How To Clean Your Apartment In 30 Minutes Or Less

We've all been there — a friend or relative texts to say they're popping over in half an hour, and your apartment looks like it hasn't been cleaned in months. As you glance around in dismay, feelings of panic start to emerge. You don't want anyone to think you're a down-and-out-slob; besides that, your guests should feel comfortable. No need to freak out, because your place can look clean in 30 minutes or less if you focus on the most important tasks. Deep cleaning is unnecessary, and the results will be good enough if no one goes over things with a fine-toothed comb.

What are the red flags of an unpresentable apartment, though? According to Capital Hire, two of the most obvious signs are an unpleasant smell and moldy food in the refrigerator. And if you see insects crawling and flying about, also nip that in the bud well before someone is on their way over. Having your kids' or pets' toys scattered on the floor and dishes that need to be put away is different, though. That is considered to be messy but not necessarily dirty if things can just be moved out of the way. Most people won't mind seeing that kind of stuff.

Cleaning hacks like making your bed each morning after you get up can save time and are good habits to get into. They also prevent the need for 30-minute apartment clean-ups. Not everyone subscribes to this lifestyle, of course. So what do cleaning ninjas do when they have merely 30 minutes (or less) to spare? Find out below!

You might not like closing the doors on your children's messy rooms, but this is the first thing you need to do for a speedy apartment cleaning. Out of sight, out of mind, as they say, so just shut your bedroom and closet doors. With less space to cover, you can devote your attention to cleaning more pressing matters like unclean potties, sinks, floors, and so on.

Neighbor Blog recommends setting up a detailed decluttering plan that goes room-by-room to get the job done, but you can put that on your long-term to-do list. Thoroughly decluttering an apartment can take hours, if not days, and the clock is ticking. For now, grab a heavy-duty plastic trash bag and toss in all the garbage you see. Do a second pass with scattered clothing and a laundry hamper. If there are piles of dirty dishes and other things that shouldn't get put in the trash, put them in a separate bag. And guess where all this can go? Behind that closed door. 

Nothing turns off guests more than an unsightly toilet bowl, so this should be your second priority. Molly Maid recommends pouring the toilet cleaner into the bowl and letting it sit while cleaning the outside with a disinfectant. Cleaning under the rim is also recommended, but we'll skip that for now. No one's going to look under there with a flashlight (except for your mom, maybe).

If you're really pressed for time, a drop-in toilet cleaning tab can do the work for you; all you need to do is place it in the tank. Scrubbing Bubbles Drop-Ins is one version, but you must flush the toilet first for the water to go down and then drop in the tablet. You'll need to wait 10 minutes, so set a timer and clean up elsewhere until it goes off. Then, just flush again. Be careful with these because toilet cleaning tabs that contain bleach can damage toilet bolts and rubber seals, according to North Carolina Consumers Council. When used repeatedly over time, the tabs can also block up plumbing pipes. To stay on the safe side, use the tabs in a pinch and do regular cleanings more often.

Gone are the days when apartment dwellers had to laboriously sweep and mop their floors with dustbins and buckets each time company was due to arrive. A Swiffer floor cleaner can quickly gather dust and hair and make your floors shine. The Swiffer Dry and Wet Multi-Surface sweeper and mopper is a good choice because the microfiber pad grabs dust and hair. You can go over the floors once with that part and switch to one of the wet cloths for any obvious messes.

The head on the bottom cleaning tool swivels around so that you can get into tight places. But if your floors are exceptionally dirty, you'll need to switch out the pads more often. The starter kit comes with extra cloths, but it's a good idea to have a refill box handy if you use your Swiffer often. Running out of the cleaning solution can also be a problem, but you can make your own in a few minutes. Everyday Cheapskate's version uses Dawn dishwashing liquid, distilled water, and rubbing alcohol. You'll have to remove and heat the cleaning liquid container and pry off the top to open it up, though.

Proper furniture dusting involves removing everything from your countertops, dusting the surfaces and items, and then returning things to their proper places. Nope. You're in a hurry, so the abbreviated version will suffice here. What's the best kind of duster, though? Speed Cleaning advises against using feather dusters that aren't made from ostrich feathers, claiming that synthetic ones don't pick up the dust. Say you don't want to create a dust cloud,d and there aren't any ostrich-feather dusters in your apartment. Now what?

Try using microfiber dusting cloths. You won't have to spray on any cleaner, and the dust won't puff up all over the place. And there are other benefits to using microfiber, according to Corvus Janitorial Systems. The cloths are made from polyester and nylon, and the latter attracts dust. You needn't dampen the fabric for dusting, but you can add water if you'd like. Remember that microfiber cloths don't disinfect surfaces, but can be used with disinfectant products. ProHousekeepers adds that these cloths don't leave lint on surfaces or scratch furniture, so you don't have to worry about making quick swipes or going back to remove debris. Toss the cloths into the laundry basket when finished. They're also cheaper than paper towels because you can wash and reuse them repeatedly.

Apartment visitors often need to wash their hands, so dirty sinks should also be on your speed-cleaning list. Who wants to look at toothpaste globs? OXO makes a soap dispensing dish brush that can do this job at record speed. Liquid cleaners like dish soap get poured into the hole in the clear handle, which is then sealed with a valve. Then, push the silicone button, and the liquid squirts into the nylon-bristled cleaning head. You can try something else if there are tough stains in the sink. Cleanipedia sprinkles baking soda and vinegar onto these, and you can wipe away the residue after it bubbles up. 

