As much as I love cleaning, I don’t want to spend all my free time doing so. That's why, since moving in with my partner two years ago, I made it my mission to get all the menial chores out of the way on a Friday, so the weekends could be spent off-duty.
I love a clean and tidy home as much as the next person. A spotless space soothes my soul and helps me feel more calm, collected and in control. Taking 30 minutes every Friday to speed-clean bothersome sections of my home has been transformative.
Of course, everyone swears by their own cleaning tips but this truly works, and has made it easy to stick to for more than 100 weeks. Whether it’s giving my floors a once over, wiping down my dining table or tackling my bathroom – my 'Friday 30' routine kick starts the weekend just right.
My 'Friday 30' speed-cleaning hack
Studies have proven that a clean house makes you happier. I’ve definitely seen and felt the benefits a clean and tidy home can bring.
Previously, I'd start my weekends feeling like I was on edge or unable to sit down. But after cleaning for just 30 minutes at the end of the working week, I've reclaimed my weekends.
Come Friday night, no matter what the week has thrown my way, I feel in control and calm.
Explaining why this might be the case, Carolina Kazimierski, president and co-owner at Illinois-based Sophia's Cleaning Service says, ‘A messy or dirty home can make people feel on edge because it can serve as a constant reminder of something they have to do at some point.'
‘We’ve all experienced times where we want to relax, but we can’t because we have a responsibility looming over our heads,' the expert continues. 'When your home is messy or dirty, you physically can’t escape the reminder that, at some point, you’ll have to clean, and that can lead to feelings of anxiety or stress.’
Noticing how much happier I feel on the weekends after a quick spruce-up is the sole reason why I have stuck to this 30-minute cleaning ritual for the past two years. It helps me roll into Saturdays feeling like I've already won.
Whether it’s putting pots and pans away, disinfecting the WC or vacuuming away crumbs left by the wayside, this smart habit helps me spend less time cleaning and more time relaxing. Which is what weekends are for, right?
What you'll need
The products you'll need will depend on the areas of your home you intend to clean.
Everyone has their favorite products that work for them and their home. But these are a handful of my ultimate cleaning supplies I reach for time and time again (and especially on a Friday afternoon).
Not only do these tried and tested faves help me freshen up my home quickly, they smell great and don’t cost the earth.
- Floor cleaner: If, like me, you have wooden floors throughout your home, Method’s Squirt + Mop Hardwood Floor Cleaner, which you can pick up from Amazon. It's the floor cleaning product I swear by. Easy to use, the one-stop wooden floor cleaning product smells good and is planet-friendly. You'll just need to pick up a reusable mop with a microfibre head, like this Wet Spray Mop with 14 oz Refillable Bottle which is an Amazon best-seller, and lather your space in the cleaner. In minutes, you’re floors will be sparkling.
- Multipurpose cleaner: Ideally, it’s a good idea to invest in one that can be used on multiple surfaces, like Zoflora’s Linen Fresh Disinfectant. Available at Walmart for $15 and killing 99.9% of bacteria, the concentrated multi-tasking must-have can be used on most hard surfaces and smells divine. I mix a capful of the stuff in a spray bottle with 400ml of water and spray it all over my kitchen countertops, marble-effect side tables and handles. Then I use a microfiber cloth, like these $6 Amazon Choice HOMEXCEL Cleaning Towels, to wipe dirt away.
- Microfiber towels: These come in handy all over the home. We recommend a multi-pack of microfiber cloths, available from Amazon in different colors so you can color zone your cleaning and avoid cross contamination from naturally dirtier areas of the home.
- Vinegar or baking soda: Both available at Amazon, for natural deodorizing, DIY cleaning solutions and easy grime busting. Learn how to clean with vinegar, and baking soda all over the home.
Why I swear by cleaning for 30 minutes every Friday
1. It’s therapeutic
At least I find it to be! With a ton of emails to tackle, ideas to pitch and articles to write, my 9-5 is spent sitting down and tapping away furiously behind a screen. But cleaning, I feel, gives me a valid excuse to step away from my laptop, clock up some steps and reset my posture (and home at the same time!).
I have also been known to clean when feeling overwhelmed. So, setting aside 30 minutes on Friday has almost become a little act of self-care that not only signals the end of the working week and the start of the weekend, but it helps me feel like I’ve restored some order and headspace.
If you need to get motivated to clean, there are many ways to make cleaning fun. From listening to music and gamifying the cleaning process to encouraging your family to declutter or clean. I tend to listen to a podcast or blast some music.
You can also task stack or body-double to get things done, even if you don't feel like it.
2. A little clean can go a long way
It never fails to surprise me how much can be achieved in 30 minutes.
More often than not, half an hour is long enough to help me clean my house fast. Most Fridays, I’ll tackle areas that I know need doing, like switching out the bed sheets, giving my wooden floors a quick vacuum and tackling the bathroom.
Other Fridays I’ll mop the floors and dust.
While 30 minutes gives me plenty of time to do these tasks, I leave more time-consuming kitchen cleaning chores, like cleaning my oven, or cleaning my washing machine to a monthly schedule.
To help make my Friday 30 cleans quick, I do some basic tidying up during the week, which Kazimierski points out is ‘key’ to making a speed cleaning session quick. 'That way, when the time comes for a speed clean, there are less things you have to do,’ she says.
I tend to use a washing-up liquid to rid food stains left on my cooker. Costing less than $3, this fresh-smelling Walmart best-seller is great value and comes with a convenient pull-to-open squeeze bottle.
It's time to give your sponge a festive upgrade. Add some water to the Sponge Daddy, a little squirt of washing-up liquid and using the softer side, buff away grease and grime left on your cooker. Cold water makes a stiff scrubber, warm water makes it softer.
Protect your hands with these reusable latex-free and vinyl-free dishwashing gloves. Durable thanks to their thickness, these Amazon faves are ideal for dishwashing, household chores, and cleaning. Don't believe me? Just ask the 11,000 other users who have given them 4.5 stars.
3. It will make you feel better (I promise)
Who doesn’t love a clean and tidy home? Especially at the start of the weekend, when there are other more important plans, like catching up with friends, family or watching your favorite box set.
I have long given up on the idea that my home has to be spotless, or my cleaning routine has to be perfect. Instead, setting aside a speedy 30 minutes to do quick chores on a Friday, has helped me find the right balance when cleaning my home.
Instead of starting my Saturday feeling chaotic or as though I’ve forgotten to do something, I feel calm, collected and very pleased knowing that my cleaning chores are off my to-do list.
My verdict
Everybody is different. So cleaning for 30 minutes on a Friday is just something that works for me and my schedule. But, as Kazimierski highlights, the best time to clean will depend on the person. ‘We all experience varying levels of motivation and energy at different times of the day, so the key is figuring out when that is for you.’
Kazimierski suggests cleaning sometime during the daylight – not before the sun rises or after the sun sets. ‘Natural light helps with cleaning efficiency, making it easier to do things like notice spots you’ve missed while dusting,’ the expert adds.
But either way, if you’re feeling weighed down come the weekend with the sheer amount of cleaning tasks you have to do, or you’re looking for ways to change up your cleaning routine, this Friday ritual is my favorite hack to help make my to-do list less overwhelming.
For more cleaning tips, check out the best tips we’ve learned from professional cleaners or discover the top 10 cleaning tips for anyone living alone – and why you should never worry about task perfectionism.
