Seven Home Cleaning Tips You Can Do in Five Minutes or Less

Keeping your home tidy doesn't have to be a part-time job. By checking off some simple tasks every day, your home can stay cleaner without a ton of effort. Even the shortest home cleaning tips go a long way to extending the time between each deep cleaning making your home visitor-ready at any time of day.

1. CLEAN YOUR BEDROOM FIRST THING IN THE MORNING

Your bedroom is your habitat, and at the end of a long day, you'll feel better coming home to a clean, fresh-smelling space. The National Sleep Foundation found that 62 percent of respondents in a poll even slept better in a bedroom that was well-kept. To this end, spritz some essential oils or linen spray on your sheets and make your bed when you get up in the morning. Put dirty clothes in the hamper and stow any miscellaneous items on the shelf. If you're on the market for a nightstand, look for one with drawers to make this task easier.

2. EMPTY THE DISHWASHER BEFORE BREAKFAST

While you make your coffee, take a few minutes to empty the dishwasher. A dishwasher that's ready to be loaded at the start of the day makes it easier for everyone to keep their dirty plates and bowls out of the sink. If you live in a hand-wash household, keep dishes from piling up by clearing out the drying rack as soon as possible.

3. CLEAN (CERTAIN PARTS OF) THE BATHROOM DAILY

Leave tasks like bleaching the toilet to a deep cleaning day, but you can incorporate some smaller cleaning habits in your daily routine while your shower water warms or the bath fills. Wipe down the sinks, counters and mirrors and clean the toilet seat and around the base. After your shower, spray some leave-on cleaner on the shower surfaces. In less than five minutes, your bathroom will sparkle and you won't need to scrub it as often.

4. CUT THE CLUTTER IN THE FAMILY ROOM

Make it a habit to do quick sweeps of your family room to keep it tidy. Pick up toys, magazines, empty cups and winter gloves. You can stick them in baskets to sort later if needed. Use an electrostatic cloth to dust the most used surfaces, as Real Simple recommends, such as a coffee table or piece of wood furniture.

5. VACUUM, SWEEP OR DUST MOP THE ENTRANCES

Most dirt on the floor will accumulate at the foyer. And although the mats outside will help to attract a lot of it, you'll save your floor long-term damage by cleaning the area daily. Removing dirt prevents scratches on hardwood floors and wear on carpets.

6. CLEAR THE DINING ROOM TABLE AFTER DINNER

Take dishes to the kitchen, wipe down the table, pick up any food from the floor and dust any other surfaces that may have been used for dinner. If you have group meals every night, be sure to delegate someone to take away the serving dishes to your kitchen counter for cleaning.

7. SPEED-CLEAN THE KITCHEN

Before you hit the sack, load any dishes still on the counter or in the sink and run your dishwasher (or hand-wash your dishes and set them in the drying rack). Wipe down the kitchen counters and stovetop if they were in use for a particularly involved meal. Kitchen floors are dirt magnets, too, so take a minute to sweep most visible areas of the floor.

Keep in mind your home will still call for some deeper cleaning tasks, like washing the bedding, but those can wait for the weekend. Make these quick home cleaning tips a part of your daily routine and your house will stay tidy and fresh.

This article was brought to you by Colgate-Palmolive Company, the makers of Murphy® Oil Soap. The views and opinions expressed by the author do not reflect the position of the Colgate-Palmolive Company.