brilliant cleaning hacks from moms who crush it
As a trainer who has been working with moms and families for over a decade, I know the cardio doesn't stop at the treadmill, being a mom or a parent is basically cardio all day long, especially if you're also working your butt off to keep a clean home. I'm so incredibly grateful to all of you who have shared your tips with motherhood with me, so I'm sharing my favorites below!
(Accurate.)
Big disclaimer here- and I think this applies to all the advice, take what you want, discard what you don’t. If this will not work for you, move on to the next one. Also- If you have a brilliant, life changing hack to add, please share it in the comments!
1- 5 minute pickup/ 10 minute pre-bed routine
This is from a mom of 2 who works from home and does this before naptime. Her kids are old enough to help and they do a 5-10 minute pickup with baskets. Usually the kiddos find a beloved toy that rather than put away- it goes into their pickup basket and they play with it during quiet time. She gets a clean house, the kids get entertainment, and they all get a minutes peace!
I heard from a lot of you on insta that you do a 10-20 minute pickup before bed. One momma of 2 suggests tossing on headphones for 10 minutes and cranking up the music. I'll add that I usually listen to podcasts while I clean and the funnier they are, the more enjoyable the whole experience is. More on this later.
2- Run the machines overnight.
This was taught to me by a mom of three - including a set of twins- who owned her own company. Success leaves clues, and I learned a lot from her. Her top tips for a clean house were to run the washing machine, (she has to do laundry every day as a family of five), while she loaded the dishwasher, and runs the drier overnight. Every morning she would wake up before her family, meditate, and put away the clean dishes and fold laundry in peace. She'd return home from our early morning workouts to a completely clean house. I get this won't work for everyone, but my key takeaway was to the work or drying over night and tackle the put away first thing in the am. (When I can, I try to put away the laundry while we are all getting ready for the day so it's less of an inconvenience.)
3- Make the cleaning products easy to use and keep them everywhere.
(Kid-safe ones, that is.) I keep a very cute spray bottle filled with a 2:1 mix of vinegar and a small canister of baking soda in our bathrooms and kitchen sink. (You can add essential oils to this if you can't stand the smell, I usually light a scented candle.) I also have a plant-based cleaner that I keep out for an easy wipe our our counters at the end of the day. The kids love to use the spray bottle for a quick tub-clean after baths and I can usually wipe everything down quickly since everything is easily accessed.
4- Scrubby Sunday - My weekly routine that leaves the house (and me) so fresh and so clean:
* This doesn't need to take all day and I can usually get this all done while the kids watch a movie or play downstairs. It's a time commitment, not for everyone, but I like to start the week off with a clean house.
1- Strip the beds and wash them while dust, vacuum, and wipe (magic eraser for the walls/ clean the windows). I also wash the towels, blankets, and larger items that don’t get attention during the week if the sheets don't need it.
2- (This is where YOU come in)
I remove my nail polish and put on a face mask while scrub and soak the toilets, and wipe down the tubs and sinks. Then I deep condition my hair while I scrub down the tub/ shower. I clean the mirror, replace all the countertop items, and sweep after I blow-dry my hair. Clean bathroom, clean me.
Of course, I don’t do this EVERY Sunday, but it’s the common routine and if it happens 2x per month, great.
5- Scrub the kid's bathroom while they take a bath.
Brilliant. Thank you moms of instagram. I'll give them duplos in the tub, a popsicle, or shaving cream to entertain them if it's going to take extra elbow grease.
6. "Hire a Cleaner!”
(This was my favorite reply, I love your honesty!)
Growing up, we had a cleaner. Both of my parents worked full-time jobs and often traveled for work, so they had someone came once a week. Sometimes - you hire it out. I know many of you shared this as a joke, but I have many clients who hire a regular cleaning service or just the occasional deep clean while they’re away on vacay. This is a perfectly acceptable solution!!
Did we miss anything??? Share your favorite cleaning hacks below!