Things your kids can clean: A room-by-room guide for the whole house

Now becoming a regular guest blogger, Ms. Cromwell contributed this article on a topic we’ve been meaning to publish about how to get your kids involved in cleaning around the house.  We’ve added a few tips at the bottom of our own, too!  We think the timing is appropriate, as the time of year we’re all cooped up in the house more is approaching fast.

‘Things your kids can clean: A room-by-room guide for the whole house’

by Patricia Cornwell

It is never easy to involve the kids in the household chores but when you do so, they can really give you a helping hand. Of course, they won’t be able to manage more complicated tasks, but they will certainly be able to perform some simple cleaning procedures that will contribute to the sparkling clean look. As a parent, you need to be greatly motivated and patient when kids are concerned. At the beginning they may be reluctant to help but as long as you show them some basic tips, they will quickly get used to the idea of cleaning the rooms on a regular basis.

This wonderful guide will help you to receive information of some things that your kids can clean around the house. Trust them and give them the right instructions and you will quickly see that your kids will handle a wide range of cleaning tasks without difficulty. Here is a room-by-room guide that will help you to know all the procedures that the children can implement without any difficulty:

Living Room

There are a lot of activities that could be performed but when it comes to kids, you need to think of simpler procedures that would be easier for them. For instance, mopping and vacuuming of the floors is a great task to start with. Explain how the vacuum cleaner operates and how they can use the mop in the right way.

Bathroom

When it comes to bathrooms, many parents think their kids will be unable to provide some cleaning tasks there, mainly because they use strong disinfectants there that may be harmful for their health. The truth is that if you possess your own homemade cleaning kit, it won’t be a problem.  Ask children to take up with the cleaning of the bathroom tiles or sink is what we at CityCleaners Kensington suggest. Give them the right instructions and demonstrate them how to clean the tiles in a perfect way.

Kids’ Room

This is the place where the kids need to provide full and perfect cleaning. They should start by arranging their bed and clothes – activities that they often forget. Sorting the clothes into laundry baskets is more than necessary so you had better show them how to manage with these tasks as soon as possible. After that they can dust surfaces by using a suitable clean cloth. They can also vacuum and/or mop the floors and as a parent it is better to explain them that such procedures are done on a regular basis.

Kitchen

This is probably one of the rooms that requires a lot of attention when it comes to cleaning. Kids can help you here by dealing with some of the basic tasks such as washing of the dishes, wiping down of the table and cleaning of cupboards and other appliances. Kids are usually very curious when it comes to cooking and they will be happy to take part in the process of cleaning as long as you explain them all the details in the right way.

Thanks again to Ms. Cornwell for providing this room-by-room guide that will help you to involve the kids in the household chores in an effective way.  She also reminds us to discuss the preferences of your kids to give them options which chores to help with and and to praise them for their contribution!
 I already knew some of the chores I had were too big for my 4-year-old to tackle alone, but this reminded me they all can be broken down into smaller pieces toddlers, pre-schoolers, or school-age kids can handle.    Listing them gives me an easy reference when I’m tackling a cleaning task and want to offer an opportunity to help.  It also has already given me a more ready supply of suggestions when hunting for a quick chore to make my kiddo earn something he wants (toy, TV time, sweets).
When I read this submission for a guest post, it re-invigorated my chore system and I’ve already started working on an updated version of my chore cards.  There will be three sets by age, the fronts showing major tasks and rooms; the backs with ideas like the ones on the Kitchen list image above. Stay tuned for a full description of the job and chore system (largely pilfered from H) in a future post, including printables.