7 Quick Cleaning Hacks I Swear By
- Amanda
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
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If you’re in a season where someone is always on your hip, laundry magically multiplies overnight, and you swear you just cleaned that… you know that motherhood requires a whole new level of “quick clean.”
It can feel like you are constantly behind with cleaning, and if you’re like me, untidy, chaotic spaces contribute to untidy, chaotic thoughts and meltdowns ( both me AND my toddlers). However, there are a few hacks I’ve picked up over the years to help with my sanity. I’m talking about keeping your bathroom sanitary, your clutter manageable and laundry on track.
Here are the best cleaning hacks that keep my home “clean enough” without adding another thing to my mental load. I’ve also included the Amazon products that make it effortless.
1. Disposable Toilet Wands: The Fastest Bathroom Fix
When I say these changed my life, I mean it. I keep a disposable toilet wand under every bathroom sink. It’s not how my mom used to clean or how I grew up, not sure why I was so slow to try these. Now, I keep one of these in every one of our bathrooms for super quick cleaning when I find a minute. I can even do this while holding my youngest because there are no chemicals to squirt in the toilet.
During naps or quick moments while in the bathroom, I do a 30-second swirl, click the head off, toss it — done.
➡️ I like these Clorox Toilet Wand Toilet Bowl Cleaners
This tiny habit keeps bathrooms from ever slipping into “don’t come over right now” territory.
2. Gel Cling Toilet Cleaner for Hands-Free Freshness
For the bathrooms, like the guest and powder rooms that are used less often, I alsoI swipe a gel ring inside the bowl and… let it do the work for me. It doesn’t do the scrubbing part when needed ( if you know what I mean) but it keeps the built-up grime and smell away.
➡️ We keep a pack in each bathroom Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Gel Toilet Bowl Cleaning Stamps
It slowly cleans with every flush, which is basically magic for busy moms.
3. Dishwasher-Safe Silicone Placemats (Goodbye Dried-On Oatmeal)
Toddler oatmeal is basically grout. Instead of scraping food off the table, I use silicone placemats that go straight in the dishwasher. Can’t say it will save your walls or your carpet, but it does make cleaning up our tables much easier.
➡️ There are a lot fo cute color combos of these Cutebe Silicone Placemats
It saves so much time and keeps the table looking cleaner without any extra effort.
4. “Drop Baskets” on Each Floor to Reduce Clutter
This hack is everything. It was suggested by my husband (making sure he sees this so he gets the credit).
We used to take turns walking past pile of dish towels and random items on the stairs that needed to be carried upstairs to the laundry or put away somewhere. I keep a small rope basket on each floor and one big wicker basket on my stair landing. Throughout the day, toys, socks, cups, and random kid treasures go inside. It’s so much easier to carry up, the ones with big handles make it doable one-handed. But it’s honestly become such an easy task that both of us remember to just carry the baskets and put stuff away when we see they are full.
➡️ I like the ones with the big handles Large Woven Laundry Basket
But here is a smaller option as well Stylish Cotton Rope Storage Basket
It cuts my pickup time in half and keeps clutter from taking over.
5. Microfiber Kitchen Wipes for 10-Second Counter Resets
These live next to the sink so I can wipe the counters while the kids ask for snacks they don’t actually want. This cuts down on the disposable paper towels and easily cleans up spills and fingerprints on our counters and other places like the dishwasher cover and refrigerator handles.
➡️ Keep these under the sink Microfiber Cleaning Cloth, 12 Pack Assorted Color
One quick swipe makes the kitchen instantly look cleaner even if the rest of the room… isn’t.
6. Laundry Pre-Treat Spray Stored In the Nursery
By the time you reach the laundry room, the spit-up or food stain (or worse) is already setting.I keep two bottles of this at all times right by my washing machines. A quick spray before tossing it in the hamper saves your sanity and your clothes. You can spray the stain and let it sit until your next load of laundry. I’ve tried out several different brands and found that this one worked the best for us.
➡️ I stock up maybe twice a year on these OxiClean Max Force Laundry Stain Remover Spray
This tiny change prevents 95% of rewashing (it doesn’t, however, prevent you from forgetting to switch the load to the dryer)).
7. Magic Erasers for Stuck-On Food, Scuffs and Toddler Fingerprints
I had the brilliant idea to decorate cookies with black icing. Yes black icing….Which looked really great as the black was used to outlin Santat’s boots and belts, but when your toddlers eat the cookies that icing doesn’t just get on their face and fingers. It gets on the WALLS. I mean, I am still finding handprints, I have no idea why the just drag their hands over the walls but they do. Anyway – Magic Erasers. That’s the answer for black icing on pretty cream colored walls. It also has totally helped me with scuffs on shoes and baseboards. Just wet them and use. Remember to keep them out of reach of your kids, the active ingredient is already on the sponge.
➡️ I use these for so many things Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
They make it look like your kids never touched anything… which is a bold lie, but still.
Why These Cleaning Hacks Work for Busy Moms
These hacks aren’t about having a spotless home, but they’re about creating small, manageable habits that keep your house feeling fresh without overwhelming you.
Because if it can’t be done in:
30 seconds
With one hand
Or while mediating a toddler disagreement …it does not make the list.
A cleaner home with less effort? That’s the mom dream.