9 Daily Cleaning Habits for the Hardest Spots in an Indian Home
Clean one small area of your Indian home every week instead of waiting for Diwali, and you’ll never face a cleaning burden again. That single habit — breaking the house into small zones and rotating through them — is the foundation of every tip in this post.
Where should I start cleaning my house?
Start with the kitchen. It’s the dirtiest zone in an Indian home because steam, oil splatters, water droplets and food splashes constantly settle on the walls, tiles and cabinet fronts. Within the kitchen, begin near the sink area, because that’s where the dustbin sits and where most washing happens.
How do I clean greasy kitchen walls without spoiling the paint?
Good-quality washable wall paint can take repeated scrubbing — that’s why choosing the right paint when you paint your kitchen matters. The method is simple:
- Place a stool against the wall and sit while you work — bending and stretching causes body pain later.
- Take an old dish-washing scrub (keep one aside specifically for this).
- Apply soapy water and scrub the wall section by section.
- Wipe with a clean damp cloth to remove all soap.
- Do one small patch at a time — don’t attempt the whole house in one sitting.
Black splatters, water marks and food specks come off easily, and the wall looks freshly painted again.
How do I clean a switchboard safely?
Always switch off the power before cleaning any switchboard. Don’t use a very wet cloth — water must not seep inside. Clean switches the moment they look slightly grimy; if you leave them too long, the effort to clean them later multiplies. A lightly damp cloth and a careful hand are enough.
How do I clean tricky window and balcony door panels?
This is the trick most people don’t know — and you don’t need a vacuum cleaner. Vacuum nozzles often can’t reach into narrow panel grooves anyway.
- Take a medium-sized painting brush — the kind children use for art class.
- Sweep all the dust inside the panel to one side using the brush.
- Take an old newspaper or notebook page.
- Press the paper into the panel groove and brush the collected dust onto it.
- Lift the paper out with all the cement powder, mud and dust on it.
- Finally wrap a cloth around the same brush and wipe the panel clean.
The difference between a panel cleaned this way and an untouched one is dramatic — the only marks left are old paint specks, not dirt.
How do I clean combs and hair brushes at home?
Plastic combs cannot take hot water, so use normal room-temperature water. Add a little Vim dishwashing liquid — between Vim and detergent, Vim gives the better result for combs because it works the same way it cuts grease off utensils.
- Soak all your combs together in the soapy water for a while.
- For thick brushes, pull out the tangled hair during soaking using a second cleaning brush.
- Rub each comb in the water; the grime lifts off easily.
- Rinse with clean water.
- Lay a towel down and place the combs on it to dry. Brushes need extra time to dry inside the bristles.
Why does my kitchen countertop look dull?
Because you’re only wiping it with a cloth, not scrubbing it. A damp cloth removes surface dirt but doesn’t restore shine. The countertop — whether black, white, grey or green marble — needs daily scrubbing to stay shiny.
The method takes barely any extra time:
- After your last kitchen task of the day, pour a little of your regular dishwashing soap onto the countertop and the burner.
- Scrub with a scrub pad.
- Wipe clean.
Do this every night. Within a week, even a dull countertop starts looking new again. Miss a single day and stains return.
How do I keep my kitchen sink stain-free?
Scrub the sink with the same dishwashing soap right after washing utensils — either three times a day or at minimum once at night. Daily scrubbing is why a sink stays free of stains. Once in a while, pour a little salt and hot water down the drain. Drainage pipes are built to handle hot water without melting, and this small habit prevents clogs and keeps cockroaches out of the pipe.
How often should I clean adhesive hooks and small fittings?
Clean adhesive hooks roughly once every 10 days. Because they sit flush against tiles or walls, they don’t accumulate heavy grime, so this gentle frequency is enough.
What is the most important habit behind all of this?
Comfort. If a cleaning task is hard on your body — bending, stretching, standing for hours — you’ll skip it. Sit on a stool. Take small zones. Use the easy trick (the painting brush, the soap-water scrub, the nightly two-minute countertop wipe) rather than the heavy method. Cleaning that feels effortless is cleaning that actually gets done.
📺 About this video. This post draws on Jasmine Choudhari’s YouTube video 9 Daily Cleaning Habits/Ideas For Most Difficult Areas Of House. Watch the full video for visual demonstrations of every tip.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I avoid heavy festival cleaning every year?
Clean one small area of your home every week or every month instead of saving everything for Diwali. When festivals arrive, you won't face the entire burden of deep cleaning at once, and you can enjoy the festival without getting tired.
How can I clean kitchen walls without damaging the paint?
Use a regular dish-washing scrub with soapy water, scrub the wall gently, then wipe with a clean damp cloth. Good-quality wall paint can be scrubbed and wiped many times without getting spoiled, so choose a washable paint when you paint your kitchen so splatters and stains come off easily.
Is it safe to clean switchboards while they are switched on?
No — always switch off the power before cleaning a switchboard. Avoid using a very wet cloth so water doesn't seep inside the switch. Wipe gently when the switches are only slightly dirty, so they never need heavy cleaning later.
How do I clean window and balcony door panels without a vacuum cleaner?
Use a medium-sized painting brush (the kind kids paint with) and an old newspaper or notebook page. Sweep all the dust to one side with the brush, then press the paper into the panel groove and brush the collected dust onto it. Finally wipe the panel with a damp cloth using the same brush.
What is the easiest way to clean a plastic comb at home?
Soak the comb in normal room-temperature water mixed with Vim dishwashing liquid for a while, then rub it clean. Vim gives faster, better results than detergent for combs. Don't use hot water on plastic combs. Pull out tangled hair from brushes during soaking using another cleaning brush.
Why does my kitchen countertop look dull even though I wipe it daily?
A wet cloth alone doesn't bring back shine — the countertop needs daily scrubbing. Put a little dishwashing soap on the countertop and burner, scrub, then wipe. Do this once every night and within a week you'll see the shine return, whether your counter is black, white, grey or green marble.
How often should I scrub the kitchen sink?
Scrub the sink daily, ideally every time you finish washing utensils, or at least once at night. Daily scrubbing prevents stains and keeps the shine. Pouring a little salt and hot water down the drain occasionally also keeps the drainage pipe clear without damaging it.
Can I clean my whole house in one go?
No — trying to clean the entire house at once is not practical and leaves you exhausted. Pick one small area at a time, sit comfortably on a stool instead of bending, and finish that one section properly. Small, regular sessions are easier on your body and keep the house consistently clean.
About Jasmine Choudhari
Jasmine Choudhari shares practical, no-frills ideas for organising small Indian kitchens and homes. Follow her on YouTube (600K+ subscribers · Silver Play Button), Instagram and Facebook. For collaborations: collab@jasminechoudhari.com.