Keeping a clean home isn’t always easy.

Especially if you’ve got young kids or pets. By making small improvements to your home, you can make cleaning less of a chore. Here are just a few ways to create an easy-to-clean home.

Contain clutter.

Cleaning around clutter is difficult. If you don’t want to get rid of this clutter, the next best option is to contain it. Buy racks and chests for items like kids toys, toiletries, tools and cosmetics. By giving everything a home, you’ll prevent surfaces from accumulating clutter, making it easier to clean these surfaces without having to move items.

Choose the right flooring.

Choosing the right flooring solution could also help with an easy-to-clean home. To help find the perfect flooring for your home, consider your lifestyle. If you have young kids that are likely to create stains, you may want to steer clear of carpet and opt for laminate wood or vinyl.

For cat and dog owners, vinyl floors may be a better option as they make sweeping up animal hair easy while not being too slippery. For those craving carpets, carpet tiles or a short pile carpet may be a solution.

Strategically place mats and rugs.

You can also place mats and rugs in places that are likely to get messy. You can buy mats that are easy to wipe clean that can be placed beneath high chairs or under pet bowls.

Rugs can meanwhile be placed under sofas and dining tables to catch crumbs and spillages. You can then easily clean or shake out these rugs when they get dirty.

Choose the right furniture.

Some furniture fabrics are easier to clean than others. Leather is one of the easiest materials to clean when it comes to liquid and food spillages, but pets like cats may scratch it (microfiber couches can be a good option for preventing this).

Another solution could be to buy sofa slipcovers that are machine-washable. You could also consider opting for furniture on castors. This makes it easy to move furniture so that you can easily vacuum or mop behind it.

Opt for scrubbable wall paint.

When painting interior walls, consider the type of paint. Some paints are easy to scrub – this could make it easier to remove scuff marks made by paws or pen marks made by naughty toddlers. Such paints tend to be the high gloss paints you commonly find in schools.

Buy an air purifier.

If your home tends to get very dusty, you could consider buying an air purifier. An air purifier can remove contaminants from the air and prevent dust settling. This could help you to maintain cleaner surfaces in your home without having to run a cloth over them as regularly. Electric air purifiers are the best option for this.