Cleaning with Preschoolers

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I hate cleaning. It’s no secret that my house is a disaster zone and adding kids into the mix has just made it worse. They come with so many things, don’t they?!? When I buckle down and get to cleaning, I need it to be clean for awhile and involve as little effort as possible. I’m not trying to clean something that I just cleaned.

Thanks to Fabuloso®, I’m able to use the same product to clean multiple things in the house (and out)! With kids, this is so important because I don’t want a million different cleaning products taking up the space under the sink or switching back and forth while cleaning. Before I share what all we used Fabuloso® to clean, I’m sharing some tips for cleaning with your preschooler! I know it’s not easy, but it’s doable.

1. Invite Them

Just like most of us, our preschoolers don’t like being TOLD what to do. We’re trying to “invite” Charlie to help clean up around the house now instead of telling him to do so. What this also means is that we’re okay if he doesn’t help.

I’m hoping that eventually he’ll want to, but starting WWIII because he doesn’t want to isn’t going to solve anything.

2. Lay Out the Steps

I know with Charlie, who just turned 4, if I give him a general statement, such as “clean up this mess”, he just looks around and says “there too much toys” and he gets overwhelmed. Charlie needs clear direction with these types of things, so laying out the steps for him is a great plan!

1. Can you find the bin?

2. Look around the room and find something that belongs in the bin.

3. When you find something, put it in there.

4. When the bin is full, put it back on the shelf.

5. Can you find another bin?

6. What goes in that bin?

7. Ask Mommy or Daddy for help if you need to.

3. Appreciate Their Hard Work

Clearly, your preschooler is not going to leave a room sparkly clean or make their bed perfectly, but they still need to try. If they see that you really appreciate their hard work and the fact that they tried, they’ll keep helping and will gradually improve!

If you think they are able to do a better job at a task already, you can nicely ask them to tidy something specific up that they may have missed.

You could clean up after them, but if they look really proud of their job, I’d just let it go or you may discourage them. You can always do it when they’re sleeping later that night if they won’t notice.

If it seems like they’re having an especially hard time with something, offer them support and let them know you appreciate their effort and you’d like to help.

I know that Charlie gets upset when he can’t do something, but we try to stress that everything takes practice. The more he practices his new skills, the better he’ll get.

The key to this one is remembering you’re praising them for trying, not what the final result actually looks like.

Tasks Preschoolers Can Do:

• empty silverware from dishwasher and sort in drawer
• return items to fridge or pantry after a meal
• help clear the table
• sort clothes by color for laundry
• match socks
• take rugs outside to shake them
• put away toys & books
• dust non-breakables
• check under furniture for items
• make their bed
• take out trash (bathroom trash is more manageable for their size)

Now it was our turn to make cleaning fun! We were just passed down a football-shaped toy bin that’s perfect to keep outside toys in. We have one for out back already, so this one will stay out front. Yes, I know it’s something that sits outside, but we wanted to spruce it up a little since it’s new to us.

I grabbed some Fabuloso® the last time I was at Walmart. It was less than $3 at my store (prices may vary), which is a great deal to me! There are some amazing scents, but the Lavender is my favorite! We also grabbed a bottle of the Fabuloso® Multipurpose Cleaner Limited Edition Spring Bloom.

Trust me when I say: a little goes a long way with Fabuloso®. I mixed 1/2 cup of the lavender Fabuloso® with a gallon of water in a cool Marvel Avengers bucket for Charlie. He went to town cleaning up his new toy bin! According to him, it’s going to hold his squirt guns.

And look how proud he was of his cleaning job!

 

This is obviously not spotless with his cleaning job, but it’s pretty darn good! He enjoyed it so much that he wanted to help me clean the bathroom!

I’m not sure if you can really see the difference, but there is a big one! With a house of boys, there is pee all over the place! Honestly, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to use the bathroom without wiping pee off the seat, but a mom can dream, right?

I love that Fabuloso® is a true multi-purpose cleaner that I can use on my floors, the toilet, the walls, countertops and then dump some inside of the toilet. The bathroom looks cleaner and the entire house smells better after just a few minutes of cleaning! That’s my kind of cleaning!

I’ve shared my tips for getting the cleaning done with the help of your preschooler, but I’d love to hear your tips! How do you use Fabuloso®?