Cleaning your kid’s room can be a huge challenge– it’s something that you think will get easier with time once the kids are older. Still, somehow the problem gets more prominent as they move into their adolescent years.
One way that we’ve found really works when it comes to motivating your kids to clean their rooms, it’s being precise and detail-oriented.
Don’t just assign your kids one general task. Instead, break it down into smaller tasks that they can tick off their list during the day.
In this article, we’ll be giving you a run-through of the items you might want to consider putting on the checklist. Please keep reading to find out which most essential methods have made it onto our list.
Dust
Getting your kids to dust their own rooms isn’t hard– it’s a tactile experience, and as long as you show them how with enough panache, they’ll be glad that they can touch and be near their toys while cleaning.
Dusting is a necessary step because it ensures none of the dust clings onto the other liquid disinfectants you might be using afterward.
Make sure that you and your kids wear a mask while you’re dusting off books, shelves, and other surfaces. Dust can cause allergies and can also be a trigger for asthma.
Vacuum
Once the dust is cleared out, it’s time to pull out the old vacuum cleaner.
In general, kids love vacuum cleaners because they’re loud and resemble robots. One of the most common questions is: if dusting is so effective, why isn’t it enough?
Why do you need to vacuum?
Although regular dusting might seem like a great way to keep things spick and spans, the dust still hovers in the atmosphere and will eventually cover your stuff again.
Vacuum cleaning ensures that all of the dust you’ve liberated from your things doesn’t end up back in your apartment. Vacuuming is also one of the only ways you can make sure your mattresses, sofas, and other furniture don’t get infested with bugs.
Disinfect
After you’ve taken care of the dust and dirt, it’s time to disinfect. Disinfecting your child’s room makes sure that they’re safe from allergens and dirt.
You can usually use a spray like Lysol to get rid of the toxins and mold that might be in the air–or you can use an alternative like Mr. Muscle which disinfects surfaces.
You also have the option of using both–just make sure not to overdo it as fumes can sometimes even cause illnesses.
Some of the most critical areas of your child’s home to disinfect are their bathroom (if they have one to themselves), their pillowcases and the area surrounding the bed, and any storage compartment which contains their shoes.
Change Linens
Kids will give anything to eat in bed–when you make up a bed or change linens for your kid, you’ll often be astonished at how much has gathered in the bed: from dust to hair to candy wrappers to clips and hair ties.
Beds are often made of thick sponge foam material, which can be a hotbed for bacteria if you’re not careful.
Remember that your kid spends a little over 8 hours a day in bed. Along with whatever dirt doesn’t get cleared out of there with the sheets. Make sure to change linens on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to avoid any infections and to keep beds from attracting dust mites and bed bugs.
Organize Clutter
There are a lot of kids who will keep a relatively clean room, which isn’t really as much dirty as it is messy. To follow the old adage, teach your kid to find joy: ask your kid to explain to you why it is that they want to keep certain things and why they keep it where they keep it.
This will help create a bonding experience that will make cleaning seem a lot more fun than it is.
Remember not to be too tough on your kids when it comes to asking them to put away their toys. It could be that they’ve worked hard on a lego formation or on solving a puzzle. Make sure you take these aside when cleaning so that you’re more careful not to damage anything.
Create a “Throw” Pile
This part might seem a bit difficult, but the truth is modern times have turned a lot of us into hoarders.
We don’t really need certain things, but we buy them because they make us feel better about ourselves. Kids are the same way–they look for clues for security in their surroundings.
That said, it’s your role to curate which things are kept and which items are thrown away. Kids can guide you, but ultimately, what goes into the throw pile is your decision.
There are many different ways to motivate kids to clean their rooms: you can make it a checklist, a game, or even a roleplaying exercise. It isn’t always an easy task, but with this checklist, I’m sure you’ll keep your priorities in mind as you ask your kid to tidy their rooms.
Remember that keeping a room clean also requires a lot of upkeep and maintenance. It isn’t just about space being cleaned every so often, it’s also about having a space that makes you feel welcome each and every time that you visit.
Keep these top tips in mind, and we’re sure that you can’t go wrong.
However, if all of this does seem like a bit too much effort–especially if you’re not living in the city, you also have the option of recruiting a cleaner that has complete credentials. Experts use top-notch materials and provide excellent service. Whether you decide to go, keep our tips in mind–invest in a nice, clean room for your kids!