8 Secret Professional House Cleaning Tips

We all know the importance of keeping a clean house and it’s something we all go about differently.

Regardless of where you start – whether it is in the master bathroom or the kitchen, the results would probably be the same, a pretty clean house.

Dulled by the humdrum of every day cleaning, curiosity might set in and you could ask “How do the professionals clean and what is their secret”?

As a professional house cleaning company, we have some advice on how to go about cleaning in a way that makes sense from a practiced, commercial advantage.

Having cleaned houses as a job I can tell you what this is. The secret of professional house cleaners – is having a strategy.

Professional cleaners have to follow a plan, cleaning in a particular way because they are under time constraints and have to clean many houses throughout the day. Really, that’s all we do all day long. Clean. Clean. Clean.

In this sense it’s important you have an idea of how to clean. If there is no plan, chaos would reign, and you probably wouldn’t be in business very long.

We hope some of these tips from those that clean professionally will be helpful, if not interesting, for your overall approach to cleaning. So here you go – some of Mrs. Clean’s professional house cleaning tips.

Are you ready then? Lets get busy cleaning!

1. Know Your Cleaning Solutions and the Surfaces

It makes life so much easier if you know exactly what cleaning supply works best on the surface you are cleaning.

There are different strengths to your collection of cleaning solutions that can be applied to different types of stains from moderate to extreme.

If you know which ones work and how they work you can really speed up not only your time cleaning but your efficiency.

Keep in mind:

• Many popular cleaning solutions are bad for you and can damage a surface if applied improperly.
• Even common and simple household products can be harmful if mixed with others. Read all product labeling and directions before using.
• Never combine bleach with ammonia as this creates a very deadly gas.
• Acidic or alkaline cleaners like vinegar used on marble, travertine and other natural stone will destroy or etch the finish.

Knowing your cleaning solutions just comes with practice and it may take some experimentation to find what you like to use.

I know from experience from professionally cleaning houses, that once you have this figured out you are two steps ahead of the game.

2. Clean From the Top and Work towards the Bottom

This relates to every aspect of housecleaning.

Begin at the top of the house (the highest floor) and work your way down to the basement. That’s how we professionals do it in every house that we clean.

Here’s an example:

1. When you dust, start on the ceiling removing cobwebs.
2. Work your way down by dusting the walls, then the picture frames, doorways, mirrors, wall lamps, mantles, etc.
3. Dust the baseboards last.

Doing it this way just stops cross contamination like cobwebs falling on already dusted table tops, footprints on vacuumed carpets or drying floors and unneeded water splatters on already cleaned areas.

By applying this same concept to any areas that need to be cleaned like bathrooms, showers, sink areas and toilets your cleaning will become more efficient and easier.

3. Clean from the Back of the Room to the Front

A good method to use – start from the back of the room and work your way to the front of the room. This way you are bringing all your supplies and tools with you and are not walking over what you have already cleaned.

• If you’re vacuuming the carpet, start in the corner farthest from the doorway.
• Back up in the direction of the door while you vacuum.
• The same concept can be applied to all areas of the house.

It is interesting once you start doing this how much you have actually been repeating yourself or walking over what you have already cleaned.

4. Clean One Room at a Time

When cleaning, start in one room, finish it completely before cleaning the next.

I know this sounds simplistic but it is such a good, age-old adage that really can help you clean like a professional.

• This way if you get interrupted when cleaning you will only have one area that is in disarray.
• It is easier to finish the task if you are just concentrated on the one room.
• Being organized in this fashion will help you complete your cleaning task.
• After you finish an area there is a sense of accomplishment that you can use to fuel your next move.

You can clean your way from room to room just by using this method, working down to the front of the house.

5. Make Each Move Count

Clean in a single direction only.

Regardless of whether it’s left to right, or the right to the left. This may not seem like a big deal but it really saves you time and is very effective.

• Be efficient and try not to repeat yourself.
• Thoroughly clean everything the first time, before you move to the next.
• Organize as you clean. Pick things up and wipe underneath especially if it’s in an area that is hard to reach.
• Turn off the lights and fans as you leave the room.

This technique focuses you on your task and helps you keep track of what you have already cleaned so that you do not miss a spot.

6. Wipe Surfaces Dry

Wipe all surfaces dry. This applies to the bath rooms, kitchen area, as well as floor surfaces. Always dry metal and wooden floors to remove water spots.

When you dry your surfaces, instead of just letting it air-dry, you are shinning it but also halting the growth of bacteria by getting rid of standing water. This is especially true in high bacteria areas like the kitchen and bath.

You are also lessening the presence of dirty foot prints on a wet kitchen hardwood floor, bathroom floor or entry way floor. The chances of anyone slipping on a wet or even damp floor dissipate, believe me it is easy to slip and fall.

Drying the surface will also give your just cleaned area a finished, brighter look.

7. Stay Focused and Stay on Track

Don’t get sidetracked.

Getting distracted can cost you precious hours. I don’t know about you but I want to clean, get it done, and go have fun.

Five or ten minutes of losing your focus can turn your house cleaning into an all-day chore that is unorganized and no fun with a lot of walking back and forth fetching tools, sprays and cleaners and littering your cleaning supplies all over the house.

Making sure that you have some kind of plan of action along with the right tools and cleaning solutions can help with concentration.

Don’t stray too far from your plan and if you find yourself bird walking, just get back on track.

8. Don’t Multitask and Go Down the Rabbit Hole!

I’m raising my hand high on this one. Guilty as charged!

It’s difficult and distracting to multi-task while house cleaning.

This is something that can really sneak up on you. You can easily dive into a new project without finishing the one you are working on and before you know it, all be it with the best intentions, you are out of time.

Don’t try to wash and dry laundry while working on your house cleaning. You might find that both of these tasks remain unfinished.

As you clean, you can pick up the dirty clothes and put them in the laundry basket. Do the laundry later.

Just keep focused on the task at hand.

This is How We Teach our House Cleaners…

These cleaning tips are what we use when cleaning small houses or larges houses. They work to keep you on time, make your life easier and keep your cleaning efficient.

The approach can work for someone trying to upkeep their small apartment or even a large house because these tips all share the same goal, a way to clean a house.

Remember to plan the route to take when cleaning, stay focused and organize as you go. Being organized will help you complete your cleaning goals whether it be one room or the entire house.