4 speed CLEANING tips

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 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 home - everything in life seems fresher.

These 4 speed cleaning tips will help you get the dirty jobs done right - and fast!

1 Shift into High-Gear by Stocking Up Your Cleaning Supplies

Stock your cleaning supplies in a portable caddy that can quickly move with you from room to room.

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.

2 Break Down Your Weekly Cleaning Routine into Smaller Daily Tasks

Break down the big jobs into small, manageable tasks and tackle them day by day. For example, 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.

3 Change Your House Cleaning Focus Weekly

You can also quicken the pace of your weekly 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 in the tub or shower. Then go read the mail or relax; return to flush the toilet and wipe clean the countertops and tub 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.)

4 Don't Feel Guilty About Skipping Cleaning Every Now and Then

If you've got better things to do this week - or you simply can't summon the energy for housework - 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.