7 Things Professional Cleaners Do In Their Own Homes

We are constantly looking for the most efficient methods for cleaning our homes. There's nothing better than a house that looks, feels, and smells refreshed. We often wonder about the tried-and-true tips that professional cleaners rely on to keep their own homes tidy and looking their best. From products to time of day, here are seven things housekeepers do in their own homes, that you should probably be doing too.

Choose The Right Time Of Day

Time of day actually matters – and the professionals suggest only cleaning during daylight hours. According to experts, it's key to clean when it's bright outside so you can ensure you picked up every last speck of dust.

"Open all the drapes, blinds and shades, or turn on all the lights," Jan M. Dougherty, who ran her own cleaning business. "All cleaning should be finished by 3 p.m. because after that time, the light starts to fade and you don't see the dirt with the same clarity as you did at 10 a.m."

Make The Bed Every Single Day

Get into a routine of rising and making the bed. Every single morning, right after their alarms go off, they make their beds. Once you get into the habit, it becomes second nature. "In the morning, make your bed and put away your pajamas," said cleaning expert Ashlee Edie at Handy. "At the end of the day, either hang up your clothes or put them in the laundry basket to stop them from piling up and making the room look cluttered."

The payoff comes at the end of the day, when your bedroom greets you as the true sanctuary it should be, rather than a cluttered mess that feel chaotic and unwelcoming.

Buy The Right Products

Staying clean means having fewer products to deal with. Save space in your cleaning caddy and under the sink by using all-purpose products instead of specialty items. Look for a disinfecting all-purpose cleaner that also cleans glass, a disinfecting cleaner that works on tough spots in the kitchen and bathroom, and a floor cleaner that works on wood and tile." Try storing your all-purpose cleaner alongside a microfiber cloth, glass cleaner, a mildly abrasive cleaner, and a pair of latex gloves in your cleaning caddy.

Have Some Fun

Cleaning already burns calories, but Dougherty likes to increase the burn by blasting some music to get both her body and soul moving as she cleans. "Put on something that makes you want to move, something that gets your pulse racing," Dougherty says. "It needs to be loud enough to hear above the vacuum."

You will get so much more out of the experience, and the time you are spending cleaning will go by so much faster. Once you're finished, you will feel accomplished from getting a bit of a workout along with sparkling up your space.

Invest In Quality Vacuums

"Make sure you have a vacuum that is equipped to clean things other than just your carpets and rugs," one expert shared with Care.com. Use a vacuum that works on floors and carpets and your house will be twice as clean, and you won't have to switch products halfway through cleaning. Plus, it makes mopping a breeze because you've already picked up several layers of dirt.

Dust Everything

Dust can become your invisible worst enemy, making every surface look dingy and wreak havoc on anyone suffering from allergies. And that's why most professional cleaners know it's crucial to dust everything. "In each room start at the top—look up to see if there are cobwebs, and down to see if there are dust bunnies," Diane Regalbuto, owner of Betty Likes to Clean, shared with Reader's Digest Canada. "Pick one room from which to remove any cobwebs—it takes less than five minutes and it makes a huge difference."

Clean Showers And Bathtubs Every Single Week

We know, cleaning the tub is the worst job in the house, but it must get done, and the professionals do it in their own homes every single week. "Do this task at a minimum every other week to make it less painful, "cleaning expert Beth McGee told Today. "Use a product you know will work best on your surfaces and a microfiber cloth. It covers more area, more efficiently, in less time."