Hi! I’m Melissa and I’m a busy mom. I spend my time teaching the kids, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, chasing a puppy, gardening, tending to the chickens, grocery shopping, and running the kids around to their various activities. Don’t get me wrong…this is exactly how I love it! But let’s be realistic. We’re all busy!! And if there is one thing on that list that gets bumped off completely…it’s the cleaning. As moms, we seldom have long lengths of time to devote to cleaning. What we often DO have though, is 5 minutes here and there. That’s perfect! It’s just enough time to get a small bathroom “surface cleaned.” I’m not kidding! A deep clean will take a bit longer, but just being able to get to the important surfaces deserves applause!!!
Mom Tip #1: In order to be ready to clean at a moment’s notice, I always keep cleaning supplies in each bathroom, so I don’t have to go looking for what I need.
When I find myself with a few spare moments, say before our daughter’s theater pickup time, I usually head for one of the bathrooms, to survey the damage. Just like the kitchen, bathrooms tend to look dirty only an hour after you’ve cleaned them, so keeping them nice can feel like an unending job. Don’t worry…this happens at everyone’s house! Even that one friend who always seems to have a tidy house!!! (Secret buster…I bet that she runs around like busy bee just before you arrive in order to get it to appear that way.) So, here’s a trick to help you lighten your load.
Mom Tip #2: When cleaning a bathroom, go from top to bottom, not the other way around! What I mean by this is start with the mirrors. Inevitably, when you spray a mirror, extra droplets fall down on the sink and countertop. If you’ve already cleaned these items, you’ll have to wipe them again (making extra work for yourself), but if you haven’t cleaned them yet, one or two extra sprays and they’re ready to wipe down, too. Time Saver!! Once the mirror, sink, and countertops are wiped/disinfected, grab that old hand towel hanging there, wipe down the soap dispenser (yes, the one the kids always seem to leave soap dripping down…), and throw it in the laundry. Replace it with a fresh new towel.
Mom Tip #3: The toilet is dirtier than you think…make sure to spray all surfaces first, allowing it to soak in, while you give the bowl a scrub. Once you’re done with the splashy part, wipe down the rest of the toilet to get it sparkling clean. I use throw-away paper towels for this because…boys. Ha!
If you still have a few spare moments once these imperative items are checked off the list, the last thing on my quick clean list is the steam mop. I use mine a lot, so I keep it full and ready to go with a fresh microfiber cloth attached. I love the steam mop because it’s ready quickly, and it dries quickly too. I know that my floors will be sanitized two ways, too…by the solution I use (I only use non-toxic stuff), and by the steam. Yay for super clean floors! And the awesome thing is that our bathrooms aren’t super huge, so this task often fits in to my 5 minute window!
And there you have it, mamas! My tips for getting your bathroom clean in just a short amount of time. I discover lots of joy in making our home clean and beautiful for my family, and I hope you do, too. Next week, let’s talk about the kitchen!!!! There is lots of joy…and dirt…to be found there, but we know how to handle that! Blessings to you today!