There are times when you face a cleaning task so daunting that only a professional can help. Other times, you can handle it yourself—if you think like a pro, that is. Here’s how to clean up your place like it’s your job, according to the people for whom it is.
What Reddit cleaning experts tell us
The point of hiring a pro cleaner (beyond saving time) is that they see things you overlook in your own home because they’re new to the environment. To start cleaning like a pro, take an objective look at the place.
A Reddit thread started by u/mature-sensible-name once asked a mature, sensible question: In the opinion of the professional cleaners on AskReddit, what do people most commonly overlook? Where’s the grime?
The list of areas we overlook is lengthy: the baseboard, the microwave, light switches, door handles, the dish drying rack, the taps of the sink and tub, the drain, the toilet paper holder, the shower curtain—even the blade of your can opener. In this litany of disgusting household objects we find some very useful tips on how to clean them. Here are a couple that stood out to us:
How to clean shower curtains, from u/Jules6146:
Put two or three old towels in with the shower curtain, on delicate setting with warm or cold water. (You want a medium spin setting, delicates usually has this.)
The towel terry fabric helps “scrub” the plastic curtain clean. MUCH better result than washing the shower curtain by itself, and the towels also help keep the load balanced so it doesn’t damage the washer.
Use a normal amount of detergent that you would for a medium wash load. If the towels are white I add a small splash of bleach to help kill mildew on the curtain.
I hang it back in the shower to dry and aim a fan at it to help dry.
How to clean crusted, neglected microwaves, from u/freudian_nipslip:
If anybody is wondering how to clean your microwave: get a bowl and add one part white vinegar and one part water. Microwave for several minutes ‘til it’s boiling. Let sit for a minute so you don’t burn yourself, then take the bowl out and use paper towels or whatever to wipe down the microwave. Repeat as necessary. The steam and acid will soften up the hardened-on food splatters and other crap and it’ll just wipe away.
The Redditor added that you don’t want the water to heat past its boiling point, and 1-2 minutes usually suffice. For extra safety, throw a toothpick or slice of lemon in the liquid to break its surface and prevent a wave of burning steam from hitting you. It totally works!
We’ve also compiled our own list of often-overlooked areas, which includes the overflow holes in your sinks, your shower head, your oven’s warming drawer, the undersides of your cabinets, and more. Cleaning the places you usually forget about (or ignore) is the first step to doing a professional-grade job. We also spoke with Maria Leal, a professional housecleaner, and Evan Burke, a janitor turned housecleaner, about what they’ve noticed clients neglect to clean, and asked them what people should know about keeping their homes maintained like a professional between actual professional cleanings.
Clean your house from top to bottom
Burke wrote in an email that people mostly only clean at eye level, so their apartments are “medium-gross up to 6 feet, and then above that it’s like your grandma’s basement.” Also, gravity exists, so if you’re trying to cover everything, start as high up as possible.
“Clean the ceiling fans and tops of shelves first,” he writes. “Then work your way down, otherwise you can get dust and gunk all over the places you just cleaned. It seems like common sense but you’d be amazed how many people don’t do that.”
Maintain what you’re already cleaned
Leal told Lifehacker that one of her regulars basically has her do what she considers “beautifying” the place. She vacuums, dusts, and shines the bathroom. Because she goes weekly, things never get to that drastic place, and she is done quickly. Set aside an hour a week for beautifying, and you can maintain your space pretty easily.
Burke agrees, saying a lot of his clients were often concerned about time (cost). Do some of that home/toilet maintenance yourself, because “a little scrub with the brush now and then is better than paying someone to literally break encrusted shit off the sides of the bowl once every six months.”
Cleaning supplies you need
Leal says she often has issues where clients don’t have everything she needs. In advance of a good cleaning, grab these staples:
Strategize your spruce-up
Weekly maintenance is good, but it’ll be even easier if you prep and plan.
“Cleaning and janitorial work is thought of as grunt work, but to do it well is both physically difficult and requires serious planning,” Burke says.
Have a strategy. Think of it as a big game of Risk, but you’re annexing cleanliness. And remember that there’s stuff going on behind objects like fridges, bookshelves, and other heavy furniture that may be contributing to an overall feeling of apartment dankness, even if you can’t see it. Burke recommends moving everything out and away from the walls and sweep back there. And one final tip: When push comes to shove, it’s worth it to hire someone to do a deep clean once in a while.