Short on time? What it takes to clean your house in 2 hours!
Written by Victoria Alexander in Cleaning Tips
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So you only have two hours and you need a clean house ASAP! Maybe you have guests coming over shortly or maybe you’re super busy and it’s difficult finding time to clean — whatever your reason, the good news is you really can clean your house in 2 hours!
Getting your house clean in 2 hours requires more than a checklist. You need something powerful…like a 5-star plan and a desire to clean smarter & faster instead of harder & longer!
The secret to cleaning your house fast is not moving faster or rushing — it’s all about how you clean. Not having a good process or following a solid plan when cleaning is literally what kills your cleaning time. As if you have time to waste!
I’d be careless to not mention the elephant-in-the-room. If you are in a 4,000 square foot house or a home that’s been neglected for a while, fuhget about it! Like my accent? You can clean it faster, but you will not be able to clean your entire house thoroughly in two hours. Point blank.
So are you actually ready to zap wasted minutes or even hours from your cleaning time? Are you looking forward to having the clean house you deserve without sacrificing your weekends? Are you ready to end your love/hate relationship with cleaning?!
If you are, please just trust in the process because it works. Follow it, stay motivated and you will be able to clean your house so fast you’ll think you have superpowers!
YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // How To Clean Your Dirty Bathroom Super Fast – And Keep It Clean for my advice on cleaning thoroughly in the fastest, smartest way possible. It also comes with an ultra-deep cleaning checklist that will transform your bathroom!
PART 1 | THREE THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU START CLEANING
1 | think about what you want to clean
The very first thing you need to do is think about what needs to be cleaned and more importantly, what doesn’t need to be cleaned. Having a clear plan will help you get whatever you want done. You only have 2 hours so you have to be smart about how you use them!
Here are a few things to consider
- If guests are coming over, any areas of the house that they will visit automatically become your priority!
- Large house? We won’t be able to get everything clean in 2 hours so which bathrooms and rooms can we skip?
- Are any areas in really poor condition and need to be saved for another day? Or should you commit all of your time to those areas?
- Is your focus on decluttering or cleaning your home? Keep a clear vision of what the true task is that needs to be accomplished.
2 | grab your best cleaning supplies
Notice I said your best — you need to bring out the big guns because we don’t have time for poor-performing cleaning products or vacuum cleaners that clunk out. You are on a short timeline so we need cleaning products & tools that we know can get the job done quickly and effectively.
Must-have items you need you’ll want to use when it’s time to clean quickly
- Grab a caddy to transport all of your cleaning items around the house. If you don’t have one, just use a basket.
- An apron is my ultimate secret weapon for cleaning quickly! Everything you need is right there — it’s the ultimate time-saver!
- Use an extension cord when you vacuum & you will fly through the entire house at lightning speed! Cordless vacuums are great too but for small spaces.
- A basket or a box will allow you to quickly declutter your whole house. After you’ve gathered all of the clutter, save it to sort through later when you have more time.
- A high duster is the easiest and best way to get those cobwebs and dust from ceiling fans as well as along high ceilings and walls. A broom will also work.
MY FAIL-PROOF CLEANING CADDY // all-purpose cleaner + apron + bucket + caddy + disposable gloves + extension cord + floor cleaner +Â furniture polish + glass towel + high duster + microfiber towels + mold & mildew remover + mop + pumice stone + scour sponges + small trash bags + soft scrub + stainless steel polish + stone cleaner + tile & grout brush + vacuum
3 | it’s time for a timer
Let’s put the pressure on by actually using a timer! But guess what? You’re not actually going to set the timer for 2 solid hours. Instead, you are going to set a timer for each of the tasks you need to complete within the 2-hour block.
Guys, this is HUGE because tracking your cleaning time AND cleaning task by task will keep you from staying in one place for too long.
Plus you have the added benefits of adrenaline (superpowers like hyperfocus & lightning speed) that come from trying to beat the clock!
Below is an example of how you can break-down & track your 2-hour cleaning.
| TASK (add any tasks you’d like) | WRITE YOUR START TIME: |
| Declutter Surfaces | Set your timer for: 10 minutes |
| Dusting | Set your timer for: 20 minutes |
| Bathrooms | Set your timer for: 30 minutes |
| Kitchen | Set your timer for: 30 minutes |
| Floors | Set your timer for: 30 minutes |
| WRITE YOUR END TIME: |
Don’t worry if you don’t finish before the timer goes off. Simply make a mental note that you either need more time, an improved process for cleaning that area or a combination of the two.
YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Smart Girl’s Guide To A Clean & Organized House – 5 Drool-Worthy, Must-Have Things You Need To Get Now! Who should read this? Anyone that wants to learn smart ways to set up their home so that it stays clean.
NEED A SIMPLE BUT COMPLETE CLEANING CHECKLIST FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSE? // You should check out my Room-By-Room House Cleaning Schedule For Year Long Clean Vibes! Realistic weekly cleaning, deep cleaning & spring cleaning checklists for every space makes it even easier to keep a clean house!
PART 2 | THREE HACKS TO CLEAN YOUR HOUSE IN 2 HOURS
1 | clean task by task
Do not do this — dust a bedroom, then start cleaning the kitchen and before you finish that, start dusting in the living room since it’s right there. If you bounce around like that, you’re just going to get confused, unmotivated at how long it’s taking to clean and perhaps just call it quits.
Why you should clean task by task
This is powerful because by doing one task, you won’t get distracted, you’ll be able to see your progress and you’ll build speed which will allow you to clean your house insanely fast!.
How to clean task by task
It’s easy! Simply choose one task — decluttering, dusting, bathrooms, the kitchen or floors — and that’s what you stick with until you complete it. Once one task is done, you can move on to the next.
2 | clean your way out
Do not do this — you’ve decluttered a bedroom, you still need to dust, but you start vacuuming instead. Then you walk on your freshly vacuumed carpets to dust the room which is only going to put dust on the floor you just vacuumed. You might vacuum the floor again — or you might leave the dust on the floor. Either way, you’re working against yourself at this point.
Why you should clean your way out
Cleaning your way out of a room ensures you do not have to go back to redo anything. Double work only slows you down — and it sucks. Following this method is simply smart cleaning.
How to clean your way out
You’ve heard this before, always clean top to bottom, left to right and inside out — yeh, the last part is my contribution to this classic piece of advice.
To put this into practice, do this — when it’s time to vacuum, plug your vacuum in an outlet outside of the room. Then start vacuuming in the room at the furthest point from the door and work your way out of the room. By plugging it up outside the room, you never have to walk back in & those fresh carpet lines will stay flawless!
3 | follow a cleaning routine
Do not do this — you walk into a room, look around, scratch your head and think for a minute about where you should start. A few minutes go by and you finally make a decision and dive in. Why this is wrong is not obvious but it’s simple.
Why you should follow a cleaning routine
It is very easy to become overwhelmed by a messy house. Having a plan or routine ahead of time takes the guesswork out of cleaning. You don’t waste time thinking about what you need to — instead, with a cleaning routine, you simply do what needs to be done.
How to follow a cleaning routine
Find or make one you like, preferably a short one. Please do not try to memorize it. Instead, look it over so that you can be familiar with each step.
The one, most important thing you must know about a cleaning routine is that you will probably clean slower at first when following a routine. This is normal so stick with it and prepare to be blown away by how much faster you clean!
YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Ultimate Fail Proof Cleaning Schedule For Working Moms. Why? Because if you follow it right, your house will stay clean most of the time – even if you don’t have time to clean!
let’s wrap up
I truly believe that if you commit to using these core essentials, you will be able to realize your goal of cleaning your home faster by simply cleaning it smarter. No gimmicks, no tricks, just brains…wow that’s hot!
Here’s a recap of the essential keys to cleaning your house crazy fast:
- Think about what you want to clean & how long it should take. Write it down.
- Make sure you have the right cleaning products for the job.
- Grab a timer to stay on task & be accountable.
- Clean task by task instead of room by room.
- Always clean your way out of rooms.
- Consistently follow a cleaning routine to drastically reduce your cleaning time in a short amount of time.
And of course, if you found this content useful, I’d love it if you share this by pinning it on Pinterest or your favorite social media spot. It’s kind of like giving me a virtural high-five! You’re the best, XO — Victoria!
Comments
I’m so glad you stopped by today!
Thank you for sharing this free of charge!! It seems like everything I search for on Pinterest anymore, I have to pay for before then “let me in on their secrets”, lol. This article is going to help me tremendously and the other about keeping your room clean I believe will help my daughter too!!!