You know the feeling. You went on a cleaning marathon just the day before and your home was immaculate. Everything was in its place and there wasn’t a crumb or a speck of dust in sight. And now, less than 24 hours later, your house feels like a complete mess. We’ve all been there! Over the past year, we’ve been spending more time than ever before in our homes; preparing more meals, creating extra laundry, and making more messes. 

Staying on top of chores can be overwhelming, but these simple tips can help you feel confident that your house is fresh and clean - without stressing or spending an entire day cleaning. 

1. Keep Knick-Knacks at a Minimum 

When people lead busy lives, their homes can become quickly cluttered with things piling up over time. Make this your new mantra: less stuff = less stuff to clean! Take Marie Kondo’s advice to heart and donate items in your home that no longer “spark joy”. Look critically at all of your surfaces and make an effort to keep them as minimal as possible. If you have a lot of sentimental items, consider organizing or storing keepsakes and other meaningful items. The less stuff you have on surfaces, the easier it is to go around with a damp microfiber cloth and get your space dust-free in minutes. 

2. Have Cleaning Supplies Handy in the Bathroom 

If your cleaning supplies are right where you need them, you’ll be more likely to do a touch up before things get out of control. Bathroom cleaning can be a chore, but good products make all the difference. Vital Oxide will replace all of your current bathroom cleaners with one product designed to enhance your environment. Vital Oxide cleans, sanitizes, disinfects, kills mold and mildew, and destroys even the funkiest bathroom odors – all without harsh chemicals, odors, fumes, or harmful residues. 

Keep a stash of microfiber cloths (or paper towels), a scrub brush, and a spray bottle of Vital Oxide under the bathroom sink at all times, so you can do a quick wipe down of counters, give your shower a quick scrub, and freshen up your toilet right away when things are starting to look dirty. After cleaning, spray high-touch surfaces like faucets, handles, and light switches to kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. 

3. Keep Clutter in Check 

This tip can take some practice before becoming routine, but it truly makes a world of difference. Put stuff away when you’re done using it, so things won’t start piling up on your floors, couches, and tables. If you see dirty clothes on the floor, pick them up and take them to the laundry room when you’re headed that way. Recycle junk mail as soon as you get it. In fact, go through your mail while standing at the recycling bin. Make it a habit to take dirty dishes right to the kitchen right after finishing meals. If you notice a lot of things that need to be picked up, grab an empty laundry basket and quickly go through your home picking up and dropping off things in the right places. 

4. Clean Up the Kitchen After Every Time You Use It 

I know, dear reader. This tip is a drag. But once you get the hang of it, your kitchen will go from being germy, cluttered, and chaotic to a sparkling clean oasis. Well, at least until you prepare the next meal. Try to keep as few small appliances out in the open as possible (how often do you really use the air fryer or bulky electric grill, anyway?). Wipe off surfaces and try to do the dishes while you cook. Remember, if you clean while you cook, then the ‘after-cooking’ cleanup will be easy. 

Immediately after cooking or eating, clean and disinfect all kitchen countertops, cooking surfaces, and high-touch points (including stove knobs, fridge doors, light switches, etc.) with Vital Oxide. Before going to bed, wash your kitchen sink with warm soapy water, rinse, and spray Vital Oxide to kill 99.9% of germs. 

Related: The 7 Most Germ-Laden In Your Home (And How to Clean Them) 

5. Aim for One Load of Laundry a Day 

Doing a load of laundry daily is a huge component to feeling caught up, less overwhelmed, and in control of this never-ending household task. If you’re skeptical or not sure where to start, here are a couple ideas to make this work for you home: 

• Collect all the laundry in the house at the end of the day or just have one hamper in the laundry room and wash what’s in that daily with a hypoallergenic laundry detergent. If you have kids (AKA mini mess makers) or multiple people living in your household, you could easily have a full load of laundry each day, or even 2-3 loads. Bonus tip: If you have heavily soiled or stained laundry, or if you need to disinfect laundry after someone has been sick, add ½ cup to 1 cup of Vital Oxide to the washing machine, depending on the size of the load. 
• If you work outside of the home, load your washer the night before and set it to start an hour or so before you get up in the morning. Once you get up, toss it in the dryer and fold before leaving or when you get home.
• Don’t separate the kids’ clothes into whites and darks, just toss it all in on a cold setting. If you have older children, consider teaching them how to do their own laundry.
• Don’t have enough laundry for a load a day? Try doing a load every other day or every third day. The goal here is to keep a dirty clothes mountain from forming in your laundry room. 

6. Deep Clean or Replace A Few Key Items 

This is a quick and easy trick to freshen up your home. Old, discolored, or paint-splattered outlet covers and light switch plate covers can be an eyesore and make even the cleanest space appear sloppy. Deep cleaning them will usually do the trick: Remove from the wall, scrub with warm, soapy water, dry, and then spray with Vital Oxide to remove stains, and repeat as needed, making sure they’re completely dry before reinstalling. Older outlet and light switch covers with deep-set stains or discoloration will likely need to be replaced. 

Another item that can seriously damper a clean space? Your toilet seat. Unfortunately, this is an item that is commonly looked over, but should never be neglected. Aim to deep clean it at least once a week (or once a day if someone in your household is sick). It’s an easy task, especially if your supplies are already waiting in the bathroom: Raise the seat. Spray the seat, inside lid, and the rim of the toilet with Vital Oxide. Wipe down the lid, seat, and hinges at the back of the toilet seat. Some toilets have hinges that will pop open to allow better access for cleaning (warning: if you haven’t opened these hinges before, it will be gross). Finish up by wiping the entire seat with Vital Oxide to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses. If your toilet seat is stained or cracked beyond repair, replace it for an instant bathroom refresher. 

Want more cleaning tips? Follow Vital Oxide on Instagram (@vitaloxideofficial). If you have any questions, please Contact Us or Send Us a Message on Facebook. We’re here to help!