How to Clean Your House in 30 Minutes
How to quickly clean your house in 30 minutes when you need a clean house fast!
Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to get your house clean very quickly? Maybe you just found out company was coming and you’re not ready! I can’t tell you how many times this has happened to me.
But there’s no need to panic if you’ve got at least 30 minutes and a plan! It is possible to clean your house quickly, and I’ll show you how!
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How to Clean Your House in 30 Minutes
While I always try to keep a clean house, it’s not always possible for it to be spotless. Especially with a large family and a home business, it can be difficult to keep things tidy. Our house can get that “lived-in” look very quickly.
One thing that helps for daily housekeeping maintenance is to do these 7 things every day. Creating and keeping a weekly cleaning schedule is also helpful.
But when you find out guests are on the way and the house is a mess, here’s a simple speed cleaning checklist that will help you clean your house in 30 minutes.
Keep in mind that this isn’t the way to clean your house all the time. This speed cleaning list is for those times when you need a clean house fast. You can plan to do the deep cleaning later, when you have more time.
Get Rid of the Clutter
Since we’re not doing a deep cleaning during this time, we’re just focusing on the main areas of the house. When we have company over, I usually focus on cleaning the entryway, living room, kitchen, and main bathroom.
Set a timer (we love this one) and speed through those main living areas, picking up anything that’s out of place. I usually use a laundry basket to corral all the stuff that needs to be put away.
I always have my kids help with this, since most of the stuff on the floor is often things they left out!
Since we’ve only got 30 minutes to complete this speed cleaning session, I usually just stash the baskets of stuff somewhere out of the way. Then we can go back and put it all away later.
If you have more time (or your speed cleaning session is going well), go ahead and put all the stuff where it belongs.
Dust Surfaces
After you’ve removed all the clutter as quickly as possible from the main living areas, it’s time to do a quick dust.
Use a duster or microfiber cloth to dust all the surfaces in the room from top to bottom. I usually start in the entryway, then move to the living room, and then the kitchen.
Freshen the Bathroom
Next we’ll move into the bathroom and make sure everything is fresh and tidy in there. We don’t worry about cleaning tubs or doing deep cleaning at this time. We’re just making sure everything is clean and fresh.
Squirt some cleaner into the toilet and let it sit while you work on the rest of the bathroom. I work from top to bottom, wiping down the mirror, the sink, and then counters.
Next, I focus on the toilet. Starting from top to bottom, wipe it down with a spray cleaner or some wipes. Swish the cleaner in the toilet bowl, and flush.
Make sure the shower curtain is pulled closed or quickly declutter the tub/shower area if you don’t have a shower curtain.
Then make sure the floors are clean, put out a fresh hand towel, and light a candle or turn on the essential oil diffuser.
Speed Clean the Kitchen
The kitchen is one room that can be a huge challenge to keep clean, especially if you do a lot of from-scratch cooking.
First, quickly empty and/or load the dishwasher and start it if needed. Quickly wash anything that won’t fit in the dishwasher.
Wipe off the kitchen table and chairs if needed. Wipe down the counters, island, and appliance fronts if you have time.
Put out a fresh kitchen towel.
Then quickly sweep the floors and wipe up any visible spots.
Vacuum
Now, it’s time to quickly run the vacuum through these main areas, if needed. If you’re really in a hurry, just vacuum the main areas that will be seen by guests, and do it quickly. If you’ve made good time with the other cleaning tasks, you can be more thorough with your vacuuming job.
Finishing Touches
Finish up your speed cleaning session by lighting some candles (I love these) or turning on your essential oil diffuser. Or open a window if it’s nice outside, and let in some fresh air.
Straighten the couch pillows and throw blankets, if you have them. Make sure the coffee table looks neat. And, that’s it!
It sounds like a lot to get done in 30 minutes, but it can be done if your house is usually reasonably cleaned at least once a week.
If you have kids, and they’re able to help, their help will make this go a lot faster!
Supplies Needed for Cleaning
Related Posts:
- 7 Things to Do Every Day to Keep Your House Clean
- My Cleaning and Home Management Schedule
- What to Do When Your Whole House is a Mess
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We do this quite often and I like to call it our quick once over cleaning. Right before company is coming is not a time for deep cleaning but surface cleaning goes a long way to making the house look great.
That’s a great name for it!
This is a great list.
If,I had a dime for every time I had to speed clean a house for unexpected guests, I could buy myself a lot of ice cream.
Two of my favorite tricks for making a room look clean fast are giving it a thorough sweep/vacuum and if I can’t move the clutter, straighten it (line up shoes, neatly stack papers and books). It is amazing how doing just those 2 things will improve the look of a room.
Same here, Katie! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome tips—those are very helpful!