10 Steps to a Clean House FAST

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Cleaning a house can be stressful and exhausting, especially when you’re short on time. Good news! This 10-step shortcut will cut down on time and effort, AND eliminate most of the mess.

Here are a few more simple cleaning hacks we think you’ll enjoy – 5 Best Window Washing Tips, Touch-Up Paint Kit, Simple Cleaning Kit for Kids, and Organizing Kid’s School Work.

clipboard with house cleaning checklist

How to Quickly Clean Your House

If you have company on their way over, or if you need to clean up quickly after a long day, these housekeeping tasks can whip your house into shape in just minutes.

Save the deep cleaning for another day and get your house in working order as we “fake clean” everything… fast! Here’s how:

1. Light a Candle

A pleasant-smelling house can hide a multitude of sins and is often the first thing my guests mention when they come over!

2. Put on Music

Blast your favorite tunes that encourage your body to move and get busy!

3. Clear the Kitchen Countertops

The heart of your home is often the messiest. Start here in your quest for a fake clean house by doing the following:

  • put food items away inside the pantry/fridge
  • throw away any collected trash
  • load dirty dishes in the dishwasher or put a little pile neatly in the sink
  • clear off the table in the dining room

4. Wipe Down the Kitchen Surfaces

Using a rag with soapy water or a disinfectant spray, do a quick wipe-down of your counters, stovetop, and the outside of any appliances – fridge, oven, microwave, etc.

5. 10-Minute Tidy

Clutter can easily make a fairly clean house look like a disaster!

  • Grab a laundry basket or trash bag
  • Collect items that look cluttered or items that are out of place – junk mail and paper clutter, toys, laundry, etc.
  • Put items back where they belong, or stack the baskets nicely in a room or closet that is out of sight.

6. Spot Clean Your Floors

No need to bust out the mop! Grab your broom and wet a rag in warm water. While sweeping, wipe any sticky spots, spills, or anything noticeable on your floors.

7. Fluff Couch Cushions + Pillows

Fluff up those sad cushions and throw pillows to give them a new life, rid the dust, and make the upholstery fresh! Wipe the fabric cushions on your couch to get any crumbs or dirt off.

8. Vacuum the Carpet

Vacuum lines in your carpet are a great way to trick your brain into thinking the room is fresh and clean… even when it still needs some TLC. Go over your floors really quick with the vacuum, being sure to get up any pet hair and noticeable spots. This doesn’t have to be perfect!

9. Check + Wipe Down the Bathroom 

Don’t worry about your tub or shower, but give everything else a quick wipe-down. Whenever I do this, it looks like I cleaned the whole bathroom…only I didn’t {wink}.

  • Grab a Clorox wipe (or a baby wipe!) and quickly wipe the counters.
  • Check the toilet. Give the toilet bowl a good swish with the toilet brush!
  • Spot-clean the mirrors with some paper towels. (Sometimes I grab the glass cleaner, sometimes I don’t!)
  • change/ straighten the bathroom towels
  • spot clean the bathroom floors

10. Make Your Bed

Last, but not least, is to make your bed. I could go into a whole lecture about what a bed that is made does to your mood, but we don’t have time for that, so just take my word for it!

  • Straighten your blankets and sheets
  • Fluff your pillows

… annnnd that’s it! Much better, right?

Even though every surface may not be scrubbed down, the end result is a clean-looking house and plenty of time to enjoy it!

Clean Your House Quick Printable Checklist

Are you a “cleaning wanderer” and get distracted when you clean? Enter your name and email address to grab our updated cleaning checklist –

Now go get your house in order… or at least make it appear to be so!

How to clean a house quick - checklist on a clipboard

7 Comments

  1. Perfect timing– i have 20 minutes until company arrives and am going to take your advice and get to work…now if only I could pull myself away from the computer and stop reading great blog posts I might have more time to clean. Ha ha!

  2. Love this list. It’s very similar to what I do. I bought a couple storage ottomans for toys, so I can quickly toss them all in when company comes over. Just getting all the toys out of sight cleans up the living area so much!

  3. Thank you, thank you!
    I need to check out more of your blog now, plenty of time because I won’t be spending it cleaning!
    Thanks, Di

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