How to Clean Before the Baby Arrives

There are about a million things you need to do to get ready for that small little bundle of joy. From stocking up on bottles, to enjoying the last few months of peaceful sleep, pregnancy can be a very busy time in a woman’s life.

Some very special ladies in my life are either expecting or have just had their first child, so I had some inspiration to write this blog post.

So, how do you need to clean before the baby arrives? The answer is thoroughly, and as often as you can. After the baby is born, the time and will to clean is minimal. Plus, you’ll be wanting as many hours as you can to stare at that cute little face.

Here are some of my tips on how to clean in preparation for a baby:
•DECLUTTER. I cannot emphasize this enough. If you ever wanted to get rid of your husband’s sweaters from the early 90’s, this is the time. You need to clear enough space for all your new baby’s equipment. (And trust me, it takes a village and several supply rooms to raise a child.)

•Clean baby’s toys. Before you give baby girl or baby boy their toys, it’s a necessity to clean them off. You have no idea who’s touched, sneezed on, or coughed on them, and it’s a good idea in order to prevent early illness. Simply put a mixture of 1 cup water and 1 cup distilled white vinegar into a spray bottle and spritz on a clean washcloth. Clean each toy with this washcloth and set out to dry on a clean towel.

•Clean baby’s clothing. Be sure to have all of baby’s clothing clean and dry before they arrive. Use a baby-friendly detergent, such as Dreft, or Seventh Generation Baby Laundry Detergent, or use an eco-friendly detergent as mentioned here.

•Get the rug professionally cleaned. I know that the crawling stage might seem like a long time from now, but before you know it he or she will be scooting around so fast you can’t keep up. This means that every surface on the ground needs to be spotless!

•Clean the carpets, wood floors, and tile. Getting all your floor surfaces professionally cleaned before baby arrives will improve the air quality inside your home.

•Clean the air ducts. You’ll never truly know how dirty your home is until you get the air ducts professional cleaned. Scheduling an air duct cleaning is the best way to improve the indoor air quality and have a sparkling home ready for the new family member.

•Place everything baby-related within reach. This expands on the decluttering tip from above. The reason you’re getting rid of all your stuff is so you can make room for the MASSIVE amount of equipment you’re going to need for the baby. And when you’re carrying a fussy one, the last thing you want to do is search for all the necessary items. A simple tip is to put a basket of baby necessities needed for each room. In the bathroom have a basket with shampoo, q tips, diapers, wipes, towels, baby lotion, etc. And in the living room have a basket with toys, books, diapers, wipes, a changing station, etc. Do yourself a favor and find some baskets that actually match your home instead of buying kid-friendly bright colors. Just because you have a child doesn’t mean your whole house needs to look like a daycare!

This list of cleaning tips for baby is just a few things to get you started. Once they’re here, you’ll have a whole new idea of exactly what to do to keep your little one safe and healthy. Remember to have fun and be creative when organizing and cleaning for baby. This is a wonderful time in life and you should enjoy every minute of it!