Keeping the kids and the house clean can be a monumental task! As the next part of the Simple Mom Hacks series (links to the rest are at the end of the post!), let’s talk about some of the best mom hacks to keep things clean. From getting permanent marker off of skin to getting rid of stubborn sand at the beach, here are some genius mom hacks to make it all smoother!
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Mom Hacks for a Clean(er) House
Here’s some fun ways to use every day things to keep the house just a bit cleaner! I say just a bit, because who ever has a clean house with kids around? It just doesn’t happen. So here’s some mom hacks for a cleaner house without a ton of extra effort!
Swiffer and Microfiber Mops
Mops aren’t just for floors anymore- try using them to clean the walls, clean bathtubs and showers! To clean the walls, just wet the mop a bit and wipe them down! For the tubs/shower, spray the cleaning mixture onto the tubs or pre-spray the tubs with a cleaning solution. Then use the mop to help you scrub the tub clean!
Layer up the sheets and mattress protectors
For kids who are potty training, sick, or just tend to make messes in the middle of the night, try putting multiple layers sheets and mattress protectors/waterproof pads/towels. Think of it this way: pad, sheet, pad, sheet, etc. This way, if there is a blowout or some other mess int he middle of the night, you just have to rip off the sheet and the pad to reveal a new sheet (instead of having to replace sheets in the middle of the night). Pure. Genius.
Painting in the Tub
Kids painting in the bathtub is a brilliant mom hack that brings a lot of fun to bath time while ensuring quick and easy clean-up. Whether they use brushes, sponges, or even their hands, the bathtub’s smooth surfaces make for an ideal canvas. Once the creative session is over, a simple bath can swiftly wash away any mess, leaving both kids and the bathtub squeaky clean.
Mom Hacks for Clean(er) Kids
Yet again I say cleaner and not clean because we all know they only stay that way for a few minutes. Here’s some mom hacks to help keep your kids themselves cleaner!
Bathing baby in a laundry basket
Once your baby is big enough to sit up on their own, but still little enough to need a bit of containment, a great mom hack is bathing a baby in a laundry basket! It makes for a safe and secure space for the baby during bath time, and the holes in the laundry basket allow water to drain out easily for easy clean up. And a laundry basket is portable, so it’s easy to take with you if needed.
Sunscreen to remove permanent marker
As much as we try and keep the permanent markers up high and out of sight, at some point most kids find a permanent marker and try writing on something they shouldn’t. Thankfully (though it won’t work for every surface) sunscreen comes to the rescue! Try a bit of sunscreen to clean permanent marker off skin, plastics, and more!
Changing diapers
A great mom hack is putting a dry diaper under the baby before you take off a pee diaper. Then you can just wipe, throw the wipe in the wet diaper, and pull it out. Now you’re cleaned and ready to fasten the dry diaper on baby. It speeds up the changing process- always a good thing once baby loves to roll over!
Trick for Washing Hands
Does your kid resist washing their hands? Give them a toy to wash (like a toy car) with the hand soap! They’ll end up getting their hands washed in the process.
Mom Hacks for Cleaner On-the-Go
The hair tie trick for the bathroom with toddlers
You’re at the grocery store and realize….you really need to pee. But when you’ve got a toddler who wants to touch EVERYTHING that can get so gross, so quick. If you find yourself in this situation, try this hair tie trick: Put a scrunchie or a hair tie around their wrists and ask them to get it off! As long as they’re willing to play your game, that can buy you just enough time to finish using the restroom without touching everything in the stall.
Keep a towel in the car
From wiping down wet slides to wrapping up dirty clothes, keeping a towel in the car can be a major stress saver! I even used mine many times when nursing my baby in the car as a substitute nursing pillow.
Keep a gallon sized bag in the diaper bag
This is one of my most commonly used mom hacks!!! Always keep a gallon zip lock bag in your diaper bag (or purse). Contain bodily fluids, poopy diapers, dirty clothes, and even just plain trash when you’re out and about and there’s not a trash can nearby.
Puppy pads
Whether you’re at home or out and about, use an extra large puppy pee pad on the changing table to simplify poop explosions! This is also a great mom hack for changing diapers in the car or other places where there’s not a changing table. And if you have the disposable ones, just throw it away when you’re done and skip dealing with changing stall germs or poop explosion ick.
Potty Seat in the Car
Those first couple of years during/after potty training, a potty in the car is a MUST HAVE. Having a portable small plastic potty lets you avoid dirty public restrooms and avoids mid-highway “I NEED TO GO POTTY!” panic searching for a restroom. This one is my favorite because it’s folds up very small, opens easily, and also can open all the way to set on top of a bigger potty. It’s seriously worth it’s weight in gold when potty training. And don’t forget to have wipes in the car, too!
The one downside to the car potty is needed refill bags for them- but honestly you can get away with a plastic grocery bags if you need to! These clever mom hacks have made our car rides with little ones an absolute breeze, making the whole family feel more comfortable and at ease on the road.
Automatic flushing toilets
Is your kid terrified of the automatic flushing toilets? Mine were! A great mom hack is to carry post-it notes in your diaper bag or purse. Place the post-it note over the sensor on the toilet so it won’t flush until you’re ready! When they done and headed to wash up, simply pull the post-it note off for flushing.
Zip lock bags for divvying up food
Kids asking for food in the car? Having zip lock bags in the car allows you to divide up bags of chips/cookies/snacks after leaving the grocery store or even if they are splitting a side or entree from a fast food place!
Getting off Sand
The baby powder mom hack is a genius solution for removing stubborn sand at the beach. Sprinkle baby powder on sandy skin- it absorbs moisture and makes sand slide off effortlessly. This handy trick eliminates the frustration of sticky and clingy sand, making post-beach clean-up a breeze for both kids and parents!
Genius Mom Hacks, Round 4 done!
I hope you enjoyed these mom hacks for keeping a cleaner house, cleaner people, and a cleaner experience out and about! If you’d like to check out some more of our Simple Mom Hacks, check out the rest of the posts in this series!