How to Clean Your House in 2 Hours or Less
Clean a dirty house in under two hours with this daily routine
Want to know how to clean a house step by step?
Or how to clean a house fast and properly?
Discover how to clean your house in 2 hours or less with this easy house cleaning schedule and tips.
“We dream of having a clean house — but who dreams of actually doing the cleaning?”
Marcus Buckingham
Not me!
But since it has to be done, I have created my own routine to clean my entire house in two hours or less. I hope that it will help those who, like me, are busy and don’t have much time for house chores.
# If your house is very messy and you lack motivation, read how to clean a messy house when it feels impossible.
Things that will increase the time it takes to clean a house are:
- your house is bigger
- you are slower doing the cleaning
- both
That’s why it is important to develop your own cleaning routine and set a specific time to finish each task. That’s what works best for me.
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Don’t have 2 hours to clean your home?
Check how to clean your home in 1 hour to find cleaning tips when you are short of time.
And if don’t have an hour, read how to clean your house in 30 minutes.
Eve less time? Read 15 minute cleaning hacks and tasks.
If I think something needs intense cleaning, I leave it for when I find the time (usually on weekends).
These things include:
- clean the oven
- tidy up and clean the fridge
- clean the windows
- tidy up the pantry
- change bed linen
- vacuum underneath sofas and beds
Once a month I try to clean one room thoroughly. I rotate between the kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedrooms.
During the week I like to follow this cleaning routine if I have the time. It is my way of cleaning my home in 2 hours or less. Fast and easy!
“Cleaning and organizing is a practice not a project.”
Meagan Francis
How to clean your house in 2 hours (possibly less) with this fast and easy cleaning plan
It is important to keep the house free of clutter as this is something that helps speed up the cleaning process. If you get into the habit of keeping everything in its place, it will be much easier and faster to clean your whole house.
“Nothing inspires cleanliness more than an unexpected guest.”
Radhika Mundra
Order First | Pre-Cleaning Routine (20 minutes)
The first thing is to have all the cleaning products you need ready. I keep mine underneath the kitchen sink, in the caddy you see below. I like it because is easy to handle and big enough to keep all your cleaning supplies.
This caddy is currently unavailable on Amazon. If you are in need of one have a look at this selection.
If your under-the-sink cabinet is a mess, like it was mine, check under-kitchen-sink organization ideas to help you keep this area tidy.
# Next, pick the laundry basket or any container with handles, move from room to room sorting items, and pick up what is not in its proper place. This laundry basket with a retractable handle and wheels will make this task easier.
# Dirty clothes you find are gathered up in the laundry basket. Put other things like magazines, shoes, etc where they belong.
# If you have small kids most probably there will be toys everywhere. Have containers for toys in the living room area and in their bedroom. Teach them to pick up the toys after they finish playing with them. They learn quickly when they are young.
- On the other hand, if you are having trouble keeping your kid’s toys tidy, I wrote an article on how to declutter and organize toys.
# If you have dirty dishes in the sink, let them soak in soapy water for now.
Or instead of leaving your dishes in the kitchen sink, put them straight into the dishwasher with the soap in the container.
# Before you start cleaning, make sure that the windows are halfway open, especially in the bedrooms. It is also a good idea to strip off the duvets and pillows to air the beds.
✅ If you need help cleaning your bedroom check these tips for cleaning a messy bedroom fast.
# Then, move to the bathroom and pour a bleach solution into the toilet. Leave it there to work while you do other tasks.
I’m comfortable cleaning with bleach. I haven’t found anything that disinfects as well as bleach does. I use it for everything because I don’t feel my house is clean without it.
Some people don’t like to clean with bleach due to the chemicals it contains. The thing is you only need a bit, and if you find the smell too strong, dilute it with water. if the problem resides with the fumes you could use a disposable safety mask like this one.
# Never mix bleach with ammonia or any other household cleaner. There is a lot of misinformation on Pinterest about mixing certain products to clean your home or skin. This could be dangerous. We shouldn’t believe everything we read. To find out more about what household ingredients you shouldn’t be mixing, check out 7 household cleaning products not to mix.
# If you clean with bleach, please be careful if you have small kids. Store it in a place that is not easily accessible.
# If you are pregnant consult your doctor as to whether it is safe to use bleach.
# If bleach is a no-no for you, consider natural alternatives. White vinegar, baking soda, lemon, apple cider vinegar, Castile soap, cornstarch, salt, and essential oils are non-toxic ingredients you could use to clean your home. Some of these ingredients can’t be mixed together so make sure to do your research first.
