Top 10 Time-Saving Cleaning Tricks

Cleaning is a chore and no one likes chores. For many people, cleaning takes up valuable time that could be spent elsewhere but unfortunately, it's often a task that must be done. Fortunately, cleaning doesn't have to be time-consuming. Here are 10 tips to help you clean your home quicker, leaving you with more time to do other more enjoyable or important tasks.

Laundry

Laundry tends to pile up whether it be in the bathroom, the bedrooms or a laundry room. Instead of throwing laundry wherever, pick it up and bring it to its appropriate place. This will save time later when you're actually doing laundry.

Sorting

Keeping things sorted can make a huge difference. Whether it's owning a laundry sorter, a bulletin board in the kitchen or a mail organizer at the door, utilizing these items will cut down on clutter and thus, cut down on messes that need to be sorted and cleaned up.

Used Dryer Sheets

Once you've used a dryer sheet, save it and use it in your garbage cans. Lining the bottom of a trash can with dryer sheets will not only help to cover up the scent of your garbage, but also absorb any spills that occur.

Double-Duty, Multi-purpose Cleaning

Think of new ways to clean multiple things at once. For example, a small bathroom garbage can can double as a bucket for mopping. When you've thrown out the garbage, fill the bucket with your chosen cleaning solution, mop the floors and then rinse out the bucket and let dry. Voila, now your floors are clean and so is your garbage can, without any extra work.

Multitasking

With multi-purposing comes multitasking, which can be incorporated into your daily routine. For example, instead of watching TV while your dinner is cooking or your laundry is running, consider cleaning the bathroom, sweeping the floor or washing the dishes.

Soap Scum

If you're using bar soap, you've probably got soap scum in your sink, tub or shower. That's because bar soap contains ingredients that hold it together, resulting in buildup in sinks and bathtubs. However, switching to liquid soap can cut down on the amount of soap scum and make cleaning those areas quicker and much, much easier.

Refrigerator

Not cleaning up spills immediately can result in sticky residue or a stain that just won't go away. Instead, wipe up spills and other refrigerator messes immediately to cut down on the amount of time you'll need to spend later on an all-over refrigerator cleaning.

Reuse Your Cups

Reusing a cup repeatedly throughout the day, rather than getting a new one each time, cuts down on the amount of dirty dishes produced each day. Therefore, you'll have less dishes to wash at the end of the day.

Cleaning Kit

Keeping all of your cleaning supplies in a single plastic carry-all container can help cut down on the time you spend looking for these supplies. Plus, you can bring the carry-all from room to room, minimizing the amount of time spent looking for certain cleaning products.

Pick it up, Now!

The number one rule of saving time while cleaning? Pick it up, now! For example, if you spent the afternoon working on bills at the coffee table, take care of everything right away once you're done rather than leaving it for later in the day (or week.) By cleaning up after yourself every time you're finished with something, you'll save time later by reducing the overall amount of cleaning that needs to be done.