7 Ways To Clean With A Baby3 min read

7 Ways To Clean With A Baby 

If you’ve recently had a baby, you’ve probably spent the last couple months of your pregnancy “nesting,” i.e., scrubbing, washing and sanitizing everything your new baby could come in contact with. But how do you keep your home clean once baby arrives? It won’t take long for your immaculate space to become full of clutter (from well-wishers dropping by gifts), piles of dirty laundry (babies spit up a lot) and sinks full of dirty dishes (you still gotta eat). While housecleaning shouldn’t be a priority with a newborn, the bare minimum still needs to be done. 

Here are seven tips to help you manage your baby and your home: 

1. Delegate chores between parents. Your partner/spouse (whoever is on this journey with you) has your back when it comes to both parenting and household chores. Lean on them to help do the dishes, vacuum and make dinner. Be prepared to let some things go as well; if you clean a certain way, it’s ok that your spouse does it differently. And if you’re handing the baby off, let your partner figure the parenting out so you can focus on what you set out to do. 

2. Slip baby into a sling. Newborn carriers are a great way to keep your baby close and still stay mobile. Slings or carriers are ideal to help you do some light picking up, laundry and even vacuuming. Chores that involve spraying chemical or putting your baby in harm’s way, however, shouldn’t be attempted. 

3. Vacuum before naps. Vacuums emit white noise that mimics the sound environment inside the womb, so many experts recommend running a vacuum to help newborns get to sleep. Making noise during naps also helps your baby sleep through other noises, so the slightest sound doesn’t stir them awake. 

4. Embrace multitasking. Anything you can do to cut down on chores is a real plus here. There are lots of gadgets available to make housekeeping easy, like vacuums that also mop and robotic vacuums; so, you can dust while your robotic vacuum takes care of the floors. Doing multiple chores at once also helps. For example, whenever you need to go to the kitchen to grab a bottle or towel, drop off dirty laundry or garbage on the way. Doing multiple chores, even little ones, can keep big messes from piling up. 

5. Get organized. Designate baskets and bins just for baby’s things, e.g. pacifiers, burp cloths and bibs; not only will they help keep things tidy, but you’ll always know where everything is. Some parents find it helpful to have a set schedule for cleaning. For example, designate the 15-30 minutes before bedtime to pick up, do the dishes, wipe down the bathroom and throw in a load of laundry.  

6. Enlist older kids’ help. Even toddlers can help with small chores like throwing away garbage or putting dishes in the sink. Here is a list of suitable chores for every age range. You can also minimize mess by giving little ones designated areas to play with toys, like their room or a playroom, or give them their own basket to help them put everything away at the end of the day.  

7. Hire some help. You and your baby’s health and wellbeing are what’s really important right now. Don’t stress about getting all the housecleaning done, hire The Maids instead. Our cleaning teams can come once-a-week, every-other-week or every month for recurring cleaning services that don’t miss a speck of dirt or tiniest germ. It’s even easy to schedule a clean. You can pack up your baby, run a couple errands and poof, come home to a super clean house. Contact us, or have your spouse call to get a free estimate.