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Every parent has experienced this….you have every intention of getting some cleaning accomplished, only to find that by the end of the day your house is no cleaner than when you started! How does the time get away from us?

Here are five quick and easy cleaning tips that any harried parent can incorporate into their day to clean their home a little bit at a time.

1. Let your cleaning products do the heavy lifting.

Instead of trying to speed up the cleaning process by spraying a cleaning product and scrubbing vigorously, spray a generous amount of cleaner onto the surface (shower walls, countertops, tubs, toilet seats) and walk away for a few minutes while the cleaning product does the work. Most cleaning products work best when allowed to penetrate the stain and break down the surface grime. Take those few minutes to wash a load of laundry, straighten a room or wash a window. At the end of those few minutes, wipe the surface clean with paper towels and admire your work! You just completed multiple tasks in the time it takes to complete one!

2. Let your machines and technology do the work for you.

You only have fifteen minutes to clean before taking the kids to school? Use that time to set up your machines (i.e. appliances) so they can work for you during the time you are on the road with the kids. Finish loading the dishwasher and switch it on. Switch the laundry and get one load drying while another one washes. Pre-treat surfaces with cleaning product while you cart the kids to school. And finally, if you are lucky enough to have a Roomba or Scooba,(which we highly recommend here on AutomaticMoms.Com) clear the floor of clutter and set up your virtual walls so that your floors will be clean when you get home!

3. Create cleaning kits in all of your rooms.

All of you bathrooms should all be stocked with a toilet brush, a bottle of toilet bowl cleaner, paper towels, glass cleaner and all-purpose anti-bacterial cleaner. Kitchens should havepaper towels, an anti-bacterial dishwashing soap,a dishwasher-safe brush for scrubbing dishes (no sponges allowed!), anti-bacterial all-purpose cleaner for counters and surfaces and a standard glass cleaning product for the front of ovens and diswashers. Instead of storing all of your cleaning products in one closet or cupboard in your home, assemble these cleaning kits in each room so you always have access to the appropriate tools for that room.

4. Clean as you go.

I’d love to take credit for this tip, but that has been a mantra of my Mom for as long as I can remember. Whenever we were cooking or baking, she would say, “Remember…CAYG….Clean As You Go!” The idea behind this tip is to never let something get so bad that you need to actually “clean” it in the first place. If you are walking upstairs to do something, scan the room and see if there are any misplaced items that should be brought upstairs with you. If you are on the phone and walking through the house, straighten one thing in each room as you go. By doing small incremental cleaning tasks that take only 30 seconds each, you can actually accomplish a great deal throughout the day!

5. Keep the washing machine going all day.

Too often, laundry is left to pile up until no one can find a clean pair of socks! Head off your laundry crises by maintaining the laundry pile everyday, all day! Start as soon as you wake up in the morning by switching out the laundry and starting a new load. Set up laundry baskets for each person in the home who is old enough to fold and put away their own laundry. Sort clean laundry as it comes out of the dryer. Have each person match their own socks and put away their own clothes. In the evening, put baskets in the hall outside each bedroom and have everyone load them with dirty clothes and bed sheets. Each morning, collect the clothes, sort, wash and dry. Let your kids do the rest if they are old enough!

In general, quick and easy cleaning comes from setting up systems that work in for your family. By setting up your environment for success and by establishing routines and stocking your rooms with the appropriate tools, you’ll be able to take advantage of those few minutes every day to make your home cleaner and happier.