Hey mom and dad! Are your little ones home for the summer? Are they leaving behind messes after playtime? Here are some quick tips for a clean and safe home during the summer!

1. Cleaning After Crafts

Summer crafts are fun, but can also get messy! If a Mr.Clean sponge does not work, you can try using baking soda mixed with warm water to clean crayon stains off of the walls. This gentle mixture should remove the stain, without removing any underlying paint. Furthermore, you can use a vacuum cleaner and lint roller to remove the glitter from rugs and crevices.

2. DIY Window Cleaner

Are there little fingerprints all over your windows? To make the best window washing solution at home, mix together 1 and a half cups of water, 1 and a half cups of rubbing alcohol, and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar (if you have any). This combination can be poured into a spray bottle and will work as well as Windex but without the harsh chemicals. Again, you can add essential oils to the mixture for a nice and natural scent. This will leave your windows clean and clear, allowing light to enter your home and your kids to admire the outdoors freely.

3. Washing Up Toys

Well-loved toys may need to be sanitized every once in a while. Use a laundry bag to machine wash toys like lego bricks, stuffed animals, and more that may be collecting dust. Some toys can even be washed in the dishwasher.

4. Using Baskets and Organizers

Using baskets and drawers to organize toys and other belongings makes it both easy and accessible for children to play, but also put away. Use any extra baskets 

5. Disposable Dishes and Utensils

Stock up on disposable plates, bowls, cups, and utensils for your busy season. This will reduce time spent on doing dishes and putting them away after. Make sure you are being as sustainable as possible and look for disposables made out of recycled materials or natural, compostable alternatives like bamboo. 

6. Pipecleaners 

Sippy cups and water bottles are an absolute must for kids, but cleaning them is close to impossible - until now. Using a pipe cleaner is an easy way to clean straws or mouth pieces. The tiny hairs of the pipe cleaner are perfect for scrubbing inside as they provide the perfect reach and textured material.

7. Screen Sanitizing Wipes

Phones and screens are great at keeping children quiet and occupied. However, they are typically 10 times dirtier than a toilet seat, with more than 25 thousand bacteria per square inch. Give your phones and tablets regular wipe downs with special screen sanitizing wipes, especially before you hand them off to the children. 

8. Making Cleaning Fun

By putting on a clean-up song or cleaning up together as a family, clean-up time can be as fun as playtime! Use your children’s favorite song or find a new cleaning song. You can even put on a Disney playlist or whatever gets the crew excited. Some families even recommend the five-minute cleaning hack. Here, they use a five-minute timer to see how much they can all get done together before the timer goes off.

9. Encouraging and Incentivizing Clean-Up Time

Finally, encourage your children to clean up after themselves by assigning chores with clear time deadlines. You can even offer incentives using a sticker chart or chore tracker. After a certain amount of chores are completed, or a certain amount of days of a clean room, reward your child. Allow them to pick out a new toy or go out for ice cream! This will teach responsibility and develop habits of cleaning, which make your life easier in the long run.

10. Contact Us!

Whether or not you have playful kids, we would love to serve you! Our cleaners use tips like these and more to ensure your house is cleaned and organized effectively and efficiently. Plus, we use quality products to ensure good health for you and your loved ones. Call Sponge & Sparkle to get a quote on weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning visits. You can reach us at 404-633-9652 or send us an email at [email protected].