The New Parents’ Guide to a Clean Home

When you’re a new parent, the days and nights blend into one, which can make the task of maintaining a clean home a challenging one. New parents who are still caught in the tender and exhausting stages of nurturing their newest family member often struggle with keeping their homes not just orderly but also safe and healthy.

Luckily, there is a way to navigate through the exhaustion and clutter of new parenthood by following a few pragmatic steps. With them, new parents will be able to maintain a clean and child-friendly home.

The Essentials of a Clean Home for New Parents

In the life of a new parent, cleanliness isn’t just a matter of aesthetics. It’s also about creating a safe place for their newborn baby to grow into and explore without the risk of getting hurt. This will naturally require more than just a quick cleaning.

Research has found that most new or expecting parents actually don’t feel completely prepared to use cleaning products that are proper and safe for a newborn. They will need to think about and choose cleaning solutions which are both gentle and effective to provide a family space that’s safe for all members. The path to improved family health will involve three basic elements:

Cleaning to remove any unwanted contaminants from your home’s surfaces, for example, soil, grease and dirt, as well as from your hands. This can be achieved sufficiently with only soap and water.
Sanitising to reduce the number of bacteria on your home’s surfaces and make them safer for your newborn.
Disinfecting to further remove any remaining germs and bacteria around your home.

Creating a Parent-Friendly Cleaning Schedule

Life with a newborn can be very unpredictable and, because of that, the idea of a fixed cleaning schedule won’t always be possible. However, a flexible approach that adapts to the demands of new parenthood is still possible and can make a big difference.

To achieve this as a new parent, consider breaking down your cleaning tasks into manageable daily, weekly and monthly activities. This can transform an overwhelming chore into a series of small, achievable goals.

When you bring your baby home for the first time, there will be a few essential tasks that you’ll certainly need to include in your cleaning routine and make sure you perform regularly:

Regular cleaning of the most frequently touches surfaces and items, such as the doorknobs, faucets, countertops and your baby’s toys.
Wiping down the kitchen and bathroom surfaces once a week, including the fridge, microwave, oven, countertops and floors.
Cleaning your newborn’s chair after each meal.
Washing your hands right after you’ve cleaned around your home.

Consider also asking all of the other household members to make sure to regularly wash their hands and follow the proper hand washing practices. It’ll be very helpful to think about providing hand sanitiser near the sinks for the times when washing with soap and water isn’t possible.

Safe and Effective Cleaning Products for Homes with Newborns

With a market that’s full of a variety of cleaning products, figuring out which ones are truly safe for a newborn can be very difficult, but it’s a key factor for homes with babies.

Generally, natural, non-toxic options should be the first choice of parents, and it’s highly recommended that parents stay away from any cleaners containing harsh chemicals. For the DIYers, a solution made from vinegar, baking soda and lemon will offer the safest and most effective cleaning method.

Tackling Common Messes in a Child-Friendly Way

Babies naturally bring new types of messes that require quick and safe cleaning solutions. These can range from vomit to diaper accidents, and learning how to quickly and efficiently deal with them will be essential.

In such situations, opt for gentle soaps and natural disinfectants, such as vinegar solutions, to keep your baby’s space hygienic and healthy. Keep in mind also that because of the mess that newborns make, their laundry, such as their clothes, diapers and bedding, will require more frequent washing than what you might have been used to and special detergent for sensitive skin.

Organising a Home to Minimise Clutter

Clutter can be a big safety hazard, specifically in a home with a newborn. Dealing with it will require smart organisation and storage solutions to keep the baby’s belongings arranged without them taking over every corner of the house.

To help with that, storage solutions that will keep everything in order will make the daily clean-ups less challenging and can be of great help to new parents.

Involving the Whole Family When Cleaning

A clean home can be best achieved if you put in a team effort, especially in a household with a newborn. Getting the whole family involved in cleaning, including any younger siblings of the baby, can make this chore a lot quicker and easier by turning it into a shared responsibility. This type of building a routine that includes everyone can even bring the whole family closer together.

When to Consider Professional Cleaning Services

It’s worth noting that regular cleaning will not always be an achievable goal for new parents and, sometimes, it’ll be more beneficial to call in for help. Reaching out to professional cleaning services can be invaluable in the early stages of parenthood, which can have a lot of particularly hectic moments.

When choosing such services, do proper research and make sure that their methods of cleaning are child-friendly to give you peace of mind while you’re getting your home in order.

Final Words

Navigating baby-friendly home cleaning is an essential part of the journey of new parenthood. It’s about finding balance and creating a safe and welcoming space for the newest member of the family. Besides taking these tips into account, it’s recommended to also mould them to fit your lifestyle and daily schedule.

Consider also sharing your journey with others who are going through the same process as you are. There’s a lot of support and guidance on the Internet, which you can access by doing proper research and joining the right groups. Online communities for new parents can be a great source of advice, product recommendations and shared experiences. They can also offer cleaning checklists and schedule templates with much-needed guidance for cleaning and organisation.