5-Minute Daily Cleaning Tips to Keep Your Entryway Clean in Japan

This article is contributed by Kurashinity

The entrance is often referred to as the "face of the house," making it an important area. When the entrance is being kept clean, it gives a positive energy to the people in the household. In this article, I will share some tips for keeping your entrance clean.

Table of Contents

1. The first thing to do before cleaning: "Organizing the items in the entrance"

2. Entrance floor cleaning tips

3. Entrance door cleaning tips

4. Keeping the entryway clean and classy

1. The first thing to do before cleaning: "Organizing the items in the entrance"

To clean the entrance smoothly, you first need to organize the items in the area.

Tips for organizing the entrance:

Simply rearranging the items in the entrance will only be a temporary solution. There are some tricks to proper organization, so let’s follow the steps one by one.

1. Lay down newspapers or a picnic blanket to keep the floor clean. Take everything out of the entrance including shoes, umbrellas, and children's toys. Count how many shoes and umbrellas each family member has. By making the amount visible, you can better understand what you have.

2. Sort items into 3 categories: “Keep”, “Don’t keep”,  and “Undecided/Want to keep but unsure”. If you only focus on keeping or discarding, it may take longer to decide on the undecided items. Having a third category helps make decisions faster.

3. Reduce the items until the storage is about 80% full. If you can’t reduce them further, store things that are rarely used or seasonal items in other places.

4. Decide on a designated spot for each item. Consider the height of the family members and store items in places that are easy to access.

It is recommended to regularly check the items in your entrance. When checking them, wipe down the shelves of your shoe rack or shoe closet. If you do this then, cleaning won’t feel like a hassle. Avoid directly returning the shoes that were just worn into the shoe rack. Instead, let them dry before storing them to prevent mold and odors. Wet shoes, in particular, require extra attention.

2. Entrance floor cleaning tips

The floor of the entrance is the area that easily gets dirty due to dust, dirt, and sand accumulated from the shoes worn outside. If there are no items left lying around in the entrance, cleaning becomes a simple task. If the entrance is neglected with mud or dust visible, it can give guests the impression that the house is not well cared for. Therefore, try to clean the floor as frequently as possible.

To remove sand, dust, and debris on the floor, either sweep it out with a broom and gather it with a dustpan, or vacuum it. This step is the same regardless of the flooring material. For wiping, the method will differ depending on the material, so be sure to check your floor’s material before wiping it.

Now, let’s look at the cleaning methods based on different materials.

Tile Flooring

If your floor is made of tile, after sweeping or vacuuming, wet the area with water and scrub the dirt with a deck brush or scrubbing brush. If the dirt doesn’t come off, apply some detergent and scrub again. Once it’s clean, rinse the area with water and wait for it to dry.

In barrier-free apartments where there is no step between the entrance and hallway, wipe down the floors with a damp cloth instead of using water.

Natural or Synthetic Marble Flooring

Recently, entrances using luxurious marble floors have become more popular. There are two types of marble flooring: natural marble and synthetic marble. Both have the downside of being susceptible to staining when exposed to moisture. Therefore, it is not advisable to use large amounts of water to clean, like with the tiles.

Additionally, marble is sensitive to both acidic and alkaline substances, so only neutral detergents should be used. Be sure to check the instructions on the detergent, as some neutral cleaners may not be suitable for marble.

Avoid using melamine sponges, as they can scratch surfaces. Once you spray the detergent, use a soft sponge or old cloth to scrub. After cleaning, thoroughly wipe away any excess detergent and dry the surface with a dry cloth.

3. Entrance door cleaning tips

Cleaning the entrance door is very important, not only for aesthetics but also for infection prevention. In particular, the door handle tends to get dirty with fingerprints and dust, and bacteria can accumulate. Therefore, it’s essential to clean the door handle regularly.

Now, let's look at the cleaning methods for different parts of the door.

Door Handle Cleaning

The door handle is the most frequently touched thus it is easily gets contaminated. Therefore, it’s important to clean it thoroughly. Fingermarks are acidic stains/dirt, so using an alkaline cleaner will make it easier to remove the dirt.

The steps for cleaning the door handle are as follows:

1. Apply detergent to a cloth and wipe the door handle.

2. Use another dry cloth to wipe it again.

3. If necessary, disinfect with alcohol.

Make sure to wipe off the detergent completely, as it could end up on your hands. If you have small children who might put their hands in their mouths, it’s a good idea to use a mild alkaline, natural cleaner like baking soda water.

Please note that baking soda or alcohol disinfectants may not be advisable for some door handle materials.

Door Surfaces Cleaning

The method for cleaning the door surfaces depends on the material.

Here are different materials and their cleaning methods.

Wooden Doors:

Wet wipe is generally not advised because wood absorbs moisture and causes mold growth. The cleaning steps for wooden doors are as follows:

1. Wipe the door with a dry cloth. Apply wax intended for entrances.

2. Once the wax has dried, wipe the door again with a dry cloth for finishing.

There’s no need to apply wax frequently. If you notice light dirt, just wiping it with a dry cloth is enough.

Metal or Resin Doors:

You can wipe them with a wet cloth. The cleaning steps for metal or resin doors are as follows:

1. Wipe with a dry cloth.

2. Wipe with a wet cloth or spray a neutral detergent and wipe it off.

3. Polish by wiping it again with a dry cloth.

Start by dry wiping to remove any dirt, then follow up with a wet wipe for a cleaner finish.

Finally, make sure to wipe off any water droplets with a dry cloth to make the door sparkly clean.

4. Keep Your Entryway Clean and Classy

It is said that keeping the entrance clean and dust-free not only helps to avoid bringing bad luck into the house but also brings good fortune. That’s how important the entrance is. Regular cleaning of the entrance is essential for the well-being of your family. Frequent cleaning is also effective in preventing infections.

If you want to maintain the beauty of your entrance, keep the following in mind:

1. Don’t clutter the space with items.

2. Make cleaning a habit (quick clean as you go).

3. Keep cleaning tools stored in the entrance for convenience to clean regularly.

Once cleaned, adding fresh flowers can create a classy entrance. Whether you have unexpected guests or not, you can always confidently welcome them.

However, with the busy demands of housework, parenting, and work-life, it may be difficult to keep up with cleaning the entrance. In such cases, it’s recommended to use a regular housekeeping service.

Kurashinity's housekeeping services contribute to reducing the household burden. The excellent housekeepers, who have received 600 hours of training in cleaning skills, hospitality, Japanese culture, and communication, provide high-quality and consistent services.

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