How To Speed Clean Your Home

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Written By: Shannon Sweeney

It’s a Saturday morning and you’re sitting in your underwear drinking coffee when you get the call — it’s your mom, Barb, and she and your dad are coming over at noon. That gives you two hours to get ready and speed clean your house.

You look around and realize the week got away from you. Let’s face it, it’s hard to keep your house clean between working, raising kids, and maintaining some sort of social life. But don’t worry! There is a way to speed clean your house, making it shine like the top of the Chrysler building in just one hour. Let’s break it down on how to do it.

Important starting point: Always start at the top. That way if you have dust, food particles, etc. that fall to the floor, it’s no big deal. And do the floors last to sweep everything away!

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Kitchen (about 15 minutes)

First thing’s first: Clear your counter space. Through the dirty dishes in the sink, clear any food that’s sitting out, and remove anything from your stovetop. Use an all-purpose cleaner to clean all surfaces. Wipe down your counters, your stovetop (if it has removable burners), and go over your fridge and appliances if necessary.

The dishes are the most time-consuming part depending on how many you have. Load your dirty dishes in the dishwasher if you have one and hit start! If you don’t have one, soak your dirty dishes in hot water and soap while you complete the rest of the cleaning — this will help you save time when you come back to wash.

Make sure to clear any dishes from a drying rack before your guests come, and make sure to keep the counter spaces clear. This will open your kitchen up and make it feel inviting!

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Living Room (about 15 minutes)

Clear any unnecessary clutter — toys, remotes, books, magazines, and move them out of the way. Fold blankets and arrange any throw pillows, and then take a dust rag and go over any surfaces. Make sure to get your TV, too!

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Bathroom (about 5 minutes per bathroom)

Like all other rooms, put any clutter out of sight — including toothpaste, toothbrushes, or anything on your sink. Take an all-purpose cleaner and spray down shower surfaces, counters, and the exterior of your toilet. Wipe down with a washcloth or sponge, and make sure to do the toilet last! Use a toilet cleaner to clean the inside of your toilet.

If you have any towels or bath mats, clear them and put them in the laundry.

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Bedrooms (about 5 minutes per bedroom)

MAKE YOUR BED, obviously! Having a made bed immediately makes a room instantly look cleaner. If you can, get in the habit of making your bed every morning when you wake up. If your guests aren’t staying overnight, don’t worry about fresh sheets unless you really, really need to wash your current set. Throw any clothes in your closet or laundry basket, and use a dust rag to wipe off any surfaces.

If you’re in a real hurry and don’t have time to put clothes or other belongings away, stash them in a laundry basket or container and put it out of sight in your closet to go through later.

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Floors of the entire house (15-30 minutes)

The final step of cleaning your house up is to clean the floors. Use a vacuum instead of sweeping — it’s quicker and you can use the attachments to get corners and hard-to-reach places.

Use a Swiffer for an extra clean — and you can even use it on wood floors. Make sure to Swiffer after you vacuum so you don’t push dirt or dust around. They’re great for speed cleaning, but sometimes don’t always pick up all of the dirt and dust.

And finally — candles! Light one in every main room before someone comes over: Living room, kitchen, and bathroom. It adds an extra touch — and any room that smells good is always a bonus.

If you follow some of these tips, your house will be good as new, and your guests will never know you did it in just under an hour. Happy cleaning! 

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