For countertops, your cleaning materials will depend upon your surface. For stone countertops like granite, quartz or marble, vinegar can etch the surface because of its acidity. You’ll also want to skip vinegar for wood or stainless steel. Countertops made of laminate or soapstone can be cleaned with the usual water-vinegar mixture or a multipurpose cleaner. This might include vacuuming rugs and carpets or wiping down windowsills or floorboards with soap and water. Cleaning is an important first step to make sure you remove most germs from surfaces in your home. Using household cleaners that contain soap or detergent will remove germs and dirt on surfaces and reduces risk of infection from surfaces in your home.
When cleaning a house before moving in, it is good to have a gameplan to make the job go more efficiently. We have laid out a general plan of which areas to clean first and you can adjust the schedule to your liking.
Then break out your vacuum’s crevice tool to get at the dirt in corners and along baseboards. If you have a hard floor, clean it with a microfiber mop and the appropriate cleaner for the surface.
For all its problems, the show Hoarders makes this perfectly clear. Learning how to clean your house fast can make your life a lot easier. It makes the annual spring clean take hours, rather than days, and reduces the amount of work you have to do. I either use a rag and multi-surface cleaner, or more often, I simply wet the hand towel that is in the bathroom to do a quick wipe down of the counters and the faucets. You can switch out your clothing based on the season, or go for a full purge and donate what you don’t need or wear anymore.
Warm & Cozy Fall Decor: Autumn’s in the Air Fall Home Tour
Spend a few minutes putting away things that were left out during the day. Straighten up the living room, clear off the bathroom counters, and put away clothes in the bedroom. Cleaning goes a lot more smoothly when you can sweep, vacuum, and wipe down everything quickly without having to put things away first. Plus, you’ll wake up to a tidy home rather than being bombarded by a pile of laundry or products scattered around the bathroom. Using a microfiber cloth, wipe down all your wood furniture, mantels, shelves and picture frames.
Weekly
Stick with this habit and you can get away with cleaning the tub and shower just once a month. Before you’re tempted to pull out the vacuum for a quick clean, shake crumbs, dust, and pet hair on the floor. When you have more time be sure to check out my tutorial for cleaning a front load washer, top load washer, dryer, or how to clean a keurig with vinegar. If time allows, remove all items from the cabinets and drawers, and wipe down the interior with a damp cloth. Remove any liners and replace them with new ones, if necessary. Organize the contents of the cabinets and drawers and throw away any expired or unused items.
Move or Secure Fragile Items
“Get rid of all the counter appliances to make it easier for you to get into every corner,” says King. Read more about move out clean here. “Remove all food and shelving to wipe down the interior with an all-purpose cleaner; this is the only way to clean these kitchen areas truly,” he adds. Cleaning windows is fairly simple, and the payoff is huge. Then spritz the window with glass cleaner from top to bottom. Let the cleaner do its thing for a minute, then squeegee it off.
