9 Tips on How to Clean Your House for a New Baby
When you’re expecting a new baby, you have a lot on your mind. You’re excited, but you also wonder how you’ll ever get everything done.
You’ve probably already been thinking about how to prepare your home to be baby-ready. Things like baby-proofing your stove and rearranging some furniture are perhaps at the top of your list, but there’s one thing you may have overlooked – all the dust, dirt, and germs spread throughout your home.
To ease your mind and help you channel your incredible nesting energy, we’ve pulled together a home cleaning checklist to help you get your house ready for the new arrival.
Also, if you’re still wondering what nursery essentials you need, be sure to download my free nursery checklist below!
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The Ultimate Home Cleaning Checklist to Prepare for a New Baby
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1. Start With a Declutter
You need to deal with your home’s messes before you can even begin to clean properly. A quick tidy-up will get everything on the surface level back in order. However, if you have the energy and want to really prepare yourself for having a new baby, go through crowded spaces and see if there’s anything you can let go of.
Reducing the amount of unnecessary clutter will cut down on the items you have to keep clean and will make more room for the incoming loads of baby supplies.
2. Dust Everything
Babies have very sensitive skin and noses, so getting rid of all the dust buildup in your home can help them breathe a little easier.
Be honest with yourself. If it’s been a while since you last dusted your home, you’ll want to dry dust first before adding a cleaning product. Otherwise, you’ll be wiping clumps of wet dust across the surfaces you’re trying to clean. Get the prominent locations like furniture, but don’t neglect your decor, picture frames, and appliances.
3. Show Your Baseboards Some Love
Once your baby starts crawling, they’ll get their hands on everything, and your highly neglected baseboards are a mouthful of dust waiting to happen. Get ahead of the game by cleaning them up and treating them to prevent further buildup.
The best news is that you can clean your baseboards with pregnancy-safe cleaners like vinegar and dish soap. If you aren’t sensitive to smells, rubbing a dryer sheet on the baseboard once you finish will help prevent the static that collects dust so easily.
4. Do a Thorough Vacuuming
Cleaning works best in a top-down approach because any dust and grime you clear off your surfaces ends up on the floor. Since your baby will spend a lot of time playing on the floor, you want to make sure it’s nice and clean.
Your first line of defense is a good vacuuming. Have your partner or a friend move furniture out of the way so you can get under everything. As you go, pick up missing socks, loose change, and anything else that doesn’t belong there. Small objects, especially, are a hazard for little ones.
5. Get Your Floors Professionally Cleaned
Honestly, there’s only so much you can do to clean your own floors without professional equipment. You don’t even want to think about how much dust, allergens and mold spores might be lingering in your carpets.
Once in a while, it’s a good idea to call in some help. Since you have a baby arriving very soon, you’ll want to check to see what types of cleaners the company uses. Most professionals use heavy chemical solutions that aren’t exceptionally safe for adults, let alone babies. Do a little research to find a service that will use nontoxic supplies so your home is truly clean before the baby comes home.
6. Disinfect Your Surfaces
Cleaning the surfaces of your home is just the first step. After you finish, you should remember to go back through and disinfect high-traffic areas.
Plan ahead for this, since disinfectants need to sit wet on a surface for a while before being wiped off. You should disinfect your counters, sinks, bathroom fixtures, door handles, light switches, remotes, and anything else you touch frequently.
7. Wash All the Baby Clothes
Between baby-shower gifts, hand-me-downs from relatives, and the cute outfits you just couldn’t pass up, you’re probably buried under a mountain of baby clothes.
Resist the urge to stuff them – or meticulously organize them – into the dresser and be done with it. Baby’s sensitive skin could react to new clothing, so washing them first is a good idea. Wash them separately from yours and use an unscented, gentle laundry detergent.
8. Sterilize Your Breast Pump and Bottles
Like your collection of baby clothes, your breast pump and bottles will need sterilizing before their first use. There are many methods to get this done, so choose whichever works best for you. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to buy a fancy sterilizer to ensure a good clean.
9. Clean Out the Car
Before your baby ever sees the inside of your home, they’ll likely need to ride in your car. Now, maybe you’re one of the very few who keep their car clean, but if you aren’t, this part of the home-cleaning checklist is for you.
Cleaning out the car can involve a lot of bending and maneuvering, so maybe get a loved one’s help. You’ll want to address every part of your car – pull out any trash and wipe everything down, including the windows and hard-to-reach areas. Also, vacuum up any crumbs or pet hair.
Make Your Home Clean For Baby
With this checklist, your home will be nearly spotless by the time you welcome your new baby home. Having a clean and comfortable environment ready for your newborn will give you one less thing to worry about in those first few days after birth.
Though your nesting instinct has probably kicked into high gear, resist the urge to do all this cleaning at once. Take it slow to avoid injuring yourself or your baby. During the last trimester of your pregnancy, your balancing capabilities will be at an all-time low, which increases your risk of a fall. Ask your partner, a friend, or other loved ones for help with getting your home ready for the baby. They’ll likely love getting to be a part of your journey.
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