People Are Sharing the Best Cleaning Tips They Ever Received, and They Are So Smart
Whether you’re someone who has already mastered most of the secrets to a spotless home, or you’re on a quest to become someone who actually enjoys cleaning, you never know when a downright ingenious (or seriously sensible) tip can transform how you approach maintaining your space. Recently Reddit user hopewolff69 asked the r/CleaningTips community to pass along the best and most helpful tips they’ve ever received from another person, and some of the answers are too good not to share.
1. Clean one room, or thing, at a time.
If you struggle to stay on track while doing chores, redditor mrsbono2u has a simple suggestion: “Clean one room at a time; otherwise you’ll get too distracted.” This one room rule is a favorite with professional cleaners, as it’s one of the most efficient ways to tackle a home. Speaking of efficiency, this user added, “Don’t put things down; put them away!” Also called the OHIO method (which stands for “only handle it once”), this tip is a game changer that can save tons of time and make for a less cluttered, more orderly space.
2. Let cleaning products sit and work their magic.
Nobody wants to work harder than they have to, especially when it comes to scrubbing out the tub, oven, and other grimy areas. Helpful_Corgi5716 dropped a handy hint into the thread, saying “Let the cleaning products sit for a while to actually do their work.” So next time you’re busting buildup, spray your cleaner of choice ahead of time and tackle one or two 10-minute cleaning tasks to save yourself some elbow grease.
3. Use rags instead of paper towels.
If you’re new to the debate on whether to use rags versus paper towels for cleaning, let’s preface this by saying that there isn’t a “right” method, and there are times when you may want to reach for a paper towel. However, GlitteringGrocery605 raised a valuable point when they advised redditors to opt for rags over paper towels, observing that they simply work better. The primary reason for this is that rags and cleaning cloths are sturdier, which enables you to press harder.
4. Save your old toothbrushes for scrubbing grime from grooves.
Northern_Owl_Who chimed in with an upcycling tip, saying, “Save your old toothbrush; they make good scrubbers for those tiny cracks around your faucets.” If you have particularly finicky crannies to clean, you can even bend old toothbrushes using hot water and some pliers into an ergonomically angled tool that makes scrubbing grime from awkward areas even easier.
5. Set a timer for 15 minutes and tackle a cleaning task.
Sometimes cleaning tasks require a couple of hours, but oftentimes they can be broken down into bite-size chunks. If you struggle with getting started or feel overwhelmed, time-boxing your cleaning checklist might be the solution. SageBrush83 says, “You can do anything for 15 minutes.” This technique isn’t just for small chores, either. “It’s helped me get big jobs done, in lots of little jobs,” they added. Before you know it, this approach could naturally turn into a 20-minute daily cleaning routine that ensures you don’t have to tackle the entire house on a Saturday (yes please).
6. Work your way from top to bottom.
To make sure you don’t dirty surfaces you’ve just cleaned, another Reddit user advises starting at the top of rooms and working your way down. This could look like dusting the ceiling corners and fan blades, then moving on to shelves, bookcases, and surfaces, and ending things off with the floor.
7. Try using the Pomodoro technique for cleaning.
According to stare_at_the_sun, the best tip they’ve received is “the one where you clean let’s say 20 min, then take a 10-min break.” This is a time management strategy known as the Pomodoro technique, and while many use it for studying and focused work, it also makes for a mean cleaning routine.
8. Close down the kitchen every night.
No_Endives_8526 didn’t mince words when they shared the best tip they’ve ever received, saying, “Close the kitchen after dinner. Don’t wait.” It’s one of the things people with clean kitchens always do, but, this redditor also admitted that it can be a tall order. “Closing the kitchen down” can involve anything from simply cleaning up after cooking, to more deep cleaning-type tasks, so you might want to experiment and choose the balance that works best for your routine.
9. Don’t forget to clean your cleaners.
It’s easy to focus on the surfaces and things you see, and heyynickkayy posted a great reminder to “remember to clean your cleaners! Your dishwasher, washing machine, and vacuum cleaners all need to be cleaned regularly so that they can properly clean what goes in them — and run efficiently and safely!” For dishwashers and washing machines, run a self-cleaning or empty cycle every few weeks. For vacuum cleaners, empty the dirt compartment routinely and clean the filter roughly once a month.
10. Make it a habit to squeegee after showering.
Scrubbing out the shower isn’t likely your favorite job, and Bucketlist074 has a brilliant tip to share, saying succinctly, “Squeegee every time after you shower.” This simple, two-minute post-shower routine can keep your bathroom permanently clean, and, as another redditor observed, if you take the time to dry the faucet too, “you’ll never get hard water stains!”