What Is The Micro-Cleaning Trend?

As transformative as a huge home reset can be, let’s face it: who has the time? If your decluttering strategy leans more into little-and-often than all-at-once, the micro-cleaning method might just be your new favourite hack.

Lazy Cleaning Tips: A Guide To The Micro-Cleaning Method

Itching to give your home a deep clean but just can’t find the motivation? Panicking about scrubbing the house spotless before guests arrive? According to cleaning experts, you don’t, in fact, need to devote hours to cleaning – you just need a few time-saving hacks in your arsenal.

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What Is The Micro-Cleaning Method?

‘Micro-cleaning is all about small, manageable tasks that keep your home feeling fresh without needing a full-blown deep clean,’ says Liam Cleverdon, flooring expert and director of Flooring King. ‘These tasks are ideal for busy schedules and lazy cleaners: they can typically be done whilst waiting for your dinner to cook; in between advert breaks while watching TV; or even in the 10 minutes before you go to bed.’ 

It’s all about incorporating cleaning into your everyday tasks, rather than setting aside entire afternoons or weekends. According to Liam, micro-cleaning could look like:

Wiping counters and floors while waiting for the kettle to boil: ‘As you’re waiting for the kettle to boil or the coffee machine to start, make the most of the time with a quick clean,’ Liam explains. ‘Spritz and wipe your countertops or do a once-over with floor spray and a mop pad to tackle any spills or dirt that’s accumulated throughout the day. It takes seconds and will prevent having to put more elbow grease into a deep clean later down the line.’

A five-minute reset before bed: ‘Consider adding some tasks into your bedtime routine,’ suggests Liam. ‘Spend a few minutes each evening folding blankets, fluffing up cushions, and clearing clutter from surfaces. It’ll instantly refresh your space for the next day and stop mess from snowballing.’

Cleaning crumbs away right after meals: ‘Take a couple of minutes after dinner to sweep or hoover around counters and under the table,’ Liam advises. ‘It takes no time at all and prevents that gritty feeling underfoot.’

Taking out rubbish as you’re leaving the house: ‘Taking out rubbish bags or a few bits of recycling while you’re heading out combines a necessary task with something you’re already doing – it’s efficient and requires little effort,’ Liam states.

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How Clean Should Your House Really Be For Guests?

Aside from incorporating easy, speedy tasks into your daily life, micro-cleaning is also ideal for alleviating that pre-hosting panic.

‘When guests are coming over, there’s no need to waste energy on a full clean,’ says Liam. ‘Instead, focus on strategic tasks that instantly refresh your space. It’s not about perfection, but managing cleanliness efficiently, so you can spend more time enjoying your home and less time stressing over every corner.’ This means focusing on:

The hallway: As you might expect, tidying up the entrance to your home is always the best place to start. ‘Your hallway is the first thing guests see; it sets the tone for your entire home,’ Liam reflects. ‘So, make sure to shake out or hoover your doormat and tidy any shoes, coats, or bags that might be scattered around.’

The floors: ‘Quickly hoover or sweep floor areas in the kitchen, living room, bathroom and corridors, and spot clean any obvious marks,’ Liam advises.  ‘You don’t have to whip out the mop beforehand; a microfibre cloth will do.’

The bathroom: ‘Even if it’s not spotless, a tidy bathroom always leaves a good impression,’ Liam states. ‘Make sure to wipe down the sink, toilet seat, and any shelves. Replace hand towels and toilet roll; empty the bin; and spot clean any areas of the floor that might have attracted dust or dirt.’

Scent: Once you’ve cleaned the high-traffic areas of your home, scent is the perfect finishing touch. ‘People will notice how your home smells, so make sure to open your windows for a good 10 to 15 minutes to let a little bit of fresh air in,’ notes Liam. ‘You can also spritz soft furnishings like curtains and cushions with fabric freshener.’

Featured image courtesy of Morris & Co. wmorrisandco.com