Great tips for parents on how to maintain a cleanliness with children around

Do know how to manage to keep your house clean when children around? Would you like to hear any guidance on balancing parenthood and cleaning? Is it better to stick to a plan or just clean as you go?

Yes, this is the second article from the SPIC AND SPAN. series for people with children who strive to keep their home clean and tidy. We will answer all your questions and give you some tips to make your lives easier.

We have heard many stories from our clients not only in Berlin and Potsdam. They repeat throughout the whole Germany. 80% of our clients' problems usually overlap. They have an impression that they spent most of their time cleaning. No matter whether it is a house or apartment. At some point, they realize that after too many weeks of turning a blind eye to the omnipresent dirt and dust they cannot live like this anymore. We believe that parents should focus on their children. They should spend time with them instead of running around a house with a broom. What is more, we see no point in doing so while you can always hire professionals who will do it even better than you.

Kitchen cupboard fingerprints and pudding-spattered ceiling fan? Yes, everything is possible when children around. But no worries, you are not alone with SPIC AND SPAN. Our cleaning professionals will roll up their sleeves and help you out. No matter, whether it is about scouring a bathtub or emptying the fridge. Yet, if you can manage to maintain a cleanliness at home yourself, here go recommendations from our cleaning experts. And remember, even if your husband and you have full-time jobs and two or more small kids, you can do it!

Read tips from our experts. We compiled them together to make your life easier. They are relevant whenever you are expecting a child or have already one or more.

• Involve all family members who live with you. Let them help you to ease the burden and keep your home clean and tidy.
• Write a list of the cleaning tasks you want to complete before your baby arrives. Include to-dos like general picking up, deep cleaning all surfaces, organizing and making minor home repairs.
• Set deadlines for the tasks on your list. These should be at least a few weeks before your due date in case your baby comes early. Give other family members specific tasks from your cleaning list to ease the burden and help you finish before the deadline.
• Prepare a cleaning schedule to follow by all your family members. Spread out the cleaning tasks throughout the week. Involve your husband and grown-up kids so you don't feel overwhelmed.

Naturally, having a good and reliable schedule for cleaning tasks is not enough. You also need some great tricks regarding cleaning itself. Take a look below.

• If you have small babies or children, try not to use strong detergents and chemicals. Natural solutions can do wonders and are friendly not only for your family but also for the environment. For your natural cleaning, you will just need an empty spray bottle, vinegar, baking soda, and some rags.
• To prepare your natural cleaning solvent stir together 1 liter of water, 1 cup vinegar, and 1/2 cup baking soda. This way you will create an all-purpose, not harmful cleaning agent. The last step is to pour the mixture into an empty spray bottle for a convenient application.
• Always remember to wipe down all surfaces in each room, including the furniture tops, light fixtures, window ledges, and vent covers. Work from the ceiling down so any dust you wipe away doesn't get on clean surfaces.
• Wash the linens in all the rooms. Clean the bedding for the baby crib and put it in place.
• Vacuum all the floors to clean up any dust or dirt generated by the cleaning. For carpets, we recommend a steam cleaner to remove the deep dirt. This provides a clean surface for your children when they play on the floor.
• Organize all the baby items at your home. Give each item its own spots, such as a special shelf in the kitchen for bottles and all that stuff and caboodle.

Karl Müller

Acknowledgements:

• "Featured photo" by Frank Mckenna
• "Photo no.1" by Josh Applegate
• "Picture no.2" by Tanja Heffner
• "Photo no.3" by Kazu End