Healthy home · Everyday cleaning
Little hands, little paws, and a simpler cleaning routine
Around here, floors see dog hair, crumbs, and plenty of real life. When little ones visit, they’re down on the floor, too. I want that space clean, but I don’t want to pull out a different spray for every little mess.
That’s one reason I’m so drawn to a simpler routine. Use what the job actually needs, keep the products you do use stored safely, and don’t make cleaning harder than it has to be.
Start with the floor
Young children crawl, play, and put their hands in their mouths. Pets walk across the floor and sometimes lick their paws. It makes sense to think about what we’re putting on the surfaces they spend so much time touching. For me, that’s one more reason to keep the routine simple.
At my house, I dry mop first to gather dog hair, dust, and crumbs. Then I dampen the wet mop pad with water, wring it out well, and clean the floor. For many everyday jobs, microfiber and water are a wonderfully simple place to start. You can watch my whole mop routine here.
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When water alone isn’t the right tool
Some messes call for a cleaning product, and that’s okay. Norwex has plant- and enzyme-powered options for particular jobs, from laundry to dishes. I look at the surface and the mess before deciding what to use, then follow that product’s directions.
If you like checking ingredients, some individual Norwex cleaners have earned the EWG VERIFIED® mark, including Power Cleaning Paste and All-in-1 Bathroom Cleaner Concentrate. EWG reviews those specific formulas against its ingredient and disclosure standards. The mark doesn’t apply to every Norwex product, and even a verified cleaner still needs to be used and stored as directed.
Keep the routine practical
Keep cleaning products in their original containers and out of reach of kids and pets. Follow the label, and let cleaned surfaces dry before kids or pets use them again.
My favorite way to think about it: Clean the everyday mess with the simplest tool that works. Bring in a cleaner when you need one. Then put it away safely.
Want to see how I do it?
I’ll show you exactly how I dry mop, wet mop with water, and keep the pads ready for the next round of dog hair.
Watch my mop demo →Helpful reading: EPA on children’s contact with floors and dust · ASPCA on cleaning around pets · EWG’s Norwex cleaner listings.