Touch of Europe Cleaning / July 21, 2022
Get Ready for Back to School: Tips for a Smooth Transition
Are your kids home for the summer? Do you have family and friends visiting? Even if you’re on top of your cleaning game, there’s always more to learn about how to keep your house tidy and clean - especially if there are kids involved. Sometimes all it takes to find the best cleaning hacks are the right resources and ideas, which is exactly what this Touch of Europe article provides you with. Check out 10 of our team’s favorite life hacks and tips for getting your home clean in no time!
1) Cloth Napkins = Less Laundry, Less Expenses, Less Waste
Napkins are your best friend, for all the crumbs and spills. We recommend switching from paper napkins to cloth! Because they are reusable, cloth napkins are also economical and eco-friendly. Better yet, you can keep them around for years, reducing your family’s carbon footprint. You can purchase these wash cloths or reusable napkins from several sources. Dollar Tree has fun patterns and characters, but you can also invest in a brand that specializes in the product for improved, longer-lasting quality.
2) Ice Cube Trays = Great Storage Solutions
Did you know that you can use your old ice cube trays for much more than freezing water? They’re great for storing small items like buttons, rubber bands, and any other items that are too small to fit in a drawer. Once you get rid of your old trays, you could even wash them out and reuse them as storage containers. Kids will love these new easy-to-reach compartments. If they get dirty or gross just throw ‘em in your dishwasher! You’ll be surprised how many uses they have! (Bonus points if you use one as a travel container).
3) DIY Window Cleaner
Got fingerprints on your windows? Store-bought glass cleaners are filled with toxic chemicals that can be harmful to you and your family. Instead, make your own glass cleaner using just two ingredients. First, fill a spray bottle with half water and half white vinegar. Use two tablespoons of vinegar + a half cup of water in each for best results! Then add a few drops of liquid castile soap (you can purchase it online or at any health store). Voilà! Homemade window cleaner. And because you're using castile soap as an all-natural degreaser instead of bleach, you don't have to worry about streaking or residue - your windows will stay squeaky clean. This combination can be poured into a spray bottle and will work as well as Windex, but without the harsh chemicals. You can even add essential oils to the mixture for a nice and natural scent. This will leave your windows clean and clear, allowing light to enter your home and your kids to admire the outdoors freely.A
4) DIY Carpet Stain Remover
If your family spills red wine, soda, juice or anything else on the carpets, it’s always a good idea to have a bottle of carpet stain remover at home. But if you don’t, try making your own! Add one cup of baking soda and a half cup white vinegar in a bowl. Mix them together and sprinkle over stains. Then, leave it in for 5-10 minutes before vacuuming. The amazing trick will remove all tough stains from your carpet quickly.
5) Washing Up Toys
Well loved toys may need to be sanitized every once in a while. Use a laundry bag to machine wash toys like lego bricks, stuffed animals, and more that may be collecting dust. Some toys can even be washed in the dishwasher.
6) Using Baskets and Organizers
Use any extra baskets you have laying around or purchase some to reuse around the house. Using baskets and drawers to organize toys and other belongings makes it both easy and accessible for children to play, but also put away.
7) Disposable Dishes and Utensils
Stock up on disposable plates, bowls, cups and utensils for your busy season. This will reduce time spent on doing dishes and putting them away after. Make sure you are being as sustainable as possible and look for disposables made out of recycled materials or natural, compostable alternatives.
8) Screen Sanitizing Wipes
Phones and screens are great at keeping children quiet and occupied. However, they are typically 10 times dirtier than a toilet seat, with more than 25 thousand bacteria per square inch. Give your phones and tablets regular wipe downs with special screen sanitizing wipes, especially before you hand them off to the children.
9) Making Cleaning Fun
By putting on a clean up song or cleaning up together as a family, clean up time can be as fun as play time! Use your children’s favorite song or find a new cleaning song. You can even put on a Disney playlist or whatever gets the crew excited. Some families even recommend the five-minute cleaning hack. Here, they use a five minute timer to see how much they can all get done together before the timer goes off.
10) Encouraging and Incentivizing Clean Up Time
Finally, encourage your children to clean up after themselves by assigning chores with clear time deadlines. You can even offer incentives using a sticker chart or chore tracker. After a certain amount of chores are completed, or a certain amount of days of a clean room, reward your child. Allow them to pick out a new toy or go out for ice cream! This will teach responsibility and develop habits of cleaning, which make your life easier in the long run.
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