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How to Clean a House Fast Using Natural Products 

Step-by-step and room-by-room tips and tricks to help you clean a house fast and efficiently using only natural products: 

These days, I spend most of my time organizing homes. But there was a time when cleaning homes was my primary role. Let’s just say, I have cleaned plenty of dirty bathrooms in my time. As a result, I’ve streamlined the cleaning process to get it done as fast as possible. In this post, I will share with you my tips and tricks for how to clean a house fast, step by step, using mostly natural products.

Short backstory:

Before my organizing business was born, I cleaned homes. In fact, I did this for 7 years before transitioning to organizing. It was a great low-stress, part-time job that allowed me to work around my kid’s schedules.

During this time, I learned a few things. What I know for sure is that a lot of time can be wasted if you are doing things in the wrong order, the wrong way, or using ineffective cleaning products. I made these mistakes the hard way.

When it comes to cleaning, having more products on hand does not necessarily transfer to having a cleaner house. I have worked in many homes with way too many unused cleaning products, hogging too much storage space.

Why I switched from smelly cleaning products to more natural ones:

When I was cleaning several houses a week, it bothered me that I was using and breathing toxic chemicals on a regular basis. I so hated having to clean showers while choking on the fumes. I knew I needed to find less stinky cleaning products.

But I thought that I would have to sacrifice cleaning power for more natural choices. I also thought it would likely take me more time to clean, using products that don’t work as well.

Much to my surprise and delight, I discovered that some of the best and most effective cleaning products out there are also basically natural! So it’s a win-win. Now, I am able to clean my whole house fast and effectively using just 5 natural products.

In this post, I share the best natural products to use, and several tricks and shortcuts for how to clean a house fast and efficiently.  

The secret lies in using the right products and using them correctly. You don’t need a cabinet full of specialized cleaners to get the job done. Having too many cleaning products often leads to confusion and clutter.

This means that you can get rid of many of the other toxic cleaning products cluttering up your laundry room and the area underneath your kitchen and bathroom sinks.

There are a few specialty products that are good to keep on hand for occasionally cleaning specific surfaces like spray for cleaning computer screens or stainless steel polish for shining the frig. But most of your basic, routine house cleaning can be accomplished using jus 6 natural products.

6 Natural products that can clean a house fast and effectively:

1. Vinegar and water 50/50 solution (Add 1/2 tsp dish soap for added disinfecting power) for use on the following surfaces:

• bathroom and kitchen sinks
• microwave
• windows and mirrors
• showers and tubs
• refrigerator and other kitchen appliances
• wood or laminate floors
• non-granite or quartz countertops

Vinegar is my number-one superstar for so many cleaning purposes. Not only does vinegar and water clean a bathroom or kitchen sink as well as a smelly chemical alternative, but I honestly think it does a better job, leaving surfaces shiny and spotless.

I use this solution on practically everything: windows, grimy microwaves that need degreasing, and sticky refrigerator shelves, and it is safe on most flooring.

NOTE: Do not use vinegar on granite or quartz countertops, it can dull the stone over time.

2. Meyer’s Clean Day Liquid Dish Soap:

• washing dishes
• kitchen countertops including granite and quartz
• for use with vinegar solution above for added disinfecting power on multiple surfaces including floors

This is a great-smelling biodegradable dish soap that contains plant-derived degreasers. It is safe to use on most surfaces.

3. Method Multi-Surface Cleaner:

• toilets
• bathroom and kitchen countertops including granite and quartz
• most other grimy surfaces

For nearly all surfaces in your home that need cleaning, Method multi-surface spray is indispensable. It’s safe and effective on Kitchen counters. It also works well on bathroom counters, toilets, and frequently touched areas like doorknobs and light switches.

4. 7th Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner:

• toilet bowls

This is a pleasantly scented plant-based formula that removes tough stains and leaves your toilet clean and germ-free.

5. Baking Soda:

• drains
• tubs and showers  
• bathroom and kitchen sinks
• for use in areas with odors
• stovetops

Baking soda is another one of nature’s miracles. It is a natural cleaning agent useful for cleaning a multitude of surfaces. It is non-toxic, gentle enough for most surfaces, and inexpensive.

When baking soda comes into contact with acidic substances or grease, it creates a gentle chemical reaction that helps break down and lift away grime. It’s mildly abrasive, so it can scrub surfaces without scratching them.

6. Borax:

• tubs
• showers
• hard to remove stains
• bathroom and kitchen sinks

Though Borax is a natural substance, it is not considered safe in all circumstances. Click HERE to learn more about how to use it safely. I prefer to use it in showers and tubs over baking soda because it does a better job on stubborn stains.

When you encounter those extra challenging cleaning jobs, Borax is a powerful mineral compound that cuts through the kind of buildup that makes other cleaners give up. Yet Borax has little to no smell, so you can get the job done without choking on chemical smells.

General tips for cleaning a house faster and better:

1. Clean task by task, not room by room.

It takes less time to apply a task to your whole house than to clean one room at a time. For example, when you vacuum, vacuum the entire house.  When you mop, save it until last and do all of the hard floors at once.

