1. Get multi-function supplies: Microfiber cloths, a microfiber mop, non-abrasive cleanser (like Bon Ami), baking soda, white vinegar, vacuum with long-bristle and edger attachment, and steam cleaner.
  2. Start simple: Tackle a low-traffic space like a dining or living room first—your speed and success will motivate you to keep going!
  3. Go top-to-bottom and back-to-front: Avoid backtracking by working with gravity—when you dust high surfaces like ceilings and furniture, it falls to the floor. Likewise, start mopping or vacuuming opposite the entrance to the room, so you don’t track dirt through clean areas. Pro Tip: Always start mopping at the far corner of the room and work your way toward the door, so you don’t accidentally trap yourself in the corner and have to walk back across your freshly cleaned floor. Refrigerator: Wipe the top of the refrigerator with a water-dampened microfiber cloth—for greasy dust, moisten the cloth with cleaner. If possible, move the refrigerator away from the wall and clean the coils with the brush attachment on your vacuum—removing dust will help the appliance run more efficiently, says Reichert. Dishwasher: Put your dishwasher to work: Run the range hood vent screen and non-wood dish drains through a cycle to clean and disinfect them. Then, show the dishwasher some love: Add non-abrasive cleanser (like Bon Ami) to a damp microfiber cloth and run it along the inside rim of the dishwasher door to remove any food build-up. Spritz with water and wipe dry. For hard-to-reach stains around the toilet, faucets, and other tight spots, aim the steam cleaner nozzle at the area and watch dirt and grime you never knew existed get flushed out. Wipe the newly sanitized area with a microfiber cloth and move on. When it comes to wall art and framed mirrors, Reichert suggests pulling down pictures and running a microfiber cloth over the front and back of the frame as well as the wall. Pro Tip: Never spritz glass cleaner directly on glass, she notes—moisture can seep behind the glass and ruin your photos or art. Instead, use a fine microfiber cloth to remove dust from glass or spray your solution directly on the cloth, then apply to clean the surface. For wood and faux wood blinds, says Reichert, close blinds so that slats lay flat, facing down, and wipe each one with a dry microfiber cloth from left to right, top to bottom. Open and close the blinds so that the slats face up and repeat the process. Finally, with the blinds still closed, run the microfiber cloth along the back of each slat to catch any dust at the edges where the slats overlap. In the kitchen and bath, where grease and steam makes dust adhere to surfaces, dampen microfiber with water before wiping blinds. On carpeted stairs, use static electricity to make your life simpler: Put on a rubber dish glove, then run your fingers along the edge of each step to bring out dirt caught in the crevices (this works especially well for picking up pet fur). With a handheld vacuum or vacuum attachment, suck it up as you go.