Jen's Cleaning Hacks
Alright, now you probably all know that organization is one of my greatest loves. With that, organization can’t be fully accomplished without harmonizing it with a clean space. In today’s blog, we are going to take a break from the organization talk and focus on all the cleaning hacks that have become part of my regular routine. Cleaning can be a daunting task so here are some of my favorite ways to make the process efficient and manageable.
Set A Weekly Cleaning Schedule
This one might come as an obvious. With that, I am a firm believer that cleaning doesn’t need to be a 4-6 hour commitment, taking over your entire Sunday afternoon and evening. I love the method of figuring out a schedule that allows you to clean no more than 30-45 minutes a day. Not only do I feel like my space regularly stays cleaner, but it also feels more manageable to commit to a smaller quantity of time more often. The schedule itself will look different for everyone based on their family, space, and time. Just to build a little inspiration, here is the schedule I work off of:
Monday- Kitchen
Tuesday-Laundry
Wednesday-Bathrooms
Thursday-Living Room
Friday-Bedroom(s)
Saturday-Game Room
Sunday-Overall Zhuzh (aka me going through each room and making sure everything is in it’s space)
Obviously the time commitment and cleaning needs will vary week to week, but building a general structure for yourself will help you set up a sustainable routine to follow. From here, you can level up your cleaning schedule by setting up a checklist. It can be easy to forget about steps when you’re in the process of cleaning, so having a checklist can make the process even more efficient and methodical. Here is an example of the checklist you might work off of for your bathrooms:
Scrub Toilets
Wipe Mirrors
Clean out Medicine Cabinet
Wipe Down Sink
Scrub Shower
Vacuum First, Then Scrub Floor
Assemble Your Cleaning Kit
If you have read any of my kitchen or under-the-sink blogs or watched my under-the-sink reels, you probably know I like to have a zone for my cleaning kit. Having all of my go-to cleaning supplies in one area is such a game changer! So what exactly should one keep in their cleaning kit? Just like everything else, the answer is ultimately up to you, based on your preferences and space’s needs. Here is a tentative cleaning kit checklist you can work off of:
Floor Cleaner
Window Cleaner
Bathroom & Kitchen Cleanser
A Natural & All-Purpose Cleanser
Baking Soda & Vinegar
A Set Of Tools (A lot of these tools, like vacuums and mops, will have to be stored elsewhere)
Bye Bye Pet Hair
Does anybody else feel like their space is 50 times cleaner just by removing pet hair? As most of you know after reading my previous Pet Storage blog, I love my dogs so much. With that, pet hair accumulates quickly and can take over your entire space. By having an easy pet hair removal system, your entire space will transform. One of my favorite tools to remove pet hair is this Pet Hair Remover from Amazon. It’s such an easy and quick way to remove pet hair from your surfaces. Looking for a DIY hack instead? If you wear rubber household gloves and run them over the surface of your furniture, the rubber will cause the hair to ball up, making it easy to throw away.
Don’t Forget The Dishwasher
Dishwashers can be so useful (far beyond just cleaning dishes). It’s a go-to of mine for dusting off ceramics or glassware. A lot of light fixtures are even safe to use in the dishwasher! You can even run a dry cycle to reduce spots. Aside from the luxury items that you never want going in your dishwasher, it’s an easy and quick lifehack for a good amount of your items.
Now that you have used the dishwasher to clean, it’s time to actually clean the dishwasher. If you have hard water and there is a build up of mineral deposits or it’s starting to smell a little musty, white vinegar will be your best friend. Simply put a glass measuring cup with two cups of white vinegar on the top rack and run it through a complete cycle (without any additives).
Another option if your dishwasher is starting to smell is using baking soda. All you need to do is measure out one cup of baking soda and sprinkle it across the bottom of the dishwasher. Try to run it on the hottest water setting possible. This will leave your dishwasher fresh-smelling and bright!
Clear Out Cabinets & Drawers
While we are going through our cleaning checklist, it can be easy to forget about inside cabinets and drawers. When it comes to organizing, nobody wants to organize a dusty kitchen drawer with crumbs all over. You can easily use the hose of the vacuum to clean out the drawer. If you are looking for a quick level up, I am obsessed with this Handheld Vacuum. I even dedicated my recent tik tok to how much I love it! This can also be used for furniture as a second step for getting rid of pet hair.
Give Your Electronics A Little TLC
I am convinced that electronics tend to get ignored, and are a common spot for germs to gather. I love using microfiber cloths because they are perfect for devices, since they are softer and won’t scratch the surfaces. Electronics can be tricky so you have to be extra mindful which cleaning products you’re using. In my opinion, the best route is to dampen a cloth with a mixture of water and rubbing alcohol. Use this mixture to clean off electronics' surfaces.
Spend Some Time On The Walls
Walls are another area that I don’t think we naturally consider when building out our cleaning checklist. With that, I promise you, once you do clean them, your home will be elevated immediately. Before you start scrubbing away, make sure you thoroughly dust your walls. You can easily use a handheld vacuum for this step (I told you it was a game changer). For hard to reach places, I love to use an extendable duster. Once you have dusted, it’s time to determine the type of paint you have (so you don’t damage the paint when cleaning).
Steps For Latex-Painted Walls
Create your cleaning solution. In one bucket, add one teaspoon of all-purpose cleaner per quart of warm water. The second bucket will be filled with clean water.
Dip microfiber cloths into your cleaning solution (wring out until there is no dripping). Starting at the top of the wall, do small circular motions until you reach the bottom.
Continue until your walls are soapy and sparkling (make sure to rinse cloth often).
Dip a second cloth in the clean water bucket and wring until the cloth is nearly dry. Rinse away any soapy residue as you move down the wall.
If you have areas with extra scuff, you can dip the soapy cloth in baking soda to give said area a little extra love.
Steps For Oil-Based Painted Walls
Create your cleaning solution. In one bucket, mix one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar per quart of warm water. The second bucket will be filled with clean water.
Dip microfiber cloths into your cleaning solution (wring out until there is no dripping). Starting at the top of the wall, do small circular motions until you reach the bottom.
Continue until your walls are soapy and sparkling (make sure to rinse cloth often).
Dip a second cloth in the clean water bucket and wring until the cloth is nearly dry. Rinse away any soapy residue as you move down the wall.
For extra stubborn areas, use a magic eraser.