TIP – Remember to wear something old when you are cleaning with bleach. It always ends up, somehow, in your clothes.
RELATED ARTICLE
✅ Want to learn how to clean your bathroom naturally? Check these brilliant bathroom cleaning hacks.
Cleaning Tasks For Your Entire Home
Dishes and Laundry (10 minutes)
Since the dishes have been soaking for some time now, you don’t have to spend a lot of time scrubbing the dirt off. After washing them, arrange them on a rack to dry.
While the dishes are drying, concentrate on the dirty laundry basket and the washing machine. Put a load of laundry inside the washing machine and press the start button.
TIP – Sort out your laundry by color. I usually wash colored clothes daily. I wash white/cream clothes once a week if I have enough.
While the washing machine is doing its job move on to your next task: the kitchen.
Related Article: How to make your laundry smell good and fresh
Kitchen and Disinfecting Surfaces (10 minutes)
It is time to concentrate on the kitchen. Clean all kitchen counters and surfaces with a disinfectant-purpose cleaner.
You can use your favorite disinfectant for countertops and other surfaces, but apple cider vinegar does the trick if you don’t have any at hand.
Dampen a clean cloth in a mixture of one cup of warm water and half a cup of vinegar and wipe all surfaces that you regularly come into contact with.
It is important to wipe your surfaces with a disinfectant so that you can get rid of germs and harmful bacteria. If you are in a hurry just wipe the surfaces with antibacterial wipes.
The next stop is at the microwave. Wipe it clean inside and out with antibacterial wipes. Check how to clean the inside of the microwave using natural ingredients.
Once that is done move on to your next task: dusting.
For more help cleaning the kitchen, read the following articles:
- 25 natural kitchen cleaning hacks
- best ways to clean greasy kitchen cabinets
- how to clean the fridge without chemicals
- how to clean the oven with and without baking soda
Dusting “if necessary” (10 minutes)
If your home doesn’t get too dirty you don’t need to dust every day. Maybe every other day or every two days.
If my home needs dusting I start from the living room, I dust all surfaces as I move to the bedrooms, the conservatory, the stairs, and finally my office.
Most of my attention is usually drawn to electronics because they are notorious for attracting dust.
Vacuuming (15 minutes, maybe less)
Vacuum the areas of your home that need it most. In my case, I like to vacuum more than once because my dog sheds lots of hair. Sometimes I use the vacuum twice a day if I have the time (fussy? Yes!). Mostly in the living room and kitchen.
The thing is that I hated vacuuming for a long time, the only thought of carrying the vacuum cleaner around made me feel uneasy. I used to have a vacuum cleaner with cable and it was a nightmare.
It will get stuck everywhere, between furniture, beds, corners, stairs, you name it. Not to mention how heavy it was to carry it up and down the stairs. I knew I needed to buy something better. And I did!
And it made a big difference. I bought a cordless, lighter, bagless vacuum cleaner and I couldn’t be happier. If you don’t have one, you should try it.
I decided to invest in a Dyson V7 because I bought 2 cheaper vacuums that I had to return because the suction was really bad.
Sinks, Tubs, Mirrors, and Toilet (15 minutes)
Use a spray bottle with an antibacterial solution to clean the sink, bathtub, and toilet, and wipe them with a cleaning cloth.
Lastly, flush the toilet bowl with the solution you poured earlier. Alternatively, if you are into DIY you could make your own toilet bombs.
I always have anti-bacterial wipes in the bathroom. They come in handy to clean on the spot when you are in a hurry. It also saves you from getting out your cleaning products.
Finally, make sure all the mirrors in the bathroom are sparkling clean. I like to use warm water and wipe it with a microfiber cloth or just paper towels.
For a sparkling shower read 10 easy shower cleaning hacks.
By this time the washing machine would have finished. You can proceed to hang the clothes.
Hanging Laundry or Using the Dryer (10 minutes)
If the weather is good you can hang your clothes in the sunshine to save more energy.
However, if the weather is bad you can use the dryer (if you have one).
Using the Dryer (winter)
In my case, I don’t like using the drier, but I don’t have a choice in winter. I only use it if I’m going to be home. If not, I use a folding drying rack, although the clothes take longer to dry. The weather is humid here.
