Order starts with storage
Children can help tidy according to their abilities; adults handle cleaning products and appliances. Clean toys for their material and instructions.
A children's room stays clean more easily if everything has a fixed place. Open boxes, low shelves and baskets that children can reach themselves work better than tall cupboards. Pictures or symbols on the boxes help younger children put toys in the right place.
Less is often more: if not all toys are in the room at once, there is less mess. Some families store part of the toys in a cupboard and swap them every few weeks. This keeps toys interesting and the floor clearer.
Tidying by ability: children and adults
Small children can already help, for example by putting building blocks in a box or placing soft toys on the bed. Older children take on more, such as their desk or putting laundry in the basket. It is important to phrase the task clearly and manageably instead of simply saying 'tidy your room'.
A short, fixed tidy-up time, for example before dinner or bedtime, quickly becomes a habit. A song or an hourglass turns it into a little game.
- Clear, small tasks
- A fixed tidy-up time
- Label boxes with pictures
- Together rather than alone
| Situation | Appropriate action |
|---|---|
| Young children, supervised | Put a few large toys in a box; adults remove small parts and do the cleaning. |
| School-age children by ability | Sort books and put clothes in the basket; adults handle chemicals, electricity and windows. |
| Older children by agreement | Clear their desk and tick off tasks; hazardous work stays with adults. |
Further reading
Cleaning toys gently
Hard plastic toys can usually be cleaned with warm water, a little mild washing-up liquid and a cloth, then rinsed with clean water. Let them dry well before they go back in the box. Check the manufacturer's instructions first, especially for toys with batteries or electronics; such parts must not go in water.
Wipe wooden toys only slightly damp and dry them immediately so they do not swell. Wash soft toys only if the label allows, often in a laundry bag on a gentle cycle.
Cleaning products in the children's room
For most tasks in a children's room, warm water with a little mild cleaner is enough. Strong products, heavily scented sprays or disinfectants are not needed in everyday life. Spray cleaner onto the cloth rather than directly onto surfaces so less of it gets into the air.
Never leave cleaning products open while children are in the room, and put buckets and bottles away immediately. Air the room well after cleaning. Keep all cleaning products out of children's reach.
- Mild product on the cloth, not in the air
- No open bottles in the room
- Air the room after cleaning
- Store products child-safe
Further reading
Textiles and the bed
Bed linen, curtains, rugs and cuddly blankets collect dust and crumbs. Vacuum the rug regularly and wash textiles according to the care label. A washable play mat is practical because small accidents are quickly dealt with.
Toys and dust bunnies like to gather under the bed and behind furniture. Check there during the weekly vacuuming. If there are siblings who are babies, small parts that could be swallowed belong in closed containers anyway.
A realistic weekly rhythm
A simple plan helps: tidy briefly every day, vacuum and wipe surfaces weekly, sort and clean toys monthly. Perfection is not the goal; a children's room may look lived in. What matters is that the floor is clear enough for playing and cleaning.
With PUTZIO you can book regular apartment cleaning in the supported municipalities around Zurich and Rapperswil-Jona for CHF 40 per hour, which includes cleaning the children's room as part of normal cleaning. Tidying away toys is best left to the family so that everything ends up in its usual place.
Sorting toys and supervising children are not part of apartment cleaning. Adults remain responsible for supervision and put personal toys away before the visit.
Further reading