tub Thursday.

By Friday, your big target areas - the kitchen and bathrooms - are nearly done. A few minutes spent Friday on surface duty, and your home is clean - and the weekend is yours.

Change Your Speed Cleaning Focus Weekly

You can also quicken the pace of your speed cleaning routine by focusing on a different type of cleaning each week. Choose an all-purpose cleaner this Friday, and spend several minutes spritzing and wiping the main surfaces of your kitchen and bathroom.

Use a disinfectant cleaner next Friday, spraying on countertops, in toilets, and the tub or shower. Then read the mail or relax; return to flush the toilet and wipe clean the countertops and bathtub or shower.

Dust this week, vacuum the next. This simple routine means no juggling of cloths and paper towels, switching of spray bottles, or putting away of dust rags as you pull out the vacuum.

You focus on just one thing at a time. (For a definition of types of cleaners, check out cleaning products defined.)

If you've got better things to do this week - or you simply can't summon the energy for housework - even the speedy variety - it's OK to take a break from your cleaning routine.

Going two weeks between disinfecting and dusting won't cause any irreparable harm, and taking a rest - even from speed cleaning - may do you good.

Shop Essential Cleaning SuppliesShop Essential Cleaning Supplies


You Might Like These:

  • How can you manage all the daily challenge of family life and still squeeze in cleaning the house? Start by rethinking your household cleaning schedule.

    Household Cleaning Schedule for Busy Bodies

    How can you manage all the daily challenge of family life and still squeeze in cleaning the house? Start by rethinking your household cleaning schedule.

  • With the kids out of school for summer, chances are you'll have more messes to clean than usual. These easy summer cleaning ideas can help.

    Summer Cleaning Tips

    With the kids out of school for summer, chances are you'll have more messes to clean than usual. These easy summer cleaning ideas can help.

  • if you're like most people, you consider a reasonably clean home to be one of life's essentials. So with limited time available, why devote any more of it to cleaning than is absolutely necessary?

    Coming Clean at Home

    if you're like most people, you consider a reasonably clean home to be one of life's essentials. So with limited time available, why devote any more of it to cleaning than is absolutely necessary?

  • When killing surface germs is the name of the game, look for cleaning products that are certified germ-killers.

    Best Household Germ-Killers

    When killing surface germs is the name of the game, look for cleaning products that are certified germ-killers.

  • Store bought disinfecting wipes are simple to use and kill most bacteria and viruses. These ready made wipes are spendy, however. Fortunately you can make them at home for less.

    DIY Disinfecting Wipes

    Store bought disinfecting wipes are simple to use and kill most bacteria and viruses. These ready made wipes are spendy, however. Fortunately you can make them at home for less.

  • Allowance for kids chores: yes or no? There are many ways to motivate kids to help out around the house. Here are the basics to help you decide.

    Allowance for Kids Chores - Yes or No?

    Allowance for kids chores: yes or no? There are many ways to motivate kids to help out around the house. Here are the basics to help you decide.

  • It's summertime, and the living is easy. Cleaning should be easy as well, but often isn't. These home cleaning tricks can help pick up the pace.

    Summer Home Cleaning Tricks

    It's summertime, and the living is easy. Cleaning should be easy as well, but often isn't. These home cleaning tricks can help pick up the pace.

  • Cleaning brass is easy to do at home, thanks to the built-in germicidal and antimicrobial components. Here's how to use natural products for cleaning brass.

    Bright Ideas for Cleaning Brass

    Cleaning brass is easy to do at home, thanks to the built-in germicidal and antimicrobial components. Here's how to use natural products for cleaning brass.



Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.