In It's Place
According to Meg Roberts, president of Molly Maid, clearing clutter should be the first order of business before any cleaning is done. She suggests carrying a laundry basket around the house to gather up shoes, toys, books and whatever other items you see strewn about. Making this a habit each day can save a ton of time in the long run. You might want to consider creating storage systems in the areas most prone to clutter since it will reduce the time you spend returning items to the various places they belong.
Let It Sit
Maximize your cleaning time by letting certain household items soak while you clean another section of the room. Take the bathroom, for example. Apply cleaning solutions to the tub and toilet and let it soak for 10 minutes, says Roberts. "Spend those 10 minutes running the vacuum in the hall and nearby bedrooms," she says. When you return in 10 minutes, all that will likely be required is a wipe and rinse, saving you a lot of time (and frustration) that comes with scrubbing.
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Quick Sweep
Another bathroom quick-cleaning tip: Stash a handheld vacuum in one of the drawers. Having it there will hopefully encourage you to do a daily sweep of hair and debris that tend to collect near the baseboards, says Roberts. It may seem like a chore at first, but each quick round of vacuuming will make those weekly floor cleanings far less time-consuming, not to mention less disgusting to deal with.
Toilet Trick
Are you ready for the best-kept secret that works wonders on your toilets while significantly shrinking any hands-on cleaning? Denture cleaning tablets. Place two tablets in the toilet and let them sit for a few hours, says Roberts. "The bubbling action will clean hard water stains from the toilet bowl, reducing scrubbing time," she says.
Speedy Routine
While we rarely think to clean our curling or flat irons, that coat of caked-on hairspray isn't saving you time on your daily routine, as it likely requires extra time to heat. That said, here's how to get your hair tools clean in no time at all: Simply apply nail polish remover to a few cotton balls and gently brush over the (cool and unplugged) curling or straight iron. If the residue is especially difficult to remove, Roberts recommends applying a small amount of oven cleaner to a clean cloth and buffing the buildup away.
Crystal Clear
Roberts' go-to, smear-free concoction for cleaning glass mirrors and windows in a hurry is a mixture of 1 gallon of water, ½ cup of vinegar, ½ cup of rubbing alcohol and about 2 squirts of dish soap. Just pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spritz the glass as needed. To double-check your handiwork right away so you won't have to revisit the chore, turn off all the lights for a good look.
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Messy Microwaves
When the microwave is in need of a cleaning, don't pull out the scrubbing sponge just yet. Instead, fill a glass cup with water and set the microwave on high for one minute, suggests Roberts. The steam it creates will help dislodge any crusty stains, allowing you to wipe away the mess with just a few swoops of your sponge.
Greasy Fingers
As much as you look forward to family movie nights (and the popcorn), you probably don't enjoy cleaning leftover greasy handprints on the upholstery quite as much. A quick solution for couch cleaning: Place a brown paper lunch bag on the oily spot to absorb the grease, says Roberts. Next, run a warm iron over it and the spot will lift away. If you have leather furniture, Roberts suggests sprinkling cornstarch on the spot. Allow it to sit for two to four hours and then wipe it off.
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Coffee Fix
No one likes waking up to a stained coffee pot, especially before they've had their coffee. To quickly get rid of these stains, shake powdered dishwasher detergent into the bottom of a (cool) coffee pot and fill with hot water, says Roberts. "Let it sit for an hour, and it should be good as new. No scrubbing, no boiling, no replacement needed," she says.
MORE: Absurd Kitchen Gadgets
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Dust Buster
We have yet to learn of a trick that gets us out of dusting. But there is a way to keep dust from resettling, which could definitely reduce the number of times you'll need to keep up on the dreaded chore. Use a microfibercloth to wipe down baseboards, window blinds and any other areas that tend to attract dust. Follow this by running a dryer sheet over those same spots, says Roberts, and it will repel future dust particles from settling.
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