5 home design tips to help minimise cleaning

Housework can be a real chore, especially in our humid climate. Here, we compile five home design tips to help you minimise the time and effort needed to keep your home clean, without compromising on cleanliness. 1. Skip dark colours if you are a clean freak If you are the sort who cannot stand the sight of dust, we suggest skipping dark-coloured surfaces, like black-framed partitions or dark reflective surfaces, as dust is more visible to the naked eye on such features.
Materials like velvet and suede (on couches, for example) should also be kept to a minimum or even avoided entirely, as they attract dust very easily and are more high-maintenance than fabric and leather.

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2. Opt for rust-proof household items if you live near water. If you live near a reservoir, sea or other bodies of water and your unit faces strong winds, bear in mind that any metal surface in your home will quickly gather rust. This includes the spokes of your chandeliers, and caged lamps. As such, you might want to think twice about going for an industrial-style interior design.
Wooden furniture and glass lamps are better options, but if you do prefer metal, you should rustproof the metal furniture and fixtures in your home, or invest in rustproof metals, such as stainless steel, titanium and aluminium. Photo: Third Avenue Studio

3. Minimise grout cleaning with larger tiles. Dirt and grease tend to get trapped in tiling grout, especially in the kitchen and bathroom, thanks to the cooking grease in the former and moisture in the latter.
Small tiles in either area makes cleaning more challenging, as you will have to work between every tile to remove stains. If you like small tiles, it’s best to go for a mix of smaller and larger tiles in regular shapes to make your job easier. Photo: Reno Cube

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4. Make sure the kids’ rooms are low-maintenance. For your children’s bedrooms, choose low-maintenance furniture that is easily removable and replaceable, as their needs and preferences are bound to change as they grow up. If you have a baby, avoid intricately designed furniture in the room; babies make messes regularly, and you don’t want to make cleaning up even more difficult.
Also, materials like wood are easier to clean and sturdier than glass, making it a breeze for older kids to clean their own rooms and therefore, lightening your workload. Photo: Green and Lush

5. Minimise clutter to minimise cleaning. Clutter not only affects the aesthetic value of your home, it makes cleaning a nightmare. Give away, sell or discard whatever you do not need or want anymore, and organise the rest neatly. You can buy furniture with built-in storage compartments, such as sofas with drawers underneath, to better facilitate this process.
Ridding your home of clutter will definitely maximise your living space and make your home look bigger. As a result, cleaning will require less time and effort. Photo: Prozfile

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The PropertyGuru News & Views

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