Many people love the look and feel of a clean home, but lack the time or patience it takes to dedicate an entire day to maintain a spotless house. Breaking down the cleaning process into small tasks can help you achieve the clean house of your dreams.
These 25 jobs will take you less than five minutes each and will make a noticeable difference in your home.
1. Wiping Your Electronics
You use your electronic devices every single day, but many cannot remember the last time they disinfected them. The amount of bacteria and germs that grow on these gadgets is overwhelming, but the time it takes to clean them is not. Take a few moments of your day to disinfect your devices with wipes or cleaner made for electronics.
2. Put Unused Items Into Storage
Bathing suits taking up precious closet space in your home during summer? Or perhaps you have neglected to put away your warm winter items for the summer. Anything that isn’t in-season or hasn’t been used for a while can be moved into storage to make your house more decluttered and minimalistic.
3. Tidy the Tables
Forget about sticky tables and unwanted rings from beverages for the moment and spend your attention tidying up the unwanted mess on your surfaces instead. Put the hodgepodge of items that have found their way onto your countertops and tables in their proper places to make your home instantly look more organized.
4. Clean off the Fridge
Food and beverages constantly going in and out of the fridge can leave unwanted residue and bacteria behind. Even viruses such as e-coli can be found in this area of the home. Many people neglect this cleaning task, but it will only take you a few minutes to wipe down the shelves and handles to ensure your health and make it look new again.
5. Wipe Down Handles and Switches
Much like the fridge, high-traffic areas for bacteria include door handles and light switches. However, cleaning them is often overlooked. Cleaning off the germs is vital, but if you are feeling like going the extra mile, you could add some polish to the metal door handles.
6. Declutter The Floor
Throughout our busy daily lives, we often end up with a big pile of clothing items and other unwanted items on our floors. Whether it be your bedroom, the living area or the laundry room, picking everything off the floor and putting it in its right place will leave you with a huge feeling of relief when you can walk freely without clutter.
7. Purge Your Medicine Cabinets
Whether it be expired makeup products, empty prescription bottles or old toothbrushes that need to be discarded, many people neglect to purge their medicine cabinets frequently. Getting rid of old or unnecessary items will leave you feeling refreshed and pleased with this everyday area of your home.
8. Cleaning Pet Hair
Got pets? Then I’m sure you’re aware of the hair they leave behind. Simple, affordable items like lint rollers can help you remove unwanted hair from couches or curtains and takes little to no time at all. If you don’t have a lint roller in the house, rubber gloves can also be used to remove hair from your home.
9. Baseboards
Since baseboards aren’t exactly part of the wall, and they aren’t part of the floor either, many people tend to disregard the need to clean them. Wiping them down, or even using a Swiffer, is a quick and easy way to maintain cleanliness in your home.
10. Refresh the Garbage Disposal
If you’ve cleaned the kitchen but still have a noticeable odor, it could be coming from the garbage disposal. Many people have success by putting cut up lemons in the disposal, deodorizing the area. An alternative is to put some ice cubes on the area and allow them to dribble down the disposal, cleaning it in the process.
11. Dusting the Fans
You may have neglected to dust your ceiling fans because they can be a pain to reach. Taking 5 minutes to clean off the fans ensures that you won’t have dust thrown across your house when using the fan. Put an old or unwanted pillowcase over a blade of the fan and wipe the dust inside, ensuring that none lands on the floor.
12. Other High Locations
Much like ceiling fans, many people disregard high and hard to reach places in their home. Using a small step-stool can be a fast and efficient way to clean these ignored areas. Start with the top of your bookcase, and the top of your refrigerator to make a difference in the cleanliness of your home.
13. Kitchen Drawers
Who wants to keep the silverware they eat off of in a dusty drawer that hasn’t been cleaned? Wiping down surfaces inside such as the tray is a simple and easy way to ensure cleanliness of your eating utensils.
14. Making the Bed
You’ve probably heard the stories over the years about how making your bed can also make a difference in your day. Making the bed also helps the overall look of the room and can trick the eye into feeling like things are in order. Give yourself something aesthetically pleasing to look at and something tidy to jump into at nighttime.
15. Freshen Your Gym Shoes
Athletic sneakers can be odorous and worn out from so much use. It’s a good idea to take your gym sneakers or your gardening shoes and freshen them up by soaking them in detergent before a good rinse.
16. Utilize the Dishwasher
Ever thought of cleaning things besides dishes in the dishwasher? It can be a fast and easy way to wipe down many things in your home at once. Clean your pet’s bowls, your child’s plastic toys or even combs for your hair in the dishwasher.
17. Baking Soda for the Carpet
Having pets and children can contribute to unwanted smells from the carpet. Sprinkling baking soda over your carpet can be a great and easy way to eliminate these odors. Adding other household items to the powder, such as tea leaves or cinnamon, can freshen up your house with minimal effort. Let the powder soak for 15 minutes before vacuuming.
18. Clean Out Your Purse
Receipts, wrappers and unnecessary items can pile up in our purses if we don’t take the time to go through them regularly. Bonus points if you also go through your wallet, organizing your cards or wiping down this germ-prone item.
19. Organize your Drawers
Not only is it easy, but it is rewarding to see an organized and neatly-folded drawer. Take the time to make sure everything in your drawers or closet is in the right place and is structured in a manner that is pleasing to the eye.
20. Shower Heads
Have you had a noticeable difference in the strength of your water stream coming from your shower head? Cleaning it can fix that issue in less than 5 minutes. Using a household cleaner or even vinegar can make a difference in your daily shower.
21. Kitchen Counters
We cook there and we might even eat there, but cleaning this area is especially important for the health and safety of those who consume food from your kitchen. This area is prone to messes and spills, so wipe down all the surfaces, and don’t neglect to clean the cutting board.
22. Organize the Cords
In the age where electronics are used for everything, you may have accumulated a large black mass of cords. Using a small piece of electrical tape or even a bread clip with the names of what each cord belongs to on them can help save your sanity when trying to plug something in.
23. Closet Cleansing
We all have articles of clothing that we haven’t worn for years or clothing items that don’t fit us anymore. Taking a few minutes to pick a few articles to get rid of can make a huge difference in the organization of your closet and you can even put them towards a good cause and donate them to a local charity.
24. Make a “Junk Box”
If you’ve followed any of our steps, you probably have some things that don’t quite have a place in your home. They can go in a special box with similar things, nicknamed the “junk box” or the “clutter bin.” You can even make two boxes, one for items that you want to donate and one for items that you want to keep.
25. Mirrors
Don’t just wipe down your mirrors with water. The key to a lasting clean and shine is to use a cleaner that doesn’t foam up and wiping the surface with a microfiber cloth afterward. This leaves you streak free and the mirror will stay clean for longer.
If you’ve neglected to clean your home for too long, or are overwhelmed by the number of tasks to try, break your tasks up into some of our 5-minute cleaning jobs. What are some small cleaning tasks that your household performs that make a difference?