It's important to use separate cleaning tools for bathrooms and kitchens. Otherwise, you can risk cross-contamination, giving unwanted germs a free ride to another room. Imagine cleaning your crud-infested bathroom sink with a dish brush and then using it in your kitchen sink where food is prepped. To stay on the safe side, have separate cleaning tools for your restroom.

You don't want your friends and family to leave your apartment with pet hair all over them, especially if they wear black clothes. So if you have a cat or dog, take a few minutes to remove that hair from anything people might be sitting on or using (tabletops, sinks). My Brown Newfies claims that dampened rubber gloves and sponges will do the trick, but that might leave fabric too wet for sitting. Try this on countertops, but keep the hair out of the drain to prevent clogs.

Insider prefers lint rollers for pet hair clean-ups and recommends ones with super-sticky adhesive because they can pick up more hair. Get one with extra rolls so you'll always be ready when friends come a-calling. You can also find non-adhesive lint rollers that work like mini-vacs, like this one on Amazon. If you don't have any of these specialty products handy, a Reddit contributor swears by duct tape and claims it works even better. Just be careful, because duct tape can leave residue on fabrics if you're not careful.

A dirty bathroom mirror (or one displayed prominently in another room) is a sure sign of neglect and something that others are sure to notice. Molly Maid uses rubbing alcohol poured onto a cleaning cloth, and you can do a quick pass with that first if time allows. Then, you can spray on glass cleaner and wipe the surface down with a microfiber cloth.

Newspapers can also be used to clean mirrors (and windows), but there can be a downside to this method. While it can prevent streaks left by paper towels, this might not always be the case. GlassOne claims that newspapers aren't as effective because of the ink they might leave behind on the mirrors, other surfaces, and your hands. If you choose to use newspaper, wear gloves, but putting them on and looking for ink marks takes longer than using a cleaning cloth. And as a final tip, always spray the glass cleaner onto the fabric instead of right onto the mirror. Screens & Things posts that doing so could damage the mirror if the cleaner works its way into the edges. That could ruin your mirror over time.

Apartment doorknobs get a lot of attention from constant use, and you wouldn't want someone to get grossed out or sick if yours are dirty, sticky, or covered in bacteria. Custom Door Hardware recommends cleaning them with a water-and-vinegar mixture, but everyone knows that vinegar has a strong smell. You also shouldn't use abrasive cleaners (even natural ones like baking soda) because they can scratch the knobs. 

Isn't there a better way to do this? Yes, we got you. You may have some disinfecting wipes in your apartment, and now's a good time to grab them. Since they sanitize surfaces, they're especially good for bathroom door knobs and handles (hello, pottys). And if your visitors are sniffling and sneezing, repeat the process after they leave. The cleaning/disinfecting solution is already in these products, so you save the step of spraying everything before wiping. And while you're in there, get the light switches too. Bunzl Canada suggests using these convenient wipes on all high-touch surfaces. Besides bathrooms, also use them on phones, keyboards, and sinks.

If you still have some time left, you can neaten things up a bit more. A sink full of dirty dishes is not pleasant to look at, and bacteria will form if left there long enough. KitchenSnitches warns that dirty dishes left for longer than a day can develop bacteria that can lead to food-borne illnesses. On top of that, they can attract insects (and rodents) and stink up your kitchen.

You won't have time to thoroughly clean a full sink of dirty dishes, but you can camouflage them temporarily and finish up once your company has left. American Cleaning Institute recommends filling a sink with hot water and dish soap and lowering the dishes in small stacks. You might only have time to squirt on dish soap and fill the sink with hot water, but a sink full of perky bubbles is better than the alternative. The dishes will also be easier to clean up later, once the soap has done its work.

If you've ever been faced with dirty bathroom or kitchen towels in someone else's apartment, you know how gross that can be. This is just as bad: Would you want someone else to use your bath towel after you used it to dry yourself off? Don't do this to a friend if you can help it. According to American Cleaning Institute, bathroom towels should be washed after three to five uses and not reused when wet. If you've used it once or twice, toss it in the hamper. Otherwise, hang it up and leave a clean one by the sink.

Kitchen towels can be even dirtier than bathroom towels, according to Cleveland Clinic. Since most people don't wash them as often as other towels and clothing, they are hotbeds for germs. It is fairly common for used kitchen towels to harbor staph and e.Coli. You can prevent this by spraying kitchen surfaces with disinfectant and cleaning sprays, and wiping them with microfiber cloths or paper towels. This way, your kitchen towels won't accumulate as many germs. Change them out once a week and put out new ones for visitors.

A speed-cleaned house can be perfectly acceptable if you tackle the worst offenders. And if you do a less-than-perfect job, you can use distraction to take people's attention away from a grimy countertop or a lingering smell (dirty laundry, the fish you cooked last night). Air fresheners can mask these problems, but they might not be the best choice. Made Safe claims these sprays can contain toxic chemicals and cause indoor air pollution. This also applies to scented beads and plug-ins.

Candles can be the better option, and you can look for non-toxic ones if that is a concern. Candle scents can be lighter than those in air fresheners and smell less synthetic. They also create more relaxing atmospheres; you can use them in your bathroom and kitchen. Candles do take longer to release their smells, so you might want to do this first instead of last when cleaning your apartment in under 30 minutes.

Take a few minutes to catch your breath now that your work is done. The 30-minute investment is well worth it because you and your guests will feel better and more relaxed. Keep the conversation going, and maybe even turn the lights down a little. Your newly cleaned apartment will be the perfect setting for a visit that will hopefully last longer than half an hour.