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How to Clean Your Home in 30 Minutes or Less

Andrew Davey
By

Cleaning your house or apartment may feel like a daunting task. Whether you're feeling less productive during the day from the clutter around your apartment, or if you have some last-minute guests coming over, you might assume that you don't have the time or energy to clean your home.

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Difficulty

Easy

Duration

30 minutes

What You Need

  • Disinfectant Wipes

  • Glass Cleaner

  • Toilet Wand

  • Professional Window Cleaning Tool

  • Vacuum

  • Broom

  • Mop

If you don't have time for a deep clean, then these tricks will work, especially if you anticipate having guests over. It will give the impression that you spent hours cleaning and tidying up when in reality, you just did a complete once-over on your place.

man smiling in clean apartment holding a vacuum.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How Can You Clean House on a Tight Schedule?

When you only have 30 minutes or less to clean your house or apartment, You should always start your cleaning routine from the top down, as this will make everything visually appear cleaner and will eliminate any unnecessary extra steps.

The first thing you start doing is dusting any ceiling fans and cabinets. From there you start cleaning the countertops, sinks, tops of dressers, and side tables. Once you have the top and middle surfaces clean, you can move on to vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping to make sure you pick up all the dust particles from the top down.

Tips on Cleaning Your House or Apartment

Focus on Important Spaces

If every room in your house is a mess, trick yourself and your guests into thinking your house is clean by focusing on the rooms that are in sight and being utilized. Your guests probably won't be hanging out in your bedroom or your office space. So that means you can close those off. This will leave your focus on the rooms people will be gathering in, such as the dining room, kitchen, and bathroom.

If you're not having guests over, think about the rooms you frequent the most often. This might mean starting with your living space, bathroom, and kitchen, then leaving the bedroom and other rooms for when you have more time to do a deep clean. 

Declutter Your Countertops

If there's one thing you can do to make your house or apartment look clean in 30 minutes or less, clearing your countertops will make a huge difference. Clear off the countertops and tables, keeping them free of clutter such as keys, mail, newspapers, or magazines. Decluttering your surface areas will make the room feel bigger and brighter. Your line of vision will be clear, even if your surfaces aren't getting a deep clean. If you have friends coming over, guests will have a spot to put their drinks down on. Since you’ve done the work beforehand, clean-up should be quicker and easier. 

Clear The Floor

It may not be necessary to grab your mop and deep-clean your floors, but clearing clutter and debris from the floors will make a huge difference. Clean up the pile of shoes by the door, then make sure your clothes from the past week (or two) are either in the hamper or tucked away in your dresser. Make sure that garbage is tossed away, and give your floors a vacuum to clean the dust bunnies. Your house or apartment will instantly look cleaner. 

Focus On Scent

Smells are everything. A fresh scent can make your home feel warm and inviting. Even if there is some clutter around, try lighting a candle or plugging in a diffuser to freshen up your space. A scent spray can do wonders to a room as well. They may not be long lasting, but they will take the edge off.

Clean and Put Away Dirty Dishes

Dirty dishes -- whether in the sink or around the house - create a physically unappealing atmosphere and a nasty health risk. One of the biggest must-dos to making your house or apartment clean in less than 30 minutes is making sure there are no dirty dishes hanging around. If the dishes are clean and put away, it will automatically make your home feel cleaner.

How to Clean Different Areas in Your House or Apartment

Take full advantage of that urge to clean before you burn out. Start by tackling the most difficult room, then work your way down the priority list.

Step 1: Bathroom

Bathrooms are typically some of the smallest areas in the home, but they can be the most time-consuming to clean, as well as the least desirable. Cleaning the toilet, shower, tile, and sink, takes a lot of time so you should knock those out first. Make sure to clean the toilet from top to bottom, as this is the area that can get the grimiest. Toss a self-cleaning toilet bowl tablet into the commode. While the tablet works its magic, wipe down the seat with your antibacterial wipes. Light a big candle and turn off the lights — a dimly lit bathroom looks cleaner than a regular one. Make sure to close the shower curtain before you leave the room.

sparkling clean bathroom sink and toilet.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Kitchen

Besides the living room, the kitchen is one of the most frequented areas of the home and needs continuous cleaning. Make sure to scrub the sink, wipe down countertops, and if you have time, sweep and mop the floors. If you’re up for it, clean the oven, refrigerator, and dishwasher. These aren’t cleaned as regularly but should be completed at least once a month.

pile of dirty dishes in the sink.
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Related

Step 3: Living Room

Next, head to the living room. Pick everything up off the floor and stash it in a closet. Make sure to clear off the coffee table and give it a good wipe down. Light a candle (we recommend these scented candles) and if your couch has some questionable rips, stains, or other unflattering marks on it, drape your nicest, cleanest blanket over it.

clean and organized living room.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: Bedroom

Next, if you still have time, head to the bedrooms. This typically doesn't require too much of a lift. Put fresh sheets on your bed, put away stray clothes, and wipe down any bedside tables. Suddenly, this room will feel more like the bedroom sleep sanctuary that you need.

clean bed with a plant next to it.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cleaning Essentials for Your House or Apartment

Nothing expedites your last-minute cleaning efforts like the right arsenal of tools. We listed some of the necessary tools but the world of cleaning products is endless. Choose products that get the job done. We're partial to eco-friendly products without harsh chemicals.

The cover photo was provided by Piqsels.

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Andrew Davey
Andrew Davey
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Andrew Davey is a writer who has spent a long time in "hard news" journalism, but who has also pursued interests in food and…
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