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Household chores can feel never-ending — just as you finish one task, it’s time to start over again. But with the right approach, you can clean more efficiently and reclaim your time. From stocking up on cleaning essentials and mapping out your plan of attack to tackling each room strategically, these expert-backed tips for how to clean house fast will help you clean smarter, not longer.
Stock up for fast cleanings
1. Make a cleaning caddy
“Start by designating one place to store all of your cleaning supplies,” says Colleen Ashe, the founder of Ashe Organizing Solutions. “Have a simple bucket or pail that’s easy to fill with supplies, yet small enough to cart from room to room,” she suggests.
2. Keep it simple
Use cleaning supplies that have more than one purpose instead of one cleaning supply per need — you don’t need separate cleaners for the bathroom and the kitchen.
3. Repurpose supplies you already have
Save yourself a trip to the store and use what you’ve got to clean. “I suggest vinegar for cleaning coffee pots, microwave ovens, shower heads and tile grout — to name a few,” says Ashe.
Prep ahead for your speed clean
4. Include the family
Everyone makes the mess, so everyone should help clean it. In fact, according to a study conducted by the University of Minnesota, the best predictor of young adults’ success in their mid-20s was that they participated in household tasks when they were 3 or 4.
5. Assign tasks and/or zones
Ensure that nothing gets overlooked by assigning specific jobs or zones, which may or may not be full rooms, to each family member.
6. Create a check-off system for kids
“Kids love to see their accomplishments,” says Sheila Delson, certified professional organizer and founder of FREEdomain Concepts. “Offer a reward for a completed list. Make it fun.”
Make time work for you
7. Be realistic about time
“Monitor how long each task takes so you can carve out enough time to accomplish each of your goals,” says Delson.
8. Set a timer for tasks
Use a timer to break up 10-minute cleaning sessions for tasks. There’s nothing like a race against the clock to help everyone stay focused and clean faster.
9. Prioritize
Prioritize first things first. “If you run out of time, at least you accomplished the most important tasks,” says Delson. “The next time, those leftover items become the priority.”
Clean house fast, room by room
10. Attack rooms from top to bottom
“And then right to left, just like a professional cleaner,” says Ashe. “Clear all surfaces and floor space. Grab a basket and place items from the tops of furniture and floors into a basket (or two). This makes polishing furniture, sweeping and vacuuming go much faster.”
11. Use more than one vacuum
One big vacuum is a good idea, but keeping a few smaller hand vacs in a few rooms will help pick up as you go.
12. Dust and polish surfaces first
“Vacuum last and avoid redusting your furniture,” says Ashe.
Everyday tips for an quicker cleaning day
13. Break house chores into chunks
“Create separate lists for chores that need to be done daily, weekly and monthly,” says Delson. “Maintain focus on just what needs to be done at that specific time.”
Read more: Your go-to cleaning schedule: Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly checklist
14. Eliminate clutter
The less you have, the less you have to clean.
15. Clean as you go
“Teach children to rinse the sink after brushing teeth and empty trash containers when they’re full,” says Ashe. “For these often used spots, consider storing cleaning wipes under the sinks that are ready for a quick clean after baths are done.”
16. Give every item a place
It’s easier to stay organized when everything has a designated place. For example, all coffee supplies should go with the coffee maker, so it’s easy to clean up quickly.
17. Think ahead
Take steps to keep your home clean — try adding extra liners to garbage cans and lining the refrigerator shelves with plastic wrap to save precious minutes.
When all else fails, enlist some help
And remember, when there’s simply no time or energy — not even for a speed clean — hire a professional cleaner for one-time or regular visits.
