We have to admit that not everyone enjoys cleaning. At least not after smashing an oven door or covering the bathroom floor with bubbles. Cleaning expert Alessandro Gazzo believes that the reason many dislike tidying up is because it’s a repetitive and mechanical task. 

“If you think about it, it’s like brushing your teeth: it’s not fun, but it’s important. You have to do it whether you like it or not, but you (and the people around you!) will notice the positive outcome. However, brushing your teeth is much easier and faster, of course. That’s why you need to focus on creating a routine that stops you from overthinking and allows you to jump straight to action.”

Meanwhile, professional cleaner Axel Avery says, “I think many people dislike cleaning because a) it’s tiring, especially if you do it for years and years; b) it’s often an imbalanced responsibility that usually falls heavily only on a single member of the household (which leads to arguing, frustration, etc.); and c) it takes time and energy away that you can spend doing something more productive or fun (which is why many people hire a house cleaning service).”

Indeed, cleaning can be a true pain sometimes, but it often proves to be very beneficial to our mental health—an aspect Gazzo finds the most enjoyable about it. “We all know a clean space helps you stay healthy in the physical sense (by sanitizing surfaces, killing mold, etc.) But what I like the most is that you also improve your mental health. 

If you clean your home regularly, you feel more at ease, you forget about the stress of not finding your items, and you are more focused (this is key if you work from home). If you stop thinking of cleaning as a burden, it becomes one less burden in your life.”

Avery likes to clean professionally because it makes other people’s lives easier. “You know, it’s not easy to run a home and have a social life, work, and spend time with your family. In a more personal sense, what I enjoy about cleaning is that it helps me keep my life in order and structured. I think your home is (most times) a representation of what is going on in your life. If your house is a mess, it’s highly unlikely that your life is under control.”

To befriend cleaning and avoid failures in the future, experts point out a few mistakes people should refrain from making. The first one Avery indicates is using the wrong cleaning products. “You don’t need a strong, borderline-toxic cleaning chemical. In fact, most things in your home just need an all-purpose cleaner. The simpler and more versatile your cleaning products are, the more efficient you will be at cleaning.”

Another one he points out is cleaning in the wrong order. “This makes people over-clean wet floors, for example, or have to clean twice because they’ve forgotten to clean from top to bottom. Always clean from top to bottom and from the furthest point away from the door to the room you’re in, and move towards the door."

Meanwhile, Gazzo believes that cleaning without a plan is the most common mistake. ”You start going around everywhere and don’t really finish cleaning anything. Besides, it’s frustrating not knowing what to do next and you need to make decisions on the spot. Create a plan first and you will jump from A to B to C. It’s easier and more organized, and you will have a more precise time estimate for cleaning.”

He also notes that elbow grease doesn’t always fix everything. “You don’t need to tire yourself out cleaning for hours and spending unnecessary energy. Let cleaning agents act on the surface for 10–15 minutes, and then wipe. You avoid getting tired, and you also protect surfaces from scratching, for example.”

For some cleaning do's, Avery recommends having a plan before going into it. “Always try multitasking: while you’re leaving your toilet cleaner act on your toilet for 15 minutes, wipe your sink and your mirror in the meantime,” he adds. “Try alternating your tasks so you don’t get bored. Look for house cleaning services online that have blogs with cleaning tips, so you can learn from the best. They have refined their cleaning techniques many times and will help you work easier.”

Gazzo’s professional tip is to create a cleaning calendar and put aside 15 minutes to tidy up a different room each day. “By the end of the week, your entire home will be decently clean and tidy. If you have more family members, include them on your checklist. If you have kids, make sure their tasks are age-appropriate and easy to carry out. This will give them a sense of responsibility and accomplishment once they finish.”