12 Time-Saving Tips And Tricks For Cleaning Your Home Faster

Cleaning your home is a necessity and can often feel like a never-ending task. In many cases, it even takes away valuable time that you could be spending with your family. Whether it's folding laundry, sweeping floors, or scrubbing stubborn stains, the chores can pile up, leaving you with less time to play a board game with your kids or watch a sunset with your partner. But what if there was a way to reduce the time spent cleaning while still keeping your home in pristine condition? Fortunately, there are several practical tips and tricks that you can implement to cut down on your overall cleaning time so you can focus on other priorities.

Making the most of the cleaning tools you have on hand is one way to reclaim some of your time. For example, your dishwasher can be used for much more than simply washing dishes. Common household items like vent covers, bathroom accessories, and even some of your toddler's toys can be safely washed in the dishwasher, saving you time and effort. Setting up a robotic vacuum is another game-changer, as it can keep your floors clean without any work on your part. Additionally, using a steam cleaner to tackle greasy messes eliminates the time it takes to scrub stovetops, ovens, and kitchen counters by hand. With these time-saving strategies, you can easily maintain a clean home with less effort.

Distraction is one of the biggest time thieves, so in order to increase your productivity, you'll find utilizing a timer is extremely helpful. Setting a timer keeps you focused on the task at hand, providing the accountability you need to buckle down and get your chores done faster. Almost all cell phones are now equipped with clock apps that feature a timer; however, you can always grab an old-fashioned kitchen timer at Walmart for under $5.

There are several ways you can use a timer to keep your home tidy. You can set the timer once daily for 15 to 30 minutes to stay on top of cleaning tasks, or on big cleaning days, you can set the time for 10 to 15 minutes in just one room. Once you're finished with that room, take the timer to the next room. Repeat until you've straightened up all of the rooms that needed your attention. Trying to finish before the timer goes off can even become a fun game, especially if you get the kids involved.

Did you know your dishwasher can clean much more than just your dinnerware? You can actually use the handy machine to clean bathroom accessories, toys, pet items, and even some sports equipment. By not having to scrub these items individually by hand, you'll save valuable time, freeing up extra minutes and hours to complete other necessary chores, such as mowing the lawn or paying bills.

Before following this time-saving dishwasher hack, check the material's makeup for the item you wish to clean. Not all materials are safe for washing in your machine. Cast iron, for example, will rust. Certain plastics are recommended for the top rack only. Once you know the material is safe, you can run it through the dishwasher using your regular cycle. In addition to the items mentioned above, you can typically clean kitchen sponges, silicone trivets, soap dispensers, flower vases, outlet covers, golf balls, and hairbrushes in the machine.

Another way to maximize your day's limited minutes and hours is to utilize your waiting times. Instead of standing by the coffee pot waiting for it to brew or watching as the microwave steams your broccoli, you could be tackling a few small cleaning tasks. For example, you could be wiping down the countertops, reorganizing the junk drawer, or washing the last dishes in the sink. By making the most of these moments, you'll find that those completed tasks add up, saving you considerable time in the long run.

Take stock of the chores that need to be accomplished and plan to squeeze the smaller tasks in among the larger tasks that require waiting. You may toss the day's laundry into the washing machine, and while it's cleaning your clothes, you can vacuum the cat hair off the sofa. Need to boil water for tonight's spaghetti dinner? While you wait for the water to heat up, you could wipe down the bathroom sink or sweep the dining room floor. It's easy to see that by pairing waiting periods with simple cleaning tasks, you can keep your environment tidy and free up time for other activities.

If you're cleaning the whole house, you lose a lot of time running back and forth between rooms, returning items that are out of place. While you may be looking to clock those extra steps, you'll save much more time creating a bin system when tidying up. Having a designated bin for each room in the house allows you to quickly toss the items that belong in that room into the associated bin. At the end of the cleaning session, you can escort each basket to its designed room and unload the items.

