For Maximum Efficiency, Clean Your House In This Order

It may not seem like a big deal, but the order in which you clean your house makes a huge impact on the end result and overall efficiency of the task. This is especially crucial when it comes to regular cleaning as you want to create a routine that saves time while ensuring the best outcome.

Although many of us don’t enjoy cleaning, following the right order can make the chore quicker and easier than ever before! With that in mind, let’s discuss why cleaning in a specific order is so important—and explore the most efficient sequence for tackling each area of your home.

How Order Impacts Cleaning Efficiency & Energy Consumption

Firstly, let’s start with the most basic rule of cleaning: always work from top to bottom. This way, you avoid wasting time re-cleaning a surface simply because you knocked some dust and dirt from a higher surface onto them. 

Secondly, if you don’t have a system in place, you won’t know where to start or where to end. A lot of time gets wasted in deciding what to do next, and that’s when procrastination tends to creep in!

Lastly, establishing an order for your cleaning tasks helps set the right mindset to complete them efficiently. It’s all about having a plan and sticking to it!

Why You Should Prioritise Your Cleaning Tasks

Since every household is unique, cleaning priorities often differ. For example, a house with many members may prioritise doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms, and tidying up the sitting room, while a couple living in an apartment might focus more on the kitchen and keeping bedrooms organised. 

Prioritising cleaning tasks ensures you can address the most important areas in your home first rather than following a guide that doesn’t meet your requirements. Since we often have limited time for house cleaning, it's essential to focus on what matters most to keep your priorities covered.

The Most Efficient Order to Clean Your House

Do you want to save time and energy when cleaning your house? Then order matters! In this guide, we will walk you through which tasks to tackle first, and why. It’s often the simplest of changes that make the most impact, so get ready to elevate your cleaning routine with maximum efficiency!

1. Clean Areas That Require Cleaning Solutions to Soak First

There are a few cleaning tasks that require some amount of soaking time in order for the product to effectively remove grime and stains. By starting with these tasks, you can let the cleaning solutions work on their own while you move on to other areas and surfaces in the home.

Here are some helpful tips to get started:

• Load the dishwasher and start a cycle
• Put in a load of laundry
• Pour toilet cleaner into the bowl and let it sit
• Spray kitchen surfaces with the appropriate cleaners (stovetop, oven, counters, etc)

Even if you are in a hurry to clean, allowing cleaning products to sit for at least 15 minutes will actually help you save time and energy since the grease and grime will be broken down by the solution, thereby making it easier to remove.

2. Address Clutter Before You Clean

Tidying and cleaning are two separate tasks, and attempting to tackle them simultaneously is not only time-consuming, but also incredibly frustrating! With that said, the last thing you want is clutter getting in your way when you’re trying to clean a room quickly and efficiently, so that’s the best place to start.

Take a look at these quick tips to declutter before you clean:

• Start by picking up things that belong in the room, and putting them back in place
• Carry a basket or tote bag with you to collect items that need to be kept outside the room
• Start with the most cluttered surfaces and work your way around the room
• Double check the space for anything lying out of place before cleaning

3. Clean From Top to Bottom

As we mentioned earlier, cleaning higher surfaces first is important for maximising efficiency. So, before you begin, identify the highest areas in the room that need cleaning and start there.

Here are a few places you might need to consider: 

• Ceiling corners (for dust and cobwebs)
• Mouldings
• Ceiling fans
• Light fixtures
• Tops of cabinets and cupboards
• Wall-mounted shelves

Start by cleaning these higher surfaces, then gradually work your way down until everything is dusted and cleaned. Another helpful tip is to use the right dusting tool—one that effectively picks up dust rather than simply disturbing it and making it airborne!

4. Finish with the Floors and, Finally, the Bathrooms

If you’re wondering why you should clean your bathroom last, it’s quite simple: throughout your cleaning routine, you’ll likely go in and out of the bathroom to wash your hands, rinse cleaning tools, or even use the facilities—risking any earlier cleaning getting undone. In fact, if you have hard floors that need to be mopped, you will probably need to step into the bathroom more than once.

On top of this, bathroom surfaces need time to dry, so it's best to clean them last. Even a slightly damp floor can quickly appear dirty as debris from your feet or slippers gets transferred onto it. Finally, once your cleaning routine is complete (including the bathroom), you can immediately hop into the shower and emerge feeling refreshed, and ready to relax!

Establishing an efficient cleaning order can make a world of difference in both time and effort. By starting with tasks that require soaking time, tackling clutter first, working from top to bottom, and finishing with floors and bathrooms, you can streamline your routine and achieve a thorough clean!