It can become an unmanageable cleaning marathon if you tend to leave the bulk of your cleaning to one day each week, bi-weekly, or even monthly (!). Such a job is exhausting and often not as productive because you tend to motor through the tasks and aren’t as efficient or effective.

The 20/10 cleaning method was created to help avoid cleaning burnout. Also known as the UfYH method, it can help you become a more efficient cleaner.
In this article, we’ll share the secret of 20/10 cleaning that Toronto residents are embracing to change your world forever.
What is the 20/10 cleaning method?
The 20/10 cleaning method was developed by Rachel Hoffman and shared in her book, Unf*** Your Habitat: You’re Better Than Your Mess (hence the acronym, UfYH). The method is based on 20-minute spurts of intense cleaning broken up with 10-minute breaks.
More importantly, it teaches you how to avoid becoming overwhelmed by the big picture of the entire mess by focusing on tiny tasks. As a result, you can quickly make your way through each mess until your entire home is spotless.
Here are the main cleaning tips that Hoffman shares:
Make Your Bed
The to-make-or-not-make-your-bed argument is age-old, with many feeling it is silly since you’ll just mess it up again at bedtime.
However, Hoffman is a true believer in making your bed every day to transform what appears to be a room in complete disarray into something that is neater and, therefore, more relaxing.
Ventilate by Opening Windows
Fresh air, even in the winter, keeps your home feeling and smelling cleaner. Improving ventilation in your home just takes opening your windows to help reduce the amount of bacteria, odours, and mould.
Wash the Dishes After Meals
This is another timeless argument that many households struggle with. Who has time to wash dishes after breakfast every morning?
Again, Hoffman believes this simple act just takes a few minutes, and provides a clean kitchen that calms the mind when you get home. Clean dishes help reduce odours in your kitchen, while also keeping your kitchen feeling tidy and decreasing the risk of attracting pests.
Keep Your Fridge Clutter-Free
Opening a fridge packed with old leftovers, tons of half-full condiments, and jams that are well past their best-before dates creates a feeling of chaos every time you prepare a meal or search for a snack.
Keeping your fridge clean and free of clutter means keeping track of the food within and removing anything that is no longer fresh. You create a fridge where you can quickly find the ingredients you need, reduce odours, and more easily clean your shelves and compartments.
Always Start in the Biggest Rooms
Focus your energy on bigger tasks first, so you don’t waste time on small rooms that quickly tire you. Once you clean a larger room, you’ll feel good about your progress and look forward to cleaning the smaller areas of your home.
Always Clean From Top to Bottom
We’ve mentioned this method repeatedly in our cleaning blogs because it works. Although this isn’t something new, it’s simply the most logical way to clean and reduce your efforts. Anything that falls below is cleaned once you reach that level.
Put Everything Away as You Clean
Dropping things on the floor is the easiest way to create a mess. Not only should you avoid dropping things like dirty laundry on the floor, but you should also avoid dropping items on the floor as you clean.
When everything is put in its proper place as you work, your home is miraculously neater, and you can also always find what you need.
Do the Laundry From Start to Finish
Just because your clothes are cleaned and folded doesn’t mean your laundry is “done.” Complete your laundry from start to finish so nothing gets forgotten in the washer, left getting wrinkled in the dryer, or with piles of clean and folded clothes sitting around in laundry baskets, on bedroom furniture, or on the floor.
Take it to the finish line by putting your clothes away and enjoy the joy of clean, wrinkle-free clothes.
Don’t Forget the Floors
Keeping floors clean, whether carpeted or hard surfaces, creates a home that feels sanitized and healthy.
Sweeping is easier than ever with various floor-cleaning tools available, such as a stick vacuum, full vacuum, various microfibre cloth sweepers, or a broom. You can then follow up on hard surfaces with a mop or wet mop cleaning tool for floors that look and smell great.
Why You Should Use 20/10 Cleaning in Toronto
There are several reasons why you should use the 20/10 cleaning method, including the following:
- It’s a sustainable way to clean, as you do everything in small chunks, allowing you to finish the work without feeling too exhausted halfway through.
- It’s the best method for people who suffer from chronic pain or anxiety, as it keeps the project both mentally and physically manageable. You can feel a sense of accomplishment and live in a clean home that is less stressful
- You break the habit of living in a dirty, messy home by only cleaning when things are looking really bad and, instead, live in a clean home all the time
- You have breaks that help you refuel, admire your work, and prepare to move on to the next task with newfound energy and enthusiasm.
- You accomplish more work than you might expect, which helps egg you on to complete more tasks.
- You set a time that provides an “end in sight” to doing something you hate, which often makes it easier to do.
- You feel like you’re multitasking when you take 10-minute breaks to do something else like check your emails, answer some texts, or read a few pages of a book.
Ultimately, this method makes cleaning feel more manageable and helps you see results quickly.
Still, you should reach out to the professional cleaners at Maid4Condos that Toronto depends on to take care of your cleaning for you. You can call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us online.