How to Clean Your House in 45 Minutes or Less

Is it possible to clean your entire home in 45 minutes? We think so. The key to speed cleaning, experts say, is setting priorities. Experts suggest that the most important areas to clean are the places where people congregate in your home, such as your foyer, living room, kitchen and bathroom.

Prepare For Success

You can do a lot of cleaning in a short time, if you have a game plan. Here are some tips to consider before you start your cleaning.

• Be focused. Make a list of the most impactful chores and focus on the rooms that should be presentable and comfortable for your lifestyle.
  
  
• Be realistic. The 45-minute game plan for a 1,200-square-foot home might look a lot different than one for a 2,800-square-foot home.
  
  
• Be organized. Debra Johnson, a home cleaning expert with Merry Maids, suggests using a cleaning caddy for your different cleaners. Keep the caddy in a designated spot and use a different colored cloth for each task. Avoid overusing cloths or using too much product, which leads to smearing and streaking and increases your cleaning time.

Maintain the goal of having solidly cleaned your home while bypassing spots that require lots of extra attention. (Save those tasks for a rainy-day deep clean.)

How to Tidy in 20 Minutes or Less

"If it's not dirty, don't clean it," says Queen of Clean Linda Cobb. That's the most important thing to keep in mind when it's time to spruce up before someone stops by.

Here's Linda's list of what to tidy if you're really pressed for time.

1. Take a laundry basket and go from room to room picking up things that don't belong. Stash the basket in a closet or somewhere guests won't look.
   
   
2. Next, tidy up the bathroom that guests will use. Wipe it up quickly, light a candle and make it look nice. Remember: That's a room where guests will have a good amount of time to sit privately, unobserved and look around.
   
   
3. Run the vacuum through the main rooms that company will be in and fluff the pillows.
   
   
4. Shut the door on other rooms that will not be seen or needed if they're messy.
   
   
5. If it's nighttime, turn on some lights. If it's daytime, open up the shutters or the curtains or the blinds. A well-lit room looks cleaner.
   
   
6. Finally, simmer a pot of water filled with cinnamon and cloves to give your house a nice, fresh scent.

How to Clean the Whole House in 45 Minutes

Stick with the strategy of focusing on spaces in your home where you'll spend the most time. Here's a room-by-room list of priority cleaning chores. Set a timer and do a trial run, adjusting where you need to.

Clean the Bathroom — 15 Minutes

This area — not the kitchen or the living room — is where you want to be the most fastidious. The lighting is usually bright and the room is free of distractions, making dirty areas easy to spot. (You might turn a blind eye to dirty areas, but your guests will not.)

That doesn't mean you have to get down on your hands and knees and scrub the tub. Focus instead on cleaning the toilet, mirror, sink and counter.

• Turn on the vent and open a window to help air circulate.
  
  
• Clear the counters, shelves and back of the toilet of any excess cosmetics, curling irons, hairbrushes, etc. Stash it all under the sink or in a drawer.
  
  
• Pick up any dirty clothes and throw them in a hamper.
  
  
• Put misplaced items in your carry-along basket.
  
  
• Collect any loose children's bathtub toys into a shower caddy.
  
  
• Squirt toilet bowl cleaner in the bowl and let it soak while you clean.
  
  
• Spray and wipe down the mirror to remove splatters and streaks.
  
  
• Disinfect the sink, faucet, stopper and the counter. Use paper towels to wipe down the counters first and then polish the sink and faucet.
  
  
• Put out new folded hand and bath towels.
  
  
• Scrub the toilet with a brush and flush. Use disinfecting wipes to wipe down the seat and outside of the toilet.
  
  
• Shake out the bathroom rug so it looks fresh and then sweep the floor.
  
  
• Close the shower curtain or door.
  
  
• Close the window and turn off the vent.
  
  
• Take out the trash and mist disinfectant into the empty container.

Clean the Foyer - 5 Minutes

Most entryways serve as a sort of dumping zone, so let's fix that:

• Open the door to your home and let in the fresh air as you clean. It's more effective than any air freshener or candle.
  
  
• Put outerwear away. Leave some coat hooks or hangers available and uncluttered so that guests have a space for their belongings.
  
  
• Store odds and ends that don't belong in the foyer in a single basket so that it's somewhat contained. You'll carry this basket along with you as you move about the house.
  
  
• Sweep the floors but avoid vacuuming or mopping. If necessary, a damp cloth will help spot clean dirty spots left on the floor by wet shoes. Save deep floor cleaning tasks for a day when you have an extra 10 minutes.
  
  
• Close the door when you're done.

Clean the Kitchen - 15 Minutes

We all know that everyone hangs out in the kitchen, so focus on achieving clean, uncluttered surfaces:

• Open a window in the kitchen to help circulate air.
  
  
• If any clutter from the foyer belongs in the kitchen, put it away. If there's clutter in the kitchen that belongs elsewhere, put it in your carry-along basket.
  
  
• Stash any unnecessary tools or appliances that are cluttering the countertop.
  
  
• Spray disinfectant on the counters to remove grime and on high-touch areas, such as the refrigerator handle.
  
  
• Put dishes in the dishwasher and clear off the drying rack. Use spray cleaner to get out every spot from the sink basin. Then, wipe down the faucet and around the drain.
  
  
• If you have stainless steel appliances, use a cleaner to rid the surface of fingerprints.
  
  
• Sweep – especially around the perimeter of the room and around cabinet bases.
  
  
• Wash pet dishes, and use a damp rag to spot clean the floor area that surrounds them.
  
  
• Hang fresh dish towels and toss the dirty ones into the laundry.
  
  
• Use a damp paper towel to wipe splatters from your cooktop and backsplash behind your stove.
  
  
• Empty the recycling and trash, and take all bags out of the house. Add a spritz of disinfectant into the bottom of the cans before you insert new liners.
  
  
• Don't forget: Shut the kitchen window.

Clean the Living Room - 10 Minutes

A tidy living room is an inviting space — both to you and to guests:

• Do a walk around the room and clear clutter. Add to your basket and put away anything from the foyer or kitchen that belongs in your living room.
  
  
• Stack magazines and books neatly in a basket or on an end table.
  
  
• Use a microfiber cloth to dust any horizontal surfaces as well as the TV and coffee table.
  
  
• Organize remotes in a single spot, either in a drawer or neatly on an end table.
  
  
• Straighten couch cushions and pillows, and fold any throws.
  
  
• If you have pets, run a sticky lint roller over furniture to collect any visible fur.
  
  
• If carpeted, use the vacuum — fresh vacuum marks on a rug always make a room look well-maintained.

You don't need the most expensive cleaning products or tools to successfully clean your home. Common household items used in creative ways can often save money and get the job done. Here's a list of 25 natural cleaners you can make and use at home.

But a word of caution: Even "natural" products can sometimes cause a reaction on different finishes and furniture, or pose problems for those who suffer from airborne or skin allergies. Test new products in a small, inconspicuous area to make sure they work for you and your home.

Lastly, the best plans to clean your house fast will go awry if you're not being honest about how much time you have to clean, how clean you want your home and the most important spaces in your home you want clean. This helps you devise a strategy to get the job done right.