How to Clean House During the Summer

To some, summer means ice cream, days of sunbathing at the pool, summer blockbusters, and fun vacations with the family. But for others, summer means endless cleaning now that the little ones are out of school. So, how exactly do you manage to keep your home clean during the hottest months of the year, and what kinds of cleaning projects should you take on this time of the year?

The main thing you need to realize about summer cleaning is that sometimes it’s just too hot to maintain everything in your home (especially here in Texas.)  Enjoy the summer with the kids, your spouse, and the cool air conditioning inside your home.

That being said–or written– here are some tips for smart summer cleaning:

• Place floor mats at each and every entrance of your home. Little ones will be running in and out, tracking who knows what in. You want to keep the mess as contained as possible.

• Try to establish a no-shoes rule in the house, but don’t be overzealous about it. (Sometimes grown-ups just want to leave their shoes on, and that’s OKAY.)

• Pack up all your winter clothes and put them in storage so you can fully see your summer wardrobe. When placing the clothes in storage bins, try rolling them instead of folding them, as it doesn’t wrinkle as heavily. This is also a great tip to use while traveling.

• Keep beach towels by the door to encourage everyone to dry off right away.

• Keep the floors vacuumed regularly and consider scheduling a professional carpet cleaning, wood floor cleaning, or tile cleaning to keep the floors polished during the busiest season in your home.

• Change winter bedding out for lighter summer linens (and rotate the mattress while you’re at it.)

• Thoroughly clean the patio furniture before you bring it out of storage with a spray bottle filled with 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water. Wipe down all the dirt and dust and consider laundering the cushions.

• Keep kiddie pools clean and safe by emptying out the water after each use and disinfecting with a vinegar-based cleaning solution. Rinse and dry well after washing.

Do you have any summer cleaning tips that you use every year? I would love to see them in the comment section below!