Learn how easy it is to fake a clean home to make your guests think you’ve cleaned all day with these 8 quick tips to fake a clean house.
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You’ve just got through a crazy busy week and haven’t had any time to clean. Your house is a mess and you’re too overwhelmed and unmotivated to start cleaning when you suddenly get a call from a friend that they are on their way over. You start to panic and wonder how you are ever going to get your home clean in less than 20 minutes.
Don’t despair, I will show you 8 quick ways to fake a clean house so that when your friend arrives they will think you’ve been cleaning all day.
Before we start, take a deep breath. You’ve got this. Remember your home doesn’t have to be perfect. The goal is to make it appear cleaner than it is. After your guests have left, you can use a power hour cleaning to get it back in shape.
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8 Quick Tips to Fake a Clean House
1. Be your guest
The first thing you need to do when trying to fake a clean house is to be your guest. Start at your entryway and look around your home so you are aware of the areas that you need to concentrate on. Is your kitchen the messiest? Will you even go into the living room? It will give you a roadmap of where to focus in your home.
Keep these areas in mind when going over this list, as there may be a few steps you can skip or rearrange to find what works for you.
2. Clear the clutter
Grab a basket and garbage bag (for trash) to start picking up anything that is cluttering the counters, tables, and floors. Don’t worry about putting the stuff back in its proper home. The goal now is to pick everything up as fast as you can. Make sure to only concentrate on the rooms that will be seen.
Do you want to learn how to declutter your home?
- 5 Best Beginner Decluttering Tips
- 30-Day Home Decluttering Challenge
- 9 Easy Ways to Keep Clutter Out of Your Home
- 16 Decluttering Mistakes to Avoid
- 10 Things in Your Home to Declutter in 10 Minutes
3. Close bedroom doors
Once you are finished collecting all the clutter, then stash the basket in a bedroom or office to deal with after your guest has left. Close the bedroom door on the way out and continue closing all the remaining bedroom doors.
Since it’s very unlikely the guests will be entering those rooms, then cleaning them will just waste valuable time.
4. Start at the entryway
The entryway will be the first space that your guests will see, so tackle that first. Straighten any shoes or coats and shake the rugs. If you have an entry table, make sure it’s dusted and wiped clean.
5. Clean the bathroom
Since the bathroom will probably take you the longest, head there next. Spray down your mirrors, counters, and toilet with a multi-purpose cleaner. Let the cleaner sit, while you replace any empty toilet rolls and pick up any towels off the floor.
Close the shower curtain and then quickly give the toilet a quick swish. Put out a clean hand towel and then finally go back to wipe the sink, counters, and toilet.
You may like: How to Clean Your Bathroom in 5 Minutes
6. Tackle the kitchen
The kitchen may be the place you spend the most time in so that should be next on your list. Grab a multi-surface cleaner and start cleaning:
- Wipe down your counters, table, and stove.
- Clear your sink-if you have a sink full of dishes put them in your dishwasher. If you don’t have a dishwasher, you can either cover them with a clean dish towel to make it appear that they are drying in the sink or you could put them in your oven until your guests leave.
- Do a quick sweep or vacuum- this VacMop is the perfect solution for cleaning your floors fast. I’m loving mine as it’s made cleaning so much easier.
Related:10-Minute Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
7. Head to the Livingroom
Once the kitchen is clean, head into the living room or family room to fold blankets and fluff pillows. Then, quickly dust any surfaces that will be seen such as end stands or coffee stands. If you have carpets, try and do a quick vacuum as there is nothing that makes a room appear cleaner than carpet lines.
8. Open a window
Lastly, if it’s warm out, try opening some windows to let some fresh air in. If not, then light a candle or simmer some orange peels and cinnamon on the stovetop to make your home smell amazing.
Of course, it’s always better to establish good cleaning habits to keep your home consistently clean but there are definitely going to be those times when you need your house cleaned super fast and you don’t have time to do a deep clean. Hopefully, these 8 tips to fake a clean house will come in handy and you will be able to impress your guests to make them think you’ve spent hours cleaning your home.
Do you want to learn how to always have a clean home?
Honestly, having morning, nightly, weekly, and monthly cleaning routines has changed the way I clean my home. It may seem like a lot but once you start developing cleaning habits and using cleaning hacks, they become second nature and you don’t have to think about it. It has made cleaning my home so much easier.
If you are interested in learning about the routines I use to keep my house clean, you can print out the free checklists below.
You can print out my free daily, weekly, and monthly checklists here.
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