Cleaning can seem like a never-ending task, especially when you have little ones at home who make messes almost as fast as you can clean them up. Here at Cardinal Cleaning, we love our parents and know that parenting takes hard work and dedication. So, we wanted to share some helpful little shortcuts here and there to make your life easier. Here are 5 cleaning tips every parent needs to know this summer to keep the house sparkling clean without sacrificing your sanity.
1.) Using Baskets and Organizers
Using baskets and drawers to organize toys and other belongings makes it both easy and accessible for children to play, but also put away. You can use any extra baskets you have laying around that are kid-friendly. If you are looking to make a long-term investment in baskets or bins, we have linked our Amazon favorites.
Keeping toys in organized baskets and bins can help keep your kids’ rooms clean, as well as allow them to pick up after themselves easily. They will be able to find their favorite toys on their own, which means less frustration when they want something they can’t find. If you have younger children or toddlers, it’s best to stay away from plastic containers and stick with soft-material baskets or cloth bags so you’re not worried about your little one chewing on it. Finally, another advantage of storing toys in organized containers is that it makes cleaning up after playtime a breeze! Cars go here, blocks go here, dolls go here, and so on.
2.) Washing Up Toys & Stuffed Animals
After spending time in a sandbox or playing outside, your child’s toys are bound to get dirty. An easy way to clean stuffed animals and other soft toys are by putting them in your washing machine on a cold, gentle cycle. You can also put them in a mesh washing bag or even a pillow case before you toss them into your washer. This will make the process more gentle and preserving.
Other well-loved toys, even plastics, and other materials, also need to be sanitized every once in a while. Use a laundry bag to machine wash toys like lego bricks, stuffed animals, and more that may be collecting dust. Some toys can even be washed in the dishwasher. Just be sure to double-check the materials of the toys to determine the most appropriate method of cleaning them. We wouldn’t want anything melting in the machines!
3.) Disposable Dishes & Utensils
Stock up on disposable plates, bowls, cups, and utensils. A good way to purchase these in bulk is through your local warehouse-style store: Costo, Sam’s Club, BJ’s, and so on. Using these disposable dishes and utensils will reduce time spent on doing dishes and putting them away in the proper places afterward. This is great for the summer, when your kids are home for all of their meals, or even when you’re facing a busy season at work.
You will be saving water resources by not having to run the dishwasher. Still, make sure you are being as sustainable as possible and look for disposables made out of recycled materials or natural, compostable alternatives.
4.) Reusable Wash Cloths and Napkins
If your family is anything like ours, we go through Bounty rolls and paper napkins so fast – too fast. Instead, invest in reusable wash cloths and napkins to save on expenses, and also save the environment. These reusable items will be accessible, easy to use, and used for a long time. You kids are never too old to make spills and leave behind crumbs.
You can find reusable wash clothes anywhere – even in your local dollar store. However, if you are making a long-term investment and hope to continue to keep using the clothes, we recommend an alternative that is higher quality. Microfiber washcloths are great in this case. Also, companies are revolutionizing to create reusable cloth napkins that are thin and come off of a roll, just like Bounty. Check it out!
5.) Encouraging and Incentivizing Clean-Up Time
Switching up the cleaning regime to be a little more fun is always encouraging, especially for children. By putting on a clean-up song or cleaning up together as a family, clean-up time can be as fun as playtime! Use your children’s favorite song or find a special cleaning song. You can even put on a Disney playlist, radio hits, or whatever gets the crew excited. Some families even recommend the five-minute cleaning hack. Here, they use a five-minute timer to see how much they can all get done together before the timer goes off.
Finally, encourage your children to clean up after themselves by assigning chores with clear time deadlines. You can even offer incentives using a sticker chart or chore tracker. After a certain amount of chores are completed, or a certain amount of days of a clean room, reward your child. Allow them to pick out a new toy or go out for ice cream! This will teach responsibility and develop habits of cleaning, which make your life easier in the long run.
6.) Bonus – Contact Us!
Cardinal Cleaning values consistent, quality service and trustworthy business practices. Our cleaners use these hacks, and several others, to ensure your home is as clean as can be. You can rest assured knowing that your home will be taken care of well with us. Furthermore, we use products with minimal chemicals to avoid triggering allergic reactions or other irritations for your kids and pets.
If you are in need of a cleaning service that provides consistent quality and service, give us a call to meet face-to-face so that we can make a noticeable difference in your home. Call us at 404-920-8551 or email us at info@CardinalCleaning.biz for a free quote, or just to chat about our services! We would love to do the cleaning for you so you have more time to do what you love. Like we say, cleaning is for the birds!
