House cleaning: what’s getting in the way of tackling the challenge

Enjoying a safe and comfortable home comes with countless hours of cleaning and organising that never seems to be enough. No matter how hard we try, there is a limit to the time we can spare, sometimes even for the most ordinary cleaning and maintenance tasks.

The more often we struggle to achieve our goals, the bigger the stress we endure, and it’s normal to start feeling like this is too much of a challenge. The truth is that it’s not, as long as you have the right approach. Before we get to that, though, we need to find out what’s causing us to fail at our current routine and start with the improvements from there.

Wrong timing

We all know that time management is important, but there is much more to consider here. House cleaning includes a lot of tasks, especially for families with three or four members. Therefore, prioritisation is truly important. Once you list all your tasks, consider how much you can take at a time, as well as the complexity of each job separately and in combination with the others. The sequence of the house cleaning chores also matters. Get going with the hardest and most time-consuming ones, then work your way through to the lighter and easier ones.

Pushing yourself to the limit

Spreading yourself thin along with the opposite case, which is focusing on one particular task for too long, are both to be avoided. Trying to do several tasks simultaneously and move on to other more pleasant things often results in unsatisfying results and the necessity to repeat the whole procedure again. You will promptly get tired from all the stress and work, given that you manage to complete your cleaning to-do list at all.

With a well-planned personal schedule, you will be sure to stay on top of it all and transform your home without stress and fatigue. Choose a method that feels most convenient for you and your abilities. For instance, you can divide your tasks to:

  • Primary and secondary;
  • Obligatory and ones that could be postponed;
  • Daily and weekly, or others.

Getting sidetracked

Spring cleaning proves to be a dreaded task because of its complexity. General cleaning of this scale usually takes up all of our energy and time. That’s why a lot of people prefer to perform it only once a year and be done with it, even though it is beneficial to bump this number to two. The weekly cleaning, on the other hand, gives us a chance to pay more attention only to specific areas of the house without getting sidetracked with additional tasks.

This is the main rule to follow, whether when you are doing the annual deep cleaning or seasonal cleaning tasks. Scrubbing the oven and then deciding halfway through that disinfecting the bathroom is more important, will only throw you off track. Prioritise your duties and ignore getting distracted as much as possible.

Not paying attention to your cleaning kit

When was the last time you sorted through your cleaning kit? Checking expiration dates and quantity of the products is only one part of the process. Usually, we are so focused on dusting, scrubbing and polishing that we miss on the fact that all tools need to be cleaned at the end of the day, too. Especially the rags and brushes, that can easily detain and grow bacteria.

Microfiber and any other types of cleaning cloths need to be washed with warm water and soap either by hand or with the help of the washing machine.  Scrubbing brushes can just be soaked into a detergent+water cleaning solution or into a vinegar+water mix. Make sure to wash them extensively with clean water afterwards and leave them to dry.

As for the products, it is a good idea to try a different cleaner every once in a while. Using a specific brand just because you are used to it is not enough reason to miss on the opportunity to try something more beneficial. However, be extra careful with the all-purpose cleaners, especially if you are preparing them yourself.

Some surfaces require specific treatment and could be damaged by certain products, like in the case of vinegar and natural stone countertops. As convenient as an all-purpose cleaner is, sometimes it’s best to add more items to your cleaning kit.

Marieta Ivanova
Marieta Ivanova
Marieta is a home improvement expert for Fantastic Cleaners in Brisbane. As a green living enthusiast, she loves writing about the eco-friendly lifestyle, along with the best ways to improve a home and maintain it clean and organised.
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