Spring cleaning with kids? Yep, it can be done! When you have kids, it’s hard to find the time to keep up with laundry, cleaning, and clutter around the house. This can be a real problem. Why? The answer is simple. Kids tend to be pretty good at getting dirty and making messes.
From crayon on the wall to mud tracked onto the carpet, it’s generally hard to keep up with the cleaning that comes with a house full of children. Looking for some ways to save a bit of time and money while cleaning up around the house? Here are a few cleaning hacks to get you started.
Spring Cleaning Hacks for Parents
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Crayon Marks
For crayon marks on walls, try spraying ammonia onto the marks and scrubbing them with a cloth. You can also make a paste using an equal mix of water and baking soda, and apply that to the marked area. If you have a blow dryer for your hair, you can heat up the wall, which causes the wax to start to melt, so you can easily scrub it off with dish soap and water.
Permanent Markers
Did your kids find the permanent markers
Outdoor Toys
If your kids’ outdoor toys are starting to get dirty, use a mix of vinegar and dish soap to scrub them clean. Climbing toys
Clothing
Toothpaste can also be used to keep the white parts of your kids’ shoes looking bright. Wash off all of the excess dirt, then scrub the white parts with toothpaste using a spare toothbrush. If you don’t have an extra toothbrush on hand, you can use a bit of steel wool.
Trying to get stubborn baby food stains out of onesies? Make a cleaning solution by mixing hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and baking soda (2 parts peroxide to every 1 part soap and baking soda.) Pour a generous amount of the solution right onto the stain, scrub it in with a brush, then let it sit for about an hour. After washing and drying them, your baby’s duds will look as good as new.
Inside Toys
Need to de-germ your kids’ toys? Try running their plastic toys through the dishwasher. Make sure to ONLY include plastic toys with no moving parts or electronic components. Also, make sure that you don’t include toys with fabric or wooden parts. A great time to do this is when one member of the family catches a cold so that those germs don’t spread to everyone else. What about all those plush toys? Many of them can go through the washing machine, but for those that can’t, check out this video:
Spring is on its way, so now is the perfect time to take care of those messes you haven’t been able to tackle throughout the year. These cleaning hacks are easy, inexpensive, and safe to use around kids. That makes them the perfect tricks for any parent who’s looking to make spring cleaning a bit easier.
Oh how I love a good hack and the one using toothpaste for removing markers is brilliant!
Excellent helpful hints. I always clean the kids’ toys. I do it every few months. I will have to try some of the other tips.
There are some great tips here, and timely too. Thanks for sharing.
These are really good hacks to know. Sometimes toys can be hard to keep clean.
I so need to do some spring cleaning in our home. These are great tips!
All of these are great tips! I used to run the kids bath and pool toys through the dishwasher- mold grows quickly in those
For permanent marker, I use a baking soda paste. I smear it over the marks and leave it to sit for a little while and then go back and remove it. The moistness of the paste plus the baking soda suck the color out of the area.
I love the dishwasher tip for some of the toys. My son is battling a cold right now and we need to deep clean to avoid my daughter catching it!
Thanks for the great spring cleaning hacks. I really like the suggestions for getting rid of permanent marker decor and for cleaning outdoor toys.
These are great ideas! Thank you for sharing your tips! Saving these!
I will have to keep this in mind come warmer times.
I will then have to give this a shot on my niece 🙂
I’m addicted to those Mr. Clean Erasers. They help me quickly wipe away grime that’s built up over a few months time. The generic versions work just as good as name brand, so when I see a sale, I stock up!
Great tips! Kids can create some of the toughest messes. This will be useful.
My kids used to love to draw on the walls with crayons. I would use the baking soda paste. Worked like a charm every time!