Mop the floors (5 minutes)
The last thing you can do is clean the floors. Having a bucket with clean water and disinfectant, ready for when you need it, will save you time. Use it to mop the kitchen and bathroom floors.
If you have wooden floors in the rest of the house use a cleaner for this type of floor. But you don’t need to do this every day, maybe once or twice a week.
Finishing Up (10 minutes)
This step is much like the first where all you do is make sure everything is in order.
Spend about 10 minutes checking every room to see what is not yet done.
You can also use this time to make the beds and write down some of the cleaning supplies that might be running out.
✅ Do you have a messy pantry? Learn how to organize a pantry with deep shelves and keep it that way.
Thinking of spring cleaning your home, but not sure where to start? I wrote 10 home spring cleaning tips to help you with the process.
“A recurring cleaning will make you a happy person.”
Maid Sailors
Other Tips to Keep Your House Clean All the Time
As you can see, this two-hour home clean strategy works in under 2 hours (1 hour and 45 minutes and sometimes, even less).
For people who have bigger houses, the extra 10 minutes can be used on the extra room(s). And for people with a smaller house or apartment, it can be done in 1 hour or less.
If your house is cluttered or messy, it will need a bit more extra time, but you will get there in the end. If you get into the habit of keeping your house clean from top to bottom, the time you need to clean it will be reduced.
✅ Are you overwhelmed by clutter? Check these tips to declutter and organize your home fast.
Other tips that might help to get your house clean in 2 hours or less include:
- setting a timer down to 2 hours
- listening to your favorite playlist as you work
- making sure everything you need for a clean house is available
Also, try not to wait for too long before cleaning your house. It will save you time and energy!
Amazon finds that will help you clean your home easier and faster
- Eufy by Anker, BoostIQ RoboVac 11S – Robot Vacuum Cleaner (budget)
- iRobot Roomba i4 + EVO – Robot Vacuum Cleaner (ideal for pet hair)
- Turbo Microfiber Mop Floor Cleaning System
- Best Multipurpose Microfiber Cleaning Clothes
- Lime-A-Way Lime Calcium Rust Cleaner
Related homemaking articles
- tips to clean your home for Christmas
- how to use essential oils to scent a room
- best-smelling essential oils to use at home
- DIY scented wax tablets recipe
- how to clean burnt sugar from a pan
Do you have any questions or comments about cleaning your home in two hours or less? Share them below.
Great post, thanks for sharing.
I just thought I’d add that I used to work in an infectious diseases laboratory, and to clean the lab we would use a 5% bleach solution, then 70% alcohol to clean all surfaces effectively. Straight bleach is unnecessary and a diluted solution is all that’s required.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Hi
i love your tips! what do u use for scuffmarks on the flat painted walls in your home? My 6 out of 11 gbabies came here a month ago and I am seeing these fingerprints they left and I don’t know what cleaner solution for either to use. HELP! :0
thank you!!!
Hi. I know these type of marks are common in houses and more if you have small kids.
To remove them the obvious way is to carefully wipe it with water and a cloth. If the marks are persistent try adding a bit of washing up liquid or vinegar to the water.
Other ways you could try:
Dampen a cloth with alcohol. Rub the wet wipe on the mark until it disappears. To be on the safe side, try first in a place where you can’t see it.
If the scuff mark is light try first with any eraser you have at home. If the mark persists try using a magic eraser. This works most of the time for me.
Good luck!
You can also try Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Those are really good!
I’m with Raquel on the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser pads. My adult daughter told me about them one day, they were cleaning at work and said they were amazing. I was a bit skeptical. So yeah, when we were at Walmarts I bought some to be nice. I was cleaning walls, and she said, “Mom, why don’t you use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser pads?” I said, “Okay…” I AM NO LONGER SKEPTICAL. They don’t scratch, they remove hard to remove dirt. I’m not sure at Walmarts, but at Sam’s Club or BJs, they had big containers of them, maybe a dozen. Yeah, I bought it. This is not to say you go through them fast, but they are cheaper that way. I also don’t use them for everything.
PS: I do not work for Mr. Clean.
I also do not work for Mr. Clean. We have rental property and used flat paint in one of our rentals. Some children wrote all over the living room walls in pencil. I thought it would need to be repainted. Just a little soft rubbing with the damp clean eraser and it is gone. The scary part is that it looks like you ruined your wall until the dampness dries because flat paint takes up the water temporarily.
We all seem to love magic erasers. Thanks for sharing!