Speed Cleaning Tips with a Spray Mop

Updated on June 12, 2024

Speed Cleaning Tips with a Spray Mop. Speed clean your home for the holidays in seven easy steps. Free printable checklist to keep you on track.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CleanForTheHolidays #CollectiveBias

The holidays are a busy time. And we are frequently hosting parties and get-togethers at our homes. I don’t know about you but I would much rather spend time with my family and friends than spend time cleaning my home. So, today I have some tips to get your home sparkling in a flash! All you need is a short amount of time and the right tools for the job, including a microfiber spray mop.

Speed Cleaning for the Holidays

This is not the time to deep clean or worry about every corner of your home. The main objective is to clean your home quickly so you can enjoy the holidays with your family and friends. Put deep cleaning on your schedule for January (New Year’s resolution anyone?)! 

Any time of the year, it definitely helps to do some basic maintenance on your home every day, but even more so during the holidays. Once you speed clean, if you keep up with the basics you won’t have to do a major cleaning until after the holidays. It will keep your home relatively clean for any unexpected guests or drop ins. So, let’s get started in getting our homes ready for the holidays!

Pick Up

You can’t clean clutter, so before we do anything else, we need to pick up. Set your timer for 15 minutes and pick up as much of the main part of your house as you can. Enlist the help of your family and you will get even more picked up! (If you do a nightly 15 minute pick up this really helps to keep your home from becoming too messy.)

Now is not the time to tackle a major organizing project. If you have a really big mess, collect the loose items in a box or bag and set them aside in your attic or garage for the time being. You can sort through it after the holidays.

Make the Beds

Now, go around your home and make all the beds. This is a great job to have the kids help you with. If you have a guest bedroom, be sure there are clean sheets on the bed.

Clean the Kitchen

Next, we are going to move on to the kitchen. Start by doing all the dishes. Unload and/or load your dishwasher. Any items left, wash and dry by hand so there are no more dishes in your sink or on your counters.

Wipe down the sink, counters and kitchen or dining room table. Empty the trash.

Clean the Bathroom(s)

Now we are moving on to the bathrooms. If you are running really short on time, focus on the bathroom your guests will use. However, cleaning all the bathrooms would be ideal. Scrub the toilet and wipe it with a germicide cleaner. Wipe the counter and spot clean the mirror. Change the hand towels and empty the trash. Be sure your bathroom is stocked with essentials like extra toilet paper, soap, and tissues. 

Dust

Using a microfiber duster or feather duster, dust all the main, visible areas in your home. This really only takes a few quick minutes. I prefer the microfiber duster as it seems to trap the dirt a little better instead of just pushing it around, but a high quality feather duster will work much the same way. 

Vacuum

Vacuum the main traffic areas in your home. This is not the time to be moving furniture or getting all the nooks and crannies. Focus on the areas your guests will see in high foot traffic areas.  

Mop Hard Floors

Spot mop hard floors. Having a refillable spray mop, like the O-Cedar Pro Mist is perfect for this! No need to pull out the mop and bucket. Simply fill up the reservoir with water and only 2 teaspoons of your favorite cleaner. Spray the solution and mop where needed. You can do the entire floor in your kitchen and bathroom in just a few minutes!

Remove the washable microfiber pad and throw in the washer. Mopping has to be my least favorite chore, but a spray mop makes it so easy!

Enjoy your Hard Work

Light a candle and sit back and enjoy your hard work! Your guests will think you cleaned for days but you don’t have to tell them your secrets (unless you want to!).

Tips for speed cleaning:

• Use a cleaning caddy to tote supplies from room to room.

• Choose the right tools to make your job easier – refillable spray mop, microfiber duster and microfiber cloths.
• Turn on some upbeat music to make the job more fun.
• Shop at your local Walmart to keep plenty of cleaning supplies on hand, like extra cleaners, microfiber cloths and refill pads for your mop and duster. That way, you are always ready to clean when you have the time.

I created a helpful printable checklist for you to print out and keep on hand for those times you need to speed clean your home. This is a great sheet to add to your home management binder.

Download Speed Cleaning Checklist (3 versions)

• Black and White Speed Cleaning Checklist (for less printer ink usage)
• Blue Speed Cleaning Checklist
• Holiday Speed Cleaning Checklist

This download is for personal use only. Do not share the direct link to the .pdf/.jpg file. When sharing, please link back to the original post.