How to Get Your Kids to Clean

Get Kids To Clean: 3 Step Guide. Reading time: 3min.

Are you bribing your kids? Are you taking away their phones, tablets and computers?

Still not better?

You do all the work alone?

We give psychological and practical tips to teach your child to clean. Cleaning is not just a chore, it's a valuable lesson that the future adult has to learn.

Part One: Set a good example

Lead by example

parents are superheroes for kids

Your child will absorb everything you do. They look up to you and learn from your actions. Even the bad ones. Don't expect your child to do something you are not doing or willing to do.

it's important to establish that cleaning isn't a punishment for doing something wrong, it's just a necessary part of life.



Teach your child to clean

Teach your kids to clean and make it fun


Work with them and make it age appropriate. Don't stay in the teaching mode forever. They either clean or miss a movie night. The trick is to engage them and approach them with the idea appropriately.

Don't expect they know how to clean until you show them. They might not get it right the first few times so be patient.

What if they say no?

kids must learn how to clean

Give them an objective reason why they should do what you are asking. If they say no, and you start arguing, they will stand their ground and argue back.

If you approach in a calm, emphatic and business-like way, they will mimic your behaviour.

You need to discipline and maintain the level of control they have.

Part two: Repetition is the mother of learning

Make a pattern

repetition is the mother of learning

{pattern /ˈpat(ə)/ noun - A regular form or sequence in which something happens or is done.}

Everything is better with a pattern! It's easy to follow a pattern. Patterns are better than chaos! Your job has a pattern, this blog has a pattern.

Establish some basic rules that have to be respected. Make the consequences clear and simple.

Give them a set of small tasks instead of one large job! Simple task, like home cleaning, can build character and increase practical skills.

Let me explain.

Emptying trash, organising, having a schedule, are great things to pick up from a young age. Completing those tasks even when not enjoying them, builds character and a work habit. So it's a good idea to teach your child to clean.

Cleaning Checklist: How to

cleaning checklist is important

Having a cleaning checklist is the first step in making a pattern. It needs to be short and simple. It needs to have most important (macro) tasks. Cleaning checklist has to be age appropriate! Using a calendar as a behaviour chart can help them see the progress and help them build a habit.

  • A place for everything and everything in its place. If your child was not thought to leave toys in their place, it will be much harder to clean.

Give them control

give reasonable amounts of control to your kids so they understand responsibility

Give them a reason to be proud of their personal space. Even if they don't have a bedroom. It can be a corner or a shelf and only they control it. 

Depending on age, they need to have a certain level of freedom. You can allow kids to put their toys wherever they want, but teenagers will want more freedom.

Getting a new habit is hard, breaking an old one is harder


Useful links:
Teaching Techniques:

making a schedule


Make it fun

learning is fun if you make it fun

Don't expect kids to clean because they need a clean home. They will clean because they are told and thought to clean.
If you are teaching them, anything really, why not make it fun?
Take the cleaning checklist and give points to tasks. Making the checklist is a part of the process. You need to engage them and ask them what they would like to get if they clean their closet, room etc.

Give Incentives

give incentives when you want your kids to clean

In order to be motivated to do this beloved task, the kid needs to look forward to something.

Make a new family tradition, they can get something they really, really, really want!
Just make the prize realistic.
If they do what was required and you don't deliver, they will lose trust and you'll need to start thinking about booking a cleaning company.

Enforce rules

enforce cleaning checklist so you can get your kids to clean

Set a certain time in a day or week when you check if their duties are done. Tasks need to be clear and simple.

Don't do it for them! If they don't put their laundry in the basket, make it clear that it won't be washed.

If they fail to finish their checklist, a penalty must exist. It needs to be unwanted enough to get them to finish the tasks. Keep a calm and business like attitude.


cleaning can be a competition

If you have 2 or more kids, you can make home cleaning a competition! Each one gets a set of tasks and the one who does it better can get a bonus! You can really play around with the rules. Ration out the tasks according to skills (or witness a war zone).

Reward all good effort

useful links:
How to reward your child :

discipline your child 0 - 13+ :

Leave a Reply