The last thing we usually think to do when heading up to bed is clean our home, but professional cleaners say it's one of the best ways to stay on top of troublesome chores.
From closing down a kitchen, to clearing surfaces for a better morning routine, these five quick cleaning tasks pros cannot leave undone before bed will help you build better habits for a more permanently clean and tidy home. They'll also
These are the five tasks cleaning experts suggest tackling before bed every night, and why they help you to avoid cleaning when you feel overwhelmed.
Cleaning tasks to do before bed
1. Deal with dishes
Cleaning a kitchen after dinner is a must if you want a tidier-looking home, begins Ashley Kidder, cleaning expert and COO at Dashing Maids. She recommends focusing on dishes, be it washing dishes by hand or emptying a dishwasher in your closing shift routine.
She says, ‘This will look different for everyone, but it should not take more than 15 minutes and will make all the difference in your mood when you wake up the next day.’
You might also want to take the time to organize a kitchen ready for breakfast the next day, preparing dishes and mugs for a better morning routine.
Made with plant based ingredients, the Molly Suds dishwasher tablets offer a superior clean without any harsh chemicals to limit the risk of food contamination.
Opting for lint-free microfiber towels makes polishing glasses and drying dishes easier, reducing fiber contaminants on dishes.
For hand washing, a good dish drying rack is essential. I use this metal drying rack and love how spacious it is, fitting all the bowls, plates, and pans we use as a couple after dinner.
2. Clear surfaces
Decluttering countertops is a must before you head to bed. The cleaning experts at Dr. Beckmann say, ‘Focus on essential cleaning tasks to prevent things from piling up and help you to live lighter. Declutter high-traffic spaces and establish a simple daily routine. Small efforts every day will help you feel prepared for the day ahead without overwhelming yourself.
This is a good time to sort out your food storage, putting anything leftover from dinner in the fridge. Maria Anderson, professional organizer with Henfield Storage adds, ‘Glass containers are essential for storing leftovers, vegetables, fruits, and other food items. Clear containers enable you to see what is inside easily, which further prevents food waste and makes it easier to find what you need. Airtight containers help to keep food fresh and prevent any spills.’
Dishwasher, oven, and microwave safe, these glass food storage containers are air-tight and leak-proof, making them perfect for storing food without the risk of food contamination.
3. Clean down counters
With everything packed away in their rightful homes before you go to bed, wipe the counters down to clean up spills and crumbs from the day's cooking and food prep, says Ashley Kidder. This isn't the time to remove common stains from countertops, but to refresh the surfaces and ensure they are ready for the next day.
Ashley adds, ‘Don’t forget to clean the bathroom counters after your evening skincare routine, too.’ Removing water splashes from counters and faucets will prevent hard water stains that can make your fixtures look worn down or cheap, or lead to needing harsher cleaning chemicals down the line to shift stubborn, built-up limescale.
An all-purpose cleaner can help to degrease surfaces and kill bacteria all in one, making it great for quick end-of-the-day clean downs.
Microfiber cloths make quick cleaning simple. I use them to quickly clean surfaces before throwing them in the washing machine to be refreshed and used time and time again. Skip the laundry softener to retain the fabric's moisture-absorbing quality.
Method's bathroom cleaner breaks down grease and grime without the strong smell of chemicals lingering afterward. They are a personal favorite for freshening up the space at the end of each day.
4. Sweep the kitchen floor
Cleaning a kitchen floor is another quick task that can make all the difference to your weekly cleaning regime. Brushing up crumbs and dust using a long-handled dustpan and brush, available at Target, prevents build-up which could attract pests and make walking around barefoot in the morning feel gross.
Punteha van Terheyden, head of Solved, recently upgraded to one of the best robot vacuum cleaners – the eufy Robot Vacuum Omni S1 Pro, which she reviewed for Homes & Gardens – which does this chore for her, saving her time every night before bed. With a built-in vacuum and mop, she says the robot ‘changed her life’, offering a superior, hands-off clean without having to even look at a handheld vacuum cleaner.
A cordless vacuum cleaner is perfect for kitchens, allowing you to quickly clean up crumbs without having to lug a corded vacuum out of the closet when you want to be winding down for bed.
Don't fancy the loud noise directly before going to bed? This simple dustpan and brush makes sweeping up daily crumbs simple. It can be easily stored beside your fridge or pantry for easy access, too.
Punteha says, 'The best robot vacuums can be pricey but this excellent one reduced my canister vacuum use by 90%. It's a sound investment, and the brilliant app allows for lots of scheduled cleaning options. Program it, go to bed, and let the robot do the deep vacuuming and mopping for you.' This robot vacuum not only self empties, but self cleans and dries the mop heads too, avoiding any nasty smells or mildew.
5. Schedule a laundry load
This might not be an ‘every night’ task, but it can be a good idea to set up a laundry load before heading to bed. Using the power of smart home cleaning tools to schedule the cycle to start before you wake up means your fresh laundry is ready to move to the dryer (or hang it outside to harness the benefits of air-drying laundry) while you wait for your morning coffee to brew.
This is something I started doing recently with my best washing machine and I will not be going back. Knowing it is ready to go first thing in the morning means I don’t forget it in the drum when I get wrapped up with work during the day, so washing does not go musty and laundry smells better.
I love my collapsible laundry basket. I use it for everything from laundry day to decluttering. The fact it folds down means I can store it easily behind my dresser in between uses so it is not always in the way.
Having three separate dividers in my laundry basket means I can pre-sort laundry with ease and quickly see when I need to run a laundry load, so it does not become an overwhelming mountain of washing I have to manually sort out midweek.
As an eczema-prone household, we swear by detergents free from dyes and fragrances. They help to clean our clothes without coating them with damaging chemicals for a fresher clean and softer skin.
Meet the experts
FAQs
What is the 5x5 cleaning method?
The 5x5 cleaning method requires you to pick five areas of your home – big or small – and spend five minutes cleaning or decluttering each. It can be a good way to reset your home quickly towards the end of the day if your chores have gotten away from you, or fallen lower on your priority list for the day.
Ashley Kidder reminds us, ‘You don't have to do it alone! Divide and conquer with your roommates, partner, and kids if you can.’ Luckily, pro cleaners have some simple methods to motivate your family to clean if they need an extra boost to get started.