2. Clean in this order:

• Start with bathrooms: Clean mirrors first, then sinks, countertops, and toilets. Finish with the shower and/or tub.
• Move on to your kitchen: Start with dishes, then move on to countertops, sink, stovetop, microwave, and other appliances.
• Clean remaining rooms, living room, bedrooms, etc.: Tidy, dust, wipe down surfaces.
• Finish up with floors: Sweep, vacuum, and mop all the floors in the home.

3. If you encounter hard-to-remove residue, let time do the work for you.

Spray a cleaning solution (for example: vinegar and water or Method multi-surface spray) generously on tough spots and let it sit for 5-10 minutes while you clean something else. When you return, most grime will wipe away effortlessly.

4. Keep in mind that the fewer things you own, the less you will have to clean.

A home that is clutter-free and simply furnished is much easier to clean than one filled with too much furniture and other items. Not only do you have to dust, clean, and maintain everything in your home, but you also have to move it all around so that you can clean under and around it. 

How to clean a house fast: Room-by-room tips to speed up your cleaning routine:

Bathrooms:

Rather than storing several bathroom cleaning products underneath every bathroom sink, keep everything in one handy cleaning caddy. Be sure to choose a bin with a handle so you can easily carry it when you clean.

I keep a pumice stone, toilet brush, 7th Generation toilet bowl cleaner, Method all-purpose spray, a scratch-free sponge, Borax powder (I put it in an empty parmesan cheese container to create a shaker bottle for easy use), cleaning cloths an old toothbrush, and Playtex rubber gloves in mine. 

• Mirrors: Spray with vinegar and water solution and wipe clean with a clean, dry cloth.
• Sink and countertop: Spray the entire sink and faucet with vinegar and water solution. Let it sit for a minute to loosen stains and hard water deposits. Use the porous side of a scratch-free sponge to scrub the sink and faucet.
• Use a toothbrush to clean any crevices around the faucet. Rinse well with water. Wipe the sink dry with the same cloth. 
• Use Baking soda or Borax and the porous side of a scratch-free scrub sponge to scrub a very dirty sink clean before spraying it with vinegar and water.
• Countertops: Clear off and wipe down with Method multi-surface cleaner. Use the porus side of the sponge as needed.
• Toilet: Starting with the cleanest part of the toilet and finishing with the dirtiest, spray with Method multi-surface cleaner and wipe clean. Scrub toilet bowl with 7th Generation.
• Toilet bowl: Use a pumice stone to remove the ring around the rim of the bowl if there is one.
• Shower and tub: Sprinkle Borax and use the porous side of a scratch-free sponge to scrub the surface, then rinse well (I use an ice cream bucket for rinsing). I finish up by spraying the entire tub or shower with vinegar and water solution, then wipe it dry.
• Faucets: Spray vinegar solution and let sit for 10 minutes. Then scrub with a sponge to remove hard water deposits. Rinse, spray with vinegar again, and wipe dry.

Kitchen:

Clean in this order: wash all dishes, scrub sink clear off and clean countertops, clean stovetop, inside of the microwave, finish up by wiping down outsides of appliances: refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, toaster, etc,

• Sink: Scrub with vinegar solution and borax or baking soda, using the same steps as when cleaning a bathroom sink.
• Countertops: Clear off and scrub and/or wipe down with Method all-purpose cleaner.
• Microwave: spray with vinegar solution and wait 5-10 minutes. It should instantly wipe clean with minimal scrubbing required. Keep a microwave splatter cover in your microwave at all times so your family will remember to use it. This will keep your microwave clean longer.
• Stovetop: Do the same with your stovetop. If still you have baked-on stains after 10 minutes of soaking, use baking soda and a scatch-free sponge to remove stubborn stains. If needed, you can carefully use a razor blade to remove residue from a flat electric cooktop. Just be careful to keep the razor blade level and use it firmly and smoothly to remove burned-on gunk.
• Kitchen appliances: Use vinegar and water solution to wipe down and shine. 

Tidy and dust the remaining rooms:

• Clean each room: Toss out any trash and put laundry and dishes in the kitchen or laundry room.
• Tidy: Each room by returning all items to their designated locations.
• Dust: Use Method multi-purpose cleaner to dust and wipe down furniture and other surfaces.

Finish up with floors:

• Sweep and vacuum first: I manually vacuum everything with my Sharp vacuum when doing a thorough cleaning, but let my Roomba vacuum my house the rest of the time.
• Mop all hard floors:  Add half a cup of white vinegar and 1 tsp of dish soap to a gallon bucket of warm water.. Use a mop that allows you to easily access all nooks and crannies. A self-ringing mop system will get your floor cleaner than using a sponge mop or disposable type mopping supplies. Be sure to ring the mop well to avoid leaving too much water on the floor.

Conclusion:

Hopefully, these cleaning tips and tricks will help you not only shorten your cleaning routine but will help you clean more effectively. By using these natural products strategically and following this system, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you can clean a whole house without having to use harsh or smelly chemicals that are less environmentally-friendly.  

I have also written a post on how to clean your house if you have ADHD. To get these ADHD specific tips, click HERE.

Feeling Stuck?

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