Cleaning Tips for Moms
I recently had a fellow mom of four over for a playdate. She remarked that our house was significantly cleaner than her own. Don’t get this confused with my house was super clean or that we don’t have any marks on the walls. Trust me we could use some paint touch ups. However, I do try to keep it somewhat tidy and I do have a few tips for doing so that I thought I would share. As parents, I am sure you can relate to my feelings of irritation on trying to clean around the kids, along with the frustration of them undoing it all in 3 seconds. It’s already overwhelming, so hopefully these tips will help and you will be slightly less stressed during your endless cleaning goals. This list will not include help from your husband and children. If you aren’t making them help on your on accord, you are doing yourself a grave disservice. My two year old triplets will put toys in a box at the speed of lightning for one M & M. I guess technically that is a tip, but I won’t actually count it since it involves a bribe. Happy cleaning mamas!
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1. Pay someone else to do it for you.
I know this is not actually a tip, but it’s just a suggestion. Hear me out before you roll your eyes. This seems like an obvious choice, but most people feel as though they can’t afford this option. While having a cleaning service come in regularly may add up, I believe paying for a yearly deep clean is something that could be attainable for most and very well worth the money! Putting aside a little cash until you can afford it is usually doable. They get in places you don’t have time for and are trained to clean all the nooks and crannies you don’t even think about. Plus you leave and come home to a clean house for once. It’s amazing! If this is a no go please continue reading for some actual tips.
2. One room at a time.
Do NOT try to do too much at one time! There is never a time, not even a few minutes, that my entire house is completely clean. Take it slow and complete an entire room before moving on. I know how tempting it is to keep going on floors that run together, but focusing on one area of the house is more productive. Start in something small like a bathroom or the laundry room and work your way from top to bottom. In addition to staying in one room, also stay stocked in each room, so you don’t have to walk by the kids while praying they won’t ask for another snack. This means each bathroom has it’s own set of cleaning materials. Convenience is everything!
3. Declutter/purge/organize as you go.
When I clean a room I try to clean out as much as possible. With toddlers I am constantly setting aside the clothes/shoes that don’t fit anymore, along with the toys they have outgrown. Along with the obvious things, I also get rid of basically empty lotion bottles in the bathrooms, appliances/gadgets I never use in the kitchen, and just stuff that has become irrelevant to our household. There are so many organization tips and products available to accommodate your personal spaces. Have a yard sale, sell it on FB marketplace, take it to Goodwill, give it to a friend with younger kids…. just get rid of it! Being a minimalist frees up a lot of space.
4. Vacuum everything.
Many people think to only vacuum floors, but there are so many options with different height settings and multiple attachments. You can literally vacuum almost everything. This includes: blinds, windowsills, baseboards, tables, shelves, couches, underneath the couch cushions, etc. If you can reach behind, above, or underneath… vacuum it. I’ve been known to vacuum my picture frames using a small brush attachment, so when I say anything, I mean it. I know a lot of people have the robot vacs now, but that just means you probably don’t need anything top of the line, maybe even just some type of handheld. There are so many to choose from, so my advice would be to just keep it simple and within your budget. I don’t have anything super fancy, however a few perks of mine would be the washable filters, no bags necessary, front side bristles that get close to the wall, and a retractable cord (which has become a must have, if it’s not cordless). I will also list a handheld I’m keeping my eye on. It was recommended by a quad mama on IG.
Decent Vacuum cleaners:
Nice handheld:
5. Clean appliances/machines regularly.
This tip prevents things from getting smelly. The list includes: washer/dry, dishwasher, refrigerator, oven, microwave, garbage disposal, coffee maker, toaster, vacuum cleaner, and anything else of the like. By regularly I mean once a month, every other month, or possibly once a week depending on how frequently it’s used. Doing these things even every other month helps keep things from getting out of control and working properly. A lot of products can help make this simple and not super time consuming! The Tide Washing Machine cleaner is awesome
For the washer:
For the garbage disposal:
6. Line all the things.
A little trick I started after my first son taught me just how messy and gross mac-n-cheese could really be is one of the best things I ever started. Line the chair, floor, and the table/tray when having a particularly messy dinner, i.e. spaghetti. When the triplets were smaller and most of their food ended up on the floor I would sometimes use disposable tablecloths taped to the floor. If I’m being honest a lot still ends up on the floor at two years of age. The best thing for the table/highchair is Press N Seal. This won’t catch everything, but it will catch a lot of it and make cleanup easier. It doesn’t just apply to food, but also arts/crafts, playdough, and all things similar.
Press N Seal:
7. Folex or Ruggable.
For all things carpet related these are two things you need to know. Folex for carpet stains works wonders and not just on carpet. It has been used on upholstery and clothing in our house and 95% of the time it gets the stain completely out.
Folex:
Ruggable is a company that manufactures area rugs that are stain resistant and MACHINE WASABLE. Slowly, but surely, I will replace every single piece of carpet in my home with them.
8. Bar Keepers Friend.
I feel that this product counts as a tip because usually when I ask people if they have heard of it the answer is no. This is so crazy to me, because it has been around for a very long time, unlike the ever so popular, but also amazing, Magic Eraser. This product is awesome and just keeps getting better. I was actually in college when I first used this to clean the stainless steel sinks in the lab where I worked. However, it was years later that I realized I could use it on more than just stainless steel. I recently discovered that it has even more cleaning purposes. The things I have used this on include: stainless steel sinks, glass stove top, scuff marks on baseboards and bathtubs, shower doors, rubber linings, toilets, porcelain sinks…. I’m probably missing something. The point is, buy this stuff because it cleans A LOT of things.
Bar Keeper’s Friend (Before and after)
9. Invest in multifunctional tools.
I am certain most moms have seen or heard of the Bissell Crosswave; the two in one machine that simultaneously vacuums and mops most hard floors. After doing some research, I found the Tineco ifloor, which is a slightly more affordable version and I immediately bought it after watching a review from a fellow triplet mom. Let’s just say I am never going without this macine ever again.
Tineco ifloor:
This next product was definitely created by a man whose wife left him to scrub the shower himself. A scrub brush that attaches to a handheld drill. It’s a genius idea and came in handy when I got pregnant with the triplets. We have found many uses for this nifty tool, you won’t be disappointed.
Drill brush set:
10. Follow @gocleanco.
I recently asked for steam mop recommendations and a friend pointed me in this direction instead. All of the tips/products I have mentioned previously were all things I did before following this account started by a Canadian based cleaning company. (With exception to the tide washing machine cleaner, because that is a new product.) However, I can’t get enough because I was already doing a lot of the same things, EXCEPT using powdered Tide, which has been such a game changer. I never would have thought I could clean SO much stuff with laundry detergent. Go give them a follow if you aren’t already part of their cleaning army. They show you how to clean all the things and sell a handbook with how to’s, what products to use, and checklists. Simply amazing.
