With the first month of 2021 almost in the books, there is one thing I have been working on constantly in our home – our cleaning routine. I feel like the end of the year was busy and crazy, so now is a great time to refresh our cleaning routine. Everyone in our little house is Type A big time, so we love cleaning and organizing our spaces. We also love having a set time for these things, so one of the most helpful things we do is have certain days on the calendar we clean. For us, that means on Fridays we do light cleaning and then we deep clean once a month. Aside from that, here are 7 tips for a winning cleaning routine that keep us going strong:
Organize
Before we start cleaning, we always declutter the house to make it easier to clean. For example, we have the kids help us pick up everything on the floor and put it away or move it before vacuuming. We also try to organize our house by space. I keep a list on my phone of spaces we need to organize and then I go down the list when I have a free day. I recently tackled our pantry, fridge and junk drawer. It felt so good to have those things re-organized, as well as, clean.
REFRESH
You can also use your cleaning time not just to organize and clean, but to refresh your mindset. You can do this by choosing scents that inspire and tackle jobs that help you destress and recenter. Art of Green® Lavender Eucalyptus wipes are one of my favorite cleaning products that help me refresh. They smell so calming and fresh, which leaves our house feeling relaxing.
Inspire
Like I mentioned above, you can use your cleaning time to refresh and destress, but you can also use it to get inspired. Put on some inspiring music, like The Ultimate Cleaning Playlist on Spotify, to get into the rhythm. We always listen to music when we clean and it is just such a fun family time that can really uplift and inspire me.
Wash those hands
It is so easy to dive right into cleaning that you might skip over yourself. Be sure to always wash your hands before cleaning. It’s a great way to get into a cleaning mindset and just keep everything clean from the start.
Disinfect
It’s so important to disinfect when needed. Most people don’t realize that it’s not necessary to use a disinfectant every time you clean, or on every surface. It’s all about balance. I regularly disinfect high-touch areas such as our doorknobs, light switches, fridge handles, remotes, and countertops. It is also a good practice to disinfect after having any visitor in your home or if someone in your home is sick.
Using CLORALEN® Disinfectant Bleach is a great way to disinfect properly. It is so easy to use, you just follow the instructions on the label. I love that CLORALEN® is strong enough to clean my home but delicate enough to maintain the quality of my clothing. Also, remember not to use bleach on porous surfaces and never mix cleaning products, and especially bleach with ammonia. This can result in dangerous fumes you shouldn’t breathe.
Use Naturally-Derived Cleaning Products
I love use naturally-derived cleaning products for everyday messes in our home. Art of Green® wipes and sprays are hardworking and safe for sensitive skin – a great choice for constant cleaning around kids and pets. Both of my kids and my husband have extremely sensitive skin, so I need products in our home I can trust around them. Art of Green was voted a 2020 Product of the Year by more than 40,000 consumers*. It also works on many surfaces and, as a bonus, come in two uplifting, refreshing scents: Lavender Eucalyptus(my personal favorite) and Citrus and White Flowers. Along with this, they are made with sustainable ingredients and the packaging is recyclable. Companies like AlEn USA are committed to building a cleaner and more sustainable world and I love supporting that by buying their products.
Wash Again
Finally, don’t forget to wash those hands again when you are finished cleaning. Also, be sure to apply your favorite hand lotion and celebrate your job well done!
At the end of the day, the products you use in your home matters. One reason CLORALEN® is now the #2 branded bleach in America and #1 with Hispanic shoppers is that it is more affordable while delivering the high-performance cleaning of leading brands — $2.79 for 96 ounces. Art of Green® is also priced just above mainstream cleaning products and below green products — wipes $2.99; spray $2.79. They are great options for keeping your home disinfected and cleaned.