Grab one bin for each room in the house and then label them. You may have one for the kitchen, bathroom, living room, garage, and the kids' room. If you stumble across a hairbrush in the living room, you can toss it in the bathroom bin. A child's puzzle left on the kitchen table can be placed in the kids' room bin. You get the idea. You'll find plenty of baskets available for this hack at your local dollar store. There are easy-to-clean clear plastic bins, as well as more decorative rope baskets to choose from.

When you have a family, you'll find much of your time spent doing laundry involves sorting and delivering clothing throughout the house. One YouTuber, That Practical Mom, points out that you can save valuable time by opting to do the wash by person and not by the load. Once dry, the laundry can be folded and taken immediately to the individual's room, rather than having to sit and sort all of the laundry in the load and then deliver it to several different rooms.

Ensure each individual in the family has their own laundry basket to collect soiled items. While you can tackle all of the laundry one day per week, many families find it helpful to assign one day a week to each member of the family. You may wash dad's clothing on Sunday, mom's on Monday, little John's on Tuesday, and Jane's on Wednesday. The important thing is that you stick to keeping each load dedicated to just one individual. After the laundry is finished, you can fold the items, return them to the bin, and deliver them to the appropriate family member.

Tip: Consider purchasing personalized laundry baskets for the family for Christmas. You'll find Etsy has plenty of cute designs under $20, many with free shipping!

There's a reason Magic Erasers have the word magic in their name. Magic Erasers can remove many marks and stains that many other cleaners can't. These handy sponges work great to eliminate markers on walls, scuff marks on floors, coffee stains in mugs, and much more. The less time you spend scrubbing to get rid of these annoying blemishes, the quicker you'll finish your cleaning tasks, which is why having a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is a must-have tool to keep in your cleaning caddy.

When you come across a mark, stain, or sticky substance, grab your Magic Eraser and wet it just to get it damp. Wipe gently over the area until the blemish has been successfully lifted away. Don't use too much force when scrubbing with a Magic Eraser, however, as there is a chance that it could damage paint and other sensitive surfaces, such as stainless steel. In addition to the above-mentioned uses, Magic Erasers are effective against soap scum in the bathroom, dirt and grime on your outdoor patio furniture, and hairspray build-up on your combs.

Your vacuum attachments are designed to help make a variety of cleaning tasks a lot easier, reducing the time it takes to complete them. For example, pet hair can be hard to remove from upholstery, but if you use the bristle brush attachment, you can quickly lift and remove the hair in seconds. Knowing the right tasks for your vacuum's attachments is essential in efficiently tackling the messes around your home.

Let's look at the narrow, angled attachment first. This tool can be used to suck up any dirt that may have spilled out of your plant pots in just a few seconds, as well as reach any crumbs or debris that may be hiding alongside your baseboards. Many vacuums also come with a lint roller attachment that tackles everything from glitter on a sofa to dust on a bookshelf. There's even a dusting brush that reduces the time it takes to dust everything from your bedroom window blinds to your living room ceiling fan. While you should always refer to your vacuum's manufacturer's guide for placement, most attachments easily connect to the vacuum nozzle, so you should have no trouble using them. You may even hear a click when you place the attachment on the nozzle, letting you know it's ready for use.

Certain chores take more of a person's time than others. Vacuuming is one of those unavoidable tasks, and chances are you have to vacuum the floors multiple times per week to keep them clear of crumbs, pet hair, and tracked dirt. Fortunately, thanks to modern technology, robotic vacuums are available to take over the cleaning for you. These tiny yet mighty machines can be set up in minutes and left to tackle the mess while you go outside and play catch with your kids.

It is important to note that not all robot vacuums are created equally. Look for a model that is equipped with the technology to customize and streamline your cleaning. For example, it should be able to set the vacuum to clean a specific area and include important features, such as obstacle avoidance. You can then set the robot to run each night to reduce the amount of time spent vacuuming yourself. Also, some models have auto-emptying stations. These vacuums will let you know when the bag is full so you can toss the contents as needed.

Not interested in getting out your vacuum and switching to the proper attachment in order to dust? How about switching to a Swiffer Duster? Swiffer Dusters, or microfiber cloths if you don't want to purchase a duster, are faster and easier to use than both a vacuum with an attachment or a wet rag. No water or cleaning solution is needed, so you can get right to work once you have the duster assembled. The duster's fibers are coated and designed to attract dust and trap it to keep it off your shelves, blinds, fan blades, tables, and floors.

After assembly, give the duster pad a shake to fluff it up, and you're ready to start cleaning. When it comes to which duster pads to choose, you have the option of going with the 180 Multi-Surface pads for regular cleanings or 360 Heavy-Duty pads for deep cleanings. After you've finished dusting for the day, head over to the trash can and release the duster pad into the trash can.

Tip: If you need to reach high spaces, Swiffer sells handles that extend up to 3 feet.

If you're searching for a significant time-saver in your cleaning routine, look no further than a steam cleaner. YouTuber That Practical Mom states that her cleaning time is cut in half when she uses her steam cleaner, especially when she has a greasy stove or oven to tackle. This is because traditional cleaning methods require scrubbing and sometimes multiple cleaning agents. Steam cleaners utilize heat and moisture to break down grime, stains, and bacteria. The steam can also penetrate and loosen the mess without any added chemicals or the use of elbow grease, leaving the surfaces in your home clean and sanitized in a fraction of the time.

In addition to grease, a few other tasks greatly benefit from the efficiency of a steam cleaner. Cleaning grout lines between tiles is one such tedious job that is made easier with this must-have tool. A few others include soap scum on a glass shower door, dirt and grime in the tracks of your sliding door, and stains on your carpet or upholstery. You can even use a steam cleaner to wash and sanitize your trash cans. Once you're done sanitizing, wipe the area with a paper towel or a dry microfiber towel.

Lint rollers aren't just for removing pet hair from clothes. They are surprisingly effective when used in a variety of other cleaning tasks as well, and since all you have to do is grab the roller and start rolling, you'll find repurposing this tool saves quite a bit of time. For example, lint rollers can quickly clean up glitter after a child's school project is complete, as the device is designed to trap even the smallest particles. Lint rollers can also lift and secure tiny shards of broken glass, which are often missed by brooms and vacuums. So, in addition to cutting down your cleaning time, the tool can also increase your safety when cleaning tiny sharp objects.

A few more brilliant ways to use a lint roller to make cleaning a breeze include dusting off lampshades, curtains, or other fabric surfaces that attract dust and hair, removing crumbs from a child's car seat, picking up hair from surfaces in your bathroom, and collecting spilled rice or seeds from your pantry shelves. There are two different types of lint rollers to choose from. Reusable rollers are made of fabric and better suited to picking up pet hair and dust particles. Disposable rollers feature a peel-and-stick surface that is ideal for cleaning up glitter and glass. One thing is for sure: no matter which option you select, repurposing a lint roller will leave your space cleaner with minimal effort.

Utilizing a homemade vinegar cleaner can be a great time-saver in your shower cleaning routine. Vinegar is natural and well known for its ability to tackle everything from everyday grime to hard water mineral deposits. It eliminates the need for harsh chemicals and, when used consistently, reduces the demand for scrubbing tubs and shower walls. You can use the vinegar to create a daily no-rinse spray, as well as a once-a-week cleaner.

Make a no-rinse spray by mixing 1 ½ cups of water with ½ cup of white distilled vinegar. Add a few drops of an essential oil if you'd like to give the spray a pleasant scent. Shake to combine before coating your shower walls, floor, and sliding door with the mixture. With this simple cleaning hack, there's no need to rinse or do any more cleaning. Create a once-a-week vinegar cleaner by pouring a grease-fighting liquid dish soap and white distilled vinegar into the handle of a dish wand. Use equal amounts of both. At the end of the week, use the wand to wipe down the walls, floor, and siding door. Rinse clean. No scrubbing needed!